Viners Eternal Knives Review

Reviewed by Louise Totton

Good quality knives are vitally important in a busy kitchen – they make preparing food quicker, easier and far safer than using poor quality or blunt knives. I do a lot of cooking, and there are certain kitchen items that I am prepared economise on, and certain items that I won’t – knives definitely fall into the latter category.

A good knife feels comfortable and balanced in your hand, has a super-sharp blade made of high-quality steel and is capable of cutting through whatever you decide to throw at it, without the blade snapping, tarnishing or denting, and without slipping on sliding. People the world over will say ‘be super careful with that knife – it’s very sharp’, whereas a blunt knife that isn’t precise and can slip whilst you’re using it is a far more dangerous thing!

I have recently been asked to try out a couple of lovely knives from Viner’s Eternal collection – I was sent an 8″ Eternal Carving Knife (RRP: £17.50) and a 5″ Eternal Utility Knife (RRP: £11.50). As you would expect from Viners, the quality was immediately obvious as soon as I had them in my hand. They come individually packed in their own box, which boasts a 25-year guarantee and the British heritage of the brand.

Both knives are a super weight, in no small part down to the gorgeous wood-effect handles. If someone normally said ‘wood effect’ to me, I would be less than impressed and would imagine a cheaper, plastic product. These are absolutely not that – the handle is actually crafted from high-quality stainless steel which I honestly initially mistook for genuine wood! Having the handles made like this means that they will not deteriorate over time like wooden-handled knives do, and they are far stronger. It has also enabled Viners to find the perfect, ergonomic shape that will remain for the 25 years or beyond – these will not warp or swell.

The knives feel absolutely wonderful in my hand – they are perfectly balanced and very comfortable to hold, even if you are stood chopping for a long time or are cutting harder vegetables like swede or through the stalks of whole cabbage. Because they are so very sharp, they have made short work of pretty much everything I have thrown at them and have made being stood in the kitchen preparing dinner so much easier.

Whilst I haven’t had the knives for a long time, I can already tell that the quality of the steel in the blade is excellent. They are as shiny now as they were on the day they arrived, and the higher carbon content in the steel blades makes the blade stronger, and crucially means you will have to sharpen it less of then than other blades. They are so sharp, they have easily passed the ‘tomato test’ – some straight-edged knives slide on a raw tomato skin, which can be very dangerous; I often use a serrated edged knife for cutting tomatoes for this reason. These ones sliced perfectly through the tomato skin first time with no slipping or sliding at all.

I really do love these – the quality is immediately obvious, and the classic, ‘wooden’ design means that they will fit most kitchen themes and the carving knife will look great on a dining table for carving the meat for a special meal. The knives are great value for money too, and I also like that they can be purchased separately, so you don’t need to go out and buy a whole set if you are only looking for specific knives.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £10.50 to £17.50

Find out more at Viners.