Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Pro S 3-Piece Starter Set with Bonus Sharpening Steel

Great knives for a great price!
After being disappointed with an array of cutlery over the years I finally found a set of knives that I enjoy using and even looking at. These are beautifully crafted knives that fit well in any kitchen. As for utility I have found the Chef's knife to be very well balanced and hefty enough to glide through about anything with ease. The 6" utility knife is very useful and can be used for an array of kitchen duties. It is especially handy for trimming fat and meats (ribs, briskets, etc). The 4" parer is great as a paring knife and can easily be used for trim work also. These three knives cover the majority of all kitchen work the average person is likely to encounter. The 9" sharpening steel is a necessity and I would not go without it. I would certainly add a block for storage to protect the blades. These knives are very, very sharp. Guard those fingers or you could lose them!

The only thing I can complain about is Henckel's overall lineup of knives. I think they...

High quality knives, just the sizes you need
Don't get fooled into thinking you need a 12 piece knife set - you won't use 80% of the pieces on a regular basis. Far better to buy quality and get the three most commonly used knives instead. This has been a great set, holds its edge well. All it needs is a weekly tune-up on the included honing steel. The only other knife you need for a complete collection is a serrated blade for bread and bagels.

Fine cutting tools
These are simply the best knives I've ever owned. You can get better but unless you're a sushi chef you won't need it:

PROS: They're super sharp and cut through just about anything with no problem; the weight is good and they're balanced very well; feel like they'll last forever; the handles are triple riveted and have no gaps.

CONS: The smallest knife is too small to use for very much; they're not as sharp straight from the factory as they can be; the label on the handle is a sticker that will come off after using it a while; the printing on the blade fades after repeated [hand] washings.

I've worked in restaurants where the chefs had their own personal knives and these are just like those. I highly doubt I'll ever buy another chefs knife again, and I can't believe I wasted so much time before trying to use lousy knives.

Don't buy a huge set that has 15 mediocre knives in it. You can only use one at a time and you don't need a boning...

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