PRODUCT USE & CARE

MAINTAINING YOUR STEEL

No metal is completely “stainless”.

Do not allow acidic foods (lemon, mustard, tomato, etc.) to remain on the blade after use. This might cause some slight tarnishing. Should the blade show some signs of staining, use a non-abrasive metal polish for cleaning.

CLEANING YOUR KNIVES

Most Henckels Knives are dishwasher safe*. However, we do not recommend putting knives in the dishwasher. Banging against other cutlery or pots and pans will nick the edge. Also, high heat and detergent are not good for the handle.

Instead wipe the knife clean in your sink with a nonabrasive cloth or sponge and dish washing detergent. Dry immediately. Dry from the back of the knife to the edge.

*Henckels Pakka and Henckels Compass Damascus are not dishwasher safe, and should be washed by hand.

PROPER USE OF BLADES

Do not cut through bone with knives (except cleavers). Do not use knives for poking, prying, separating or cutting semi-frozen or frozen foods.

Do not use knives as screwdrivers or can openers. This is not their designated purpose and may result in bending or breaking the blade or edge of the knife. Henckels warranty does not cover misuse.

PROPER KNIFE STORAGE

Knives have to be stored in a safe place, protecting the cutting edge and guarding against injuries.

Wooden knife blocks are the most popular and suitable storage system for fine knives.

The counter-top slant block offers easy access and fits underneath most kitchen cabinets.

The size of the block varies with the number of knives to be stored. Most Henckels blocks also have a slot for kitchen shears.

CUTTING SURFACES

Cutting surfaces should be smooth, easy-to-clean, and “give” on contact with the knife's edge. Henckels recommends wooden or bamboo cutting boards or quality polyethylene boards.

REMEMBER: All cutting boards and surfaces should be cleaned thoroughly immediately after use to avoid harmful bacteria growth. For sanitary purposes keep separate boards for meat, fish, poultry, and seafood.

Avoid surfaces that can dull or damage the knife such as China, marble, granite, tile, Formica, porcelain, stainless counter tops, glass, and ceramics.

MAINTAINING A KNIFE’S EDGE

Knives do not stay sharp forever. If you examine a knife under a microscope, you would see that the edge is made up of thousands of small cutting teeth. Through use, the fine teeth on the cutting edge will eventually get misaligned, resulting in a dull knife. It is necessary to realign the teeth on a regular basis to renew the cutting edge; this is called honing. A quality knife is easy to hone when you use a Henckels honing steel. Do not hone serrated knives with steel. If a serrated knife becomes dull it should be sharpened by a professional or replaced.

Store your honing steel in dry place and clean knives before sharpening. After use, wipe steel with dry cloth

CUTLERY SAFETY INFORMATION

For obvious reasons, knife safety is of utmost importance. Avoid injuries by following practical knife safety rules:

Keep knives sharp!

A sharp knife is safer than a dull one because it requires less pressure in cutting. The knife will not slip as easily, and your hand will not tire as quickly.

Never test the sharpness of a knife by running your finger along the edge!

Use the correct size and type of knife for the job.

Knives come with different blade styles; each style is designed to best perform a specific task.

Create a safe cutting area.

Wooden or bamboo cutting boards or quality polyethylene boards are recommended. Make sure that knives laying on flat surfaces are never covered with towels, napkins or other materials. After handling a knife, lay it down in a cleared area, with the blade and point away from the body, and away from the edge of the table or cutting area.

Do not reach blindly for a knife.

Reach deliberately for the handle. When handing a knife to another person, do so with the handle toward him or her.

Only walk with your knife when absolutely necessary.

When walking with a knife, carry it in your less dominant hand (if you are right handed, carry in your left hand, and vice versa) and keep the knife close to your side, trying not to swing you’re arm as you walk.

Never try to catch a falling knife!

Sharp knives should be washed separately.

Do not wash with other utensils. Each knife should be dried separately, always keeping the sharp cutting edge away from the hand. Dry the knife blades from the back to the cutting edge.

Do not store knives loose in a drawer!

Keep knives stored in a knife block or an in-drawer knife tray when not in use. If using a magnetic holder, make sure magnets are strong enough to hold knives securely in place and the knives are clean. A greasy knife will not adhere properly to a magnetic rack.

Keep knives safely out of the reach of children.

UNPACKING YOUR COOKWARE

Remove all packaging materials, labels and stickers. Wash product with warm water and dish soap. Warning: This item is not a toy. Keep away from children.

HANDLE SAFETY

Never let the handles of your cookware extend over the cooking area. Never use a pot/pan with a loose handle. Always use protective oven mitts when handling hot cookware.

LID SAFETY

Always use oven mitts when removing a hot lid. When removing the lid, be sure to angle the lid to direct the steam away from you. Refrain from lowering or turning off the heat when the lid is on the pan; this may result in a vacuum that can cause the lid to stick. Never place a lid on a hot burner. This could damage, discolor or crack the lid. Never use a glass lid that is cracked or has scratches. These can break or shatter at random. Always leave a hot lid to cool down before cleaning it or running it under water. The extreme difference in temperature between the hot glass and colder water may cause cracking or breakage.

Most lids are oven safe up to 400° F / 204 °C, check packaging for specifics.

THERMOPOINT TECHNOLOGY (IF APPLICABLE):

Thermopoint technology is a sensor signal that lets you know when your pan is ready to cook (red) or cool enough to clean (green). During the heating phase, the Thermopoint device is not a signal of safety when it is green. Be sure to use protective oven mitts, as the pan may still be hot. To maximize the lifespan of the non-stick properties, reduce the heat to low once the Thermopoint device signals that the pan is ready for cooking (when device turns red). Do not expose Thermopoint device directly to the flame, excessive heat, sunlight or neon-lights. Do not rub scouring powder, steel wool, solvents or bleach/acids on the Thermopoint device. It is normal for the Thermopoint device to slightly change color or fade over time. This does not affect the performance or usability of the pan.

COOKING WITH YOUR PANS

For safety, always keep children away from hot cookware and stove tops. Never leave an empty pot/pan on the cook top, and never let it boil dry. This can quickly lead to irreversible damage to the base of the pot/pan or personal injury. For best heating performance, match up the burner size to that of the base of the pot/pan. When adjusting the burner flame, be sure not to let the flame extend along the walls of your pot/pan. Never place your cookware in the microwave or broiler. Preheat your pan before adding a high smoke point oil, like avocado or grapeseed oil, or butter, and avoid using cooking spray. Do not let a pan preheat without oil or butter for more than 90 seconds.

Pans with silicone handles are oven safe up to 350 °F / 180 °C and pans with stainless steel handles are oven safe up to 400 °F / 204 °C.

CERAMIC NONSTICK COATING CARE

We recommend the use of wood, plastic or silicone utensils to prolong the life of your ceramic coating.

We do not recommend the use of non-stick sprays. The thin layer of oil that is applied from these sprays can burn at a very low temperature, which creates a residue that can diminish the non-stick properties. Instead, we always recommend using a little fat while cooking, like butter or cooking oil.

Low to medium heat is recommended to prolong the life of your non-stick coating.

The use of extreme high heat will cause the Ceramic Nonstick Coating properties to diminish. Do not exceed temperatures over 400 °F / 204 °C.

CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

Always leave a hot pot/pan to cool down before cleaning it. The extreme difference in temperature between the hot pot/pan and colder water may cause permanent deformation.

WASHING NONSTICK COOKWARE

Clean the pot/pan with warm water, liquid dish soap and a soft sponge/bristle brush. Dry completely to prevent water spots.

To remove stubborn, burnt food or grease spots in the interior of the pot/pan, it is advisable to soak the remains in water and dish soap (all night if necessary). Then clean with a soft sponge and soap. Do not use steel wool or abrasive cleaners on the interior of the nonstick pot/pan, as this can damage the non-stick coating.

Do not use oven cleaners, baking soda or other cleaning solutions on your pot/pan, as they can permanently damage the cookware.

If using a dishwasher, do not use dishwashing detergent with bleach or citrus additives. We recommend to hand wash to prolong the beauty of your cookware.

STORING NONSTICK POTS & PANS

Do not stack your pots and pans on top of one another. This can cause abrasions, chips or scratches to your cookware