Opinel
Parallèle Trio Beech Wood Box Set 3-Knife Set
Opinel Parallèle Trio Beech Wood Box Set 3-Knife Set is a three-piece kitchen knife set containing a 20 cm multipurpose chef's knife (No. 118), a 16 cm carving knife (No. 120), and an 8 cm paring knife (No. 126). The knives feature Sandvik stainless steel blades for cutting and abrasion resistance, with varnished beech wood handles and are dishwasher safe. Designed for general cooking tasks such as chopping, mincing herbs, carving, and paring; user reviews note the set performs well in everyday home use, though some knives may arrive dull and require sharpening.
- Category
- Home & Garden > Kitchen & Dining > Kitchen Tools & Utensils > Kitchen Knives
Specifications
- Material
- Stainless steel, beech wood
- Gender
- unisex
- Age Group
- adult
- Condition
- new
- Category
- Home & Garden > Kitchen & Dining > Kitchen Tools & Utensils > Kitchen Knives
Product Insights
The Opinel Parallèle Trio Beech Wood Box Set offers a French-made three-knife set (chef, carving, paring) with X50CrMoV15 stainless steel and varnished beech wood handles, designed for light to moderate home cooking and particularly suited for rock chopping due to its forward-weighted half-tang balance. However, out-of-box sharpness can be inconsistent, though the steel is easy to sharpen and maintains adequate edge for light work, dulling faster than harder steels. While blades are dishwasher-safe, handles require hand washing to avoid swelling, and the set represents solid value for its intended use.
Verified claims
- Sharpness
- Out-of-box sharpness is inconsistent; some knives may arrive dull.
- Edge retention
- Edge retention is adequate for light-to-moderate use, but the moderately hard steel dulls faster than harder steels.
- Sharpening
- The edge responds quickly to a honing rod and can be restored in minutes on a 1000-grit whetstone.
- Handling
- Forward-weighted half-tang enhances rock-chopping and encourages pinch grip.
- Intended use
- Best for light to moderate home cooking, especially rock chopping and precise tip work.
- Corrosion resistance
- Blade resists corrosion and is dishwasher-safe, but handles require hand-washing.
- Edge performance
- Buyers report easy sharpening and adequate edge retention, but out-of-box sharpness is inconsistent.
- Steel performance
- Easy-to-sharpen stainless steel with moderate edge retention and inconsistent out-of-box sharpness.
- Value
- French-made three-knife set offers solid value for light-to-moderate cooking; often a stepping stone to pricier knives.
- Curation
- Trio of chef, carving, and paring knives covers most home cooking tasks, made in France.
- Materials
- X50CrMoV15 stainless steel is chip-resistant and easy to sharpen; varnished beech wood handles require hand washing.
- Rock chopping balance
- Forward weight bias assists gravity-fed rock chopping, reducing arm fatigue.
- Ergonomics
- Provides knuckle clearance and stable pinch grip for repeated rock chopping.
- Maintenance
- Varnished handles resist stains; dishwasher safe, but hand-washing recommended.
- Provenance
- Each knife is made in Chambéry, France, where Opinel has manufactured knives since 1890; the set features half-tang balance and essentialist three-knife curation.
- Steel grade
- The blades use X50CrMoV15 stainless steel, a German-standard steel also known as 1.4116.
- Blade hardness
- The X50CrMoV15 blades are typically hardened to 55–57 HRC, which resists chipping and responds well to honing but dulls more quickly at the keenest edge than harder steels.
Product record
- Title
- Parallèle Trio Beech Wood Box Set 3-Knife Set
- Brand
- Opinel
- Price
- 160 CAD
- Availability
- In stock
Buying Guide
1 comparison · 9 sourcesUses
Everyday meal prep with three essential kitchen knives
This Opinel set equips your kitchen with the three knives the merchant describes as every cook's essentials: a versatile 20-centimeter multipurpose chef's knife, a 16-centimeter precision carving knife, and a practical 8-centimeter paring knife. The Sandvik stainless steel blades are designed to resist wear and cutting damage. It's suited to cooks outfitting their kitchen with core prep knives in one boxed set.[2]
Starter knives for your first kitchen
Reviewers of the Opinel Parallèle Trio 3-knife set recommend it for those just beginning to acquire kitchen tools, calling it an ideal starter set for building a kitchen. The comfortable, ergonomic handle is reported as a reason it works well for new cooks.[2]
Rock chopping fresh herbs
One commenter on a chef knife forum reports still reaching for their Opinel Parallele when mincing herbs because they like rock chopping them. This is that user's preference rather than a proven suitability for the task, but it illustrates the knife's role in everyday herb prep. The set pairs the Parallele with two other knives in a beech wood box.[1]
Maintaining a sharp edge at home
One r/chefknives commenter found the Opinel Parallele chef knife sharpens easily enough and holds an edge fairly well. They especially appreciated the knife's minimal bolster when sharpening, since there is less of it to work around along the blade. Their experience is a single user's account, not a verified performance measure.[1]
Easy cleanup after cooking
When kitchen prep is done, these knives are simple to care for: the merchant describes them as easy-care and dishwasher safe, so you can clean them along with the rest of your dishes instead of washing them by hand.[2]
Gifting or adding to a knife collection
The merchant presents this boxed Opinel 3-knife set as well suited to giving as a gift. It can also be added to an existing knife collection, with the set arriving in a beech wood box.[2]
Product comparison
Compared within this brand.
| Parallèle Trio Beech Wood Box Set 3-Knife Set: Choose this if you want a three-knife starter set covering the basics: a 20 cm multipurpose chef's knife, a 16 cm carving knife, and an 8 cm paring knife. The knives pair Sandvik stainless steel blades with varnished beech wood handles, are dishwasher safe, and are presented by the merchant as suited to gifting or adding to a collection. Reviewers reportedly recommend it as an ideal starter set for those just beginning to acquire kitchen tools, praising the comfortable, ergonomic handles; one owner enjoyed the Parallele chef knife but eventually moved on to higher-end knives.[1,2] | Parallèle Bread Beech Wood Block Set Of 5 Knives: Choose this if you want a complete five-knife starter set with storage: it includes a chef's knife (20 cm), Santoku (17 cm), carving knife (16 cm), paring knife (8 cm), and bread knife (21 cm) in a beech wood block with through slots for easy cleaning and silicone pads. The knives have stainless steel blades and varnished beech wood handles, with a design inspired by the lines of Opinel pocket knife handle squares. Note that the image analysis shows only four knives inserted in the block, though the set is listed as five.[3,4] | Intempora Knife Set 3-Pack: Choose this if you want a three-knife starter kit covering everyday prep: a No. 218 chef's knife with a 20 cm (8 in.) blade, a No. 220 carving knife with a 16 cm (6.25 in.) blade, and a No. 225 paring knife with an 8 cm (3.25 in.) blade. The full-tang Sandvik stainless steel blades are described as offering good corrosion resistance with no special maintenance, and the fibreglass-reinforced polymer handles are designed for a secure, fatigue-reducing grip; the line is used to equip the Alain Ducasse Cooking School and the Lyfe Institute's Gourmet School (formerly Institut Paul Bocuse) workshops, per the brand. Note that one commenter was unsure about the handle shape and wanted to hold the knives before judging, so comfort is worth trying in person.[5,6,7,8,9] |
Image Analysis
2 images- 01
Product
Three knives with visible stainless blades and light beech wood handles, each handle riveted and partially visible through die-cut windows in a kraft cardboard display panel.
- Knife arrangementThree knives vertically arranged left-to-right by size: small paring on the left, medium carving in the center, large chef knife on the right; blades point upward and handles are at the bottom.
1 region
x 0.16 · y 0.14 · w 0.68 · h 0.64 (high) - Blade appearanceBlades are metallic, satin-finish stainless steel with visible subtle grain along the blade faces; large chef blade is broad and curved, center blade is long and narrow, left blade is short and straight.
1 region
x 0.24 · y 0.18 · w 0.52 · h 0.46 (high) - HandlesHandles are unfinished light beech wood with rectangular profile, visible single metal rivet on each handle near the blade, grain runs vertically along the handle.
1 region
x 0.28 · y 0.56 · w 0.42 · h 0.22 (high) - Blade-to-handle jointVisible metal tang area set into the wooden handle with a small step cutout shape on the large and medium knife handles where blade meets wood.
1 region
x 0.44 · y 0.48 · w 0.30 · h 0.18 (medium) - Handle windowsThree rectangular die-cut windows at the bottom of the packaging expose the lower portions of each wooden handle.
1 region
x 0.25 · y 0.74 · w 0.50 · h 0.12 (high)
Packaging
Kraft cardboard hanging display panel with a diagonal magenta stripe, printed product text and logo, and die-cut hang tab at top.
- Material and formatSingle-piece kraft brown cardboard panel with a toppiece hang tab and rectangular die-cut windows aligned with the knives.
1 region
x 0.12 · y 0.04 · w 0.76 · h 0.92 (high) - Diagonal stripeA wide magenta diagonal stripe runs from lower left to upper right across the front panel, intersecting the knives and windows.
- Top hang tabCardboard hang tab at the top center with a rounded rectangular slot for hanging.
1 region
x 0.38 · y 0.00 · w 0.24 · h 0.07 (high) - Brand text“OPINEL”
1 region
x 0.43 · y 0.10 · w 0.22 · h 0.06 (high) - Location text“SAVOIE FRANCE”
1 region
x 0.43 · y 0.16 · w 0.22 · h 0.03 (high) - Product line text“trio”
1 region
x 0.20 · y 0.24 · w 0.18 · h 0.08 (high) - Series name“PARALLÈLE”
1 region
x 0.20 · y 0.32 · w 0.24 · h 0.06 (high) - Knife labels“COUTEAU D'OFFICE PARING KNIFE”
1 region
x 0.18 · y 0.68 · w 0.64 · h 0.06 (high) - Knife labels second line“COUTEAU A DÉCOUPER CARVING KNIFE”
1 region
x 0.18 · y 0.72 · w 0.64 · h 0.06 (high) - Knife labels third line“COUTEAU CHEF CHEF'S KNIFE”
1 region
x 0.18 · y 0.76 · w 0.64 · h 0.06 (high) - Logo marksmall icon of a crowned hand mark printed near the top brand text
1 region
x 0.61 · y 0.11 · w 0.06 · h 0.06 (medium)
Other
Centered studio shot on white background, even diffuse lighting with minimal shadowing and no props besides the product packaging.
- Shot compositionProduct centered vertically and horizontally on a white background with even lighting and minimal shadow.
- BackgroundPlain white background with no texture or visible props.
- Image qualityHigh resolution and sharp focus on packaging and knife details.
Colors
light beech wood· handle#DBB293stainless silver· blades#CECDD1kraft brown· main panelPackaging#C39574magenta· diagonal stripePackaging#BC548Ddeep blue· printed textPackaging- Knife arrangementThree knives vertically arranged left-to-right by size: small paring on the left, medium carving in the center, large chef knife on the right; blades point upward and handles are at the bottom.
- 02
Product
Single kitchen knife shown vertically with a tapered stainless blade and a straight, rectangular light beech wood handle with two round metal rivets.
- Blade shapeLong tapered straight-edged stainless steel blade with a pointed tip and a narrow full-length profile visible from bolster to tip.
1 region
x 0.23 · y 0.02 · w 0.53 · h 0.47 (high) - Blade finishBrushed or satin stainless finish with fine horizontal grind lines visible along the blade surface.
1 region
x 0.28 · y 0.05 · w 0.44 · h 0.40 (medium) - Blade text“OPINEL”
1 region
x 0.45 · y 0.18 · w 0.11 · h 0.18 (high) - Additional blade marking“INOX (partially legible)”Partial
1 region
x 0.49 · y 0.30 · w 0.06 · h 0.08 (medium) - Handle geometryStraight rectangular handle with squared-off bottom end and slightly contoured top near the blade where it meets the bolster area.
1 region
x 0.34 · y 0.45 · w 0.33 · h 0.50 (high) - Handle material and textureLight beech wood with fine vertical grain and a smooth, matte finish.
1 region
x 0.34 · y 0.48 · w 0.32 · h 0.46 (high) - RivetsTwo round flush metal rivets visible on the handle, aligned along the handle centerline.
2 regions
x 0.49 · y 0.56 · w 0.04 · h 0.06 (high); x 0.49 · y 0.74 · w 0.04 · h 0.06 (high) - Blade-to-handle junctionSmall metal bolster section at the top of the handle where the blade meets the wood, with a visible seam.
1 region
x 0.40 · y 0.42 · w 0.21 · h 0.06 (high)
Other
Studio-style product shot on a uniform white background, knife centered vertically with even diffuse lighting and minimal shadowing.
- BackgroundUniform white background with no visible props or packaging.
- CompositionKnife is centered in frame and presented vertically with the blade pointing upward.
- LightingEven diffuse studio lighting producing soft highlights on the blade and subtle shadowing along the handle edges.
Colors
stainless silver· blade#EEEEEDlight beech wood· handle#DDB39Cpolished silver· rivets- Blade shapeLong tapered straight-edged stainless steel blade with a pointed tip and a narrow full-length profile visible from bolster to tip.
Brand PDP Lookup
- Brand
- Opinel
Trio Box 3 Parallèle knives
Documents & Data
Customer Reviews
3 total3 reviews · out of 5
Great quality knives
Delighted with this set and very the Simons is now selling this product
Fantastic knives
I highly recommend these knives! I cannot believe the low price versus the high quality. This is a great example of not having to pay a high price yo get a quality item!
Great value and good looks
As this is my first good set of knives I am learning what I did not know about knives. They are very sharp and esthetically nice looking. I like the feel of the handle in my hands. Great value and would recommend to anyone just starting out building their kitchen tools.
Reddit Insights
2 threads · r/chefknives, r/OpinelReddit users have mixed experiences with Opinel Parallele kitchen knives, praising their edge retention and sharpening ease but reporting inconsistent out-of-box sharpness in sets.
Some users find the knives sharp and enjoyable, while others report quality control issues with dull edges on multiple knives in a set.
Themes
Use Cases
- Mincing herbs and rock chopping
- General budget-friendly home cooking
Watch Out For
Compared To
vs higher end chef knives
Users find the Parallele a good entry-level option but may eventually upgrade for better steel and performance.
Source Threads
User's experience with Opinel Parallele chef knife
My first chef knife was an Opinel Parallele. I enjoyed it before moving onto some higher end knives. It sharpens easily enough and holds an edge fairly well. I really appreciate the minimal bolster on the Parallele when it comes to sharpening. I still reach for it when I'm mincing herbs as I like rock chopping herbs. This new range from Opinel looks beautiful for sure.
u/a_r_dr/chefknivesView thread →
Inconsistent sharpness in a set of three Parallele paring knives
Yeah it’s the Parallele paring knives I got and only 1 of 3 was sharp.
u/Made-upDreamsr/OpinelView thread →