I don't know if a good knife is hard to find. But they usually cost at least a hundred dollars, and so it's worth noting when HelloFresh is offering one of WIRED's favorite chef's knives for the low, low price of free.
This is the time of year when a lot of the best meal kit deals start to happen. And so if you hang around for three weeks of meal delivery service from HelloFresh, your third box will include delivery of a Zwilling Four Star 8-inch chef knife, a $100-plus carbon steel blade that WIRED reviewer Molly Higgins lists as her runner-up favorite blade overall—and her favorite carbon-steel for most people.
The HelloFresh deal began this month and runs through March, but it's worth acting quickly if you want the blade. It's one of those “while supplies last” kind of deals, and a lot of people tend to sign up for meal kits in January, when they're trying to cook more at home and eat healthier. Enter the code CONZWILLING to get the free knife, or click the button below for the discount code.
If you haven't tried the brand in a little while, I'd noted last year in my review of HelloFresh (8/10, WIRED Recommends) that the German-founded meal delivery service had broadened its repertoire to light, bright, internationally focused meals. This has only continued since a July brand refresh that added seasonal produce, and options on dark chicken meat (wonder of wonders!)
HelloFresh's delivery recipe kits tend to be around $12 a serving—far more economical than restaurant meals—and sometimes significantly cheaper than trying out a new recipe—but more than it would generally cost to make meals from staple ingredients in your own pantry. I tend to use meal kits as a way to try new recipes, and especially to avoid ordering delivery when inspiration is low.
The first week of delivery is half off right now, a deal that often crops up. But the Zwilling knife sweetens the pot quite a bit.
The Zwilling Four Star chef's knife is nominally listed at $145, but often goes on sale closer to $100. Either way, it's a terrific knife for the excellent price of nothing, when paired with the meal kits. Zwilling is one of the oldest knife companies out there, and its knives likewise tend to be built for longevity. This 8-inch knife is a sturdy, ergonomic, V-cut blade built to take a beating without chipping. Its Rockwell hardness of 57 is slightly softer than you'd find in professional kitchens. But this makes it forgiving compared to some more brittle carbon steel, making it great for a casual home chef who doesn't mind using a honing rod to keep the blade in line.
But note that carbon steel does require extra care. You can't put it in a dishwasher, and need to dry it immediately after washing. It can rust if you let it, so don't let it. The trade-off is that carbon steel keeps its edge much longer than everyday stainless steel. So this should be a sharp blade for a while, and rarely requires sharpening.
Anyway, CONZWILLING is the discount code to get a free Zwilling chef's knife with your third week of HelloFresh.