These knives could be worse, but given the fancy name and reputation, they could be a lot better, too. The blades are not as stiff as you might like. Flexy blades scare me not out of fear of breakage, but rather that they are harder to control and more likely to cut something you don't want cut. Also, the Chef's knife has a pretty shallow blade, and you can't do the cool chef-chop without rapping your knuckles on the cutting board. For the money, there are better (though less prestigious) knife sets out there.
I don't even feel these knives are worth the advertised price. I have used these for about 5 years and have been thoroughly unimpressed. I gave these one star because Henckels should be ashamed to put their name on these knives.
pros: They work (sort of), they are relatively cheap, and you get the Henckels name. I have washed mine in a dishwasher for 5 years and they still hold up.
cons: The steel is poor quality (doesn't hold an edge well), the fit and finish is poor, and the set is over priced for their underwhelming performance.
bottom line: You can get an equivalent set of knives for less money that performs better, you just won't have the Henckels name.
I sharpen these knives and they are dull within just a few uses. The stainless steel is soft and unimpressive. The honing steel needs to be used frequently with these knives to keep them cutting well.
I think most people will find much better performance from a high carbon stainless knife set from most other companies (like Chicago Cutlery's Forum line), you just have to put up with a little staining.
I have been slowly building a professional level knife collection. Start with a high quality chef's (or something like a santoku), bread/carving knife, and a paring knife and work up from there. I couldn't tell you how happy I have been moving to "real" knives, the difference is amazing. If you buy Henckels make sure to buy the ones with the 2 stick men as they are higher quality (non international). The Wusthof Classic set is also a good starting point for good knives. My current set contains an Al Mar paring knife, a Fallkniven chef's knife, and a Wusthof Classic Santoku along with all these Henckels that I am replacing.
If you want cheap but very functional knives, I would recommend Forschner knives. They aren't pretty, but they function as well as any of the good Henckel's or Wusthof's.
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My experience with these knives lies between the two previous reviewers. While I will agree that this set features slightly lighter blades, it's a great starter kit for a competant cook in his or her home kitchen. If you work in a professional climate, you're going to want a heaver cooking knife -but at home they work very well. Nice and sharp out of the box, and let's face it, we all need to use the steel on the blade more often than we think. A great value, especially here at Amazon where the discount is nice and steep.
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I have owned these knives for approx. 4 years, and I think they are great. I agree that the are thin and light weight, but unless you plan on hacking through bone often, this is an impressive little set. I use the 8" kitchen knife almost everyday, and it is still as sharp as the day I bought it. (I also use the honing tool every time I use it to keep it's edge). The two smaller knives couldn't be handier, from slicing 1" thick steaks into strips to slicing tomatoes into paper thin slices. I don't use the serrated bread knife too often, but it does the job like it is suppose to. The only bad thing I have seen about these knives so far is that the finish on the handles dull if you put them in the dishwasher, so hand washing is best. Going from being a kitchen manager at a 700+ plate a night restaurant and having a knife service, to a daily dinner cook at home, I am proud to say these knives will last me for years.
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My sweet son gave these to me, so I keep the ones which haven't fallen apart yet, but I have purchased a good set of Classic Wusthof knives.
Henckels 'International' line (Asian made) ARE genuine Henckels, but you only get the name and not the quality that most people expect from this brand; the 'Classic' line of Henkels knives are much better (but I prefer Wusthof Classic knives--German made). In all fairness, Wusthof has a bottom line, too--the 'Gourmet' line--don't buy it either.
1. All knives should be hand washed immediately after use, dried and put in a safe knife drawer or block; Never soak or put knives in a dishwasher. Wash with dishwashing liquid (no abrasives) and dry with a soft cloth.
2. Always use a cutting board and handle the knives properly to preserve their edges and tips.
3. Quality knives should be honed with a steel regularly--but only need sharpening infrequently. If you sharpen often, either your knives aren't high quality or you are inadvertently abusing them.
That being said:
A. My low-end Henkels' handles began to crack after about 2 months.
B. The rivets corroded and the tips bent.
C. They are not heavy enough for a serious cook.
D. They are sharp from the box, but are not able to hold an edge for long.
E. The bolster is part of the handle, not part of the metal of the blade and tang--annoying feel to it--not attractive.
F. Blade and tang are not forged, but stamped--not good.
I honestly don't know why respected cutlery companies make low-end knives. It can't be good for business--it only lessens their reputation.
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The Presto 08851 put a sharp, uniform edge on a dull, mistreated 18 inch machete blade (1/16 inch thick). The sharpener had no visible signs of wear. I am sold.
