J.A. Henckels International Statement 12 Piece Review

From steak to potatoes, Henckels has a knife for the job. And a sharp one at that. The chef's knife is more than capable of handling all your dinner needs. But why stick to just one knife when this set comes with numerous tools right for the job? The wider blade of the paring knife is a nice perk for cubing potatoes and the santoku can help you out when handling sticky onions. The steak knives are worthy of your premium cuts and there's enough for a family of six. What's even better is the serrated bread knife that takes all the frustration out of slicing crusty bread. All that and each one is sharp right out of the box so you can spend less time fighting your food with every cut.

Performance Comparison

Sharpness and Precision

The Henckels gives you the sharpness and precision you need without paying top dollar. It does well in this metric because all the knives performed admirably for their intended use. While the blades could be sharper, each one is noticeably better than average. Especially the steak knives that cut juicy strips of a thick slab.

Henckels was among the top contenders for its great precision and reasonably sharp blade. Cutting onions razor-thin with minimal resistance is no easy task. And yet, the chef's knife had no problem. The same precision followed through to the serrated knife, which gave us thick slices of bread without any sign of tearing or smooshing. Across the board, we noticed that semi-firm cheeses like Monterey Jack can be more of a struggle to slice into than hard cheeses like parmesan. This was also the case for this set. The paring knife took some force and the blade was just shy of the width of a 2-pound block. However, when it came time to cube potatoes for our Spanish tortilla, the paring knife was a terrific tool for cutting the perfect-sized cubes.

Quality and Durability

Right out of the box, we closely examined each kitchen knife and storage block for imperfections, then got to chopping to see if the knives could handle the heat. From the materials to the riveted handles, our testers agreed that the Henckels is considerably well-crafted, given the price.

Henckels is above average in quality, but it's not top-of-the-line. We did notice a few scuffs on some of the handles that would go completely unnoticed by the untrained eye. After all we put this set through, it showed no signs of wear and tear despite our best effort.

Balance

A properly balanced knife will practically do the work for you. But how can you tell whether a knife is balanced? You find the balance point. Ideally, this is where the handle meets the blade, but it depends on the type of knife. The next way to tell is by using it. In the case of Henckels, we are happy to say the balance felt just right.

For the chef's knife and santoku, the balance point is right at the end of the handle where the angled plastic provides a nice pinch grip. There was no wobble when chopping herbs or slicing potatoes, and we didn't feel any signs of fatigue that typically come with an unbalanced blade.

Handle Ergonomics

With each slice, we paid attention to how the handles felt in our hands. In the case of the Henckels set, we got a mixed bag.

One aspect we greatly appreciate is how the curves felt tailored to our hands. The handles provided a solid grip, and the hefty hook-like endcap is a bonus to maintain stability. What we found could use improvement are the edges. The sharper squared corners dug into our hands more than we'd like. While it wasn't exactly a dealbreaker for us, it is something you may want to consider.

Storage

Counter space is precious real estate, so what you keep on display should be pleasing to the eye and serve a purpose. The Henckels meets both of these goals.

Out of all the storage blocks, Henckels has the most attention to detail. It is a nice size for fitting under kitchen cupboards and the insert slots are angled horizontally rather than vertically. While this may seem like a minor detail, it's more important than you might think. Horizontal slots mean the knife isn't resting on the blade edge. That not only protects your storage block but the knives as well. We also like how the light wood complements most kitchen decor.

Should You Buy the J.A. Henckels International Statement 12 Piece?

The Henckels kitchen knife set gives you your money's worth and then some. Well-built and durable, it is likely to last for years to come. The number of pieces alone make this knife set worth the purchase. Then there is the well-crafted storage block that protects your investment. As for sharpness and precision, it doesn't disappoint there, either. Henckels is a great buy for any home cook who wants above average performance without the premium price tag to go along with it.

What Other Kitchen Knife Set Should You Consider?

If you like the idea of a bunch of different types of knives, but highly value handle ergonomics, you might be better off with the Chicago Cutlery Fusion 17 Piece or Wusthof Classic 10 Piece. Both of these options offer a good number of pieces and comfy handles in their own right. The Chicago set has a cushy rubber grip, while Wusthof offers slim and lightweight handles. However, if money is an issue, we would go with Chicago out of the two. Although, if you can spare it, the Wusthof has the premium performance to go along with the price.