I bought my son this set for a gift (he has worked in restaurants and attended cooking school and asked for them) and enjoyed using them so much I bought my own. I have owned Chicago cutlery for thirty years. These knives are much sharper and make chopping much easier. I plan to buy additional knives. Well worth the price.

In June of 2003, I wrote a blurb praising this starter set. My opinion from then hasn't changed, except the last part where I wrote that I couldn't justify Wusthof's price for those knive you don't use every day. Well, I lied. Since then I have replaced virtually every knife I had then with a Wusthof. Whether I was dicing veggies, carving a roast, or simply cutting up a chicken, I just got to the point where I could no longer tolerate using an inferior knife for the job; so I upgraded as I went along. All my old knives went into my camping box (you're supposed to be "roughing it" when camping, right?).

The knives in this set are superb. The problem is that after using them, you are liable to do as I did and spend lots of money later. Be warned.

A great pair of knives. I use them daily and wouldn't trade them for any other knife I have ever touched. The balance and weight are perfect. Take care of them, and they will last forever.

These are my first Wustof's.

These knives are so well balanced. They just feel right in your hand. I was shocked at how sharp they were right out of the box. Usually, I buy a knife and go out and get it sharpened. I want to just go buy stuff to chop, dice, julienne, and just cut.

This set is great and a good way to start. I went to Williams Sonoma and tried these and the Grand Prix models and Henckels and decided this was the best knife for me. I'd reccomend anyone else do the same to find the knife that fits them best.

Now, I'm buying only Wustof Classic knives.

Wüsthof knives are wonderful. They have great balance hence a good feel. However, Wüsthof should have ground off the sharp edges where handle meets the top edge of the knife to avoid cutting the users index finger.

Like many others, judging from the reviews here, I made do for a long time with cheap kitchen knives - ones that came with chopping boards, or where 'I just need a simple knife' purchases. I finally summoned up the gall to buy this set, and I am delighted with them. They are beautifully made, with just the right heft and balance. They are not overweight - the largest knife (the 8") weighs in at just about 11 ounces (310 grams).

They are razor sharp and cut effortlessly: softening tomatoes, crisp onions, all were dealt with perfectly. Each knife is a solid piece of steel, the blade running all the way up to become the handle, which is mated on either side with plastic grips that are riveted through. There is not a gap or sign of sloppy workmanship anywhere.

A point to mention - I had a glass chopping board which I still use on occasion. However I picked up the small Wüsthof wooden chopping board to go with these knives, as I did not want to risk blunting them early by chopping on a less-forgiving surface. Although I won't know for a while whether this is necessary, I have a feeling that a plastic or wooden board would be best under these fine implements.

All in all I am very pleased with these excellent knives; I'm sure they will last me a long time and I intend buying more.

I must tell you, I finally decided to pop for these knives as an indulgence; and then I had a bad case of buyer's remorse. You know, "How in hell could I justify paying 100 bucks for 2 lousy knives?". I like to cook, but I've been getting by with "decent", although relatively inexpensive knives. Anyway, that remorse lasted until I prepared my first meal. My God, what a difference. I can't justify popping for Wusthof for knives you don't use much, but for the ones you find yourself using every day, it's worth it.

I come from a family that lives in the kitchen. As a wedding gift - over 20 years - I received a full set of Chicago knives. I thought they were the cat's meow - and for a while that was true - but Chicago just doesn't hold it's blade.

I bought my first Wusthof about two years ago and have been adding to my set ever since. The Wusthof always has a sharp edge that I can depend upon not to tear my food, rather, always put a nice artful cut to my food.

Now, after reading all the "Chef's message bulletin boards" I think I made a great choice. With this addition of the Chef's 8" my set is complete: Chef Cook's 6", 8"; Carving 8"; Sandwich; Serrated Bread 8"; Boner 8"; Serrated Utility 5"; Sandwich 6"; and three 3.5" paring knives. I bought three of the 3.5" parer because when there is more than one cook in the kitchen, that one knive becomes a coveted utility.

I am not kidding when I say these knives cut thru raw meat like a hot knife through butter. You will be AMAZED how much easier it is to cut meat or slice vegetables when you are using professional-grade cutlery.

I have several cheapie knives collected over the years .... but using them, I had to saw instead of slice, as well as use more force, which is unsafe.

The price of these knives is well worth it. Treat yourself to real cutlery. You will not be disappointed. I'm working on rounding out my Wusthof collection now.

I received as a gift a set of three Wusthof knives when I moved into my first apartment. At that point in my life, I knew NOTHING about cooking, and could barely boil water. The knives sat in their box for several months before I finally got around to opening them. These knives, however, are absolutely amazing. The difference between my Wusthof knives and a "regular" knife is really impressive. I have been using them for over three years now on a daily basis, and have not yet needed to sharpen them. They easily cut through tough, sinewy cuts of meat, while still being sharp enough to tackle delicate fruits and vegetables without ripping at them. I have since, for the sake of experimentation, tried other "quality brand" knives including Henckel, but nothing has come close. I am now working on completeing my set of Wusthof.

There are really two main competitors in the high-end mainstream kitchen knife market: Henckels and Wusthof. Those who have used both usually have a preference. My preference (and therefore bias you should know about) is for the Wusthofs.

The Wusthof Classic line is the more conservative counterpart to the Grand Prix line. The only difference, however, is the handle style. I personally prefer the Grand Prix, but this is an issue of personal preference. The balance and grip of these knives are as close to perfect as I have found. For those wondering what benefits a higher priced knife provides, one benefit is that the blade (or tang) is one piece all the way through the handle. This makes the blade much stronger, and less likely to snap.

This set includes an 8 inch chef's knife, and a 3 ½ inch paring knife.

The 8 inch chef's knife, is a great knife. Wusthof offers three sizes of chef's knives, 6, 8 and 10 inch. For most home cooks, I think the 8 inch knife is the best choice. The 6 inch is a bit small for bigger jobs, but the 10 inch is too big for most jobs. While the 8 inch isn't perfect for all uses, if you are only buying one size chef's knife (and most people only buy one), this is the one I would recommend.

As for the 3 ½ inch paring knife, this knife falls into the category of overkill for me. Most cooks will get by just fine with the 4 ½ inch utility knife. There is really no notable difference in size for the vast majority of applications between the 3 ½ inch paring knife and the 4 ½ inch utility knife. I prefer the 4 ½ inch utility knife, but the 3 ½ inch paring knife will do the trick for most tasks.

This set is a good deal; however, if compiling a set myself, I would include the chef's knife and the 4 ½ inch utility knife. Judge for yourself.

If you're planning to cook, the cookware and knives will be your primary tools in the kitchen. For that reason, buy the best you can find - it's an investment that should last 30 years and be used by your children, too. I looked at 10" chef knives at the store and they were cumbersome and too large. This 8" felt better, had a sturdy feel to it and you could sense the craftsmanship when holding them. These stay sharp, haven't shown any signs of wear or rust and are quality made and heavy. Great starter set, and will last you for years to come.