Wüsthof Classic Ikon 2-Piece Cook's Set

Two knives handle the bulk of home cooking, and the Wüsthof Classic Ikon 2-piece cook’s set holds both. You get an 8-inch chef’s blade plus a small parer, each with the contoured Classic Ikon handle.

Asked which chef’s knife size to start with, we point home cooks to 8 inches. It is long enough to rock through herbs and slice a large onion in one pass, and short enough to stay manageable on an average cutting board. Cooks with smaller hands or a tight workspace can look at the Classic Ikon 2-piece prep set, which has a 6-inch knife.

The paring knife takes over for peeling, coring and trimming in the hand. Together the pair makes a solid foundation to build on with a bread knife or a utility knife later. Each knife is available alone. Look for the Classic Ikon 8-inch chef’s knife and the Classic Ikon 3.5-inch parer. The kitchen knife shapes guide shows which blade to add next, and the Classic Ikon 6-piece starter block set gathers these two with a bread knife and a block.