What set is best for me?

[kyle0k]

Hi,
I am moving into a new place and am currently looking for a set of knives.

I currently use my roommates cutco knives and they are more then enough. I really love the lifetime warranty feature, but overall they are still just overpriced.I My GF likes to cook but has never cooked professionally and has no inclination towards any specific knives. I worked as a chef at maggianos for over a year and i like to cook at home, but I do not need anything fancy. I have never found a significant(experience changing) difference between expensive knives and 10 dollar ones. Yes I will save .001 seconds in cutting, but as I am no professional I do not mind

I need a set that under $100 dollars or so, and has all the basic knives including multiple steak knives. After alot of research I have found:

Henckels® International EverEdge™ Plus 17pc Block Set

These are a pretty good brand and seem to be the best bang for the buck that I have found. The only complain I have found from them is some people say rust spots occur after a little while, but I believe that is from putting them in the dishwasher. Is that correct? I dont use the dishwasher anyways so thats ok.

Any feedback on that set, or alternatives would be great. I tried to describe my attitude and needs as best as possible, but would be glad to answer any further questions. If you suggest any alternatives, please give me a link or a full name and not just a brand. I am not too knowledgable in this field so me searching a brand name bring up a huge array of results.

 

[Kathleen]

I purchased a Henckel set through CostCo and have been happy with them. The set had six knives, including a bread knife. The cost was under $100. That being said, I purchased a wonderful chef's knife many years ago that cost more than my Henckel set. It felt perfect in my hand and I still think it is perfect for me. Needless to say, I use it more than all others. Similarly, I bought a peeling knife that I use far more than the paring knife that came with the set. I believe ours was the International Classic Forged Set.

I suppose I'm saying that the set we bought is good. However, you may find that you wish to supplement with a few knives that are perfect for you.

Welcome to DC!

~Kathleen

 

[jpaulg]

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f90/looking-to-buy-a-knife-set-65950.html

 

[kyle0k]

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f90/looking-to-buy-a-knife-set-65950.html

I saw that thread, but decided it doesnt pertain to me as all the recommendations are for his limit of under 200 and not under 100. I also deffinitly want a set over buying one good knife.

 

[Andy M.]

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f90/looking-to-buy-a-knife-set-65950.html

Kyle, that link gives good advice. Seriously, you don't need all those knives. Buy the basic 2 or 3 knives and a set of steak knives.

 

[forty_caliber]

I would steer away from a set if at all possible. A seventeen piece set will most likely have pieces that seldom or ever get used. With knives the old adage, "you get what you pay for", definitely applies.

I'd start with a decent entry level chef's knife and add to your collection and upgrade over time.

.40

 

[GB]

I also deffinitly want a set over buying one good knife.

Why? In most cases that will not make good sense. I am not saying it does not make sense in your case, but why do you think you would benefit from a set over a decent knife or two?

 

[kyle0k]

Well honestly speaking I want a set because it will compliment and look nice in the kitchen. I know it sounds ignorant to you Guys as u are enthusiasts but I am just a regular user , and I have my own hobbies an if someone said something like that about them I would roll my eyes as well. That's why I'm attempting to be as honest as possible , to try and get something that suits all my needs and but not garbage.

So from your replies I am guessing eventhough it's a good brand, these specific knives are garbage? Maybe I will end up getting just 2-3 but good ones, just have to weigh my options

 

[SarahBlue]

I am no expert but I don't really think you need a set. A chef's knife and a utility knife is really all you need when you think about it. Perhaps a cleaver if you are butchering meat at all. I have Globals and they are just great. I think the brand you choose is pretty much personal preference.

 

[NAchef]

I will agree with others and say you should buy a steak knife set & 2 or 3 knives you will mostly use. I believe in the long run you will be happier, I had a block of knives for a few years then moved on replacing them slowly and it gave me more room on the counter.

That being said, you have stated what you want and the set you have suggested should fit your needs without spending a lot, Henckels is a good brand and you cant go wrong. I would say go for that set, it will get you by at this time. You may decide later to upgrade a knife from time to time, but this will do for now and will be a decent set.

Good luck!

 

[Rob Babcock]

I need a set that under $100 dollars or so, and has all the basic knives including multiple steak knives. After alot of research I have found:

Henckels® International EverEdge™ Plus 17pc Block Set

These are a pretty good brand and seem to be the best bang for the buck that I have found.

While Henckels is a good brand overall, those particular knives are junk. Serrations have no place on any knife save maybe a bread/cake knife, and those "EverEdge" serrations are particularly vile. They tear food, not cut it, and once they begin to dull you have two choices- live with it or throw them away. There's no practical way to sharpen them. They're also unbelievably flimsy.

If you really feel you need all those knives plus steak knives, accept that you're not going to get anything very good for $100. That's why so many people are trying to steer you towards a couple of good ones. Trust me, you'd get a lot more enjoyment and satisfaction from a few good knives than a bunch of junky ones. And since I am a chef, I'll tell you flat out that with a good chef's knife, a bread knife and a paring knife you can do 98% of everything you'll ever need to do. Most blocks have a few useful knives and a lot of "filler", fluff peices used to bump up the item count and make it look like you're getting more for your money. In reality, there's a lot of overlap, duplication and flat out useless stuff in a typical block set.

If you can't be talked out of set, then I'd suggest this one. Yeah, they look a little cheesy with the bright colors but the steel is good and they cut well. Here is a page that shows them individually. The bread knife is especially good for a cheap knife. If you don't like the looks or don't want coated blades, then the Forschner Fibrox line is also good for the price. For steak knives just buy a bunch of paring knives and you're good to go.

 

[kyle0k]

Thanks for the replies guys! I see the Forschner Knife Set - Forschner Block Set, Forschner Knife Block Set set looks really good. Its the forschner fibrox line and its 15 of them for 180. Thats out of my price range but I might consider it.

Also as someone else said, if I end up getting the 80 dollar set, I dont consider that the end all. If I end up using just the chef's knife and it becomes dull... Great Ill buy a good quality one of those and replace it in the block, and then the other ones can just sit there and look pretty.

What do you guys think would be a better idea... Buy the cheap 80 dollar set and end up buying a really good chef's knife if its not enough. Or the set in the link where overall they are all better but that means the chefs knife is probably a little worse then one I can get for the cheaper set(and still have money left over).

 

[Bigjim68]

Two things. You can't go wrong listening to Rob. He is our knife guy. Second, if you want a block for the cool factor, I would opt for the Forschners. I personally prefer the Rosewood handles, but that is just my preference. The Chef's knife is not a bad knife. A lot of pro's use them. I have had one for years. To stay within your budget, you might think about the 4 piece set and the block, around a hundred. Those four knives are all you need. Might want to pick up an Edgemaker Pro for sharpening.

 

[giginpeppep]

We received this exact set when we got married. The block is solid but must be dusted daily since it's black (or not left on the counter at all). For the money, they're ok. After five years, we've lost 3 steak knives all to the same problem: the tips break off. All in all, for a hundred bucks, not bad. I would do anything I could to get a discount on the price. Check your local dept stores - many will start running holiday sale ads soon. This is one of those items that always goes on sale, many places carry it and you should never pay retail for. Shop around, save some cash! Do not expect them to perform like the Cutcos - they will not. Cutco knives are a much better product than these. Despite the price, these are 'throw-away's' rather, they have a useful purpose then rather than saving them, you throw them away and get new ones that are much better quality. These are not 'lasts-forever' quality, but are ok for everyday uses.

 

[jpaulg]

If you have your heart set on knife blocks, what I would recommend is to get two.

- A small block of kitchen knives, a 3 knife set is all you need and you can get good quality knives at a reasonable prices.
- A block of steak knives.

 

[GB]

Well honestly speaking I want a set because it will compliment and look nice in the kitchen. I know it sounds ignorant to you Guys as u are enthusiasts but I am just a regular user , and I have my own hobbies an if someone said something like that about them I would roll my eyes as well. That's why I'm attempting to be as honest as possible , to try and get something that suits all my needs and but not garbage.

So from your replies I am guessing eventhough it's a good brand, these specific knives are garbage? Maybe I will end up getting just 2-3 but good ones, just have to weigh my options

You won't find many people rolling their eyes at you here. People were recommending single knives because when most people ask us for advice their main concern is getting a knife that cuts well. If your main concern is aesthetics then that is a different set of criteria and maybe a set will be better for you in that case. Just as long as you understand that you will sacrifice quality for quantity you will have the information you will need to make an informed decision.

 

[Kayelle]

Kyle, I understand wanting something that looks nice on your counter, and keeping knives out of the drawers. You could always do what I did, and buy a really nice looking knife block independent of the knives. Granted, my block doesn't hold a matched set of knives, but it looks really nice and I have what I need with room to spare for something I may want in the future. My knife block also has a space for a steel. Good luck on whatever you choose to do.

This is something like mine.....http://www.amazon.com/Lamson-Goodno...r_1_33?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1285622546&sr=1-33

 

[kyle0k]

Ok guys, here is my question. What about Cutco? At first I was really against them because of their price, but if I have the money to invest into them, they seem like the absolute best deal. Its 9 dollars to get all your knives completely resharpened, or replaced if broken, at anytime, ever for whatever reason. If I buy a set, even if the price is steep, im looking on ebay and my buddies set is selling for same price he bought it for 3 years ago. These knives can always be considered new, because for that 9 dollar fee, they will be. Am I missing something? I know we went through the process with him to get them replaced once, because i broke off one of his tips, and it went smoothly.

Are cutco knives any good? Are they as good quality as all the ones im looking at in this thread? Why arent they talked about more on here?

 

[Bigjim68]

Do a search for Cutco above. Everything that needs to be said about Cutco has already been said. Bottom line: If you want to spend Cutco bucks, look at J knives or upper end German. If you want good value for the money, look at Forschners. If you want to look cool for cheap, buy the block for a hundred bucks. If you want to piss off 5 bills, buy Cutco.

 

[Caslon]

I'd like to add that if you buy a select group of knives and you want a cool knife block that is just the right size and you like how it goes on your counter top...shop for a really really cheap knife set that comes with its own knife block, and give those cheapie knives away and keep the block. I bought a knife set with it's own block that I liked for $19.99, then filled it with quality knives.