J.A. Henckels Four Star

Zwilling J.A. Henckels is, along with Wusthof, one of the two best-known German knife manufacturers. Henckels Four Star knives are forged carbon-steel knives with full tangs and polypropylene handles. Most of these knives have a classic European design and appearance, except for the Four Star santoku knife, which gets good reviews from users. (The santoku is not included in the 14-piece set, however.) Four Star knives fare well in one professional test, and they get very positive reviews from owners. Most reviewers say they can hold a very sharp edge -- so sharp that some users warn about the danger of cutting your fingers on this knife, especially while cleaning it. Their comfortable grip, balance and durability are also mentioned as points in their favor. This particular set of Henckels knives is less expensive than high-end brands like the Wusthof Classic (*Est. $180 for three) , but we could not find any sets with fewer than 14 knives, which means you may be paying for knives you won't use. If you have less to spend and want a few knives, consider the Victorinox Fibrox line (*Est. $70 for three) , which has more positive reviews overall.

ConsumerReports.org offers the most recent test of Henckels Four Star knives. However, there are more than 85 user reviews for the Four Star santoku at Cooking.com, plus several dozen for the full set at Amazon.com and Epinions.com.