these are excellent knives and ARE one of the top brands that henckels sells (unclear what the 10/03 review was referring to as it didn't even mentiont these particular knives)>
these are forged blades, cut beautifully and are top notch and worth the extra money

The short story:
Pay a little more money and buy Wusthof cutlery,
and get a lot more bang for the buck.

The long story:
J. A. Henckles make different lines of cutlery. Their
"International" line is lower quality and less expensive
than their top lines "Pro S" and "Five Star."

(The only difference between the "Pro S" and "Five Star"
is the handle. The "Pro S" has a full-tang riveted handle,
and the "Five Star" has a bigger, synthetic handle. Some
people claim the full-tang riveted handles have better
balance.)

Though, Henckels name is more well known than Wusthof
and they sell more knives to the general public, people
who have used the two brands, for the most part, agree
that Wusthof is the better knife. Also, Wusthof seems
to employ much better quality control than Henckels.

Henckels cuts corners when it comes to their sets.

Henckels supplies a relatively small, low grade
sharpening steel with their top line "Pro S" and
"Five Star" sets.

In their top line 18 piece sets, their steak
knives come from a lower line.

Henckels has a recommended retail price and a sale
price on their cutlery. Just about all vendors,
sell Henckels knives at the "sale" price. Henckels'
warranty department will only give you credit for
the sale price of their product, even if you pay
more, and have a receipt to prove it.

On the other, hand, Henckels warranty department is

generous when it comes to replacing old Henckels knives
damaged due to consumer misuse. I thought knives
completely submerged in salt-free water would
not corrode. I thought corrosion needed salt or
air. Wrong. My Henckels knives corroded even
though I just left them submerged in soapy water.

The most popular knife today is the Wusthof
Grand Prix, Santaku knife with a granton
edge. This is the knife used by Rachel Ray
and other chefs on the Food Network. "Granton"

means the knife has semi hollowed-out ovals on
its sides. Granton edges may provide a smoother
cut, with less drag. Vegetables may stick to
their sides less. But knives with granton
edges are not supposed to be sharpened at home.
Moreover, they have very little edge to sharpen
and so have much less life expectancy than an
Identical knife without a granton edge.

The short story:
Pay a little more money, and buy Wusthof cutlery,
and get a lot more bang for the buck.

The long story:
J. A. Henckles make different lines of cutlery. Their
"International" and "Four Star" lines are lower quality
and less expensive than their top lines, the "Pro S"
and "Five Star."

(The only difference between the "Pro S" and "Five Star"
is the handle. The "Pro S" has a full-tang riveted handle,
and the "Five Star" has a bigger, synthetic handle. Some
people claim the full-tang riveted handles have better
balance.)

Though, Henckels name is more well known than Wusthof
and they sell more knives to the general public, people
who have used the two brands, for the most part, agree
that Wusthof is the better knife. Also, Wusthof seems
to employ much better quality control than Henckels.

Henckels cuts corners when it comes to their sets.

Henckels supplies a relatively small, low grade

sharpening steel with their top line "Pro S" and
"Five Star" sets.

In their top line 18 piece sets, their steak
knives come from a lower line.

Henckels has a recommended retail price and a sale
price on their cutlery. Just about all vendors,
sell Henckels knives at the "sale" price. Henckels'
warranty department will only give you credit for
the sale price of their product, even if you pay
more, and have a receipt to prove it.

On the other, hand, Henckels warranty department is
generous when it comes to replacing old Henckels knives
damaged due to consumer misuse. I thought knives
completely submerged in salt-free water would
not corrode. I thought corrosion needed salt or
air. Wrong. My Henckels knives corroded even
though I just left them submerged in soapy water.

The most popular knife today is the Wusthof
Grand Prix, Santaku knife with a granton
edge. This is the knife used by Rachel Ray
and other chefs on the Food Network. "Granton"
means the knife has semi hollowed-out ovals on
its sides. Granton edges may provide a smoother
cut, with less drag. Vegetables may stick to
their sides less. But knives with granton
edges are not supposed to be sharpened at home.
Moreover, they have very little edge to sharpen
and so have much less life expectancy than an
Identical knife without a granton edge.

My husband begged for a set of Henckels knives for Christmas a few years ago, so I caved in and got this set for him. Now I wonder how I ever got along without them. We use these knives every day for everything! No task is too tough or too tender for these knives, and they stay sharp for years; I've only had to sharpen a couple of knives that I use every single day. I think I've sharpened the 8-inch blade twice in 3 years of--literally--daily use. The only bad thing is I keep losing the kitchen shears! I use them all over my house for everything from cutting through chicken to cutting flowers, and sometimes they don't make it back to the kitchen. No one should be without these in the kitchen; they are definitely worth every penny! Quit buying cheap knives and buy a set of these, and you'll never look back!

It's true...I never thought I could have such affection for a set of knives, but the Henckels Four Star knives are amazing! My husband couldn't understand why I was making such a fuss over our new knives until he tried them. He used the 8" chef's knife to horizontally slice some very thick steaks into thinner ones. He couldn't believe how easily they cut and remarked he was hardly using any pressure at all!

The 5" serrated knife slices beautifully through bagels as well as lemons, limes, and tomatoes. I use the 6" utility knife for all kinds of vegetable chopping and mincing since I like the 6" blade for my smaller hands. I haven't used the 8" bread or carving knife much as they aren't for everyday use, but they are great for when you need them! My husband uses the 8" chef's knife for nearly everything! The Four Star handles are very comfortable for both of our hands and very easy to clean.

I first considered the 7pc. set, but when I priced the individual knives found the 9pc. set a much better deal. I also used Consumer Reports (Dec.98 & Dec.02) as a guide to finding the best quality knives we could afford. Yes, they are expensive, but when you think about how much use they get over a long period of time, it really is worth it.

I would also recommed the Henckels TwinSharp Sharpener. It is inexpensive and puts a nice, sharp edge on the knives. I used it on mine before their first use, and they are nice and sharp.

Hesitant to spend this kind of "jack" on a set of knives? If you spend any amount of time in the kitchen preparing and cooking food, this set is a terrific purchase.

Inadequate knives and utensils can take the fun out of cooking. Having to saw through a salmon to make steaks is tiring and unecessary. I used the 8" chef's knife to slice a salmon into salmon steaks, and I was surprised at the ease with which the task was accomplished. Even simple things, like peeling an apple, become fun. I had the easiest time ever taking the skin off a Granny Smith apple in one long piece.

The knives have the right amount of weight to facilitate use and accomplish the tasks they were designed for. The handles are perfect for my wife, who has tiny hands. The block is hefty, and won't tip over easily. I also received a free video on how to properly use different knives. The video was very educational for a knife amateur like myself.

The difference between Henckels Four Star and Henckels International is amazing. Naturally, the Four Star label is about twice as much as the International label (not made in Germany, but rather in the Far East - Korea, I think), but the knives are more than twice as much better. After purchasing the International label 5 years ago, I recall thinking, "Gee, these aren't any more impressive than something that Ecko would make." I didn't feel that way about the Four Star set. I was reminded of the "Crocodile Dundee" line, "Now that's a knife!"

I own this set of knives. I bought them over six years ago while living in Germany. I love to cook and bake. Buying this set was one of the best decision in my life. At the time I could bearly afford them but found out later that it was a great investment. I will never have to buy another set and will never use another.

I have owned this set for 10 - 12 years. I think that they are worth their weight in gold, a true value at twice this price.
They slice through meat, veg. & breads (even soft tomatoes), like a razor blade on a handle.
The knives stay sharp for years. I have them professionally sharpened about every 2 -3 years. However, if you hon them often they will never need sharpening.
I have seen many professional well renouned chefs use these knives. When I was researching knives for this purchase, a Chef from the "Greenbrier Resort" (a WV 5*hotel)reccommended these to me. I will never own another brand or style of knives.

I purchased my set over three years ago, and I believe they are the best kitchen investment you can make. They are extremely strong, well balanced, and just the right weight to cut easily and accurately. They are spendy, but well worth the money if you cook a lot.