Zwilling J.A. Henckels Four Star 8-Piece Knife Set Review

If you are someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen preparing meals then you know how important it is to have a strong sharp knife for cutting with.

I am sure you have used dull knives in the past for chopping your vegetables or cutting through meat. Have a think, did you find that you had to place more pressure on the knife for it to actually cut? By doing this you are more at risk of slipping and cutting yourself.

If you are experienced and confident in the kitchen and work fairly fast then nothing will hold you back more than a badly designed knife that needs total care when using.

A person who regularly cooks for their family and friends or enjoys hosting dinner parties needs the best kitchen tools to make the job safer, easier and even more fun. This is especially true if you like to make your gourmet meals visually pleasing due to skillful slicing.

You want to make your food preparation as safe and simple as possible so as you can have a meal ready in a short space of time. This is especially important to those of you who work many hours and need to get your meal prepared and cooked quickly.

So what do you need to look for in a knife?

• The best knives are forged from a single piece of no-stain, high-carbon steel for extreme resilience. All the knives in the Zwilling J.A.Henckels Four Star 8-Piece Knife Set are of this quality.
• Knives featuring a laser-controlled edge. These will stay sharper for longer because of a more consistent blade angle and improved resistance to corrosion and pitting.
• You want knives with blades that will not discolor or take on food stains.
• As in all Henckels knives  having them well-balanced and with comfortable handles is very important for easy and controlled chopping, slicing and dicing.
• You want the knives to be not too heavy and not too light. A good weight helps immensely with the cutting task.

Here is what you will get with this Henckels knife set:

1. a decent pair of kitchen shears
2. a 9 inch steel
3. an 8 inch chef’s knife
4. a 7 inch santoku knife
5. a 5 inch utility knife
6. a 3 inch paring knife
7. a 2 ¾ inch peeler
8. a stylish knife block

Awesome set, cuts like butter! June 23, 2009 By Jackson Hsu

This is the 3rd set of Henckels I've owned. I sent the first set to the local cutlery store for sharpening and they came back with a different personality. Didn't cut like Henckels anymore. Really disappointed. In search of a replacement set, I got the lower end Twin Signature 11pcs set. It was stamped, not forged. They cut well, but the knife felt cheap compared with the real forged Henckels.

I am really satisfied with this Zwilling JA Henckels 8-Piece Four Star knife set. The knives feel solid, even weight distribution from front to back, and cut like butter. My friend has a set of Twin Crusine which is so well built that ended up being too heavy in the back. Feels like I am just about to lose control and dropped the knife. Gives me the insecure feeling that I might cut myself trying to overcome the Twin Crusine under control.

One thing I learn this time.... make good use of the sharpening steel. I finally got the courage to learn how to use the sharpening steel with the correct angle and position, it worked so well. Sharpen my other Henckles knife back to nearly new condition.

Excellent quality and value. July 3, 2009 By Carol Grudis

Set contains all the basics, the quality is very high, the price is fantastic. I have had a set of these knifes for 30 years so I bought these for my son. Henckel is such a good brand, why waste money on poor quality knives when you can have the best for a bargain price. You only have to buy a good set once in your life.

Great quality. November 17, 2009 By J.Smith

Excellent quality, great balance, not too heavy, VERY sharp. Wooden block is also attractive and better-made than some of the ones that come with cheaper knives. I actually enjoy chopping veggies now!