Others say...

"great idea"
This knife block is a great solution for someone who has not bought their knives in a set. Knives slide in and out easily and block fits all sizes. Cleaning problems don't seem to be such a big deal--how dirty is it going to get? Just make sure your knives are clean before storing.

"not bad, but has its shortcomings"
i purchased this block to take care of one specific problem: i couldn't fit my meat and vegetable cleavers in my regular knife block. i saw this product recommended in cooks illustrated, and they said the only flaw was the block didn't fully hold knives over 8". my cleavers are 6" and 7 3/4", so i thought i had solved my problem.

well, not really. it holds the 6" cleaver if you give it a solid shove to get it down in the rods, and the 7 3/4" cleaver sticks out above the rods by a solid inch. i assume this has to do with the front edge of the cleaver displacing too many rods compared to a standard pointed knife. so when it comes right down to it, this block can't simply house two standard cleavers - not quite 'universal'.

the pros? well, i found out i could shove other useful things in it. my meat thermometer fits perfectly, and i can actually stick my metal measuring spoons in the block, handle first. this is great because i don't have to dig through a draw to find these frequently used items. so i'm happy about this.

i like the product, just beware if you have cleavers or very long knives, it's not happening.

"Different, and it works"
Easy to clean, works well within its limits.

its not too tolerant of cramming bulky things (it doesn't like the pivot nut on my shears for example), but for what it is supposed to do it does a fantastic job.

my only nit to pick is the block wont take anything longer than an 8" knife. my 10" slicer has to hide in a drawer.

"a knife block that works!"
all my knives fit, it looks great, works wonderfully (no bent rods here, though i haven't put my scissors in) and makes me happy :)

"Fabulous!"
I first found the Kapoosh at Bed, Bath, and Beyond about a year ago... we got one for our counter, and absolutely loved it! About a week of use, we went back to the store and got two more, and now we have three of them side by side containing all of our knives, kitchen scissors, sharpening steel, etc.

This product is absolutely fabulous - easy to clean (just pop out the rod insert and put it in the dishwasher), attractive, safe, and keeps your knives and tools attractively and safely nearby when you need them.

As one reviewer noted, I have had some of the rods bend inside the wood case when I wasn't careful about how I put a bulky item (such as scissors) into the Kapoosh, but that's my fault and not the product's. You just need to make sure you're not carelessly jamming the bulky items into the rods.

This last Christmas season, I was delighted to find the Kapoosh on sale in my small home town in Oregon, and I immediately bought several and gave them to my mother and sisters as gifts. My nephew, a budding chef, was ecstatic over the addition to their kitchen - so easy to use, easy to clean, safe, and doesn't dull knives the way woodblocks can. My family members all went down to the store and bought multiple Kapooshes to keep on their counters the way I do! :)

Highly recommended!