Pinzon 16-Piece Knife Block Set

Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #26893 in Kitchen & Housewares
* Brand: Pinzon
* Model: B1187A

Features

* Includes 3-inch paring; 4.75-inch non- serrated utility, 8-inch carving, 8-inch chef's, and 8-inch bread knives
* Includes 6-inch cleaver, 6 steak knives; carving fork, shears, sharpening steel; wooden block
* Blades stamped from corrosion-resistant 18/10 stainless steel
* Full tangs; bolsters for balance; ergonomic, contoured plastic handles with triple rivets
* Hand washing recommended; made in China


Amazon.com Product Description
You don't have to break your budget to add a set of high-quality knives to your kitchen. This 15-piece knife set features everything you need for a wide range of prepping needs, and includes a classic wooden block for storage that will look great in your kitchen. This set includes the following knives: 3-inch parer, 4.75-inch serrated utility, 8-inch carver, 8-inch chef, 8-inch bread, 6-inch cleaver, and a set of six 5-inch steak knives. It also comes with a 6.7-inch carving fork, a pair of kitchen shears, and a 10-inch steel for sharpening.

Each blade is stamped from a single piece of high-carbon stainless steel and honed by a computer-controlled grinding and polishing process. These knives boast a full tang--the portion for the knife blade that is attached within the handle--which is constructed as one unit to resist dirt and bacteria and is triple-riveted to an ergonomically contoured black POM handle. They also feature a bolster at the back end of the blade, where the handle begins, that extends to the bottom of the blade and helps provide a good balance while chopping. The wood block measures 9.05 by 5 by 10.25 inches (L x W x H), includes 15 slots, and has rubber feet to prevent scratching surfaces. Hand washing the knives is recommended.


Customer Reviews

Best knife set I've EVER seen for the price. WOW5
Let me start this review by stating that I already own several professional quality Wusthof Classic knives. I have researched kitchen knives extensively and know what to look for. This set, for the price, has no equal that I've seen (and believe me, I've looked!) I was skeptical when I saw a 16 piece, off-brand name set on sale during a Friday Sale for 1/2 what I'd pay for a Wusthof Classic single knife. I needed a new knife block, so I figured that for the price, that alone would be worth it even if the knives turned out to be not so great. I got them in the mail today and WHOA...was I surprised! Each kitchen knife has a full, substantial tang and integrated bolster...not that fake bolster that cheaper knives sport. The description also mentions that these are stamped, not forged. Well, they sure fooled me, because I've never encountered a stamped knife that looked like this. The other reviewer is correct, not mentioned in the description but included in the set is a hefty meat cleaver, also with a full tang/bolster...and I do mean hefty. I would estimate it weighs at least a pound and a half all by itself. The edges are sharp and even the sharpening steel is a well made, substantial piece of workmanship with a terrific, non-slip handle. The handles are wood, not resin, and are comfortable to hold.

If I had to say anything unkind about the set it would be that the knives might actually be too big and they are not quite finished as cleanly as a more expensive set would be. If you're a small person, like me, you might become fatigued more easily than with a lighter weight set. However, with that said, my husband absolutely loves these knives heft and size. So use that to your advantage ladies and get the hubby's to do your chopping! As far as finishing, where he handles and tang meet is not completely smooth. This is such a MINOR thing, I almost didn't mention it, but it in no way detracts from the functionality of the knives.

Finally, each knife is stamped with the word, "China" on it. If you have opinions about Chinese workmanship, then be assured that this isn't your typical Chinese product. I'm as almost as pleased with this set as I am with my Wusthof knives which cost upwards of $75 each. If you're just starting out, or if you're just looking for an amazing deal...you can't go wrong with this set!

UPDATE: After a month of using these knives almost daily, I find them to be still a pleasure to use. They don't show any signs of rust, but then I don't wash mine in a dishwasher. I hand wash them, immediately dry them and put them away.

I see some reviews that complain that they don't hold an edge, but I don't find this to be the case. The steel is a high carbon steel that I've found to be quite good at maintaining its edge. It's important to remember that a good set of knives are an investment that require user maintenance to retain their initial quality. Some tips on keeping ANY knife sharp and prolonging it's life are:

* Don't cut on overly hard surfaces like glass, ceramic or marble cutting boards, instead use wood, plastic or something like it with some `give. Hard surfaces will dull any blade very quickly, regardless of knife quality.
* Run the edge of your knife over the included steel a few times before you put it away or before you use it. This will keep it free of burrs and prolong it's edge. Search for tips online at knife stores for proper use of the steel too, improperly using a sharpening steel can be almost as bad as not using it at all.
* Have your knives professionally sharpened, twice a year if you use your knives frequently, or once a year if less often. The factory edge will not last forever and a professional sharpening will add years of life to your knives. You can find knife sharpening services in your phone book and many hardware stores offer this service. It's usually only a few $$ per blade for this service.
* Use the knife for its intended purpose. Don't use a filet knife or the serrated bread knife to cut hard veggies, use the chef's knife instead.
* Every so often, feed the wood on the handle by using mineral or linseed oil on them, or even a bit of lemon oil or furniture polish. This will prevent warping and splitting.

Too Good To Be True2
This set does make a great first impression but, before you buy, you should know what you're getting. I bought these as a gift for my mom and I wouldn't suggest buying these knives as a gift. They'll embarass you. The Amazon description is accurate, but what they don't say is substantial. The knives look great, and really look like a quality forged set. The packaging is your first hint that it isn't, though. They're shipped in the actual packaging, which is plain cardboard. The packaging is pretty good, but the plainness of it is reminiscent of those products bought in bulk quantities by flea market vendors. The only marking is a reminder that they're made in China. Inside, you find a pretty nice looking set, but the only documentation is an inkjet-printed, giftcard-style insert showing the Amazon cover-photo, a brief description and contents list. It also reminds you they're made in China, and that they're exclusive to Amazon (aka generic.) The actual knives also have the unusual generic-like quality of having no name printed on them. Even most cheap knives say something.

The main thing that attracted me to this set initially, is the completeness of the set. It has pretty much every knife that one might use on a daily basis. No more reaching into the drawer for a knife, unless it's the odd pseudo-knife like a grapefruit knife or cheese slicer. Also, all slots in the block are filled. This isn't a "starter" set.

The blades come with a pretty good initial edge. Even the cleaver would shave hair from my arm. The sharpening steel is pretty good, but the stainless used for the knives isn't the same quality of premium knives. It will take an experienced hand with the steel to get a decent edge again.

Now, for the really bad part. I almost thought the knives were forged rather than stamped, they look so good. Believe me however, they're not. In fact, the rivets aren't even riveted or welded, they're just glued. I noticed after only a few days, that two rivets were missing from one of the knives, and one from another. I looked around, and found all of them on the kitchen floor. The larger, chopping knives hadn't even been used yet. These were two of the smaller knivfes and no, they hadn't been in the dishwasher. How embarassing! I hope the knives never do get accidentally get run through the dishwasher. I'm afraid the knives might come completely apart.

If you get the set, plan to use them yourself and keep some glue handy. If you buy them as a gift however, make sure they're for someone you don't like anyway.

Wonderful product;great value5
I bought these knives a couple of weeks ago, and when they arrived I was pleasantly surprized. These are heavy, solidly constructed knives, and their finish is surprisingly good. They are well balanced, sharp and a pleasure to use. I tested their rust resistance by sprinkling water on them and leaving them in the sink for extended periods. There was no evidence of rust or discoloration. The set includes one item not listed in the Amazon discription, a cleaver. Also, the block is much nicer than those found with many other sets. With an additional $30 discount for opening an amazon credit card, and free shipping, the price can't be beat. They are cheap at many times the price.