ZWILLING J.A. Henckels Four Star 7-pc Self-Sharpening Block Set

I have really enjoyed the quality and sharpness of the knives. Much better than anything I've ever had before. I like The Chopping block. Too bad one of the big knives has to be bought separately. Overall I'm very glad I chose this specific series. They're holding their Edge very well and make cooking easier.

Lightweight, great balance, easy to hold, looks sleek, cuts great, and is HELLA sharp... Like I cut off the tip of my thumb SHARP, and couldn't get it to stop bleeding after 20 mins bc I bled through the rest of the gauze that I had and some paper towels... 🫠🤦🏻‍♀️ Don't be a klutz like me... Get yourself one of those gloves you can't cut through. 🤣😅

These are very nice knives. They slide easily in and out of the block and the sharpening slots. I have only actually used the scissors and even they are noticeably sharper than my old scissors. The recommendation is to hand wash although they are safe for dishwashers up to 55C or 131F. My dishwasher heats the final wash up to 161 degrees so it wouldn't fit the Zwilling parameters.

This set is fine for the price - however, I had to pass on this set. I spent a little more money and went with the Henckels Twin Cuisine. That line is much heavier and hopefully will last a much longer time. I am so tired of buying cheap stuff and then having to replace it within a few years. This is probably a good starter set for under $150. But if you want something to last, remember you get what you pay for. I bought three of the Henckels Twin Cuisine knives as a start. They are twice the weight, well balanced, and if you accidentally knock the blade against the steel when sharpening, it rings with a nice clear metallic sound. In a year or two, I can add more from the Twin Cuisine line if I wish. I'm thinking of it like an investment. There is nothing worse than a dull cheap knife. Speaking of which, it pays to keep your knives sharp. I sharpen mine after almost every use. Just a couple seconds and it's good to go back in the drawer. I pretty much do it without even thinking. In conclusion, if you only have $150 to spend, this set will get you by. But there are better ones out there.

These are the first knives I've owned in this class. Previously the knives I've had that were decent, had thicker standard stainless steel blades. I was a little worried when these were a little thinner and lighter in weight than what I've owned before. However, these seem sturdy and rigid, probably due to the ice hardening of the high carbon stainless. The steel only needs a quick rub with a soapy sponge to come clean. With use, the initial perception of light-weight has come to seem more like nimbleness. The blades taper all the way from the spine to the edge bevel (even on the set's big knives), rather than having a flat face before the taper. It seems to make deep cutting smoother as you draw through what your cutting. The previously mentioned ridgidness is nice as these aren't filet knives and you get really good control. These are perfectly sharp from the factory, which also aides in control. They slide right through meat, veg, and fruit. In fact, in a careless moment I cut my thumb right on the tip. You guys know when you get cut by something sharp and it doesn't hurt for a second, yeah that happened. But the cut was clean edged almost like a razor blade rather than knife, no raggedness what-so-ever. The handles are comfortable for my average male sized hands with my fingers that aren't too long. The swell fits my hand just right (fingers get tired slower it seems), the finger guard (between handl and blade) is smooth (both the transition between the handle and finger guard and the face of the finger guard), and the handle guard (at butt of handle) is spaced so that my grip is secure, but not crowded. I wasn't careful and ordered the cheapest set of these I could find. I would have preferred to spend a bit more for a set with a 5" or 6" utility knife. Read the description when you mail order, to avoid a boner. I do almost all of my cutting with the included 4" paring knife. The 7" santoku blade is great. I've used the 2-1/2" paring/coring knife a bit with satisfaction. I haven't cooked anything where I needed the 8" one yet, but it's authoritative presence in hand gives confidence. I've only used the 5" serated blade for splitting a bagel, but it did that well. Even the honing rod feels like good chunk of quality. Everytime I've used these, they've performed excellently. My only disappointment has been the aforementioned mistake that I made. I'm happy. I might add a 6" utility eventually, but it's like $80 as a single knife. I'm doing alright with my set as it sits now.