Customer Reviews

J.A. Henckels International Everedge 13-Piece Knife Set with Bonus Cheese Knife

5 star:		(66)
4 star:		(47)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(31)

 

 

We purchased these knives...and think they've been worth every penny. They're sharp, comfortable to grip, aesthetically appealing, and come in a nice assortment. Certain knives like the Chef's knife and the table/steak knives have become the proverbial 'work horse' of the set while the tomato knife hasn't really seen the light of day since it left the box. The polypropylene handles are capable of withstanding high temperatures and, because of their nature, do not harbor bacteria like some sets that contain rivets or those with wooden handles.

While this is a great set, it is not a high-end set, so you may want to look elsewhere if that's what you're after. None of the knives have a full-tang (where the steel goes all the way through the handle) or rivets. The handles are plastic. Also, the steel is from Japan (if I'm not mistaken) instead of Germany and boy, do the Germans know how to make steel!

So, dear friends, if you're looking for a set that you can pass on to your children and your children's children then you should indeed move up the Henckels line or look into Cutco (my favorites) or another high-end set. If you're looking to buy a good, inexpensive set that looks great and is every bit as functional, then look no more!

Also, consider looking into a pair of kitchen shears... they're indespensible!

Our knives were in pretty awful condition - I was getting tired of pushing the blade of the steak knife back in the handle every time I sawed through a piece of meat. Sure I'd love to have a set of top-grade Henckels but given the price of something like that plus the fact that we don't use knives that often, I figured this second-tier set was worth a try. The knives are nice and sharp. The construction quality is decent and it suits our purposes fine - they look good, cut well and fit in the block like they are supposed to. So what if they don't do well in the dishwasher? How much trouble can it be to hand-wash a knife? For $..., they're a fine deal. I'm glad I bought them.

First, a caveat: These knives, while trash by Henckels' traditional standards, are still better than the huge majority of knives sold each year. They are not, however, comparable in any way to the "real" knives made by Henckels, Wusthof, or other top manufacturers.

Want performance from your knives? Here's what to look for:
(1) "Made in Germany." There's not much to say about this; the Germans make no compromises when it comes to making steel, and their manufacturing technology is among the finest as well. Ask your favorite surgeons where their scalpels come from; ask the most knowledgeable machinists you know where the tool bits they respect most are made; ask the best mechanics you know what "country of origin" is listed on the boxes containing the finest bearings. You'll get an occasional "Japan" in there -- and the Japanese certainly deserve recognition, though they have yet to enter the cooking knife market in earnest -- but Germany usually dominates.

(2) A name of distinction. It's true, there are many good knives made by lesser names, at lesser prices. The trick is, which ones? I have to tell you, I have been selecting knives for over 20 years, I use them every day and have studied their characteristics carefully, and I still am fooled sometimes by promising-looking knives with concealed but nonetheless tragic flaws. Make sure your brand is made by a manufacturer who stands behind their products, so you can exchange or return your knives if you are unhappy. It is YOUR satisfaction that matters, forget all the reviews written by "experts," how do they know what will make you happy?
(3) Buy knives whose handles fit your hand and whose weight distribution fits your strength and style. This might sound obvious, but most people skip it. There is no substitute for this point. My grandmother is a German native, my inspiration for entering the culinary profession, and one of the greatest geniuses of kitchen wizardry I have ever known. She also curses my beloved collection of mostly Henckels and Wusthof knives when she visits -- despite her loyalty to all things German! -- because nearly all the knives I've chosen fit my large masculine hands, not her dainty, nimble feminine ones. I would never dishonor her by saying she's wrong...and she means me no disrespect by saying my knives are lousy. They are...for her. Free wisdom, if you are tempted to discard Grandma's good advice, ask yourself: What's more malleable, a steel knife or my hand?
(4) Consider your use habits. Are you going to toss them in the dishwasher? Make sure your steel is as stainless as possible (not all "stainless" is equal, or even close, so do your homework). Are you the type who is disciplined about using a steel and skilled enough to do his/her own sharpening, or at least inclined towards this goal? (Most people, including the majority of culinary professionals, are not. I acquired the interest over time, but initially I was like most cooks, more interested in what a fine knife could do than in what made it capable of doing.) Stay away from "stay sharp" knives, the hardness of the steel will only frustrate you -- and you probably know this already. Are you going to use them with wet hands? Share them with youngsters? Display them as a showpiece for visitors? All these things factor into your decision, be honest with yourself about what you want and you'll have a better chance of getting what you need.
(5) Buy fewer fine knives rather than many lesser ones. Most people don't know what the various knives are actually intended for; even fewer understand that the intended uses are just guidelines, and that individual skill and preference will sometimes make selection different than conventional wisdom would suggest. More knives means more maintenance; it doesn't necessarily mean more versatility. I once had a young cooking student who stubbornly stuck to a single small knife for everything, a habit I tried to dissuade him of until I noticed that he could cut nearly everything better with that one little knife than any of the other students -- or, sadly, his instructor -- could with ANY knife! He explained that he had inherited his love of whittling with a pocket-sized knife from his deceased father, and spent nearly all his time creating things out of wood as his father had taught him. Well, no wonder! This young man still found a couple of tools he had use for -- a cleaver and fillet knife among them -- but the huge sets of cutlery would not have improved him one bit. You may be a bit more diverse but you're probably not infinitely wealthy; given constrained funds, you would be smart to concentrate them where they can do you the most good.

Enjoy!

Several years ago, I purchased this set as a housewarming gift for a friend, who raved about them so much that I ended up buying a set for myself. As an impoverished college student at the time, my selection really came down to the price being right. Fortunately, the knives were right, too. I still use these knives every day, 4.5 years later, often mistreating them, with no ill effects. Now that I'm ready to move on to one of the premiere lines, I will hand these down to a younger sibling, as they still have numerous years of use left in them.

Years ago, I had started a Henkels 4 Star collection, and found joy in using them. They are the kind of item that you sharpen, polish, and use caringly, the way you would treat something you plan on using for a lifetime. Well I don't live alone, and when they started getting sharpened on the face as well as the edge, I decided it was time to save them for special uses, rather than everyday. So when I saw these Henkels, especially at the Amazon.com sale price, I decided to give them a try. Glad I did. Since they don't need to be sharpened, I didn't have to worry about someone scarring the face with a sharpener. They are very sharp. They create their sharpeness with a minutely serrated edge. You have to be careful when cleaning these knives, because it is possible to cut yourself, when scrubbing along the very side edge of the blade, as well as the actual cutting edge. The serrations only go up a minute amount, but enough to cut yourself along the side of the blade. A little care when cleaning, to use a sponge or whatever, and avoid direct contact with your skin.
The solid wood holder is very nice. The Henkel logo emblazoned on the front is a nice touch for your kitchen.
I don't really have anything negative to say about these knives at all. They are sharp. The selection suits most every need. You can use them and not have to worry about them. They are durable. I am not a knife expert, but I understand that these are stamped, instead of forged and ground like their more expensive sets. Notwithstanding, they look good, cut great, and have sufficient durability to them to be used for a very long time.
I bought them when they were listed at the better price, and at that number, it pays to get a set just to keep as a gift.
Definitely a 5 star product considering the quality and the price. Hope this helps.

Look, just before these I went to Williams-Sonoma & bought a $400 set of Wuster (or however they spell it) knives. When I saw these, there were more included with the set & for a fraction of a fraction of the price! $29??? Are you kidding me? (or was it $39) Who cares!!!! I bought these right away. It's been 6+ months now & they are GREAT! Anyone shooting these down are nothing more than some kitchen utensil snobs who have nothing better to do with their money. I don't need $400 knives. If I buy these & they only last me 2-3 years... I STILL can't go wrong for the quality & price!

I suggest you read the negative reviews on this product & notice how "stuck up" they sound. Good God, they're $30 knives - you can't go wrong.

For the price, this is a decent set of knives for people like me who aren't professional chefs and don't have the patience/discipline to maintain a more high quality set of knives. I've been using these for about a week now. The butcher knife is heavier than my former Farberware version, but the other knives are similar in weight. The block they come in is small and elegant, good for kitchens with tight storage space. I've mostly hand washed them but have run the smaller steak knives through the dishwasher, in the silverware racks on the bottom, without problems thus far. The knives are a bit on the light side, except for the butcher, so if you like a heavier feel to your knives you may want to find another set.

PROS:
Small, elegant wood block
Great basic set of knives for everyday use
Low price
Seem to be ok in the dishwasher
Don't need to be sharpened

CONS:
Very lightweight knives, the steak knives especially, almost to the point of feeling "flimsy"
Edge sometimes make cutting delicate things like tomatoes awkward

I've had these knives for maybe 3 weeks now and was excited to finally get them after waiting through delayed shipping. They are cheesy feeling with light weight plastic handles and they are showing rust spots on the blades after just a few trips through the dishwasher. They are nice and sharp but overall I am very disappointed with these.

I just placed an order for these knives as my first real set. My parents own this same 13-piece set, and after *at least* eight years (I grew up with these knives) they've remained very sharp and shiny. Of course, I plan to update my review once I've received my own set and have put the knives to light daily use for a few months, but having had eight+ years of experience with them at home, I know they're top-knotch if you're not willing to pay at least $100.

I give these knives 8.5 out of 10, and that's **ONLY BECAUSE** I know that for $800 Henckels knives, you'd probably get a better set of knives. But then again, who wants to drop that kinda dough on knives??

As others have noted, these are definitely towards the bottom of the ladder as far as Henckels offerings go, but that is still saying a heck of a lot as far as quality, performance, and durability go. The Japanese-made stainless steel may still be considered second to German-made steel knives (in notoriety for sure, whereas any difference in quality is debatable), but these carry the Henckels name for a reason (and I'd contend that the Japanese steel isn't all that noticeably inferior to top-knotch German steel blades anyways--they might even have perfected their craft in Japan). Really, only the most demanding (or uppity) of chefs will find these knives lackluster in any way, since I think once you get into paying $400 for knives, the next $100 will only buy you so much more in terms of quality. (I mean, really, how nice can knives get before you begin paying for names and niche appeal...?)

In any case, definitely go for these knives (I think they're a bit of a best-kept secret as far as delivering high quality at an affordable price), which have served my parents heartily for eight years and which will hopefully serve me equally well. :)

P.S. I got these for 39.99, and while Amazon's "Suggest Retail Prices" are usually overinflated, I'd say anything under $60 for these knives is probably worth it. If you're a home user (i.e. NOT A PROFESSIONAL), I doubt you'll find any insufficiencies with this set.

I hate these knives!!! I'm currently looking for a replacement set. I was excited when I first got them...with a name like Henkels and the ever sharp "everedge" blade, how could I go wrong? Believe me, you don't want the "everedge" blade unless you like ripping everything. That's pretty much what your doing with these knives, sawing everything instead of slicing or cutting. For delicate things (i.e. cutting sashimi) it just won't do!!! Serrated fine for some purposes (i.e. bread knife), you just don't want it on every knife.