Cutlery Reviews

I stayed at a rental house where they had these knives. They were so bad that I actually went out and purchased new knives just for our own use. I'm not a huge fan of serrated knives anyway, but I don't think that I've seen a cheaper set of knives in terms of construction. But, what's worse, is that these are actually very dangerous knives. They're weirdly balanced, the blades are too flexible and combined with their inherently dull edge, they cause a tendency to sort of waver or stick whenever you cut into anything with the least amount of resistance. This can lead to the knife going where you don't want it to, namely slicing into a hand or a finger.

Yes, they're cheap but you'll throw them away or buy other knives anyway. Just spend an extra $50 and get a decent set of knives. (But stay away from the cheap Henkels, those are terrible, too.) Even the non-serrated edge Farberware knives are much better, and they're only $30 more for a set.

I would very strongly NOT recommend this knife set:

1) The sides of the blades of these knives are a kind of ugly, rough-finish brushed steel surface. (It's only after you receive the knives and then compare them to the pictures online and on the front of the box that you realize that they were photographed so as to hide the ugly finish.) I've never seen knives like this before and after using them for a while it becomes clear that there's a reason why knife blades are smooth-surfaced. In use, you can feel the added resistance that the rough surface causes while cutting through just about anything. This is also noticeable when cleaning the knives, although if you use a dishwasher this is, of course, irrelevant. In addition, a polished edge is less likely to corrode. These knives are just plain ugly and cheap looking. I would be embarrassed to give these to guests to use.

2) As for performance, in addition to the added resistance already mentioned, these knives cut more like saws than knives. I've used serrated blades for years but these knives are more suited to rough carpentry work than onions, bread rolls and steaks. The blades rip, grab and tear their way through food in exactly the same way a rough-cut handsaw would. Bread rolls are a good example- the surfaces of the bread after cutting are rough and torn, and there are lots of small chunks of bread and crumbs to clean up. Don't even think about raw meat.

These problems are not typical of serrated knives. I bought this set to replace a serrated set (not Farberware) that after fifteen years of daily use is finally too dull to use. I'm very surprised that Farberware would put their name on a product like this and you can bet I'll look very close before I consider buying anything else from them.

On the upside, this knife set was inexpensive and I have no doubt that these knives would have no problem cutting through a fir 2 X 4 if you should ever misplace you saw. I'm going to toss them in with the camping equipment and never go camping again.

I purchased a slightly larger set a few months ago and am absolutely in love with them! I originally bought Kitchenaid because I wanted to train myself on a "beginner's" set before I spent big bucks on "real" knives but don't see me replacing these anytime soon. After watching RR on the Food Network I just HAD to have the santoku knife that came with the set. I have found, however, that the chef knife has been my favorite. It even slices through tomatoes with NO effort! I do run my knives over the steel a couple of times after every use and even with using multiple times daily these babies stay SHARP! By now I'm sure my husband is tired of hearing "I LOVE my knives!" every day. Chopping is an absolute pleasure - in fact, I'm disappointed when I don't get to chop! Because of my awesome knives I'm using many more fresh fruits, vegetables and garlic in my cooking so we're eating healthier too. I have to say, this is one of my best purchases EVER. Love them, love them, love them!

For big birds, rib roasts, etc., you need a long knife to get a clean even slice. This knife delivers. It has great lines, and a ballanced feel. The forged blade is thin and flexible, yet still drives from the handle. The blade follows your directions well, and doesn't wander during a cut. A real gem with top quality construction. I'm a big fan of three rivet durability, but these contemporary handles look and feel so good that I chose them for the last three knives I purchased. Blade for blade, these knives are the best around. At this price, you can build a lifetime set in months istead of years.

(Chinese manufactured) Calphalon 6" meat fork. I use this sturdy fork with my Henckels 10", 4-Star, flexible carver, and it serves the needed tasks well. I admit that all 4-Star cuttlery is superb (except, perhaps for the clunky diamond sharpener). However, the stainless steel Calphalon is close in quality (Why would anyone want a high carbon stainless steel meat fork??? It's not as if it will need sharpening.) and at less than a quarter of the Henckels price, simply cannot be beat.

I love the Henkel Fork that I purchased as a gift for my husband. It has always been and will always be a superb product.
The packaging was sleek as well.
It is almost better to give Henkel than receive it!

Another beautiful knife in this series.
Wonderful balance and solid forge, well built, great edge, outstanding style. Only problem with the little paring knife is that it has a tendancy to tip over in my vertical block, somewhat dangerous.