Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Four Star 7-Piece Block Set

 (16 customer reviews)

These were a Christmas gift from my parents. I requested these specifically after doing several months of research on knives.

Many knife manufacturers come up with so many different 'lines' for their knives that the consumer has no idea what the hell he's looking at. It took me months to research these knives and determine they were the best value. Why?

Henckels has two major lines: 'Twin' and 'International.' Twin are made in Europe, International are made in China. Within the 'Twin' classification are about five or six different lines, from 'gourmet' to 'pro-s' with a lot in-between, but only two types of blade construction are found within this line!

Basically, when you buy a knife, you're either buying 'forged' steel--a blade produced all from one piece of metal in a multi-step process that requires much skilled labor for every blade--or 'stamped' steel, a mass-production method where the blade is cut from a sheet of cold-rolled steel...Read more

I bought these knives for my first-time homeowner son, as a housewarming gift, because I had accumulated a number of the 4-star knives for myself.

As I told my son the musician -- a good knife is like a musical instrument, you have to keep it "in tune" (sharpened) for it to work at its best. A good, sharpened knife can be poetry in motion, for those who like to cook. But it has to be sharpened to stay like that -- otherwise, the "never need sharpening" knives would be a better choice. I run my knives through a two-wheel manual sharpener about every 2 or 3 times I use them. I use an electrical knife sharpener about once or twice a year.

The handles on the 4-star can discolor (whiten) if regularly washing in a dishwasher with powdered detergent. I usually wash mine manually, but I will put them in a top rack occasionally, and I use a gel detergent.

This is a great set of knives for those who don't mind sharpening frequently. I hang mine on a magnetic...Read more

I was a chef for 11 years, and early on I learned the necessity of owning top quality knives.

I purchased a set of J.A. Henckels Four Star knives in 1987, and I am still using them today -- a quarter-century later. They have survived two divorces (not my ex's fault; the knives were far sharper than I was), a dozen moves back and forth cross-country, and most important: daily use, week in & week out, in professional kitchens and at home.

When it comes to chef's knives, as with so many other things, you DO get what you pay for, so my advice is simple: Buy the best knives your budget allows for, take the time to learn how to use them* and care for them**, and they will last a lifetime.

*Proper use includes how to hold your knives, the correct strokes for cutting, paring, etc., and the proper cutting surfaces.
**Learn how to keep your knives sharp with stone & steel, how to clean them and how to store them.

J. A. Henckels' knives are an...Read more