If you spend any time looking for a good quality kitchen knife there’s a very good chance you’ll come across these two brands
Wüsthof and ZWILLING JA Henckels are goliaths in the kitchen knife world.
In this article, I’m going to tell you the differences between these two great brands. I’ll go in-depth into the details of each, talking about where they are made, what materials are used and the difference in price.
This article should provide all the information you need to select the right knife for your needs.
In truth, both Wüsthof and ZWILLING JA Henckels are extremely similar. They use many of the same materials and have similar design and price. Personally, I prefer the handle design of Wüsthof knives but with such little material difference between the two, which you should buy really comes down to personal preference.
| My recommendation | Current price |
| Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch | View on Amazon (opens new tab) |
| ZWILLING Professional “S” Chef’s Knife | View on Amazon (opens new tab) |
Wüsthof vs ZWILLING JA Henckels – Comparison Table
Here is my summary comparison table for each brand. This is mainly based on their most popular range of knives; the Wüsthof Classic and the ZWILLING JA Henckels Professional “S”.
I’m mainly going to focus on the Professional “S” knife from the ZWILLING collection as it’s the one people usually compare with Wüsthof. However, it’s worth knowing that ZWILLING is actually a huge group that owns a wide array of knife brands.
Most of the information I give below will be specifically for the ZWILLING Professional “S” or other JA Henckels knives as these are the closest in style and quality to Wüsthof.
For a more in-depth look at each category then check out the rest of the article below.
| Category | Wüsthof (Classic) | ZWILLING JA Henckels (Pro S) |
| Country of Manufacture | Germany | Germany |
| Steel type | X50CrMoV15 | X50CrMoV15 |
| Rockwell hardness | HRC 58 | HRC 57 |
| Factory edge | 14 degrees (double bevel) | 15 degrees (double bevel) |
| Handle material | POM (thermoplastic) | POM (thermoplastic) |
| Price range | $150 – $170 (Classic) | $140 – $160 (Pro S) |
| My recommendation | Wüsthof 8-Inch Classic (view on Amazon) | Zwilling 8-Inch Professional S (view on Amazon) |
Wüsthof vs ZWILLING JA Henckels – Where are they made
| Brand | Country of Manufacture |
| Wüsthof | Germany |
| ZWILLING JA Henckels | Germany |
Wüsthof is a family-owned German company based in Solingen, a city based just outside Düsseldorf in Western German.
Wüsthof produces all its knives in the German city of Solingen and has done so for over 200 years. This relatively small German city has a population just above 150,000, its strong knife making reputation has led it to be dubbed ‘The City of Blades’.
ZWILLING JA Henckels knives are also produced in the German city of Solingen, where they have been produced since their launch in 1731.
ZWILLING JA Henckels are not to be confused with knives labeled just ‘JA Henckels’. ZWILLING knives are distinctly marked with the logo of the two stick-like people.
JA Henckels knives, without the ZWILLING mark are not made in Germany.
ZWILLING is a huge group, which owns various knife brands. Generally, ZWILLING knives are a mark of quality.
The most well-known brand within the ZWILLING group is JA Henckels, but ZWILLING also owns other more surprising brands like Kramer and Miyabi which are both made in Japan.
Wüsthof vs ZWILLING JA Henckels – What steel do they use
The steel used in knives will often change depending on which range you pick.
Here I’m going to focus on the most similar for both Wüsthof and ZWILLING knives. That’s the Classic for Wüsthof and Professional S for ZWILLING.
| Brand | Steel type | Rockwell hardness |
| Wüsthof Classic | X50CrMoV15 | HRC 58 |
| ZWILLING Professional S | X50CrMoV15 | HRC 57 |
Both these knives use the same steel, X50CrMoV15. However, there is a slight difference in their Rockwell hardness, with the Wüsthof knife being the harder of the two.
Steel always has a range for each element in its composition. Therefore, even though it’s the same steel, the way it’s treated could result in slight variations in its hardness.
Both the Wüsthof Classic and ZWILLING JA Henckels use X50CrMoV15. It’s a German steel that is popular amongst producers of quality western-style knives.
X50CrMoV15 has a particular focus on durability, whilst retaining enough strength for a sharp edge.
The main elements of interest within X50CrMoV15’s composition are Carbon, Vanadium and Chromium.
The Carbon content is around 0.55%. That’s not particularly high when comparing it with other quality knives; however, it’s high enough to provide sufficient strength in the blade for a 15 – 20 degree angle on each side, which is standard for western knives.
The big benefit of not having a very high Carbon content is that higher Carbon steels are usually more brittle, therefore the 0.55% content keeps the blade durable.
That’s the same with the strong Vanadium of 0.4%, Vanadium improves the resistance to wear of the steel also adding to its durability.
The Chromium content is 15% is what the 15 in X50CrMoV15 represents. Chromium is vital for the durability of steel as it’s what makes stainless steel resistant to rust.
Steel need only be 10.5% to be considered stainless, so a 15% content is high and makes this a quality stainless steel, very unlikely to rust unless extremely mistreated by the owner.
There is a slight difference in the Rockwell hardness (HRC), most likely to the two knife blades being treated with different techniques. The composition of elements within a steel is usually defined with a range, so even those using the same steel can have a slightly different outcome.
Having said that, there really is little difference to speak of between the steel used by Wüsthof and ZWILLING.
Wüsthof vs ZWILLING JA Henckels – How sharp are they
Once again I’m going to focus on the Wüsthof Classic and ZWILLING Professional S for this comparison.
You will experience an almost identical sharpness between both Wüsthof and ZWILLING. Wüsthof knives will hold the edge for slightly longer due to the steel being slightly harder, but the difference is so minimal you’re unlikely to notice it.
| Brand | Factory edge | Rockwell hardness |
| Wüsthof Classic | 14 degrees (double bevel) | HRC 58 |
| ZWILLING Professional S | 15 degrees (double bevel) | HRC 57 |
Both Wüsthof and ZWILLING use the same steel for their main German range, as such there will be very little difference between the two when it comes to sharpness.
Wüsthof Classics do have a sharper factory edge, coming out at a very slim 14 degrees on each side. That’s a very acute angle for this hardness of steel and I would actually recommend sharpening a Wüsthof between 15 – 20 degrees when you do come to sharpen it.
I consider the 14-degree factory edge to be a bit of a marketing figure as 0.55% Carbon steel just won’t hold an edge that fine for very long.
Wüsthof Classic knives are measured as being slightly harder than ZWILLING Professional S knives, measuring 58 and 57 on the Rockwell scale respectively.
Exact details on why there is this small difference, considering they use the same steel, are not made available and I can only assume it’s down to how each brand treats the blades during manufacture.
With that being said, the two steel are ultimately going to be extremely similar and will perform almost exactly the same for sharpness.
A Wüsthof blade may just retain its edge for longer due to being slightly harder, but the difference would be very minimal.
There isn’t much to choose between the two when measuring sharpness.
Wüsthof vs ZWILLING JA Henckels – What are the handles made from
The material used for handles is a vital and often overlooked feature of any knife.
A quality handle is often the sign of a quality overall knife. Handles need to be made from a durable material that can withstand all the heat and moisture fluctuations knives can experience in the kitchen.
Once again we’ll focus on the two main ranges from each brand, the Wüsthof Classic and ZWILLING Professional S
| Brand | Handle material |
| Wüsthof Classic | POM (thermoplastic) |
| ZWILLING Professional S | POM (thermoplastic) |
Both Wüsthof Classic and ZWILLING Professional S use a thermoplastic material called POM (Polyoxymethylene) for their knife handles.
POM is an ideal material for kitchen knives due to its extreme durability.
POM is specifically designed for high stiffness and stability, and being a thermoplastic means it’s also extremely resistant to temperature and moisture changes.
It’s a fantastic material to use for knife handles, that will undergo all sorts of pressures.
In my opinion, the design of the Wüsthof Classic handle is slightly more attractive than the ZWILLING, but that is really down to personal preference.
In terms of the quality of the handle, both these knives are the same.
Wüsthof vs ZWILLING JA Henckels – How much do they cost
Both these brands have wide ranges of knives all at differing price ranges.
To allow for a fairer comparison I’ve categorized three of their major ranges that represent their highest and lowest cost knives.
I’ve tried to compare similar knives, sticking to 8 Inch Chef’s knives or the closest equivalent they have in the range.
In brackets next to the general price range you’ll see the name of the range.
These prices are rough estimates. Prices do change over time but this is intended as a rough guide.
| Brand range | Wüsthof | ZWILLING JA Henckels |
| Premium | $170 – $190 (Ikon) | $180 – $200 (Pro) |
| Standard | $150 – $170 (Classic) | $140 – $160 (Professional S) |
| Value | $75 – $95 (Gourmet) | $80 – $100 (Twin Signature) |
Wüsthof and ZWILLING JA Henckels offer an almost identical price range for their knives.
Given the similarities of these two brands, using much the same materials and even being produced in the same German city, it makes sense that their prices should be so similar.
So when comparing Wüsthof and ZWILLING JA Henckels, there really is very little difference in the price.
Of course, prices do tend to change throughout the year so it’s always worth checking if one or the other is currently offered at a reduced rate.
Wüsthof vs ZWILLING JA Henckels – What is the difference
It’s clear that Wüsthof and ZWILLING JA Henckels are very similar in terms of quality. They use most of the same materials and are even manufactured in the same city.
So if you’re choosing between the two, you can rest easy that there is hardly any difference in quality or price.
There is a slight difference in design between Wüsthof and ZWILLING JA Henckels knives. ZWILLING JA Henckels has a straighter handle whereas Wüsthof Classic handles become thicker near the hilt of the knife.
There is no large difference in the quality of these two brands, and both have been built in the traditional western way of keeping durability in front of mind.
Wüsthof vs ZWILLING JA Henckels – Which is better for you
Whichever you buy you will get a good quality, durable knife that is comfortable to hold and well balanced. They use almost all the same materials and are even produced in the same city, so there really is no difference in quality to speak of.
The main difference between the knives is the shape of the handle, but otherwise, there is very little difference.
Which one you prefer is really down to your individual choice as there is such little between the two brands.
My personal choice would be the Wüsthof Classic, I think they are so perfectly designed to be that durable, comfortable to use chef’s knife that everyone needs.
For me, I find the Wüsthof handles to be slightly more comfortable and I prefer the look of the handle.
My Wüsthof Recommendation
View the 8-Inch Classic Wüsthof on Amazon (opens new tab)
The Wüsthof Classic Chef’s knife is my recommendation if you’re looking for a Wüsthof knife.
I recommend it a lot on this site as it’s the ultimate western chef’s knife. It’s super durable, comfortable to hold and use and as we’ve seen in the article above it uses top quality materials and is manufactured right in the German ‘City of Blades’, as it has been for over 200 years.
There are less expensive and more expensive Wüsthof knives, but for the money, I think this is the best.
My ZWILLING JA Henckels Recommendation
View the 8-Inch ZWILLING JA Henckels Pro S on Amazon (opens new tab)
You can’t really go wrong with the ZWILLING JA Henckels Professional S.
It uses the same steel as the Wüsthof, so it’s still ultra-durable and can hold a good enough edge.
It also uses the same POM thermoplastic used on the main collections for Wüsthof, so there’s next to no chance of it distorting under the general moisture and temperature fluctuations you get in the kitchen.
As I’ve said above, my personal preference is the Wüsthof Classic, because I slightly prefer the handle, but I think it would be wise to check the current price of both the Pro S and Wüsthof Classic.
Their RRP is similar but often they will be offered at a discounted price, if the Pro S is a good amount less than the Wüsthof Classic it’d be a good idea to snap it up.
