I bought this knife because I love my other, more expensive Henckels, and needed something in about this size. I figured I'd try the low-priced model to see how it compared.
Out of the box the knife had a great edge, and worked exceptionally. After a couple weeks of heavy use, however, the edge was all but gone. A quick run through a Henckel sharpener, however, and the great edge had returned.
You'll need to sharpen this knife a lot more than the more expensive versions, but if you don't mind taking the 10 seconds every other week to do this, you should be very happy with this knife.
When I walked into my local Meijer's I was looking for an inexpensive knife to beat up on. Allow me to clarify... I sharpen my own knives of all varieties. Kitchen, utility, tactical... You name it, I sharpen them. I like to be able to put a razor sharp shaving capable edge on all of my knives. I was looking for a very cheap knife to use as an instructional tool for my wife. I wanted to teach her some basic sharpening skills, and she needed something to practice on. As a cutlery enthusiast, I enjoy doing research on varying knife steels, buying knives that use them, and then testing their qualities and performance. So, when I purchased this knife for under $10, I wasn't expecting much. I was looking for a straight edged bolster-less 8" plus chef's knife, but aside from that, I really did not expect to like the knife. However, after testing it straight out of its package, I was very impressed with how well it performed. This knife is an excellent slicer for fruits and vegetables. Instead of having my wife mess up the finish of this blade, I decided to add it to my collection.
Here are the reasons why I have rated this product 5 stars:
1. Even though its thin blade profile may give the impression of being cheap, it actually makes this knife an excellent slicer, outperforming heavy more expensive German knives, Henckels or otherwise.
2. Because of the thin blade, even though it is a full tang handle design, it is very light weight. For someone who may have wrist issues, carpal tunnel, tendonitis, etc, this knife will feel very good in hand. I have found no balance issues either. It is perfectly balanced at the hilt, which also adds to the in hand feel.
3. It is very inexpensive!!! Did I mention I purchased the knife under $10? This is the biggest selling point. I wouldn't expect a whole lot from a knife at this price point, but if you understand the limitations of the steel at this price point(i.e. needing to be re-sharpened more frequently)then you will be very happy with its performance. Also, as an aside, I have re-sharpened this knife once since I bought it, and it was very easy to put a hair shaving sharp edge on it after a few minutes on my water-stones. So, I suppose the final selling point would be...
4. Ease of re-sharpening. Even though it won't hold an edge as long as a knife with a premium steel such as vg-10(which would also cost 8~15 times as much), it was very easy to re-sharpen.
In summary, I think this was an excellent purchase for the money. It outperforms some of my much more expensive chef's knives when it comes to slicing. It won't hold an edge forever, but neither will any other kitchen knife. If you never want to have to re-sharpen your knives, but just want them to have a sort of blunt edge that stays the same for years...then get a butter-knife instead :)
Also, I just remembered, the handle isn't the most comfortable thing in the world in terms of its shape(I can't use the same "pinch" grip I use on my more ergonomically designed knives). It felt a little blocky in hand, and I had to modify my grip a little to make it work. But, again, for the price, I really don't find it to be a show stopper. Once I fixed my grip to accommodate the shape, it performed very comfortably and beautifully. Honestly, if you don't already have a different grip that you are accustomed to, then you may never even notice. And to be sure, I actually change my grip slightly when switching between knives with different handle shapes, so it really wasn't that big of a deal.
Buy J.A. Henckels International Fine Edge Pro 8-Inch Stainless-Steel Chef Knife Now
I would definetly recommend it for the casual home cook, it is a very reliable knife, but if you are a cooking student invest more money you will want a more professional knife in the future
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I paid about [$$$] for this knife and have used it for a month now. it's a very good knife for this price. the blade is thin at the sharp edge and is thicker that the top; so it is sharp and strong at the same time. it's not carbon steel, so it will need sharpened once in a while but it doesn't take much work since the blade is thin. I use this knife all the time and i like it.
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I don't cook much, so I needed an inexpensive knife which would be sharp and reliable. I've had it for several months and have not had to sharpen it once, but I use it only a couple times a week. It's nice and sharp, relatively well-balanced and comfortable to use, and cleans easily.
If you aren't serious enough about cooking to want more than one knife to use in the kitchen, this is an excellent choice.
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These are the best knives I've ever none. I highly recommend them. They stay sharp and are beautiful as well.
