Mercer Culinary M23500 Renaissance 6-Piece Forged Knife Block Set Tempered Glass Block

I looked at all the candidates for a quality forged full tang knife set from Germany, and was deciding if I wanted a more expensive set, or a nice set and then a really nice chefs knife. After tons of research I decided the Aesthetics of this won out an would look amazing on the counter, and I could use the savings to purchase a nice Japanese Mac Chefs knife. If you don't know Mercer is big in the Culinary circuit, especially in the culinary schools. I figured if our future chefs are learning on Mercer quality then why not give them a shot. After all the case is about as good looking as any I have ever seen, and the knife set got really high review. On un-boxing you notice the knives are really good looking, with a great shine and attractive black handle. You have to put together the holder but that took only a minute or two. I have to say they nailed the presentation, and these things shine on the counter unlike any wooden block could do. On use I was amazed. These things are sharp, heavy, and balanced. I find myself switching between the Japanese Mac for dicing, and the German knives for harder jobs. Also, most of the sets I looked at had way to many knives. Most of my use revolves around a Chefs knife and a paring knife but I do find myself using the utility knife more and more. My advice is to give these a shot if you looking at the other Germans, and the money you save can go into a quality Japanese chefs knife for the finer jobs in the kitchen. Read more

These are some really good quality knives. The steel they use is not "stainless" as some summaries may declare, it is stain-resistant. It is also not high-carbon (1-2%), I would say it's more like medium carbon content (0.5-1%) but this is minor. The edge retention is really good, especially if you get a good honing/sharpening steel and whetstone to properly take care of these. Due to their delicate nature in terms of corrosion resistance, it is essential that you clean these knives shortly after use and then hand-dry them as soon as you are able. DO NOT leave them out to dry as you will drastically reduce the lifespan, and DO NOT put them in the dishwasher as you will ruin them. You're probably wondering what you're paying for then, if these are so susceptible to corrosion. You're paying for a sharper edge than your average knife with greater retention. These things are SHARP, you will cut yourself if you're not careful. Regarding the build quality, these things are very well-built. The handles are full-tang with rivets which is important for longevity. Their other set claims to have an adhesive that is resistant to blunt and heat trauma but I don't mess with anything besides full tang when it comes to heavy-use knives. The handles are filed to be completely flush, and compared to brands like Cuisinart or even Henckels, they are a bit thin. However, they are easy to hold and feel very good in the hand. There is a reason these knives are the primary choice for most culinary schools in the nation. My only regret is this set neither contains a Santoku, nor does it contain a place to hold one. I feel like it would have been smarter to include a Santoku over a bread knife, or even over the boning knife. The chef's knife is awesome though, and the paring and utility knives are extremely useful. This is a great set that will serve you for many years if you treat them right. Read more

I almost didn’t buy these - being unsure of where they’d fit-in in a cramped kitchen. As positioned the medium and smaller knives in front slide out easily (at an angle). The butcher knife in the center requires sliding the case forward a few inches. I can see where a busy chef fight find that inconvenient. However, for occasional use it’s not much of an issue. The knives? Just arrived. I’ll update the review in the future. I can say that the box and the glass case are easily twice as heavy as I expected. As others have noted, it would be difficult to knock it over. Nice level cushioned base. Now if I can just convince myself to actually use these rather than simply admiring the way they complement the kitchen … :) After one week, I couldn’t be happier. The knives are of excellent quality. Very sharp. I’ve mainly sliced onions and peppers and trimmed fat off meat to this point. Also, great for slicing an English muffin in two without destroying it in the process. I remember from my earlier fishing days the substantial difference in feel and function between a cheap everyday knife and a top quality (fully forged) pricier knife like this. (Try dressing-out a 25 lb salmon with something cheap.) But not everyone needs knives of this quality. For 90% of everyday kitchen use a much cheaper set will do fine. So thus beautiful set is more of a luxury item in my case than a necessity. And I’m always happy to make the kitchen look a little nicer. :) Read more

One quick note to those who are complaining about these knives rusting, that is actually a sign of a good quality knife with high quality steel. If you don't treat them like a five dollar stainless steel piece of junk you bought at Walmart and these will last you for years. Don't leave these things in water to soak, don't put them through the dishwasher, and be careful because these things are sharp. First time I used one after using Cutco knives for years I cut myself because I expected some kind of resistance while cutting an onion instead it cut through the onion like a lightsaber. I love the standing glass display case, its easy to see which knife you're grabbing before you grab it, the blade doesn't get dulled on wood, and it looks beautiful. If I had to complain I'd make the complaints that it doesn't come with a knife sharpener and that the case is way heavier than I expected it to be, which is actually a bonus if you're worried about it tipping over. Read more