Shun Premier Essential 7-Piece Block Set

You could spend more for knives but few people would ever need anything better than these. They're super sharp, beautifully made and perfectly balanced. I'll enjoy these knives for the rest of my life, I'm sure.

This set of kitchen knives are truly in a league of their own. After having tried a multitude of Western and traditional Japanese knives, this is without a doubt, the MUST have addition to any kitchen. This adds a whole new dimension to cooking. With the right care and use, these knives are sure to last a lifetime. The blades on each knive cut effortlessly through any food item. Trust me, I have put the knives through their paces! Even surprised with the bread knife not a crumb is dropped slicing through it. I would challenge any review that has any fault with these knives. Even the price. You pay for what you get, and that is, an unrivalled kitchen utensil.

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I have been using this knife set for a little over a year now. I purchased these to treat myself to a truly nice set of knives after years of using an "ok" set of knives. I almost always prize function over form when making purchases, but these knives are so attractive that I allowed myself to choose this set based primarily on looks. And I have not been dissapointed in that regard. After a full year of moderate use, they still look spectacular. These are beautiful knives. The chef's knife and the bread knife are the stars of this set. They are nearly perfect. The are both extremely sharp, well balanced, and comfortable in hand. The kitchen shears are also fantastic. They are very heavy-duty, very sharp, and the separable halves make clean-up a snap. However, these knives are not perfect and I do suffer from a bit of buyer's remorse. The blades on these knives are very, very thin. This is good for ease of cutting, but on the medium size knives (like the utility knife), I find the blades a little too flexible at the tip. I have bent the tip out of true on a few occasions. On the medium and smaller size knives, I find the handles a little too small for my hand (I'm an average size adult male). I also find it odd that the paring knife is shaped like a miniature chef's knife. It is good for small chopping tasks, but this limits its maneuaverability in delicate tasks.

Best Features:

-Beautiful knives with both Damascus steel and hammered finishes

-Pakka wood (resin-infused real wood) handles combine the natural look of wood with the easy maintenance of plastic and are more durable than either material alone

-Razor sharp blades ... so sharp that those who only cook occasionally may find them intimidating (like my wife, who does find them intimidating)

-Good edge retention

-Easy to maintain/hone edges (note that the 16-degree angle is different than typical western knives)

-Outstanding craftsmanship

-Very durable if properly cared for

Drawbacks:

-The blades on the medium sized knifes are too thin

-The handles on the small and medium knives are too small for my hand

-The miniature chef's knife shape of the paring knife limits it's usefulness

-Knife block doesn't seem to be designed for this set of knives

-Kitchen shears don't match the rest of the set (they are standard Shun)

-Expensive

Summary:

This is a very good knife set, full of beautiful knives. They are razor sharp and perform chopping/slicing tasks very well. I wanted to love them. But, there are enough drawbacks that I would probably make a different choice if buying again.

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Pros:

Extremely Sharp (obviously)

Great craftsmanship (except... read below)

Beautiful knives (not as dark toned as the photos)

Good ergonomics

Wood block is heavy, sturdy, and aesthetic

Shears are fantastic and are separable for easy washing

Cons:

Shipped the chef knife with 2 obvious chips in it. I was planning to return it, but my girlfriend had already used and washed the knife, so I shrugged it off. After some extensive use (despite frequent honing), the chips are creating small snags in the blade which can only be made so right by honing. I will need to sharpen soon after 1 month of ownership.

The utility knife shipped with a bend in the tip, and a large scratch on the metal inlay. The bend was easily fixed, but nothing I can do about the inlay.

Recommendation:

I highly recommend this set for people that don't mind a little maintenance for a sharp blade.

I do not recommend these knives for households with touchy feely children.

I invested in a nice bamboo block and bamboo oil, I recommend owners do the same. I also recommend getting a few cheap knives for brute force, inedible materials and any harder materials one might use a knife for. Hone frequently.

For those of you who are a bit hesitant to own a sharp set of knives, I found one of the best features of this knife is that the sharpness gives you time to respect it. The blade cuts so easily and quickly, you can take your time with whatever you're cutting, and still cut faster than the average knife. Work slow. It will still cut fast and give you more comfort with the blades.

ONLY hand-wash these knives with a gentle citrus free soap.

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These are first class blades. They are thinner than US/European blades I have used and this makes them more maneuverable. Thin slicing a tomato or onion is a breeze. Although the blades are thinner, the knives have plenty of heft are a extremely well balanced. Handles fit hands near perfectly. The photos here do give an idea of the beauty of these knives, but they are even nicer up close. The only drawback I see is that there are limited types of knives available in the "Premier" style.

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