Chic Chefs Ceramic Knives

Chic Chefs designs and manufactures kitchen utensils for the enthusiastic amateur chef. The product that Chic Chefs primarily sells is ceramic blades, while also manufacturing a few kitchen utensils designed to be used in the home.

As the primary product that Chic Chefs manufactures is ceramic knives, you would expect that they would be able to produce some fantastic ceramic knives. Thankfully you aren't disappointed in the least when you use the knives produced by this company. For those who have never used a ceramic knife before, the attraction that these knives produce may not be readily apparent. One of the biggest draws of ceramic knives are that they come exceptionally sharp straight out of the box, and don't need to be re-sharpened anywhere near as often as regular knives do. Here are my thoughts and experiences with the Chic Chefs ceramic knives.

(If you are interested in seeing more of their products, take a look at their website, http://chicchefsinc.com.)

• Ease of use. When I first opened the boxes that contained the two ceramic knives I had received from Chic Chefs, I was a little wary. After all, these didn't exactly look like the regular knives that I usually use. I was amazed though when I picked them up. The balance and heft of the two knives (both a paring knife, and a six inch butcher's knife) were just about perfect. The two knives fit into my hands like they were custom made, while the blades came exceptionally sharp. In fact, the knives were so sharp that I cut myself just testing the edge.
• Maintenance. I found the ceramic knives to be exceptionally easy to clean and care for. However, I have been keeping my knives in the boxes that they came in, as I am a little nervous about putting them into my wooden knife block. Chic Chefs does provide a knife block that is made out of similar material to what you on plastic or rubberized cutting boards, so if you wish to have a complete set of knives, then you may wish to purchase one of these blocks.
• Pros. There are several really big advantages to using ceramic knives. The first is that, as was said earlier, they are exceptionally sharp. To give you an idea of just how sharp these knives are, I took a piece of newspaper, and a piece of notebook paper, and with minimal pressure I was able to cut the papers cleanly. Second of all, these knives will stay just as sharp for years, without the need for resharpening. Third, the knives can withstand a relative drop with no damage. What I mean is that I actually dropped my knife onto the counter and it did not break Finally, these knives are exceptionally easy to clean. Usually all I need to do in order to clean the knives is simply wipe down the knives with a damp cloth.
• Cons. There are a couple of cons that I have to share. First of all is that these knives are not dishwasher safe. It even says so right on the box. The stated reason for this is that the knives should not be subjected to repeated shocks or vibrations, or they could be damaged. What this means is that you will always need to wash the knives by hand, and be very careful when doing so—these knives are sharp! The second con is that you will have to store the knives separately from your other knives for the same reason. Finally, there is the price. While not unheard of for typical high-end knives, the cost can be a little prohibitive for the casual cook. (The paring knife cost about $25.00.)
• Overall experience. Generally speaking, I was very pleased with the Chic Chefs ceramic knives. I would definitely advise other people to get one of these if they are interested in getting a high-end kitchen utensil that works superbly and reliably. I know that I simply love the ones we used for our review.