Kiwi Knives

[ls180]

Hi,


Has anyone used these kiwi knives in comparison to your more expensive knives, and if so what are your thoughts.

If you could go back, would you just buy the cheap kiwi knives and not the more expensive knives?


Thanks

 

[JASinIL2006]

Is this a serious question? Knives that are 2 for $14 on Amazon?

 

[stringer]

Hi,


Has anyone used these kiwi knives in comparison to your more expensive knives, and if so what are your thoughts.

If you could go back, would you just buy the cheap kiwi knives and not the more expensive knives?


Thanks

Kiwis are small, thin, cheap, flexible, and soft. Fairly easy to sharpen. Perfectly serviceable if you don't cook much. More expensive knives will get you better steel that takes an edge easier and lasts longer. Better ergonomics and handles. More sophisticated grinds bring better food release and less wedging in dense product. If I could go back I would only buy more expensive knives than I bought the first time around.

 

[crockerculinary]

I recommend Kiwis all the time to people who want to spend less than 10 bucks on a knife, and I have used them many times. Kiwis work well (aka move through food well) because they are crazy thin. That’s it. They are a great argument for the value of a laser, which perhaps more knifemakers and users could benefit from learning. They are like a piece of aluminum foil with a handle on it, you could literally bend them in half. Because of that, even when dull they will split food fairly efficiently. If someone’s only concern is an inexpensive and easy solution to cutting food, they are a fine option. They are not uncomfortable, they are not hideous looking, they are easy to maintain. They could probably be considered “best of class”. But that class is the “I don’t want to spend more than 10 bucks on a knife” class, which is mostly full of weird serrations, rainbow hued cuisinarts, and cheap stamped plastic handled garbage that dulls quickly. Using one isn’t a luxury or high performance experience, and do not generally lead one to “enjoy” their experience or their tools more. If that’s not an issue for you, then they are a great choice. Their flexiness, light weight, and smaller sizes and shapes make them a no go FOR ME, but are great for some. Would not trade my experiences.

 

[wabi]

I'll give 2 thumbs up for the Kiwi's. Cheaper than dirt, and perfectly serviceable, they are almost throw away knives. They are great for use on a trip, or to lend to friends who are working in your kitchen who are not very knife savvy, or to take to a pot luck to use. We keep several of them in our kitchen and they are used often and extensively. Want to abuse a knife, cut up a roast chicken while it's still in the pan you cooked it in...and dont want to risk dulling or chipping your Takeda or Fujiwara? Grab a Kiwi. I have more money than I should invested in fine Japanese chef knives in my kitchen, and I use them with joy daily...but if I need a beater knife, Kiwi it is!

 

[Tethien]

Perfectly good knife if you sharpen it often, and I can say that my knives that are 100x the price do not preform 100x better

 

[M1k3]

For the price of them, you could do WAY worse.

 

[blokey]

I don’t like them, that said I don’t like $500 laser either. I just don’t like thin hollow grounded knife.

 

[daveb]

They're cheap, soft, pieces of crap that won't hold an edge worth a damn. But there's a reason you'll find one or two in almost every commercial kitchen. See the part about cheap again.

I have 2.

 

[Matt Jacobs]

They cut but I would not go back. I have had a couple and sharpened some for coworkers. The reasons I would not use them are: Comfort, frankly they hurt my hand to use them for more than 1 or 2 items. 2 they bring me zero joy. Cooking brings me joy, cooking with Kiwi = no joy. cooking with a custom knife = happy me

 

[Heckel7302]

I bought one at my local Asian market near the beginning of my knife journey to see what the hype was about. They're ok, same as the others said. That said, it's been sitting in the drawer unused for about a year and a half, so that says something. With over 50 knives, it's one of the last that I'll reach for.

 

[ls180]

Is this a serious question? Knives that are 2 for $14 on Amazon?

I keep reading rave reviews about them online so was wondering if it is all hype.

Also curious if they are appropriate for food contact since the type of steel they use is not listed, and there are apparently many knockoffs (believe it or not) going around.

 

[btbyrd]

 

[blokey]

I keep reading rave reviews about them online so was wondering if it is all hype.

Also curious if they are appropriate for food contact since the type of steel they use is not listed, and there are apparently many knockoffs (believe it or not) going around.

Buy it and try it, I wouldn't worry about food contact too much, they are the most popular brand in Thailand. There's plenty nickel and copper Damascus floating around and no one bats an eye. The amount of the contact time is minium unless you are cutting highly acidic ingredients all day.

 

[Noodle Soup]

Go to Thailand, Cambodia or Viet Nam and you will find them in practically every street food stall and most of the commercial kitchens. i was amassed in Cambodia how much use they see in butcher shops cutting up pork and poultry too. I use them often when I'm cooking Thai but I like the Penguin brand knives better. Just a little thicker and a bit better finish on the handle.

 

[Jovidah]

I keep reading rave reviews about them online so was wondering if it is all hype.

Also curious if they are appropriate for food contact since the type of steel they use is not listed, and there are apparently many knockoffs (believe it or not) going around.

You'll find that just about any knife has rave reviews simply because most people have such incredibly low standards. Whether you consider a knife good or not depends largely on your frame of reference.
The Kiwi knives are cheap.... but for the price range they're not half bad; because they're thin and hollow ground they still cut reasonably well, so you could certainly do worse...

 

[miggus]

Here's my take on it. It actually takes little money to get knives which cut food pretty well. Kiwi is super cheap, but spend a little more for a 30-40 $/€ Victorinox Fibrox and you already have a knive that does many things quite well. Then you have a large number of mid-range knives both from western and asian makers that go for under 100 bucks. From here, only special use cases "need" a better knife. For the rest, it's an enthusiasts / luxury item.

In our kitchen, i keep quite a few normal knives like that for other people to use, and I often get a bit upset at how well they perform if the edge is maintained. With this, anyone can do all the cutting tasks they need (probably there's a few exceptions).

But that's not the point of most people here. The point for me is to enjoy something that is really well-made, individual and aesthetically and functionally pleasing. I don't see a Kiwi in that range, so I see little basis for comparison between the expensive boutique knives and a kiwi.

Then there is the point for knives that one doesn't worry about too much if people don't handle them well. For this, I'd prefer something a little more hefty than a kiwi, something that doesn't flex just as much. But generally, If I'm helping with cooking and get handed one of those either well-sharpened or with the chance to put an edge on them, I enjoy the heck out of them anyways.

 

[Delat]

There’s a place for really cheap beater knives. I still use knives from our old Wusthof block set. There’s always tasks where you don’t want to abuse your decent knives so you reach for the cheapos.

Just used one this morning actually - I needed something with fine serrations to cut through chestnut shells and found one in the block that I think I’ve only used once before in the past 20 years but it fit the bill perfectly.

 

[tostadas]

My kid's modified kiwi. Can cut without needing a sharp edge due to thin blade geometry.