Buy Top Chef by Master Cutlery 5-Piece Chef Basic Knife Set with Nylon Carrying Case

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Received these for a Christmas gift. I use Henckel Profi S at home, and was looking for a cheaper set to stash in my locker at the fire station. Using German Henckels, my standards are pretty high, and I have to say that these inexpensive knives were a pleasant surprise! They have good balance, and are most definitely ice-hardened stainless, same process as Henckels uses. Tradeoff with stainless is that you can't get quite as sharp of an edge, i.e. you probably couldn't shave with them, but they are well beyond adequate for most kitchen tasks. If you need razor sharp (sushi, filet knife, etc.), you will probably want something other than these for a couple of reasons. They come with a great edge right out of the box, but this stainless doesn't hold up quite as well as other stainless knives I've used. I have been surprised to see that the faces of the blades have scratched all over from handwashing with a green scrubby on one side of a sponge--I would never expect hard stainless to do that. I don't care about that cosmetically, but that just tells me that the steel is a bit softer, and I definitely have to hone and/or sharpen before preparation of each meal. I have definitely been spoiled by the abuse that Henckels will take before needing honing!



The downside in my opinion is the case. The knife pockets are created by sewing a piece of flat nylon stock to a flat backing, which leaves the threads fully exposed to the edges of the knives (there is no permanent insert in the sleeves). The knives come in thin plastic sleeves, and with a plastic cover on the tips, but these will probably be quickly lost or cut through. Replacing the plastic covers on the tips is not a good idea anyway, much like re-capping a needle. In any case, I have used the plastic sleeves every time, yet the stitching has come out of the case to the point where it no longer holds the knives (after two weeks' use). The knives also have a velcro tab around the handle, which I find to be a hassle--a well-designed case won't need this and it's one more thing to mess with when your hands are covered in food. If you use this case, I'd suggest getting some edge covers that are more substantial and designed to last.



I am returning my defective set, but will likely order another of this product in hopes the case defect on my case was an isolated incident. The quality of the knives is worth the hassles of the case. Alternately, I may buy a better case and keep just the knives--at $48, the knives are a steal even without the case!



For another excellent budget knife brand, look at Forstner by Victorinox. They are a stamped blade (not forged), but their 9-inch filet and 14-inch slicer (with granton edge) are the finest function I've used at any price.