Henckels Cutlery Classic Starter Set

3 Piece Stainless Steel Full Tang

Henckels Cutlery Classic Starter Set The no-nonsense Classic line from Henckels of Solingen, Germany, still looks much the same as when the knives were first introduced, but the changes you don't see are great improvements over the old commercial Henckels cutlery. Over the years many advancements have taken place as the company upgraded steel, forging and tempering processes while holding true to the familiar design that works.

Although today the performance of these knives can be exceeded, a basic set of fundamentally sound, workhorse quality knives like these three Henckels Classic choices is still a reasonable place to begin. They come with a lifetime guarantee that the company is known for backing up. The handles are not ergonomically improved but are a pattern that many find comfortable.

Forged blades and bolsters and full tang slab handles result in heavier knives--for high speed production work you'd be well advised to look for lighter counterparts easier on the wrists and hands. For general kitchen work, where knives that can stand up to twisting and flexing stresses are needed, these will always be handy and even essential.

The cook's knife will do a good job of slicing, mincing, and even some chopping work, but won't match the slicing efficiency of a good santoku. The utility knife will find use as a carving and boning knife as well as for sandwich prep and light slicing work, but often is set aside when a set fills out. The paring knife will always be standard procedure and it makes a lot of sense to start out with one that's good, like this Henckels 4" model.

Compare this set with the Henckels International Santoku Starter Set.