ZWILLING PROFESSIONAL S 8-INCH, CHEF'S KNIFE

Razor sharp and nicely balanced handle. Zwilling is a high quality German knife that is well worth the price point. If you only have one knife in your kitchen, make it this one.

The current price point is fantastic. I have a Cutco (yeah, I know) chef's knife and it's over 25 years old. I keep it sharp and it holds and edge. That said, the Zwillings will now be my daily driver. The steel is better, the edge is sharper, the handle is more comfortable, and while I know this is controversial, I love the bolster. Chopped up a ton of garlic and onions for a loaf of bread with ease. Broke down a chicken, no problem including the spatchcock. At around $75, this is a huge bargain for an amazing knife.

These are the best knives for cooking and the perfect size for almost any need. Super sharp! Highly recommend them. Always make sure the twin little guys are stamped in the blade - these are authentic and made in Germany.

I was looking to upgrade our dept store kitchen knives and, after researching, opted for this Zwilling combo because it compared very favorably in steel quality and sharpness to flagships like Mac, Shun and Wusthof, with a price point lower than their single chef's knife. I had no idea what a legit knife could do! This evening, I made tuna salad using fresh herbs and vegetables. Honestly, as an amateur home cook, I had no idea how sharp and efficient a knife could, and should be!

Many years ago, I was part owner of a chain of coffee shops. Although the menu was typical coffee shop fare, I had to be in a position to step in if we lost a cook, or if they got backed up in the kitchen and needed help.That was more than forty years ago, but the skills I developed--especially knife skills--have stayed with me, even though I cook only for my family these days.You just can't overstate the pleasure of working with really good tools--a properly shaped 8" saute pan for eggs, a large saute pan, and a really good chef's knife. Even in that mundane coffee shop cook line, the best cooks who worked for me always brought their own knives--and woe betide the person who dared to touch another cook's knives without permission. That extended to me as well, even though I owned the place.I decided recently that it would be nice to replace my venerable, oft-sharpened chef's knife. It was still serviceable, but I thought it might be nice to treat myself to the best knife I could find (within reason). I decided on the Zwilling Pro "S."What a pleasure this knife is to use. It's not just that it's very sharp--any new knife should be sharp. It is the perfect balance of this knife, the way it fits your hand.A chef's knife should be held primarily between thumb and forefinger, just forward of the bolster. The handle nestles in the user's palm for support, but the thumb and forefinger guide the blade precisely.My wife teases me about using such a large knife for slicing and chopping small items like garlic or tomatoes. I respond by showing her how I can slice a cherry tomato into ten paper-thin slices. Then I offer her the knife and suggest that she try the same thing. That gets me an eye roll.Even though the price may seem steep for such a basic component of batterie de cuisine, I consider it a bargain. It will surely outlast me, and I plan to include it in my will along with other prized items.Anyone who is remotely serious about the art of cooking should consider a knife of this quality. You'll never regret it.

I got this to go with my set because the 8" chef's knife feels bigger than I want much of the time. This is a very nice knife. Well made, solid. Holds an edge well. However, it is only a little smaller than the 8" version. I might have liked a 5" one better yet.

Very well made knife, top reviewed -- by comparison, I've been using a Sabatier chef's knife for nearly everything in the kitchen, and found it excellent for all-purpose use -- but it was stamped steel not forged, and eventually got metal fatigue and broke between handle and blade. But it was nice: light, deft, easy-handling, with a concave-ground blade that sliced nicely through anything - slightly flexible, quick to sharpen. By contrast, the Henkels chef knife is larger, heavier, stiffer, harder, a real Germanic sort of approach: highly crafted but without subtlety -- the thing is case-hardened (cold-hardened) so it's rigid not flexible at all, and needs a special high-hardness sharpening steel to keep it sharp (when it needs sharpening, don't know how long the edge will last.) It works impressively well for meat, nothing stands in its way; but the blade is somewhat convex in shape, so things stick to it a bit more and it takes a little more pressure to cut veggies etc. The knife feels as if it were made to suit a large powerful chef with big hands, so a definite feeling of overkill in moderate use. By comparison, the old french Sabatier knife was for surgeons, this new Henkels knife is for butchers. That is, excellent, but handle it before you buy one, it may or may not be what you'll be most comfortable with.

I have always been a fan of these knives, and my purchase did not disappoint. The pairing knife cuts through anything like it's not even there and the 8" chef's knife does the same. They are amazing knifes that are incredibly well made and sharp. Good steel, well crafted, I couldn't wish for a better knife.