J.A. Henckels 18 Piece Pro S Knife Block Set By kateri27 on Jul 08, 2008 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

Purchasing a knife set is definitely an investment. I researched all of the options out there and found that J.A. Henkels Pro S is one of the best.

I purchased the 18 piece knife set about three years ago and I have been in love with them ever since.

You get eight gourmet steak knives. Although the whole set is said to be dishwasher safe these are the only pieces that I actually put in the dishwasher. they cut through steaks like butter. I use them for all sorts of daily activities such as cutting peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and quickly opening frozen vegetable packages. I have never sharpened these in the three years that I have had them and they have not seemed to have lost their edge.

You also get an 8" chef's knife, 8" serrated bread knife, 5" hollow-edge santoku, 5" serrated utility knife, 4" paring knife, 2¾" trimming knife, 2¾" bird's beak parer, 9" steel, kitchen shears, and a 19 slot butcher block. We have sharpened these knives quite a bit over the years. I do not wash any of these pieces in the dishwasher. The edges have remained very strong and sharp. They cut as they did on day one, in part thanks to the regular sharpening.

The complete set has a handle that is very easy to use. The knives grip well. This is definitely a costly purchase, but one I know my family will use for years to come.