Ginsu Knives Review: Affordable and Durable Kitchen Knives
When it comes to the cooking knives industry, Ginsu is one name that has retained its repute for more than 40 years now. And, it’s totally justifiable because this is one brand that has consistently strived to ensure low cost-high value virtues to its customers.
Flashback to 40 years from now when Ginsu entered the US market via TV infomercials which, by the way, were deemed quite revolutionary for the times. The infomercials lent nearly instant popularity to the brand, labelling its knives as one of the sharpest in the market.
In this Ginsu knives review, we try and discover if the brand has retained its virtues to date. Are ginsu knives any good and if they’re still relevant and competent in today’s competitive market. While a deeper look may be needed to assess their knife series and collections, Ginsu knives still sure have managed to reserve a place in the back of everyone’s mind. The commendably competitive pricing and durable materials used in the making can be attributed to it.
Besides, Ginsu also makes sure that its knives can serve a purpose for all – seasoned professional chefs, culinary enthusiasts or simply those looking for a cheap but great-quality knife to adorn their home kitchen.
Ginsu Knife Set Reviews
1. Ginsu Gourmet Chikara Series 12-Piece Set
- Rust-resistant Japanese premium stainless steel blades
- Comfortable plastic handle for tight grip during use
- Perfect companion for cutting, dicing, chopping, slicing, or mincing any food item
- 12 varied sizes of knives facilitate convenient selection for different cooking needs
- High-carbon blades ensure uniform cutting of meat loaf or bread slice
- Hand wash only/not dishwasher-safe
- Steak knives are only stamped; not serrated
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4.9/5.0
Having won the prestigious chance of being called “Best Buy” in a consumer report 5 times, this set is an absolute steal without a doubt. The entire body of this forged knife set is made of premium stainless steel from Japan, similar to that of Kamikoto knives (made from Honshu steel sourced from the Honshu island.) Besides the impeccable look, their performance is equally flawless. From tip to toe, the knife is extremely sharp. Moreover, it even stays sharp for longer compared to its counterparts in the same price category.
Durability, quality, low maintenance and affordability are just some of the top features of Ginsu Chikara forged knives. The set looks complete with the gorgeous wooden block that contains 12 knives. This Toffee Finish block provides knives of all sizes and for different culinary needs.
There’s an 8-inch Chef’s Knife, 5-inch Serrated Utility Knife, 7-inch Santoku Knife, 5-inch Utility Knife, 3.5-inch Paring Knife, a Honing Rod, a Kitchen Shears, and 4 Steak Knives of 4.5-inch each. Note that the steak knives aren’t forged; they’re stamped. With a fairly lower price point, the set brings you the quality of much costlier traditional Japanese knife sets.
Each knife handle is carefully designed keeping user comfort in mind. As for the knife body, the Japanese steel promises extended longevity as it’s known to be stain-free and resistant to rust formation. Perfect for mincing, slicing, or dicing food.
2. Ginsu Essential Series 14-Piece Set
- Rust-resistant stainless steel blades for longer durability
- Serrated steak knives for easy, clean cuts
- Knives never need sharpening
- Patented symmetric-edge technology for even cutting
- Great value for money
- Not dishwasher-safe
- Some knives are slightly heavier to handle
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4.5/5.0
A knife set that is sharp when bought and remains sharp throughout. This means that you buy them once and then forget about re-sharpening them. No maintenance required and such great price too makes them such a great steal.
Each knife is carefully designed with Scalloped Serration so that you can comfortably cut even the toughest meat loaf with just as much ease as soft vegetables. Keeping different chef needs in mind in different work environments, the knife handles are engineered with full-tang and triple-rivet technology.
Arranged neatly in a chic black block, this 14-piece knife set is sure to enhance the beauty of your kitchen décor. Knives included as part of the set are Chef’s Knife (8”), Slicer (8”), Santoku Knife (7”), Boning Knife (5”), Utility Knife (4.5”), 6 Steak Knives (4.5” each), Paring Knife (3.5”), and 1 Kitchen Shears.
The unique Scalloped Serration technology ensures that Ginsu Essential Series set will never need to be sharpened again! Besides, these knives are ground sharp on both sides unlike their conventional serrated counterparts. This allows for comfortable use for both left- and right-handed chefs. It also means that you’ll always get the cleanest cut. The set comes with a limited lifetime warranty from Ginsu.
3. Ginsu KIS-KB-DS-006-1-6-Piece Steak Knife Set
- Dishwasher-safe
- Patented Serration technology would never need sharpening of knives again
- Comfortable grip for easy holding and cutting
- Perfectly cuts even steak pieces as well as vegetable and fruit slices
- Excellent buy at this price
- Some customers complain of wobbling knife handles
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4.7/5.0
This is what every cooking enthusiast would wish for in their kitchen. Sleek and handy, a set of 6 sharp-as-a-razor knives are carefully crafted by Ginsu to serve every chef’s needs to the optimum.
The knives come with comfortable-grip handles that are easy to hold, clean and also facilitate cutting in lesser time. Besides, the sleek black handles are a pleasure to keep in every kitchen too. Just like Ginsu’s other offerings, this one too comes with the signature serration technology ensuring forever-sharpness of the knives.
This set is from the brand’s Kiso range of knives. They also assure top-quality, flawlessly sharp, no-frills utility sets for every kind of kitchen use. There’s another advantage to owning them. Some of their models are labelled dishwasher-safe as well.
Besides that, Ginsu 6-piece steak-knife set has been exclusively designed for steak-lovers who like to cut and slice their steaks with love on their own to achieve just the right cut. Not just steaks, you can cut, chop, slice and dice any fruit and vegetable with just the same ease.
Kiso knife set comes in 4 different varieties – black, purple and red handles, all of which are dishwasher-safe – and a hand wash-only black handle set.
4. Ginsu Gourmet Chikara Series 7-Inch Santoku Knife
- Serrated edges that don’t need sharpening
- Premium Japanese stainless steel blade material
- Higher durability; no maintenance cost
- Limited lifetime warranty from manufacturer
- Very affordable
- Hand wash only
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4.9/5.0
You’d love to possess at least one of these from Ginsu’s signature Gourmet Chikara Series. The 7” long knife is just perfect for seasoned chefs, allowing them to improvise their cutting skills and also add versatility to their cooking.
At a very affordable price of under $30, this forged knife is made of a single, solid piece of premium stainless steel from Japan, right from tip to toe. Besides, there’s always the promise of Ginsu’s serration technology which ensures that its knives never need to be sharpened again.
Extended longevity and no maintenance at this cost is rare to find so it’s definitely worth a buy at the earliest. Not to forget that Ginsu’s Gourmet Chikara Series have been named “Best Buy” 5 times in a consumer report.
You can use this 7” Santoku knife any way you like to serve any culinary purpose. Whether it’s meat you want to mince for dinner, fruits to slice up for a quick snack, or vegetables to be diced for the salad – this knife will be your perfect companion in the kitchen.
The knife has been carefully designed by Ginsu to reduce friction and avoid sticking to the surface. The Japanese stainless steel is known for its rust-resistance and sharp edge.
5. Ginsu Koden Series 2-Piece Knife Set
- Knife pair set satisfies all kinds of cutting, dicing, or mincing needs at the same time
- Traditional Kullens grind on blades prevents sticking
- Unique scalloped edges for the cleanest cut
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Heat and water-resistant resin handles
- Some customers find the knives unstable when cutting hard vegetables
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4.7/5.0
This dual pair of Ginsu knife set features a Santoku knife and a Paring knife from the company’s Koden series. The knives are serrated, just like most of the others in the brand’s kitty. The set comprises a 5” Santoku knife and 3.5” Paring knife.
Looks like Ginsu has created this perfect pair keeping in mind the unique needs of cooking enthusiasts. The Santoku knife is just ideal for mincing, dicing and slicing fruits, vegetables or meat, while the Paring knife works best at peeling fruits/veggies or for de-seeding, skinning or cutting small delicate items.
The knives come with the conventional Kullens grind on their blades to prevent food from sticking to their surface and avoiding stains. The blades are also serrated keeping in line with Ginsu’s patented technology to prevent sharpening for a lifetime! The blade edges are uniquely scalloped so that the food doesn’t tear apart untidily during cutting.
Like all its other products, this one from Ginsu also comes with a limited lifetime warranty. They are ideal for gifting for housewarming or other similar occasions. The knives’ handle is also made from full-tanged high-quality plastic to provide the perfect grip during use. It’s made from heat and water-resistant resin ensuring low maintenance.
Is Ginsu the Best Budget Knife Brand?
Ginsu promotes its knives series for culinary enthusiasts who like to cook great stuff but not necessarily with fancy, expensive knives on their counter. The company has brought out a host of knife series, all with the budget chef in mind. And, the knives too do complete justice to their buyer – delivering the maximum performance at the most economical cost.
What’s more? The knives are extremely low on maintenance, all thanks to the serration technology patented by Ginsu which claims that the blades never need sharpening. So you buy them once and literally forget about taking care of them. Some of them are even safe for use in dishwashers. What more can a seasoned chef, who’s lazy to maintain his cutlery though, can ask for?
Besides, there are pair sets available such as the one containing a Santoku knife and a Paring knife which serves dual purpose at the cost of one. You can do all you like without the need to go and buy separate knives for your cooking. Then there are larger sets such as the 12 or 14-piece Chikara and Essential Series, respectively, which ensure longer and economic use of these kitchen essentials. The robustness and overall quality and durability is however somewhat questionable as against high-end manufacturers. Therefore, you might want to compare your picks to some high-end models to get a fair idea of what you’re getting and what’s the best available in that specific area. We recommend Yoshihiro knives in the mid range and Cangshan cutlery in the premium range to have a look.
Conclusion – Are Ginsu Knives Good?
Good? We think they are better than just good! With so many unique features on offer as well as Ginsu’s patented serration technology, there’s absolutely no way you can regret buying any of its knives set. Or even the individual pieces, for that matter. The knives have also received several excellent responses on Amazon, which speaks tons for the brand.
The high-quality promised, the assurance of limited lifetime warranty, the fact that the blades would never need sharpening, and the cost at which all of this arrives at is simply unbelievable! At such low prices, they’re definitely a steal to keep and cherish forever.
Hello everyone, I just want to say that I can in this review, now that we can do these things, I bought a Ginsu 2000 about 40 years ago and it still acts like I just bought it, I used it a saw, hammer and it is in perfect condition I am going to purchase a whole set should have done that years ago, the price was cheaper. I recommend you get this set if your in the market, outstanding workmanship.