Wüsthof Classic 2-Piece Starter Knife Set

Starting a collection with Wüsthof’s Classic 2-piece starter knife set gives you an eight-inch cook’s knife with a small parer, all from the Classic line. It is an economical way to build a collection: with the essentials covered, there is no need to add more knives until the time is right.

Between them the two knives handle nearly every prep job in a home kitchen. The chef’s knife chops onions and breaks down a squash. The paring knife peels apples and deveins shrimp, along with other small jobs in the hand. Add a Classic bread knife later for crusty loaves and tomatoes, and you have a working kitchen set.

We get asked whether 8 inches is the right size to start. For a home cook with an average cutting board, it is a comfortable length with enough reach for large produce. If you prefer something shorter and lighter, the Classic 2-piece prep set has the shorter 6-inch size with that same parer. These two knives are sold one at a time too. See the Classic 8-inch chef’s knife or the Classic 3.5-inch parer. To plan ahead, our guide to kitchen knife shapes lays out the next blades to consider, from a utility knife to a santoku.