JA Henckels Knife Set Review 2021

Which Henckels Knife Set is Best?

There's no quick or easy way to answer this question. It all depends on your specific needs and budget. There's a wide variety of packages available by JA Henckels, and this is continually being updated with more product. They are sure  to have a combination of knives to suit you.

Yes, it can be quite confusing. The best advice I can give you to get the most bang for your buck is simply this: buy the best set you can find that fits your budget.

Each of the packages offered by Henckels is different in some way to the others. Those differences are largely among the following:

• The number of pieces included in the set (scissors, sharpening stones, steak knives and storage block are all considered pieces of a set. But the real value is in the professional kitchen knives themselves)
• The style or make-up of the knives (forged or stamped)
• The design (typically, the blades are the same. But it's usually the handle design that separates one line from the next)
• The degree of quality built into each knife (Premium knives are of the highest quality)

JA Henckels has pretty much nailed it. They make several excellent professional chef knife sets and they're a well-known brand worldwide. Just remember that there are substantial differences between the two brands sporting the same Henckels name.

We will look at some of the most popular sets below. But whatever Henckels package you settle on, you can count on getting a quality, well-built set of knives constructed of special formula, high carbon, no-stain steel. This “special formula” appears to be top secret information, akin to the secret collection of herbs and spices perfected by Colonel Sanders, or Coca-Cola's secret recipe. It only makes sense to protect a formulation, that has produced some the strongest and best knives available for the last 280+ years.

Henckels is best known for its quality, precision, traditional designs, German engineering, triple-riveted handles, rust-resistant materials, balance, superior steel, sharp edge retention, and the ergonomic handles that provide such a comfortable grip.

How Henckels Knives Are Made

There are primarily two kinds of blades in the kitchen knives you can buy – forged or stamped. Henckels makes both. But they are best known for their forged steel knives. It's hard to tell them apart (forged or stamped) by sight alone. But make no mistake, these two types of knives are completely different in their performance and function.

Each method has its own attributes. But overall, if you were to choose one over the other, I would have to say a forged set of knives is a better buy and more useful than a stamped set. That's not always the case, however. Where flexibility is required, such as slicing a thin halibut fillet to drop into a deep fryer - a stamped filleting knife can be a particularly helpful specialty tool. So there is room for a mix of blade depending on the use of the knife, and some sets do offer this.

It also comes down to personal choice. But for many chefs I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to, given the choice between one, or the other, the majority opted for a forged set.

Forged knives are the traditional, foundry-made knives. These knives are created from individual pieces of steel. A blank of steel is placed into a fiery-hot oven and heated to extreme temperatures. Then it’s extracted, molded into shape, hardened and ground to produce a fine cutting-edge. The act of shaping not only turns a plain piece of steel into a knife blade, it also helps to strengthen it in the process. The result is a more durable blade.

Stamped knives are cut from a large, single sheet of rolled steel. Blade shapes are cut out, by a large press, in one shot. It's similar to the cookie-cutter approach. Once cut, each piece is polished and the blade is ground to a sharp edge.

How To Get the Most Out of Your JA Henckels Knife Set

What People Love About Henckel's Knife Sets

One thing I’ve heard stated repeatedly is that what they have now (with a JA Henckel's knife set) is better than anything they've ever had before. Clearly, it’s a quality brand that delivers a noticeably improved kitchen experience.

Many people have owned the same Henckel set for 5 to 25 years - or longer - and they’re happy to recommend them to anyone. There's a huge difference in the quality of these knives from the mass-market ones sold in stores. And they’re well worth the price.

Having top quality knives gives you a wide selection for virtually every cutting need. And owning a JA Henckels set provides you with every conceivable tool to get the job done - and create culinary delights for years to come.

Incidentally, this brand has been rated number one by Consumers Reports. They make sturdy knives that stand the test of time. They're not cheap, of course. Nothing of value is. But generally speaking, when it comes to buying kitchen knives - you get what you pay for. That’s why one of the premium lines is your best bet - as long as it fits your budget. I don’t recommend over-spending. But when considering a quality set of knives, think of it as a lifetime investment.

Henckels knives offer a good balance. You’re getting a solid knife that’s lightweight and easy to handle. These are well-designed, superbly balanced and sharp looking knives that speak volumes about you. They feel extremely comfortable in your hand and you can sense how well constructed they are.

What Some Don't Like About Henckel's Knives

This brand is quite confusing. Henckels produces multiple sets, and it's difficult for consumers to sort it all out. There are so many options available, so many different sets, and price points that the average person has a difficult time deciphering all that information, and making the best choice for them personally.

Another complaint I’ve heard is that some of the accessories that are shipped with these quality knives are not quite up to par. Specifically, I'm referring to the scissors and sometimes the knife block. To some, it feels like these elements were simply (lower-cost) add-ons.

The scissors have been reported as being somewhat "average", while the knife block is often nothing special. Not a big deal to most. But others have said that the quality of this block doesn't match the quality of the knives. Perhaps it’s difficult to get such quality in a knife block?

Another complaint is that, on a rare occasion, items have arrived in damaged condition. That seems to be a fact of life in virtually any industry. It may have been a slip-up by quality control, or the item was banged up in shipping. At any rate, all the buyer needs to do is notify the seller and request a replacement, or refund. But's it's a bit of a hassle when this kind of thing happens.

It's also been noted that there are excessive materials used in the packaging. But you’ve got to realize that there’s a fine line between having too much packaging (which ultimately ends up in a landfill) and having not enough protection for the quality merchandise inside. Frankly, I'd rather have a little extra packaging that I have to deal with then have my knives arrived in damaged condition.

Which Henckel's Knife Does What?

There are several different knives available to both home, and pro chefs. Most serve a distinct purpose while others, like the Chef’s Knife, are multifunctional. Let's take a quick look at the various knives that are available online from Henckels:

Peeling Knife-- A peeling knife does exactly that - it peels potatoes, apples and many other fruits and vegetables. It's a useful tool for removing blemishes and other imperfections.

Vegetable Knife-- A vegetable knife has a straight blade, which makes it perfect for slicing and cleaning fruit and vegetables.

Paring Knife -- The paring knife (sometimes referred to as an office knife) can be used to clean, peel, cut, or garnish vegetables. Its sharp tip makes this knife an excellent for removing problem spots on potatoes and other vegetables and fruits.

Utility Knife-- The utility knife is excellent for those foods that have a crusty, or hard exterior and a soft center. This knife is able to cut through both surfaces without effort, to provide a clean separation.

Boning Knife- The boning knife is good for loosening bones, and removing the fat and tendons from meats and poultry.

Filleting Knife -- A filleting knife has a thin, flexible blade and it’s perfect for cutting thin slices of fish, or meat.

Bread Knife -- The bread knife has a long blade, with serrated edges. It's those edges that enable it to cut through bread of various types, including those with a hard crust. A quality bread knife is able to cut any loaf thinly and cleanly.

Chef’s Knife -- The chef’s knife is an all-purpose knife and it's the most common knife of professional chefs. Once amateurs learn what a chef’s knife can do, they’re all over it. The chef’s knife is perfect for dicing vegetables, raw meat and fruit. It’s also ideal for cutting and chopping herbs.

Slicing -- The slicing knife is a long knife used for large meats like roasts. It’s also quite useful for portioning raw meat into serving sizes.

Santoku - The santoku knife is an Asian design, with similar function to the chef's knife. It’s a multipurpose tool often used for cutting vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish.

If you could only add one quality knife to your arsenal - it should be a chef’s knife if you don’t already have one. A chef’s knife would be my ultimate choice because it’s amazing just how versatile this tool can be. However, there's no replacement for having a complete set of quality kitchen knives with each with a specific purpose.

There are few brand names with as rich a history as JA Henckels. This company has been making knives since 1731. And they continue to be a global leader in manufacturing quality nice for professionals and serious home chefs.