Need to buy a set of knives as a present...

Hi all,

I've spent several hours browsing this forum and many others.

I need to buy a set of knives for a wedding present. I have a budget of anything from £150-£250 and don't know where to start.

From the sounds of it, a set of Henckels Twin Signature or Wusthof Classic 7 Piece Knife Set and Block would be a good bet.

So basically I'd like it in a block with at least 4-5 knives.

What would you recommend?

I've been reading about Japanese knives but they may be out of my price range. And sadly, as they are for someone else I don't know about the grips/styles etc. that is on the sticky at the top of the page.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks.

Welcome!

Both the Henckels and the Wusthof are very nice sets of knives. Most of the information you find here may be more related to carbon or Japanese blades, but again I am sure that either set you buy them will make a very nice present. Do they cook often? Do you know what knives they currently have? Where are you located? I have had both Henckels and Wusthof and both have very nice fit and finish and are available as a set with a block.

Cheers and good luck

You can get into some Fujiwara, Tojiro, Mac or even Kyocera on the lower end of Jknives.

Most here will tell you one or two good jknives will trump an entire wusty or henckels set....

Thank you for the advice.

I do understand that those knives seem to be better but they seem to be more inclined to sell as single knives rather than a set.

If anyone could link any "sets with a block" then that would be really appreciated.

Thanks.

chinacats said:

Welcome!

Both the Henckels and the Wusthof are very nice sets of knives. Most of the information you find here may be more related to carbon or Japanese blades, but again I am sure that either set you buy them will make a very nice present. Do they cook often? Do you know what knives they currently have? Where are you located? I have had both Henckels and Wusthof and both have very nice fit and finish and are available as a set with a block.

Cheers and good luck

Click to expand...

They cook every night and are currently using a set of very cheap Prestige knives (http://www.prestige.co.uk/56048-prestige--14-piece-knife-block-set/)

I am located in the UK, but if German knives are recommended I'm guessing it may be cheaper to import them?

I have looked at the Henckels and Wusthofs but there are so many different sets, many cheap and many expensive and am completely lost!

If I were in you shoes I would go with the Wusthof Classic series or the Henckels Classic series and know that you gave them a very thoughtful gift.

-AJ

+1 to AJ's post above

If purchasing for yourself it would be slightly easier to make a decision I am sure, but you could buy either H or W and they will be completely happy coming from their old set. I would just price shop and find the best that fits your budget...one of the beautiful things about buying German knives is that you can often find very good deals--on sets complete with blocks. They really don't need a lot of knives in the set and I would try to find a small set of better knives if that is an option, meaning if you could find a set with a chef's knife, bread knife and paring knife that you could get better knives for the money than buying a set of 10 knives which will mostly sit in the block once they determine which 3-4 they really like.

Good luck

Have a look at edenwebshops.co.uk
for the same prices as on the Continent, which is quite unusual in cutlery.
For Wüsthof, see the Cordon Bleu series (no full bolster and thinner than the Classic).

If I had to get a block set, which you have to do for a wedding gift (unless you are buying for a knife nut that is) I would go with a Miyabi block set. Not sure what UK retailers carry them.

Benuser said:

Have a look at edenwebshops.co.uk
for the same prices as on the Continent, which is quite unusual in cutlery.
For Wüsthof, see the Cordon Bleu series (no full bolster and thinner than the Classic).

Click to expand...

My information about the prices was not up to date. I apologise. They haven't adapted their UK prices after recent appreciation of the Pound towards the Euro. To compare: the same Wüsthof Classic chef's 20cm in UK £82, in Germany or Holland €87.50;
€1 = £0.80705
In UK you pay 16% more.

I noticed as well that their German website offers far more sets. Perhaps you should contact them. It's one single firm operating from Holland.

If it were me in your shoes, I'd consider this in your decision
http://www.sabatier-shop.com/kitche...gift-box-small-block-6-pieces__1110bloc2.html

Sab K set with block for 230€ or snoop around that site for other deals. I'd go Sab first - but everyone is a critic.

Josh said:

If it were me in your shoes, I'd consider this in your decision
http://www.sabatier-shop.com/kitche...gift-box-small-block-6-pieces__1110bloc2.html

Sab K set with block for 230€ or snoop around that site for other deals. I'd go Sab first - but everyone is a critic.

Click to expand...

I too would prefer Sab's, just know nothing about their stainless quality...i have a few carbons that I love (mine are elephant nogents though)...have you used/sharpened them?

My first thought was buy a block and a couple of nice knives from JCK, then the other thought was the Sabs.

If they have wall space to hang it, a mag strip migjht be a cheaper/ better alternative to a block and then you dont have to worry about future knives fitting.

chinacats said:

I too would prefer Sab's, just know nothing about their stainless quality...i have a few carbons that I love (mine are elephant nogents though)...have you used/sharpened them?

Click to expand...

I did both. The French stainless are not as exceptional as their carbons are. Amongst the stainless
the K-Sabatier are with the best. Traditional look, good profile, slim geometry, nice F&F. Easy sharpening.The're still softer than even their German counterparts though. The French pro's and the general public both are used to steeling.
Please note that Wüsthof recently decided to raise hardness to 58Rc and has adapted geometry accordingly.
A choice between K-Sab and Wüsthof is something like between a Citroën DS and a BMW.

I've used my wife's sabs on many occasions.... and sharpened them. These knives don't scare her as much as my j-knives, have great profiles, sharpen up well, and are excellent performers - great value. You can even find some very old stock in Sab-K - something you wouldn't see every day.