Customer Reviews

Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Pro-S 18-Piece Knife Set with Block

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

 

 

First of all Henckels is one of the best Cutlery Companies around. Chef's (although I'm not a Professional one) attest to their longevity and quality. The Pro S Series comes highly rated by Consumer Reports, even higher than the Henckels' Four Star and Five Star sets. This 18-Piece set is very similar to the popular 9-Piece set, but also has a set of 8 Steak Knives to boot. If you want to keep your steak knives in a neat and orderly block along with your other knives, then this is the set for you.

Read below to get all the details on the SCT Forging Process:

The Professional "S" and Five Star are the very best. Pro "S" offers a classic triple riveted handle while the new Five Star line offers a superb ergonomically designed molded handle. All J.A. Henckels knives use the exclusive FRIODUR ice-hardening process which improves blade density to provide a sharper initial edge that can be easily maintained over a long period of time. The smaller knives (6" and under) are made by traditional hot-drop forging. The larger knives are made with Henckel's exclusive S.C.T. process.

You'll find the blades to be more triangular than other German-shaped knives, providing less rock but greater control over the tip. They are high-carbon stainless steel with a rockwell hardness which varies between 52 and 56 depending upon the knife.

The Process of Producing a J.A. Henckels Blade -- S.C.T.

S.C.T.- Sintermetal Component Technology-is an entirely new method of manufacturing where Henckels has married craftsmanship, engineering and technology. The S.C.T. process allows Henckels to use the optimum steel alloy to create a perfect construction of the three distinct parts of a knife: the edge, the bolster, and the tang.

First, the edge needs great hardness for cutting performance and durability. The bolster needs a steel ideal for stain resistance, performance, shape and of course, great strength. Then the tang needs yet another steel, one that provides excellent stain and corrosion resistance.

Because the traditionally manufactured knives are made of one piece of steel, compromise is always built in, no matter how carefully the alloy is developed. For example, a steel with good cutting power often does not have the optimum resistance to stain or corrosion.

With the S.C.T. process, there is no longer a need for compromise, instead the knife incorporates three optimized steels for edge, bolster and tang.

I take exception to Mr. Michael George's (Scottsdale, AZ.) reveiw of this knife set, Henckels Pro "S" series and forged, bolstered knives in general.

If he has been a professional for 14 years then he should have learned the term "bolster" by now...and he should have been able to sharpen his knives properly without wearing the edge out...he's probably using an electric sharpener or sending them out. The culinary school reference is questionable also...Le Cordon Bleu uses Mundail knives...etc.

This a top of the line set and shouldn't be maligned out of ignorance. If you learn how to use the steel that is provided and a good fine stone then these will last you a lifetime.

We defend the honor of these mighty fine blades with 6 mojo*z

I have used my new knives for about a week now and am extremely impressed with how easily they but through whatever I'm trying to cut through, and how perfectly they feel in my hand. Their weight, and extreme sharpness, allow you to exert very little effort in slicing through food. I compared them side-by-side to my other store-bought set of knives, and even after using the sharpening steel on the old set, I just couldn't achieve anywhere near the same degree of razor-sharpness as have the Henckels. Not that it matters to me, but the 8 steak knives are stamped, rather than forged, but they are still extremely sharp none the less. Unfortunately, however, the knives do not comes with any care instructions, nor instructions as to how to use the sharpening steel. It took some Internet research and some practice on my old knives to begin to feel comfortable sharpening these. In any case, you can't go wrong, albeit the price is pretty high for this set of knives.

The primary knives included in this set are quite simply THE BEST you can buy, they are well weighted, balanced and hold an edge longer than any I've ever owned. The one and only drawback to this set is the steak knives, they are NOT Pro S, they are the lower Henckels line 'Gourmet'.

Assuming you have also read the other reviews (you should - there's good info there) I must concur with Mojostarz. Although I am not a professional chef, I have used this set (completed by the 6" Meat Cleaver and the 7" Carving Flat Fork) for probably over 6 years now, every day. Sharpening knives is a serious hobby of mine. I have sharpened these blades many, many times on my stone in the years I have owned them. They are not bowed, nor are the blades edges at all noticeably shorter than the metal bands at the back. They still cut "all the way thru" just about everything. (So watch out, that means your clumsy fat fingers too.) I can even get the steak knives pretty good on the stone. You just have to ease off right before you feel the serrations on the right side. The steak knives are very difficult to sharpen because they have a kind of undulating shape to the blade, but I can get 'em pretty good if I concentrate.

I'm not going to re-invent the wheel, because a lot of good information has already been said. I will add this:

1) These Professional "S" knives are excellent. If you understand the very fine art of how to restore an edge with a fine grit stone and some oil (my preference) to a blade when the sharpening steel is no longer enough, you will be very happy with the way these Pro "S" series blades respond. I can get mine as good or better than new when sharpened, just wicked sharp. Especially if you have tried to sharpen cheaper knives and wondered why your efforts just don't seem to "take" as well. They are well balanced, the grips have the best ergos ...they're just a pleasure to use. If you don't know anything about sharpening a knife, at least learn how to correctly steel them. There are some excellent videos on YouTube. Maybe the Henckels site includes this in their "Instructional Knife Skills" web video. If you sport this kind of quality in your home, live it.

2) Don't put them in the dishwasher please.

3) The 19 slot wooden Henckels block looks REALLY LOPSIDED and "sad" without the carving fork and cleaver.

4) Don't pass them around with Hors d'Oeuvres or leave them all night on serving tables when you have big parties and everybody gets sloshed. Because when people think they're "helping" they may actually be dumping one of your prized knives into the trash.

I have been fed up with dull and low quality knives for years. My girlfriend and I cook at least 5 nights a week. My father has this knife set and I have wanted them for years. I finally treated myself to this set. J.A. Henkles will be the best knife you ever own. They hold an ede quite well but the major plus is that they sharpen easy. Stop messing with low quality knives and buy a set that is worth having and that will last a lifetime.

This is an outstanding set of knives, especially for the price. Amazon shipping packaging was great, appropriate size and protection for the heavy block and 17 pieces of German steel that came in the box from J.A. Henckels.

I'm not a chef, just a regular guy, but I like to cook occasionally and use good-quality kitchen implements. These knives are extremely high quality and are perfect tools for slicing and dicing food. Two paring knives, a Japanese santoku, a bread knive, a, a couple of utility knives - plus eight Spanish-made J.A. Henckels steak knives - and best and most useful of all: the eight-inch chef's knife! I use the eight-inch chef's knife all the time for a lot of cutting and slicing (it's one of the most versatile kitchen knives, in my opinion), and using it to cut a pound of frozen bacon edgewise to make bacon bits was like heaven; the quality of the steel and the sharpness of the blade right out of the box made it a delight to use. Same for the paring knives: the best darned knives for slicing apples - or anything else that needs paring. I wish now that I'd bought a larger set, but I'llc ertainly be rounding out this set as I find that I need particular knives. The block has about four empty slots that need filling, including one slot for a meat cleaver! I must admit, I'm kind of iffy on the meat cleaver....

I bought a set of similarly styled stainless steel knives about three years ago made by an American company, or at least with the American company's name on them, and they started rusting the first time I washed them! I couldn't believe it. I assumed the knives were made in the U.S. like a much older set that I owned from the same company (I never checked the packaging or the manufacturer's on the blades when I bought them - unusual for me), but no, it turned out those new knives were made in China and the steel was horrible. The knives not only rusted but they wouldn't hold a sharp edge. I kept them for the past few years because they were expensive, but I finally decided I'd had enough with Chinese-made stainless, with the rust and the dull edges, and purchased German steel. I'm extremely satisfied: no rust and sharp edges! Pretty basic expectations from a knife. No brainer. Great purchase, I highly recommend these German-made, J.A. Henckels Twin Pro-S knives.

UPDATE, 14 December 2011: Just over two years later, I still love these knives. Edges keep their sharpness - of course, one must sharpen one's knives occasionally because they do dull after frequent use - and NO RUST!!! Only one problem: someone in my family "borrowed" (read: "lost") the scissors that came with the set and they have been missing for over a year. Annoying. I need to order another pair....

I recently purchased the 18-piece block set. I have not had enough time to evaluate the quality of the Pro S knives so won't comment at this time. However, all buyers should be advised that the steak knives are NOT Pro S, they are Twin Gourmet, a lower quality of Henckels knives (and about 30% of the value). Regardless of how these knives perform, I do not like to be duped. The main knives are all Pro S, but i noticed the steak knives where not what I expected and looked more closely. The Twin Gourmet 4-piece steak knives sell for about $40 on Amazon; the Pro S steak knives sell for $150. In other words, this block set is not at all worth the money. I stretched to buy this especially because I wanted the steak knives for the future. You would be better off buying a Pro S starter set or small block set, buy whatever steak knives you really want, and add the remaining pieces you need. You will likely spend less and be happier with your purchase.

The main knives in this set are advertised... from the Pro S line, beautiful and excellent quality.
However, nowhere in the product description does it say that the steak knives are not Pro S knives, but in fact serrated much lower quality knives from the Gourmet line.

I had gone back and forth in my mind between buying Henckels or Wusthof knives, and was incredibly impressed with some non-serrated Wusthof knives the other night at a nice steakhouse. To find out that I had inadvertently bought a set of lower-end serrated knives was a disappointment. I would have willingly paid more for an all Pro S set of knives, so this is unfortunate.

I received this knife block as a wedding gift and the knives are absolutely fantastic. They cut everything like it's butter - with very little force required. I've never owned a high end set of knives but they make a huge difference. You will really notice if you are switching up from a much cheaper set of knives.

I love that the block has extra slots so that you can expand the set if you desire. I do wish that the block would fit the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Pro-S 2-Piece Carving Set, but it's not that big a deal since we don't use the carving knives all that often.

Another thing that is great about this set is that it comes with 8 steak knives. The previous set I owned has only 4 steak knives which are not enough if you are serving a large crowd.

Overall I would highly recommend this set, especially if you're upgrading from a much cheaper set and/or do a lot of cooking. This set might be overkill for someone who doesn't enjoy, or doesn't do a lot of cooking.