Product Description

This WMF Taika 18/10 stainless steel flatware features a contemporary flair and is perfect for either a formal table or for everyday use. Unusual proportions break with our familiar concepts of cutlery. Taika looks as if it has been stretched, extremely slim and graceful (The knife measures 9-1/2 inches in length, while the fork and soup spoon measure 9 inches) The final outcome of this, is the merging of the handle and blade of the knife into one. The formal austerity of the lines is counterbalanced by soft rounded contours at the end of the handle. They give it grace. The proportions are stretched to the extreme, reaching beyond boundaries to establish a link with Asian dining culture. Each piece is highly polished and this unique 53-piece configuration includes eight each: knife, dinner fork, salad fork, dinner spoon, and soup spoon, eight additional espresso spoons, one large salad serving set, one large serving spoon, and one large meat serving fork, plus one cake server.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #111637 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Brand: WMF
• Model: 11 0520 5300
• Released on: 2007-08-05
• Dimensions: 4.50" h x 4.50" w x 13.00" l, 7.50 pounds

Features

• 53-piece flatware set; service for 8 18/10 stainless steel flatware set with additional serving pieces
• Each service includes 5 pieces: salad fork, dinner fork, dinner knife, dinner spoon, soup spoon
• Additional service pieces include: eight espresso spoons, a 2-piece salad serving set, one large serving spoon, one serving fork, and one cake server
• Contemporary, highly polished flatware with elongated, slender handle
• Dishwasher-safe; never needs polishing

Amazon.com Review
This flatware lets you set the table with a unique, contemporary flair. It's rugged and durable enough for everyday use but still looks elegant enough that everyday dining doesn't become humdrum. The 53-piece set includes service for 8, plus eight espresso spoons, a 2-piece salad serving set, one large serving spoon, one serving fork, and one cake server. Each service includes a salad fork, dinner fork, dinner knife, dinner spoon, and soup spoon. The set is made of 18/10 stainless steel. It's dishwasher safe, cutting down on daily clean up time, and never needs polishing--who likes to polish, anyway? It is highly polished flatware with elongated, slender handles that fit well in the hand and are nicely balanced for comfortable dining. WMF stands behind their products and any defective product can be returned for a replacement. --Jeff Dalto

What's in the Box 8 place settings, 8 additional espresso spoons, and 5 serving pieces. Each place setting consists of: salad fork, dinner fork, dinner knife, dinner spoon, soup spoon. Additional pieces include: eight espresso spoons, a 2-piece salad serving set, one large serving spoon, one serving fork, and one cake server. 53 pieces total.

Customer Reviews

Great product on a downhill slope
Taika is a great design, beautiful looks if slightly difficult to handle.

However, not all WMF Taika is the same. Some appear to be made in Germany, some in Korea (last purchase in 2003), some in China (last purchase). This latest set comes out of China. Compared to previous parts that I have purchased it is a slightly different design. More clunky, especially on the knives and many small differences. When my wife saw it she said "but they're not the same!".

Bottom line: make sure you look at it live in a store and make sure that you get additional pieces from the same factory.

GREAT design!
The WMF Taika cutlery set won the Good Design Award (The Chicago Athenaeum) and teh Red Dot Award (Design Center of North Rhine-Westphalia), both in 1997. I first saw it in Paris in 1998 and since then I had wanted it. I purchased an 8-person set last year and I'm really happy with it. I use it every day and it looks very good with my china, tea set etc. They are all contemporary in design, but I suppose someone who purchases Taika is fond of contemporary. The Taika set is not intuitively ergonomic, but for me the looks more than make up for that. Also, the steel quality is very good, and you'll probably have it for several decades, pass it on to your grandchildren etc. The design is beautiful and it has become a classic.

Attractive design, awkward sizes
I just returned this set to Amazon. It's a really lovely pattern - smooth, fluid, contemporary without being harsh or overly angular. It also has a nice weight - substantial without being too heavy. And, unlike a lot of the flatware coming from China, it's well made - symmetrical finishing, smooth edges. However, there are two unfortunate aspects of its design that aren't easy to discern from the photos. Firstly, the handles of the dinner fork, knife and tablespoon are excessively long; I found them awkward and uncomfortable to hold. Secondly, the salad fork and teaspoon are absurdly small - really a cocktail fork and coffee spoon. I simply can't see it as a practical set.

I was very disappointed; I've looked at dozens of patterns; it was the only reasonably priced set I really liked (at the time, Amazon had it priced much lower than comparable patterns). Unfortunately, I couldn't get over these two issues. Whoever designed it really wasn't thinking in terms of everyday use.