Ronco knives

[Barkely]

Does anyone own a set of the Ronco knives they advertise in the infomercials, if so what do you think of them? I have thought about ordering them, but I didn't know if they were really as good as they say, or if it was just a scam.

What is a good brand of knives for someone who enjoys cooking, but is on a budget?

[renkol]

Hi there... I am curious to see how others respond to your post. I, too, was impressed by the Ronco knife commercial and ordered it right away.

First warning - when you call to order - you are told that when you buy one set, you get a second set free. HOWEVER, they charge you an extra $22 for shipping on the free item! They WOULD NOT allow me to "waive" my second free set. I didn't need it, and its not really free if they make me pay ANOTHER $22 to ship it. Well, you can't order it at all unless you pay the $22 shipping on the SECOND "FREE SET", so I had no choice. I bought it.

Second, they then try to sell you the knife block, which really... unless you buy it, where are you going to store these knives? I kind of thought they would come in a case or something, but they do not. The block was another $30 I think.... I first said no thanks cuz they wanted to charge yte another $11 to ship THAT. So they "waived" the shipping cost if I agreed to order the block, which I did. (SO DO NOT AGREE TO BUY THE BLOCK UNTIL THEY OFFER FREE SHIPPING ON IT)

The knives just came, but I bought this as a B-day gift, so I cannot use the knives to test them yet. However, for some reason, they packed one lone steak knife on top of the merchandise, so I opened the steak knife and cut a piece of summer sausage just to test it out.

1) I really didn't think it cut the sausage any better than any knife I ever used. It didnt exactly "cut like butter" or anything...

2) I will say you can tell the knife is solidly made. The handle is thick, as it the blade. I assume this would probably last awhile

I can't say the one steaknife I could use was better or worse than any other knife I've tried. All I can say is it is solidly made, but really doesn't seem any SHARPER. I am still debating whether to send it back.

HOWEVER - the website advertised by the infomercial would not work. I had to call to order. Now I can't find the website at all, and cannot even find a way to send this back if I want to. I am sure if I do, they will charge me yet another $43 to ship. I am still debating what to do.

BY THE WAY - THE WORST PART IS AFTER I BOUGHT THEM BY PHONE, I FOUND OUT YOU CAN BUY THIS STUFF AT TARGET!!! No shipping costs. So try Target first.

I hope that helps you a little bit.

[jglass]

I bought these same knives months ago at Wal Mart on clearance for $10. I ended up throwing them out later and ordering a good set of chefs knives from JCPenneys. Good knives are a must have investment for the kitchen.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

These info-mercials they make me mad! I never order from them, but reading this reminds me of Mom ordering the Ginsu Knives, what a rip-off that was.

I learned alot from watching my Mom, mainly how not to be a sucker for the darned TV!!! Poor trusting Mom!!! At least when you purchase something from a store you don't like you just take it back and get a refund, no paying postage and waiting for the refund for weeks on end.

[jglass]

Very good point Cathy.
I have fallen for the info-mercial more than once myself.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

I happened across this MSNBC report today. I laughed so hard I had tears coming out my eyes and I just wanted to share a laugh with all you gadget collectors as well, the thing that caught my funny bone was the video of the "Hula Chair" demonstration. Now we are not allowed to have sound on our computers at work, so I watched it with-out sound so I recommend you watching it that way. I hope you will have as great a belly laugh form watching this as I did. Not one to be easily amused I found watching this to be hysterically funny!

Go here to view: Does It Work? - msnbc.com

Plus the article really does give us a little insight into some of these things we see advertised here & there.

Let me know what you think of the hula chair, Cathy

[KYHeirloomer]

Geeze, Cathy. You need to get out more.

A word on knives---and other kitchenware. It is never a good idea to buy a set of anything---knives, cookware, even glassware. Most of the time these sets contain pieces you'll never use.

Far better is to determine your actual needs and buy the items you want from open stock. That way you get exactly the tool for the job, and don't have unused ones laying around.

Example: My youngest recieved an 11-piece set of stainless cookware as a wedding present. Now, two years later, they have yet to touch four of the pieces.

Same with knives. If I were looking to first build a knife collection, I would save up and get the best chef's knife or santuko I could afford. That is, spend about 10-15% more than you think. That will be your go-to knife for 80%+ of what you do.

Pick the knife by handling it the store just the way you would use it at home. All the motions: the cutting, slicing, chopping movements. Is the knife comfortable? Does it balance well? Is the blade a configuration you are happy with? Maybe the grip of one design is perfect, but the blade too heavy for you? Or another doesn't feel right in your hand. Whatever. Eventually, by handling enough of them, you'll find the design that's right for you.

Then do the same thing, a little at a time, with other knivess. After the chef's knife perhaps you need a good paring knife? Or a boning knife? Or a carving knife?

Chances are, each of these are available in the same make as your big knife. But that doesn't always mean you'll buy matching pieces. Maybe you like the Wustoff classic icon Chef's Knife. But Henkels makes a paring knife more your comfort level.

Another good reason to have not bought a set in the first place.

Personally, unless it was a specific make and model I was already familiar with, I would never buy a knife I hadn't handled. If it's not comfortable in your hand, if the fit isn't there, you'll be unhappy with it. And an unhappy knife is a dangerous knife. The only thing more dangerous is a dull one.

Comfort and fit have nothing to do with cost, btw. Every maker of quality knives has it's own design criteria. So, what is, objectively, a high quality knife may, in your hands, be junk. The fact you paid 130 bucks for it is irrelevent. It's still junk. Whereas I might think it was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

[Mama Mangia]

Ronco knives are an absolute joke!

A friend of mine is so sorry she ordered them - paid all that shipping, got suckered into the knife block, etc.

I do not buy any knife from anywhere until I've had a chance to see it and feel it.

I bought a very expensive set of knives years ago - wouldn't trade them for anything.

Want a sharp knife - look in your yellow pages for a knife sharpening company if you can't do it yourself. And there is a way to do it properly.

Ronco can keep their knives - I wouldn't buy that set at the dollar store for a buck - block included!

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Geeze, Cathy. You need to get out more.

You may have a point there KYH

But this lady, and then the Chairman of the Board meeting both gyrating around on this chair was hilarious, she couldn't even take a drink of water! It was a HOOT!
I can not imagine anyone getting any work done sitting in one of those, you might wind up with "Shaken Baby Syndrome" at the end of the so-called work-out!
Did you read the article on the foot pads? That was pretty funny too! The point is DO NOT FALL FOR INFOMERCIALS!!!

[Mama Mangia]

Hey - now - hold on!

There is one infomercial that I did "fall" for - and it was like someone heard what I was wishing for.

The Xpress 101 machine.

I do a lot with my sandwich maker - but the "wells" are small and I was wishing for a machine with bigger wells ---- along came the Xpress 101.

Made Mama happy!

: )