Messermeister Knives Vs Wusthof Knives | The Best Knife is
In this article, you will learn about the differences between the Messermeister and Wusthof Knife collections.
Both of these brands produce high-quality German made knives from Solingen, Germany. But is one better than the other?
If you are unsure which brand is better, then check out the differences, and it may help you decide. Then you can purchase the knives most suited to your skill set. Messermeister knives vs Wusthof knives, let’s go.
A Brief History Of These Two German Steel Knife Makers
Messermeister, the name that is powerful. Messermeister translates to ‘Knife Master’. Messermeister kitchen knives was established by Bernd Dressler, who as a young teenager migrated from Germany to Australia with his parents.
It was years ago, back in the late 1960s, as Bernd decided to explore his sales skills in America selling traditional German cutlery. This was the time when he began to see the value of cutlery made in Germany.
Thanks to his skills, which allowed him access to networks of elite sales contacts, he branched off on his own. He also had a close relationship with knife manufacturers in Germany. In 1981 Bernd established a nationwide homewares company.
Then in 1985 he collaborated with a 3rd generation knife making family in Solingen, Germany. They agreed to brand their knives with the Messermeister name and became part of the initial Messermeister brand.
After some time, Bernd added a line of Messermeister Japanese knives made in Seki, Japan that helped Messermeister evolve further. Now, the Messermeister is run by Bernd’s two daughters.
Wusthof is a Solingen-based company that has been around since 1814 and has a rich history. They were among the first to become patented and registered in the 1880s and introduced their knives to America.
This helped them to expand their selection of knives in a growing market that appreciated German precision. Despite nearly being wiped-out in World War II, they rebuilt and expanded due to the high demand for their products.
It wasn’t until 1987 that the Wüsthof company established official sales offices in the US and Canada. Their factories have expanded, with two recent factories built in Lindgesfeld at the Solingen Business Park in Germany.
They even produce a Japanese-style knife that is made in Solingen that was recognized by the All Japan Chefs Association. Wusthof is known in the culinary industry as a high-quality knife meant for serious chefs and enthusiastic home cooks.
Both of these fabulous manufacturers of knives now have a global following and many people know of them. Messermeister may be a bit smaller, but it is still well known.
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Differences Between Messermeister Kitchen Knives and Wusthof
Most knives made in Germany will have similarities due to the fact they are made in the same city. Of course, the differences will lie in the raw materials, styles and appearances, as well as processes, used to create a better knife range.
Both Wüsthof and Messermeister use a steel alloy formula of X50 Cr MoV 15. Different woods and plastics are used for knife handles.
Wusthof offers many knives that have a classic full bolster, whereas most Messermeister knives either have a half bolster only or do not have a bolster at all.
Other visual or non-visual differences include the shapes of blades and handles, weight and ergonomics, and so on.
Messermeister knives are made using the traditional methods and techniques, such as being hot dropped and hammer-forged. Wusthof knives are made using more modern technologies.
Classic Chef Knife Similarities
As mentioned just above, some knives are similar but still have some signs that make them different.
Take for example the Wusthof Classic Ikon Chef knife and compare it to the Messermeister Meridian Elite Chef knife.
- Half bolster
- 3-pin handle
- Classic workhorse
They have a similar classic blade shape and a half bolster.
Both, Messermeister Meridian Elite and Classic Ikon from Wusthof knives have a black 3-pin handle, but the handle designs differ significantly, although they still have a classic look.
The Wüsthof’s knife handle is slightly arced, so it fits your hand ergonomically. The Messermeister’s knife handle is straight, just like the Wusthof Classic handle design.
The obvious difference between the Classic Icon and the Meridian Elite is that the Wusthof knife, like all their Classic line knives, has a full bolster. Both knives have that classic chef knife look, though.
The Steel Cutting Edge and Whose Knives Are Sharper?
The angle that Wusthof’s blades are sharpened at is 14 degrees on each side. This gives a total of 28 degrees cutting angle on the blade. The angle of Messermeister’s knives blades is 15 degrees per side, giving a total of 30 degrees.
The blades of a Messermeister knife will stay sharp longer since the angle is greater.
Wusthof, however, will need to be sharpened more often because the angle is lower.
It can be said that Messermeister’s knives are marketed more to the home cooking community.
- Half bolster
- handmade
- 15 degree blade
It’s also popular for culinary students, who don’t need to sharpen their knives too frequently.
How Do Messermeister and Wusthof Perform in The Professional World?
Wusthof is a serious knife for those who like a flawless German knife that’s made in Germany. Speaking about using knives professionally, when cutting and prepping in the kitchen showing-off your skills, Wüsthof is celebrated more typically.
However, as an everyday kitchen knife in the average home, Messermeister is hard to beat. It’s a great workhorse knife that does an impressive job at slicing and dicing.
You see more of Messermeister’s range marketed toward home cooks than the professional chefs. Though there are a few chefs and influencers, including Chef Lawrence Duran and Ben Diaz, who use and recommend Messermeister knives, too.
When it comes to name and reputation, Wusthof carries a solid reminder that their knives need to be respected. Not only can they be too sharp for most novice cooks to handle, sharpening them is more or less an art.
These are absolutely a couple of the best brands that have a fantastic collection of knives with a design that would suit most people.
Who Has The Best Classic Chef Knife?
To answer this question, you first need to understand what is a good knife and what criteria should be met when selecting a knife. Not only sharpness determines whether a knife is perfect.
Knife weight, balance size and feel are also important to consider, especially if you are going to use your knives all day long. A comparison of weight, balance and size of each individual knife should be done once you have chosen the look you want.
When it comes to the degree of sharpness that you want from a blade, Wüsthof knives have a sharper blade that is also harder to keep sharp for longer. Messermeister is better at holding a sharp edge since the angle degree is lower on their knives.
This is why most people like having Messermeister knives for their hardy everyday use. Professionals, however, prefer Wusthof knives since they can be nice and sharp when you properly hone them.
Their Top-Rated Chef’s Knives Compared
The price often has a lot to do not only with how good the knife is, but also with the materials it’s made of, as well as where it’s made. Wusthof’s chef knives start at around $180. You will find that similarly styled Messermeister knives are priced around $100+.
These are their top-rated chef knives, so you can see the difference in costs:
- Half bolster
- 3-pin handle
- Classic workhorse
- One piece
- Hot dropped
- 8-inch chef knife
Wusthof vs Messermeister Stamped Knives: Which Is Best?
Both of these brands have knives that are stamped from a press. Both companies use a process where the knives are super-heated in an oven and then cooled-off rapidly to get the springiness and strength.
Given the process, in which both of these stamped knives are made is very similar, it will be personal preference that will decide which one is best. How the knife fits the hand or the slightly different design and what suits you best.
The only other thing to consider, as we have mentioned earlier, is the sharpness of each brand and how long the knife will stay sharp.
Are Their Stamped Knives Made In Germany?
Wusthof produces their knives exclusively in Solingen, Germany. Messermeister contracts with a Japanese company in Japan to make their Japanese Chef knives.
They also contract a German family business to make all their German-made knives that are given the Messermeister logo.
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Messermeister vs Wusthof Forged Knives: Which Is Best?
Just like with the stamped knives produced by these two companies, your personal preferences will help determine which of their forged knives is the better choice.
As you can imagine, both Wusthof and Messermeister put a lot of pride into their knives. Messermeister knives, however, are still forged traditionally, which many believe, does make the knife stronger.
Of course, their end-cost is one of the factors that can be a concern for most people. If you’re on a budget, the Messermeister knives are more affordable, in our opinion. Those who are willing to pay more for Wüsthof are often paying extra for the name.
Are Their Forged Knives Made In Germany?
Both companies’ knives are forged in Germany, except for the Messermeister Japanese chef knife line, which are made in Japan. Wusthof has three factories in Germany that exclusively make all their knives.
What kind of knife bolster is better?
It goes without saying that the bolster is one part of the knife that every chef is concerned about. Some like the full bolster, while others prefer the half bolster. When using a half bolster, the knife can be sharpened all the way to the end of the blade.
This is harder to do with a full bolster, unless you have a good honing rod. Ideally, it’s easier to have access to the entire length of the knife to get a well-sharpened edge.
Messermeister vs Wusthof: Whose Knife is More Value for the Money?
The answer to this question depends on a few factors, e.g. quality, ease of use, ergonomics as well as importance of where the knives are made and if they are made from quality materials that will last.
For some people, even having a well-known brand over a less known but better quality product will mean more value.
It will also depend on your spending budget, since each set of knives will be different. If you are looking after easy maintenance knives, we’d suggest you shouldn’t buy knives with wooden handles.
If they are ruined because you were too lazy to look after them properly, of course, you won’t be able to justify the price.
So trying to determine, which knife, or a knife set is better value for money for you in particular, will be hard.
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Whose Knives are Easiest to Repair: Messermeister or Wusthof?
Recently, Messermeister has introduced an entirely new system that allows you to change the wooden handles. They are offering a custom knife collection with interchangeable handles that come complete with screw-in rivets.
The knives of either company will need to be taken to a knife repairer to fix a broken handle. When compared, both knives will be just as pricey as each other to replace a handle that’s been damaged.
It can also be an option to contact the knife manufacturer of your knife. They may replace the handle under warranty, although this is usually done on a case-by-case basis. Just remember that general wear and tear or misuse of the knife in the kitchen will not be covered.
After-Sales Service and Warranty for Your Knives
Messermeister has a clever slogan that says ‘Knife for Life’ warranty, but has very specific rules as to what that includes. Essentially, they will honor any factory defects with a 100% replacement.
If you ruined the knife through improper usage, they will offer a one-time discount for a new knife or knives, which will save you a bit of money.
Wusthof is similar and has very fast customer service. It will be subject to a state by state restriction to what Wüsthof is responsible for as well.
Like everything else, you need to take care of kitchen knives by handwashing and sharpening them correctly.
Conclusion
Both of these companies produce excellent quality knives that are spectacular on their own, and comparing them to each other is tricky. If you want a cheaper knife, then Messermeister is most likely best.
For those, who want a well-known name brand with 200 years of history behind them, Wüsthof is all you need.
If it comes down to precision and quality, Wusthof is a top classic choice of many seasoned professionals.
However, no matter which of these two awesome companies’ knives you go for, as long as you look after them properly, they will bring joy to your cooking for years to come.
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