Many chefs and culinary students use Messermeister Meridian Elite knives as well as the other lines from the same maker. Messermeister's reps are in close contact with restaurants and culinary schools nation-wide. The prices are competitive, the steel is superb, and the design is, well, uh, cutting edge. It is not normally sold to the public, except online. Cutlery and More, online, carries it, also in open stock, and sets may be better priced than here. See the other online cutlery sites as well.I admit to being a kitchen knife aficionado and a self-taught know-some-of-it-all on the subject. I was surprised to find that this set of Messermeister blades actually outperformed my older Wusthof Classic knives, particularly the chef's knife. My analysis of the Messermeister Meridian Elite line is below.
PROS:
*HOT DROP HAMMER FORGED. Stubbornly refusing to change to cheaper, lower-quality methods such as stamping, these knives are still hot drop hammer forged, fully forged blades. The metal used is a fine quality carbon stainless steel alloy common to most top tier German knives such as Wusthof Trident, Henckels, Victorinox/Forschner, and F. Dick.
*THE MESSERMEISTER CHEF'S KNIFE SLICES LIKE A THIN RAZOR, NOT LIKE A WEDGEY CHEF'S KNIFE THAT CHOPS LIKE AN AX. This is, of course, an exaggeration, but you get the idea. The Chef's Knife edge angle is about 15 degrees so there is less metal to get in the way of a cut, in the Japanese style, rather than the wedge-like, standard German 20 degree angle. The thinner blade slices with far less resistance and less effort for greater precision and less fatigue. It also makes for a lighter, more agile blade.
*FULL TANG, RIVETED HANDLE PREFERRED BY MOST CHEFS. The handle is of commercial quality and strength, full-tanged and securely triple riveted in the traditional style preferred by most chefs because of its strength and universally comfortable grip, with sanitary POM synthetic scales (what the handle itself is made of).
*UNIQUE ROUNDED, POLISHED SPINE FOR COMFORT AND INJURY PREVENTION. Most knives, the chef's knife in particular, have rather sharp corners, or edges, on the spine, bolster to tip. The back, or spine of the Messermeister blades are subtly polished and rounded on the corners for greater ergonomic comfort when using the index-finger-and-thumb "pinch-grip over the bolster" favored by chefs; your Messermeister will not "cut" into the thumb and forefinger when gripping, causing irritation, annoyance, and discomfort. Additionally, this rounded spine provides more comfort when using the guiding hand to press down on the fore-spine for leverage when mincing or chopping with the gripping hand. This important comfort and health detail is rarely found on any knife line today...a major oversight of the past is now properly addressed.
*THE HALF-BOLSTER MAKES SHARPENING AND CUTTING EASIER. The "Half-Bolster" design allows you to use the entire blade length when chopping, slicing, and sharpening. This design keeps the bolster near the handle, not extending down to the cutting edge. A full bolster extends down to meet the cutting edge, and gets in the way of the work. The half-bolster makes the knife more agile and lighter in weight. Now you may sharpen the entire blade without the bolster getting in the way.
*HAND-FINISHED. Each blade and handle is hand-finished to a high standard, by HAND.
*VERY WIDE RANGE OF KNIVES. Santokus, both flexible and stiff fillet and boning knives, hollow edged "Granton" or "kullenschliff" dimpled blades are available in many styles. Messermeister offers various sizes of offset bread knives, salami knives, cleavers, and hard-to-find very long salmon and ham slicers. The selection of blade types is too extensive to list here...go to the Messermeister website.
*AT HOME, EXPECT A LIFETIME OF USE. A chef goes through knives far faster than any home cook. For the rest of us, expect decades of use. It is a cheap investment, a pittance, spread over the years. Will the set to the kids.
CONS:
*COST IS HIGHER THAN AVERAGE BUDGET KNIVES, BUT LESS THAN OTHER QUALITY BLADES. While less money than many major German cutlery manufacturers knives, the cost is more than many consumers are accustomed to paying. But these quality blades are actually lower in price than most of the Japanese competition. They are a joy to use, and makes cooking preparation enjoyable. You look forward to facing the cutting board, at least I do.
*HARD TO FIND IN STORES. Most people like to handle a knife, to try it on the store cutting board to test the comfort of the handle, the balance or heft, or the rocking action of a chef's knife. That is not often possible because this line is rarely sold to the public. On the other hand, the entire Messermeister Meridian Elite line is available online often at very competitive prices. Make certain the return policy allows returns if not happy. The comfort and performance of most knife shapes and sizes are not extremely critical, but the chef's knife IS. When you receive your knives test your chef's knife with various cuts, if not happy then return them. Or order the chef's knife first and test it. If you like it then order the other matching knives.
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WHAT KNIVES DO YOU REALLY NEED?
The knife block set pictured above is actually a very well thought out selection of blades. I can also recommend buying open stock so you only buy what you prefer, and what you will use 99% of the time. A minimalist knife set is just THREE essential knives: a chef's knife, and a paring knife, and a scalloped (serrated) bread knife.
A more useful, more realistic selection is about double that...consider going with following SIX blades. Anything more than the six knives listed below, give or take a knife or two, will seldom be used, unless you have some very specific needs...and if so, you can always buy that needed blade at the start, or at a later time as the need keeps arising, rather than buy a gigantic quiver of knives, most of which just sit there year after year, seldom, if ever, being needed or used. Buying only the knives you need is buying smarter: it means you can afford the cost of a few high quality, durable, and super performing knives.
THE THREE ESSENTIAL KNIVES
1) 10" STEALTH CHEF'S KNIFE: The Stealth model has a 15 degree edge, not 20 degrees, cutting precisely and easily. An 8" Chef's Knife is a bit short for a pile of veggies; most chefs use a 9"-12" blade. Jacques Pepin urges a 10" blade for home use even if you are short in stature or have a small hand; you soon become accustomed to it...never go smaller than 9" if you only have one chef's knife (Messermeister makes a good 9" model, not a Stealth one, however, if you insist on a shorter blade). Do not buy the Granton or "Kullenschliff" blade model...the plain edge lasts longer.
2) 3.5" SPEAR POINT PARING KNIFE: for peeling, slicing, garnishing, eyeing, and stemming of veggies/fruits. After
your Chef's Knife, the Paring Knife is the next most useful knife in your knife quiver.
3) 9" SCALLOPED (Serrated) BREAD KNIFE: or consider the very popular 8"-9" Offset Bread/Deli Knife serrated model (for good clearance of the knuckles from the cutting board). Longer blades slice ALL sizes of bread, boules, and "country" loaves. If you do not buy very large bread loaves, then an 8" blade is fine, otherwise 9"-10" is the best blade length. A Bread Knife can be used for meat and poultry slicing, but the serrated edge can sometimes tear the flesh when cutting against the grain. Slicing and Carving Knives work much better.
THE NEXT THREE MOST IMPORTANT KNIVES
4) 6" FLEXIBLE BONING KNIFE: for separating the bone from the meat, AND for filleting fish; separate boning and fillet knives are then not needed. This model has a dual-purpose flex. If you do a great deal of meat/poultry boning, or filleting of fish, buy separate knives for each function, such as a 5"-6" Stiff Boning Knife, and a 7" Flexible Fillet Knife. Most people can get by with this single somewhat flexible blade unless you often fillet fish which requires a dedicated, very flexible Fillet Knife; or if you frequently bone meats which requires a stiffer, dedicated Boning Knife.
5) 10" ROUND TIP BEEF (& Ham) SLICER Granton Edge: dimpled edge; a more stiff blade for slicing larger beef cuts and and hot meats. Some chefs also use it for poultry; to slice chicken or turkey breasts and de-boned thighs instead of using the more flexible "Carving Knife" discussed below. The Beef Slicer is often used in delicatessens and sandwich shops to thinly slice large cuts of meat.
Some home cooks prefer an 8"-10" Carving Knife, for versatility, instead of a 10" Round Tip Beef Slicer. Research this for yourself if you have not yet decided. Longer blades make thin-slicing easier, shorter ones cut more precisely to match small meats, poultry, or medium to large fruits and veggies. The Slicer can also be used for salmon, but salmon lovers will eventually buy a specialized, long and very flexible, thinner bladed Granton Fillet/Salmon Slicer. Some chefs use this knife lacking a true butcher's knife for fabrication (breaking down a side of beef or very large cut such as entire loin or a full rack of ribs).
6) 5" SERRATED UTILITY KNIFE or 6" "SANDWICH" KNIFE: serrated edge with a sheep's foot tip, or perhaps the somewhat specialized fork-tipped, serrated Tomato Knife. This smaller, precise serrated blade is superior to all others for fruit/citrus, tomatoes, dividing sandwiches, rolls, and smaller, precise slicing jobs where a slippery, tough outer surface, or hard crust must be dealt with. Of course, it also cuts softer surfaces too, and can do anything a plain edged Utility Knife can do.
This knife is also popular with bartenders when making drinks needing citrus slices. The Scalloped Utility Knife is an always useful, often overlooked blade. Many chefs or home cooks might prefer a 5-6" "Large Utility" or "Sandwich Knife" instead of the serrated version, using the serrated Bread Knife instead, as clumsy as a long, thicker blade is for slicing small fruit and tomatoes where serration is called for.
SPECIALIZED or OPTIONAL KNIVES
* 2.75" BIRD'S BEAK PARING, PEELING, OR TOURNE KNIFE: for peeling rounded foods, "turning" or "shaping" veggies and small fruits, stemming or fluting mushrooms, scoring, and several other garnishing tasks. Always included in a culinary student's knife roll, but not often used in home cooking except, on occasion, by advanced home cooks.
* 8"-10" SPEAR POINT CARVING KNIFE: Granton Edge: spear point with dimpled edge; more flexible than the Round Tip Slicer. For deft carving, especially if you cut up poultry very often; for turkey, chicken, duck, large fruits and veggies, and for general slicing buy the 8" size. The Carving Knife is the ideal poultry slicer, but it can slice beef or ham, but not as well as a Beef Slicer.
Some chefs use an 8" Carving Knife for small-to-medium boning and slicing, as a large Utility Knife/Carving Knife (most Utility/Sandwich Knives are 4"-6"). If you intend to buy no other slicing knives than this Spear Point Carving Knife, opting not to buy the 10" Round Tip Beef (& Ham) Slicer detailed above, consider buying a longer 10" Carving Knife (longer blades make it easier to slice more thinly, but if buying both, buy the 8" Carving Knife and the 10" Round Tip "Beef" Slicer).
* 5"-6" STIFF BONING KNIFE: the stiff blade provides more control and safety when working around ribs and large bones, preventing slipping. The stout blade is also perfect for testing the doneness of cooking meats. If you rarely fillet fish, then select this blade alone instead of the Flexible Boning Knife discussed above, or the Flexible Fillet Knife discussed below.
* 7" FLEXIBLE FILLET KNIFE: a very flexible blade, specialized for filleting fish, and for slicing poultry very thinly, such as carpaccio. If you very often prepare fish, it is best to buy a whole fish and fillet it yourself, because you can better determine freshness with a whole fish instead of a pre-packaged fillet. If you opt for this blade, then instead of the 6" Flexible Boning Knife listed above (used for both filleting AND boning), use this longer, specialized 7" Flexible Fillet Knife just for your filleting, then go with the more specialized 5"-6" Stiff Boning Knife just for the boning jobs.
* 7" SANTOKU KNIFE: hollow edge (Granton or "Kullenschliff"). This versatile blade often is selected in preference to a smaller 8" Chef's Knife. Use it for precision chopping and slicing; for the deft chopping of smaller amounts of veggies, and for exacting general slicing jobs. Perfect for mincing garlic and shallots as well.
* 6"-7" MEAT CLEAVER: this specialized design is needed if you often do small butchering, breaking down a large cut of meat(fabrication). It will chop through thick bone, gristle, and ribs that would chip and damage other knives.
ESSENTIAL KNIFE ACCESSORIES
1) 10" STEEL (honing steel): Absolutely required to keep your knife edge honed as sharp as possible. Always hone with your steel prior to cutting--get in the habit of doing so.
2) KNIFE SHARPENER: Buy the best you can afford. Arkansas stones are good...it pays to research the new sharpeners and knife sharpening websites. If you use hand held sharpeners it is critical that you ensure that the sharpener angle matches that of your knives or you will damage your blades.
3) CARVING FORK: Required to hold meat, poultry, or large fish securely while carving and slicing.
4) KITCHEN SHEARS: As you know, Kitchen Shears are endlessly useful for snipping string, opening packaging, and for cutting some foods. If you cut up whole poultry very often then Poultry Shears should also be bought to make cutting easier and faster than with a knife, in many cases.
THE JAPANESE KITCHEN KNIFE SURGE
One can get carried away with Japanese-made knives--a more expensive alternative. Global, Shun and MAC knives, somewhat better known, are becoming popular as well, but knife aficionados, chefs among them, are looking at lower profile, quality, expensive Japanese knives few of us have heard of such as Nenox, Hattori, Masamoto, Misono, Glestain, Ryusen, Shiki, Kanetsugu, Watanabe, Suisin Inox, and Aritsugu...source some of them at japanesechefsknives, and check out the ChefTalk forum.
My take on this? For home use, the Messermeister is the perfect compromise in price and quality...the best of both worlds, the sweet spot. The Messermeister Distributor's customer service here in the States is personal and excellent...no communication barriers.
The Meridian knives are really a find, in my opinion. The above review is copyrighted, without quotations or paraphrasing, and entirely written by the author, me. I hope this helps you in your knife shopping.
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