Customer Reviews

Pinzon B1187A 16-Piece Knife Block Set

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Let me start this review by stating that I already own several professional quality Wusthof Classic knives. I have researched kitchen knives extensively and know what to look for. This set, for the price, has no equal that I've seen (and believe me, I've looked!) I was skeptical when I saw a 16 piece, off-brand name set on sale during a Friday Sale for 1/2 what I'd pay for a Wusthof Classic single knife. I needed a new knife block, so I figured that for the price, that alone would be worth it even if the knives turned out to be not so great. I got them in the mail today and WHOA...was I surprised! Each kitchen knife has a full, substantial tang and integrated bolster...not that fake bolster that cheaper knives sport. The description also mentions that these are stamped, not forged. Well, they sure fooled me, because I've never encountered a stamped knife that looked like this. The other reviewer is correct, not mentioned in the description but included in the set is a hefty meat cleaver, also with a full tang/bolster...and I do mean hefty. I would estimate it weighs at least a pound and a half all by itself. The edges are sharp and even the sharpening steel is a well made, substantial piece of workmanship with a terrific, non-slip handle. The handles are wood, not resin, and are comfortable to hold.

If I had to say anything unkind about the set it would be that the knives might actually be too big and they are not quite finished as cleanly as a more expensive set would be. If you're a small person, like me, you might become fatigued more easily than with a lighter weight set. However, with that said, my husband absolutely loves these knives heft and size. So use that to your advantage ladies and get the hubby's to do your chopping! As far as finishing, where he handles and tang meet is not completely smooth. This is such a MINOR thing, I almost didn't mention it, but it in no way detracts from the functionality of the knives.

Finally, each knife is stamped with the word, "China" on it. If you have opinions about Chinese workmanship, then be assured that this isn't your typical Chinese product. I'm as almost as pleased with this set as I am with my Wusthof knives which cost upwards of $75 each. If you're just starting out, or if you're just looking for an amazing deal...you can't go wrong with this set!

UPDATE: After a month of using these knives almost daily, I find them to be still a pleasure to use. They don't show any signs of rust, but then I don't wash mine in a dishwasher. I hand wash them, immediately dry them and put them away.

I see some reviews that complain that they don't hold an edge, but I don't find this to be the case. The steel is a high carbon steel that I've found to be quite good at maintaining its edge. It's important to remember that a good set of knives are an investment that require user maintenance to retain their initial quality. Some tips on keeping ANY knife sharp and prolonging it's life are:

* Don't cut on overly hard surfaces like glass, ceramic or marble cutting boards, instead use wood, plastic or something like it with some `give. Hard surfaces will dull any blade very quickly, regardless of knife quality.
* Run the edge of your knife over the included steel a few times before you put it away or before you use it. This will keep it free of burrs and prolong it's edge. Search for tips online at knife stores for proper use of the steel too, improperly using a sharpening steel can be almost as bad as not using it at all.
* Have your knives professionally sharpened, twice a year if you use your knives frequently, or once a year if less often. The factory edge will not last forever and a professional sharpening will add years of life to your knives. You can find knife sharpening services in your phone book and many hardware stores offer this service. It's usually only a few $$ per blade for this service.
* Use the knife for its intended purpose. Don't use a filet knife or the serrated bread knife to cut hard veggies, use the chef's knife instead.
* Every so often, feed the wood on the handle by using mineral or linseed oil on them, or even a bit of lemon oil or furniture polish. This will prevent warping and splitting.

This set does make a great first impression but, before you buy, you should know what you're getting. I bought these as a gift for my mom and I wouldn't suggest buying these knives as a gift. They'll embarass you. The Amazon description is accurate, but what they don't say is substantial. The knives look great, and really look like a quality forged set. The packaging is your first hint that it isn't, though. They're shipped in the actual packaging, which is plain cardboard. The packaging is pretty good, but the plainness of it is reminiscent of those products bought in bulk quantities by flea market vendors. The only marking is a reminder that they're made in China. Inside, you find a pretty nice looking set, but the only documentation is an inkjet-printed, giftcard-style insert showing the Amazon cover-photo, a brief description and contents list. It also reminds you they're made in China, and that they're exclusive to Amazon (aka generic.) The actual knives also have the unusual generic-like quality of having no name printed on them. Even most cheap knives say something.

The main thing that attracted me to this set initially, is the completeness of the set. It has pretty much every knife that one might use on a daily basis. No more reaching into the drawer for a knife, unless it's the odd pseudo-knife like a grapefruit knife or cheese slicer. Also, all slots in the block are filled. This isn't a "starter" set.

The blades come with a pretty good initial edge. Even the cleaver would shave hair from my arm. The sharpening steel is pretty good, but the stainless used for the knives isn't the same quality of premium knives. It will take an experienced hand with the steel to get a decent edge again.

Now, for the really bad part. I almost thought the knives were forged rather than stamped, they look so good. Believe me however, they're not. In fact, the rivets aren't even riveted or welded, they're just glued. I noticed after only a few days, that two rivets were missing from one of the knives, and one from another. I looked around, and found all of them on the kitchen floor. The larger, chopping knives hadn't even been used yet. These were two of the smaller knivfes and no, they hadn't been in the dishwasher. How embarassing! I hope the knives never do get accidentally get run through the dishwasher. I'm afraid the knives might come completely apart.

If you get the set, plan to use them yourself and keep some glue handy. If you buy them as a gift however, make sure they're for someone you don't like anyway.

I bought these knives a couple of weeks ago, and when they arrived I was pleasantly surprized. These are heavy, solidly constructed knives, and their finish is surprisingly good. They are well balanced, sharp and a pleasure to use. I tested their rust resistance by sprinkling water on them and leaving them in the sink for extended periods. There was no evidence of rust or discoloration. The set includes one item not listed in the Amazon discription, a cleaver. Also, the block is much nicer than those found with many other sets. With an additional $30 discount for opening an amazon credit card, and free shipping, the price can't be beat. They are cheap at many times the price.

I bought this set in Dec 06 and was surprised at how solid and heavy they are built. They are also very sharp. On the negative side, the non-blade edges are not as smoothly finished as more expensive sets, but I didn't think that it was a significant problem. The price has gone up about $20 since I purchased, but I would still recommend as a good value.

I have always used the cheap, serrated edge sets that work well for awhile but become dull without a way to sharpen them. I looked for weeks through the Amazon catalog for a good set in my price range. I kept coming back to this one. It was the cleaver that finally sold me. Never had a cleaver before but forsee easier times cutting up poultry and ribs.

Right out of the box, I found them to be sharp with a substantial heft and feel. They seem well made and sharpen easily using the steel. I also bought a good kitchen knife sharpener. This is not a good set to throw in the dishwasher but they make me want to take care of them with their great feel and look. The scissors are alright for cutting open plastic bags, etc., but are not for extreme users. I would also agree the steak knives are better suited to chopping limbs off trees but are a bit harsh on actual steak. The serration on the blades are too deep but they will probably wear down with time and abuse. These last two items, to my mind, are the only reason this set loses a star. No doubt, a pro would find them less than ideal but for my everyday kitchen use, this set is a steal.

As an aside, if you are unused to sharp knives, be careful. I've already cut myself twice without realizing it until the blood started to flow.

this beats the bee-gee-zus out of what i thought it would be. solid set. yes the knives are heavy, but ain't that a good thing. to me heavy is good. and beside they would give you carpal wrists anyway, such a wimp if you can swing one of these. as for rust, who washes knives in a machine, tsk-tsk. so washing them the right way, by hand, i see zero rust. as for sharpness, bye-be birdie if you give one of these the finger. oh yeah, one knife was border line in sharpness, but 5 swaths with the sharpening blade and zip thru fresh baked bread without any squashing. the price-well it seems just about right. of course better than 40 would be a real deal. but zero complaints at the forty level. oh yeah again, the blades are thick enough to be without bending like a limp wrist. macho macho man...

These knives are very heavy and sturdy for the price. As mentioned in another review, there is a cleaver included that is very heavy and nicely made. They are packaged to survive a drop from an airplane, it seems. The knives all had plastic tips on them to protect them (and you, during the unpacking process) which I thought was a nice touch. That said, the packaging is plain generic cardboard and not very attractive, so if it is a gift for a shallow person....they might not like it. :-) Also, the workmanship is a bit rough on the handles, and the prominent "CHINA" on the blades is a bit off-putting. My set is not as sharp as I would like either, this seems to be hit-or-miss according to the other reviews. I wish there was a 3.5 star rating. For the price I paid during a Friday Sale, it was a good value but I think I would have been disappointed at the regular amazon price.

I bought this set under $[...]on a Friday sale and by the next Tuesday it had shot back up to $[...]and was out of stock. These knives are absolutely amazing especially for the price. I have used plenty of high quality ridiculously expensive knives, and granted, these aren't AS good, but they're pretty darn close. The knives are very heavy and the wood block is worth the price of the set by itself. You will not find knives of this quality and variety anywhere for under $200. Even if you don't need new knives, buy this set when it comes back in stock, you won't regret it.

I think it is awesome that this set comes with a few little "bonuses" like the sharpening steel and the heavy duty meat cleaver. You should use the sharpening steel each time when you take a knife out, and before you put it back after you've cleaned it. And unless you want your knives to rust DO NOT put them in the dishwasher, wash them immediately and dry them off immediately after each use! Treat these things as high quality expensive knives because that is what they are comparable to!

Really when it comes down to it, if you don't know how to use or take care of a knife properly, [...]when your knives dull or rust when you don't take care of them properly.

I read all the previous reviews carefully and when this set came highly rated, I decided to finally get it. And I am so glad I did! This set is wonderfull and even my husband is pleased with my purchase. (I didn't get the "what did you buy now" statement with these :) My one and only little draw back? The knives don't do well in the dishwasher as they start to get little rust spots on them, so handwashing it is. But it is still quite worth it!

I don't usually write reviews, but I just received these today, and I was immediately impressed by the heavy box. I second everything that has been said by the other reviewers, these are comparable to other (much more expensive knives) professional sets. I already own a Wusthof Grand Prix set, so I couldn't justify buying another set, but the reviews convinced me. I figured at the $30 Friday Sale price (including free S&H) I could keep these in my gift closet if I changed my mind-the cleaver alone is worth it. Well, I'm so glad I decided to get these! I know having two sets of knives is a little excessive, but I like these so much I'm going to keep them for myself anyway. Don't hesitate to get these if your looking for a new set. There a great deal even at the regular $110 price.