Customer Reviews

Farberware Pro Forged 23-Piece Mega Combo Knife Block Set

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I spent a couple weeks researching knives before taking the plunge on this set. Overall, I love these knives but please read on for full details before purchasing...

Pro's
Every Possible Knife You Could Ever Need
Great Weight/Feel
Quality Construction on Most
Great Edge (but not out of the box)
Serrated Bread Knife is Fabulous

Con's
*Too Dull Out of the Box*
Wood Block only Fair
No User Instructions of Any Kind
Steak Knives & Shears Not as Nice as the Rest

Review
I probably would not have given this set so much consideration had it not been for Consumer Reports giving it a great review. They actually tested the smaller set but I believe the are the same pro-forged knives. They ranked them just below some of the much more expensive high end name brands. It was a little hard for me to justify spending 40-50% more on this bigger set than the smaller sets just to get a few more knives but now that I did it I'm glad I did. I'll probably keep them close to forever so why cheap out on it. The meat fork will be a classy touch when carving a roast or turkey and I really like the birds beak knife in this set as well. The set is big and has quite a presence to it so if you have a tiny kitchen this could look like overkill sitting on your counter (go for the smaller set).

I was unimpressed with the packaging they came in. It could have all been packed better. The wood block had some minor scuffs/scratches on it because everything else in there could rub up against it. If I bought them in a retail store it would have been brought back and exchanged for a perfect block but it's not horrible by any means and I don't feel like dealing with a mail order exchange. Now that I have it I've never notice the marks on it again.

There were zero directions in the box. Not that you need directions for knives but there wasn't even a warranty form or anything so I'm thinking maybe it was left out. There were no directions at all to tell you which knife goes in which hole in the block so you kind of have to guess on the smaller ones. The UPS label was stuck over the picture on the box so I couldn't even use the picture as a guide. Not a big deal though. The only sharpening directions I got on how to use the sharpening steel were printed on the box. It's not rocket science but there's no way to fully understand the motion with just one picture. There are plenty of places to find it online though if you look (not Farberware's site though which is pathetic).

Ok, now to my biggest complaint. The knives are dull by any 'qualty knife' standard out of the box. Our first set of knives when we got married were the... Farberware cheapo serrated ones you can't sharpen anyway so I had to kind of figure out for myself how to deal with this to avoid returning them. Out of the box I could run my finger down the length of them with no fear of cutting myself (not sharp!). So I thought to myself 'break out the sharpening steel'! Well don't bother with that yet because the angle on the factory edge is way too blunt to be sharpened with just the steel. I tried, A LOT!

But don't panic because a little elbow grease will pay big and get these knives on par with many of those costing much much more. The edge needs to be redone. You should be able to do it with any sharpener. I was all set to buy the Chefs Choice thirty dollar manual sharpener which would have been fine when I remembered I had a cheap sharpener (under ten bucks) I had bought to sharpen archery broadheads which also works on knives . I decided to try one of the Farberwares with it and it took at least 50 passes but the edge was redone (you'll lose some of the metal but it should have been done at the factory anyhow) and Pay Dirt... SHARP!!!! After this was done I could then finish them up with the steel as needed and will continue to do so from time to time. I did them all and they can all cut paper no problem. **No need to sharpen the two serrated knives in the set, they are super sharp and just all around awesome right out of the box. Cutting bread is now a true pleasure, just be sure to put it on a board to protect your counter!**

Another small complaint is with the quality of the steak knives and the scissors included. The steak knives aren't as nice a blade as the others in the set. They are still better than my last set but just ok. Half the blade is normal and the other half is serrated. Probably good for cutting meat but won't be the easiest combination to keep sharp. We'll see. The scissors are the exact same scissors as the ones in my...set. Granted they are great scissors in function but the plastic looks cheap and doesn't really fit the character of the rest of the set. These two gripes probably help keep the price where it is so sometimes you have to accept a couple compromises to get a good deal.

We just had our first major party since getting them and we gots LOTS of compliments on them. People couldn't believe how sharp they were and how nice they felt. My sister actually scratched our counter with them because she, like most of us out there, are just used to using dull knives. Well not me anymore, I've seen the light and will never go back. I love these things.

Although I've listed some complaints, it wouldn't stop me from buying them again. The smaller set that comes with only 6 steaks and several less of the other knives would be a great set for anyone wanting to spend about half of this set. If you don't have any interest in sharpening these out of the box to get them to their potential, then I would look at a different set.

Hey they're not Henkels, Wusthoff, or Global, but they're very good for the price. Consumer Reports rates the Farberware Pro Forged a best buy. If you're looking for cheap knives but don't want ...., this is a good choice.

We have the black set so reviewing that one here. We've had ours for probably 2 years now and would certainly recommend. These aren't Henckels but get the job done with out a lot of stress on you. I was a bit disappointed that they didn't come through sharper then they did but they seem to take an edge pretty easily. They had been and maybe still are highly recommended by consumers report and that is what got me looking at them. The tang going into the handle and the rivets seem to afford them many years of happy cooking to come. When we purchased ours the price seemed to be right, maybe a special and not sure what they are going for these days but for a good all around knife set that won't break the bank I'd recommend this set for sure.

This could have been a great set. All the larger knives are good quality and can be sharpened to be very usable.

The problem is with the steak knives and the serrated edged knives. They are all only edged on one side. In other words, they are perfectly flat on one side and the other has the slanted edge where you cut.

This makes all these above mentioned pieces cut at an angle instead of straight as well as much less sharp. It is beyond me why they would do this. How much money could it save them, or were they just stupid?

If not for this, I would have given this set 5 stars. As it stands, I would probably go with something else.

Addendum: Scissors are pretty cheesy and the entire set was made in China, in case you couldn't guess.

I would love to review this item but I can't because I haven't received them yet. Amazon's shipping description says, "In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served." Well, I placed my order for this set of knives Sept 26, 2004 and have yet to receive them. I have just been informed that my shipment will be delayed AGAIN (3rd time) and they will not be shipped until late Feb or early March. When ordering, keep in mind the long line of people in front of you.