Cutco knives are good, well-made American knives with one of the best guarantees in the business, but you pay a lot for fairly ordinary steel. Buy them if you value free lifetime sharpening and a knife you’ll never have to replace. Skip them if you sharpen your own knives or want the best blade for the money. The Cutco I’d start with is the Cutco 1728 Petite Chef Knife.
My Top 5 Cutco Picks
Cutco’s everyday chef’s knife: a 7-5/8″ straight edge you can sharpen at home, on the famous wrap-around handle. If you want one Cutco, this is it.
A favorite with many Cutco owners. Small enough for sandwiches and trimming, long enough for a chicken breast.
A 7″ straight-edge santoku in 440A steel, full tang and triple riveted. The pick for push-cutters rather than rockers.
A 4″ paring knife from the Gourmet line. The least expensive way to see whether the Cutco handle suits your hand.
Cutco’s Double-D serrated table knives. They cut steak cleanly and stay sharp for years without any care from you.
What Cutco Does Well
The Forever Guarantee
This is the real reason to buy Cutco. Cutco says it will sharpen, hone, buff, repair and, if needed, replace its knives free, forever, with no receipt. Few knife makers come close. For someone who will never sharpen a knife themselves, that service is worth a lot.
Made in the USA
Cutco knives are made in Olean, New York, where the company has worked since its start in 1949. If buying American matters to you, Cutco is one of very few kitchen knife brands that still makes its knives in the US.
Solid, full-tang construction
The knives in this post are full tang with three nickel-silver rivets and a thermo-resin handle that Cutco says won’t crack, chip, fade or absorb anything. They feel sturdy and well finished.
Double-D edges that stay sharp a long time
Cutco’s patented Double-D edge is a serrated pattern with recessed teeth, so the points that do the cutting rarely touch the board. Table knives and carvers with this edge keep cutting for years with no maintenance.
Where Cutco Falls Short
Costly for 440A steel
Cutco uses 440A high-carbon stainless, a tough, rust-resistant but fairly soft steel. It’s fine, yet you can get harder, longer-holding steel in a Wüsthof or a good Japanese knife for similar money, or a Victorinox that cuts as well for much less.
Double-D edges are hard to sharpen at home
Straight-edge Cutco knives sharpen like any other knife. Double-D serrations don’t; you send them back to Cutco. That’s free under the guarantee, but it means being without the knife for a while.
The handle is love it or hate it
The wrap-around handle locks your thumb and forefinger in place. Many people love it; others with big hands, or cooks who use a pinch grip on the blade, find it awkward. Try a cheap Cutco piece (the paring knife) before buying a set.
The way it’s sold
Many people’s biggest gripe with the brand is the sales model: Cutco has long been sold through in-home demonstrations by student reps, and many people feel pressured into big sets. On Amazon, most Cutco listings come from resellers, so look for factory-sealed knives.
Cutco Knives Compared
| Knife | Blade | Edge | Sharpen at home? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1728 Petite Chef | 7-5/8″ | Straight | Yes | Everyday chopping and slicing |
| 1721 Trimmer | 4-7/8″ | Straight | Yes | Sandwiches, trimming, small prep |
| 1766 Santoku | 7″ | Straight | Yes | Push cutting vegetables |
| 4720 Gourmet Paring | 4″ | Straight | Yes | Peeling, small fruit, trying Cutco |
| 1759 Table Knife | Short | Double-D serrated | No, send to Cutco | Steak and dinner table |
1. Cutco 1728 Petite Chef Knife: Best Cutco Chef’s Knife
Who it’s for: home cooks who want one Cutco knife for most jobs, and who like the idea of free sharpening for life.
The Petite Chef is Cutco’s mid-size chef’s knife, and I think it’s the best size in the range. At 7-5/8″ it handles onions, potatoes and chicken without feeling like a sword on a home cutting board. The edge is straight, so you can hone and sharpen it yourself between trips to Cutco.
The handle is the classic Cutco wrap-around shape, which steers your fingers into a fixed grip. It feels secure and works for left and right hands. Cooks who choke up on the blade may find the handle shape fights them a little.
Cutco also makes a larger 9-1/4″ French Chef, but for most home kitchens the Petite Chef is the more useful knife.
Key specs
- Blade: 7-5/8″ straight edge, 440A high-carbon stainless
- Handle: Cutco ergonomic thermo-resin, no-slip design
- Made in: USA
- Guarantee: Cutco Forever Guarantee (sharpening, repair, replacement)
Pros
- Handy all-round size
- Straight edge you can sharpen at home
- Lifetime free sharpening and replacement
Cons
- Costs a lot for 440A steel
- Handle shape doesn’t suit a pinch grip
My verdict: the Cutco to buy if you buy only one. If blade quality per dollar is what matters, the picks in my chef knives under $100 guide make more sense.
2. Cutco 1721 Trimmer: Best Utility Knife
Who it’s for: anyone who does lots of small jobs: sandwiches, cheese, trimming fat, slicing a tomato or a chicken breast.
Plenty of Cutco owners name the Trimmer as their favorite knife. The 4-7/8″ blade sits between paring and chef’s knife sizes, which is exactly the size most quick kitchen jobs need. It’s light, nimble and easy to control.
It’s full tang with three nickel-silver rivets and the thermo-resin handle, made in the USA. The straight edge sharpens at home.
It doesn’t replace a chef’s knife for real prep: dicing a whole onion or cutting squash needs more length and more knuckle clearance.
Key specs
- Blade: 4-7/8″ high-carbon stainless, straight edge
- Handle: 5-1/8″ thermo-resin, classic dark brown
- Construction: full tang, triple nickel-silver rivets
- Made in: USA
Pros
- The most useful small size in the range
- Light and easy to control
- Sharpens at home
Cons
- Too short for big prep jobs
- Pricey for a utility knife
My verdict: the Cutco I’d pick for daily small jobs. Pair it with any good chef’s knife and you’re well covered.
3. Cutco 1766 Santoku Knife: Best Santoku
Who it’s for: cooks who chop vegetables with an up-and-down or push cut rather than rocking the knife.
The Cutco santoku has a 7″ straight-edge blade with the flatter profile and dropped tip of the Japanese shape. It’s good for thin, even vegetable slices and for scooping food off the board with the wide blade. If you’re unsure which shape suits you, my santoku vs chef’s knife guide breaks it down.
It’s 440A high-carbon stainless steel, full tang with three nickel-silver rivets, made in the USA. That steel is softer than most Japanese santokus, so it won’t hold an edge as long, but it won’t chip either.
Rockers should skip it: the flat edge doesn’t roll through herbs the way the Petite Chef does.
Key specs
- Blade: 7″ 440A high-carbon stainless, straight edge
- Handle: 5.6″ thermo-resin, classic brown
- Construction: full tang, triple nickel-silver rivets
- Made in: USA
Pros
- Clean, thin vegetable slices
- Tough steel that won’t chip
- Covered by the Forever Guarantee
Cons
- Softer steel than Japanese santokus
- Poor for rocking cuts
- Costly for what it is
My verdict: a good santoku if you’re set on Cutco. If not, a Japanese santoku gives you a harder, thinner blade for similar money.
4. Cutco 4720 Gourmet Paring Knife: Best Way to Try Cutco
Who it’s for: anyone curious about Cutco who wants to test the handle before spending big on a chef’s knife or a set.
This 4″ paring knife is the cheapest Cutco on my list, and that’s the point. You get the same handle design, full-length tang and Forever Guarantee as the expensive knives, in a size every kitchen uses for peeling, coring and small fruit.
Cutco describes the handle as a universal fit for large or small, left or right hands, with the thumb and forefinger locking into place. Living with a small knife for a few weeks tells you whether that grip feels secure or restrictive.
A paring knife is a minor tool, though, and there are cheap paring knives that cut just as well. Buy this for the trial and the guarantee, not because paring knives need premium steel.
Key specs
- Blade: 4″ straight edge, sharpen at home
- Tang: full length of the handle
- Handle: classic brown, fits left or right hand
- Guarantee: Forever Guarantee, no receipt needed
Pros
- Low-risk way to try the Cutco handle
- Useful size for daily small jobs
- Same guarantee as the big knives
Cons
- Pricey for a paring knife
- Tells you about the handle more than the blade
My verdict: the smartest first Cutco purchase. If you love it, add the Petite Chef; if not, you haven’t spent much.
5. Cutco 1759 Table Knives (4-Pack): Best Table and Steak Knives
Who it’s for: families who want steak and table knives that stay sharp for years without anyone sharpening them.
The Model 1759 table knife is one of Cutco’s best-known knives. It’s a short Double-D serrated blade on the classic handle, and it cuts steak, pork chops and crusty bread rolls cleanly. Because the recessed teeth barely touch the plate, the edge keeps working for a very long time.
When they do dull, you send them to Cutco to be sharpened free under the guarantee. Don’t run them through a home sharpener; it will ruin the Double-D pattern.
The cost adds up fast for a family set, and serrated steak knives tear a little more than a sharp straight edge does. For most dinner tables, nobody will notice.
Key specs
- Includes: 4 Model 1759 table knives, factory sealed
- Edge: patented Double-D serrated
- Handle: thermo-resin, classic dark brown
- Made in: USA
Pros
- Stays sharp for years with no care
- Cuts steak and bread cleanly
- Free factory sharpening when needed
Cons
- Expensive for table knives
- Can’t be sharpened at home
- Serrations tear more than a straight edge
My verdict: the best low-maintenance steak knives if you’re buying Cutco anyway. If you’d rather keep straight-edge steak knives sharp yourself, look elsewhere.
Cutco vs Other Brands
Cutco vs Wüsthof
Wüsthof’s forged Classic uses harder steel, and takes a finer edge. Cutco wins on the guarantee and the US-made label. For pure performance I’d take Wüsthof; my Wüsthof knives review covers its lines.
Cutco vs Victorinox
A Victorinox Fibrox Pro chef’s knife cuts at least as well as a Cutco for much less money, with a grippier handle. It doesn’t come with free sharpening for life, so you’ll need a sharpener or a rod. I explain why in my Victorinox chef knife review.
Cutco vs Japanese knives
Japanese knives are harder and thinner, so they slice more finely and hold an edge longer, but they chip if abused. Cutco’s softer 440A steel is more forgiving. Choose Japanese for precision, Cutco for durability and the service plan.
FAQ
Are Cutco knives worth the money?
They’re worth it if you value the Forever Guarantee and US manufacturing and will never sharpen knives yourself. On blade quality alone, you can get the same or better for less from Wüsthof, ZWILLING or Victorinox.
Where are Cutco knives made?
In Olean, New York. Cutco has made its knives in the USA since the company started in 1949.
What steel do Cutco knives use?
440A high-carbon stainless steel. It’s tough and rust-resistant, but softer than the steels in many premium German and Japanese knives, so it needs sharpening more often.
Can you sharpen Cutco knives at home?
Straight-edge Cutco knives, yes, with a stone, rod or a regular sharpener. Double-D serrated knives should go back to Cutco, which sharpens them free.
Why are Cutco knives so expensive?
You pay for US manufacturing, the lifetime sharpening and replacement guarantee, and a direct-sales model with commissions for sales reps. The steel itself isn’t what drives the cost.
Is the Cutco Forever Guarantee real?
Yes. Cutco states it will sharpen, hone, repair or replace its knives free, with no receipt required. Check Cutco’s site for current shipping details before sending knives in.
Final Verdict
Cutco makes sturdy, well-finished knives in the USA and backs them better than almost anyone, but the steel doesn’t justify the cost on its own. Start with the Petite Chef if you want one Cutco, add the Trimmer for small jobs, or try the Gourmet Paring Knife first if you’re unsure about the handle. For steak night, the Double-D table knives are hard to fault.
Not set on Cutco? My best knife sets guide covers sets with better steel for the money.
Gary Portman founded knivesadvice.com in 2019. He learned to cook in his family’s kitchen as a kid and has used kitchen, pocket and outdoor knives ever since, from paring and fillet knives to survival blades he carries camping and hiking. He writes the site’s buying guides, brand reviews and sharpening how-tos to help readers find the right knife for the job. More about Gary.