Chicago Cutlery and Henckels are two great knife makers that have made knives for many years. They’re actually quite similar in their approach to the marketplace. Both companies make low to mid-priced kitchen knives and offer many options to choose from, primarily focusing on the kitchen knife set. You might have already seen that they’re popular options on our Best Knife Set Under $200 page.
Both Chicago Cutlery and Henckels produce knives in China to keep costs down (Henckels also makes them in Spain, Japan, and Thailand). This is main reason they can manufacture high-quality knives for prices that almost any family can afford.
Chicago Cutlery vs. Henckels Compared
Chicago Cutlery has produced kitchen knives for consumers since 1969. They basically run a good, better, best business model. They have knife sets that fall into these three categories: At the top you have good, forged knives in their Fusion and Insignia II lines. On the other end of the spectrum you have cheap, affordable knives that use stamped blades lower quality steel. In the middle, they offer a compromise of the two. We’ve previously reviewed Chicaco Cultery knives, including knives in all three categories.
Henckels, who also goes by the names Henckels International and J.A. Henckels, is part of the Zwilling brand of knives. It can be confusing at first, but Zwilling makes higher-end knives and Henckels the low to mid-range knives (Zwilling vs. Henckels). Like Chicago Cutlery, Henckels makes many different kitchen knife sets. Almost all of their sets fall within a very affordable price range and use a classic styling and German steel blades.
Now for the best part, a compare and contrast between our favorite Chicago Cutlery and Henckels knife sets…
Chicago Cutlery Insignia II vs. Henckels Statement
These are not the cheapest or most expensive knife set for either of these brands, but rather some of their most popular knives. These are both a terrific compromise between cost, quality, and appearance in your kitchen. It’s time to break down the similarities and differences between the Insignia II and the Statement!
Pictured: Chicago Cutlery Insignia II 18-pc Set
Chicago Cutlery Insignia II
Pieces: 18
Style: Forged
Bolster: Full
Pictured: Henckels 15-pc Statement Knife Set
Henckels Statement Series
Pieces: 15
Style: Stamped
Bolster: N/A
Chicago Cutlery vs Henckels Review:
Clearly two great mid-level kitchen knife brands. With lifetime warranties on both, you can tell that the companies have the comfidence to stand behind their product. At these prices, a warranty like this is not common.
Similarities:
Both of these knife sets are priced fairly. Both are made with quality materials at factories in China. Check the reviews on these knives, both are extremely popular with consumers due to the amount of knives you get and the value they offer.
Differences:
There are 3 main differences between these knife sets.
- The Insignia set has more knives
- The Insignia knives are forged vs. the stamped Statement knives
- The Insignia set has a built-in knife sharpener
Conclusion:
Both of these knives are priced very similarly and they’re both great options for any kitchen. These companies have sold thousands of these knife sets with mostly positive customer reviews and feedback. You’d be smart to choose either one of the, but between these two sets, we’d choose the Chicago Cutlery Insignia 2 18-pc Set for the differences mentioned above. As far as the brands go, both are great!