Cangshan OLYMPUS Series 17-Piece Knife Block Set German Steel Gray Wood Block White

It's always a little overwhelming to switch out an entire knife block, because you tend to build it over time and sub out one knife for another until you find the perfect combo for everyday use. Our J.A. Henckels block that we got as a wedding gift 24 years ago was looking tired, and most of the knives -- while still functional -- had cracked handles from being in the dishwasher... before we knew we weren't supposed to do that. So we finally decided to spring for a new set. This one stood out as beautiful and affordable, so we went for it. While I can honestly report that I am still trying to figure out which knife is in which hole, weeks after receiving it, that's a small price to pay for such a fantastic set of knives. Every new knife is going to be sharp -- hopefully razer sharp, as these were -- but the true test is how they maintain their edge. There is no magic metallurgy formula. Too hard and they get brittle and you'll break a tip or edge. Too soft and they will dull or curl quickly. This set seems to have a great balance... or at least I can say that none have broken or dulled premature to my expectations. I have no other experience with German X50CrMoV15 steel, so time will tell how they hold up. The round handles have taken a little getting used to. Our other knives had rectangular handles, which aren't as comfortable to bear down on, but they feel very unlikely to twist or slip in your hand. These are very comfortable, but I tend to feel a little less confident when cutting things like carrots that require a lot of force. Also, our old knives were blade-heavy while these are more handle-heavy. But I'm sure these are just things I need to get used to after 24 years of using something different. I do miss some of our other knives. In fact, we haven't entirely retired the other knife block. It's farther down the counter, less accessible, like an old girlfriend or something. I guess you could say we are trying to wean ourselves off of that which is familiar. It's a process. But I cannot find a single reason to remove any stars from this product because of an unhealthy sentimental attachment to an inferior product. These knives are great, and I expect them to last many years, if not all the remaining years. Read more

I can't say enough good things about this knife set! My father was a butcher and taught me how to sharpen knives for myself. My brother was a chef and always gifted me professional grade knives, plus I own numerous Henckels myself, from a cleaver down to paring knife. Well I'm retiring all of those! It seems strange to admit, but this is the first complete matching knife set I have owned - and I hadn't even heard of the Cangshen brand until now. German steel combined with more of a Japanese design, these knives bring the best of both worlds together. They have a real presence in my hand. On the large chef's knife the curve where the handle meets the hilt is a little more angled than my Henckel And it feels more ergonomic. But both have the exact same balance point right at that spot, as you can see in my photo. It has a nice feel whether chopping vertically or rocking back and forth to accomplish a fine dice. The handling relies more on the sharp edge than a heavy blade. That's a good choice because these have an extremely fine sharp blade. The care put into the packaging design and implementation shows me that this is a brand that cares about details. Plastic sleeves, cardboard sleeves, tip guards, and three levels of packaging - everything indicated I was unwrapping something special and I have not been disappointed. The wood block has a more modern style and the gray finish looks very sleek on my black countertop. I'm still getting used to where all the knives go, and so many shapes and styles. But this is a set I know I'm going to keep forever. I'm eager to do some sharpening on these, but it will have to wait because they start razor sharp and the honing steel is doing a good job of keeping the edges tuned up. Don't think twice - you will be impressed by this set. Read more

I had never heard of Cangshan knives before. But, I did some research and found out they're sold at high end stores and appear on Food & Wine's best knives for 2025 list. My last set was a Classic set from the most well-known German brand. I loved them, but with each round of sharpening, they seemed to come back just a bit duller. I had the chance to order these and I'm so glad I did! First, they're beautiful, especially in my gray and white kitchen. But, more than that, they are such great quality. As expected, they came out of the box super sharp! The set includes just about every knife you will need (and some you don't). The rounded handles are nice and fit better in my hand than the rectangular ones I'm used to. And they cut beautifully! They also came with the sturdiest kitchen shears I've ever owned. No plastic on these! I'll update my review after their first sharpening if I'm not impressed, but so far I am. They're also a great value- yes they are expensive, but most good knife sets will set you back a few hundred dollars. The one downside to these is that not only does the knife block have a larger profile than most (hopefully you have the counter space), but the knives on the right side only go in the block situated for left handers. My right handed privilege means I'm used to knifes that I can grab right out of the block and not have to rotate in my hand. The good news is, they're the ones I'll use less, but it's still aggravating. I'm sure left handed people will love it through. Read more