RADA Cutlery The Starter Gift Set (S38), Silver

I bought these knives for 3 reasons: 1. Price. They were very reasonably priced. Compared to many other sets that have questionable reviews and quality for ten times the price, it's hard to believe that you would receive a quality set for this cost, but so far they are. More below. 2. Quality. From reading of other reviews they sounded like they were a decent quality set of knives. After receiving and using them for the past few days, I have to say I'm very impressed. This is the sharpest set of knives I've ever owned, and the quality of the metal is great. I will update later with more information on how they fare over a longer period of time, but so far so good. 3. Made in the USA. There's a growing movement to support smaller, local companies for many US residents, and this was a major factor in my decision to purchase this set. After checking out the company, I decided on Rada cutlery. It's great to know that there are US companies making good quality products. PROS * Very sharp. * Reasonable price. * Many options for expanding your set of knives after buying this starter set. * Can be sharpened at home. * Lifetime warranty. CONS * Somewhat utilitarian appearance. Aluminum handles look fine to me, but they're not as classy-looking as some of the black / stainless options out there. There are a couple other options out there for US-made cutlery, but neither one compares in price, so if you're looking for a decent quality set of knives that are easy on the wallet, this is a great option. I will update this review with any bad news that may come up over the next few months and years, but so far, this looks like a great set at a great price. UPDATE 2012-09-04: As another customer pointed out, Rada does indeed sell a block for these knives. This is now available from at least one Amazon seller. After owning them for nearly a year I'm finally ordering a sharpener. The paring knives and chef's knife are used nearly every day. The tomato slicer in particular is very nice. The chef's knife seemed to lose its edge faster than the others, but that may have had more to do with use frequency than any aspect of the knife itself. Still 5 stars, and I definitely like the aluminum handles as they've maintained their nice-looking appearance (albeit utilitarian) much better than my previous set of knives with black plastic handles.

For several years we had a set of four paring knives with dull aluminum handles that we used for cutting steak and chicken at the dinner table. They didn’t have the look of expensive cutlery but they took an edge easily and when they did, boy, were they ever sharp. I was always curious as to what they were, but the stamping on the blade was worn away so I couldn’t tell. I made several comments to my wife about how I liked them and wished I could find more but since they looked old and faded, I assumed they were something that wasn’t made any more, maybe even vintage. Being tired of my expensive knives that took forever to restore the edge and get them sharp, even with professional equipment, I decided to start looking around for reasonably-priced alternatives. And then—ta da!—Amazon saved the day. I couldn’t believe my good fortune. At long last, the mystery knives had a name! Being the ever-diligent online researcher like many of us Amazon shoppers, I checked into Rada a little further. Imagine my shock (and pleasure) to learn that not only are they a bargain, they’re made in the USA. Since I’m accustomed to equating “made in the USA” to “good stuff but your credit card company will send you a thank-you letter,” this was a no-brainer. I immediately ordered the gift set. I’m very picky about knives. I am no chef, but I’m a guy who knows his way around the kitchen and am a decent cook and barbeque-er. I’m also an outdoorsman. I know knives. I own everything from skinning to filleting (in the latter category alone I own probably half a dozen), from the cheap stuff all the way up to custom-made. My knives stay sharp; I am very meticulous about this and know how to put a good edge on them. Frankly, those old Radas held one better than anything else in the kitchen, including a fairly expensive set of Chicago Cutlery knives in a block. With this in mind, I will simply say that Rada makes some fantastic blades. Not “good for the price.” Just good. Do NOT let the price fool you. These are the sharpest blades you’re likely to find at nearly any price. They take an edge like nothing else in my kitchen and cut like scalpels. As far as I’m concerned, these are the most important criteria in any knife. A knife can have a handle made out of rare albino wooly mammoth tusk and a blade finish that looks like it came right off a samurai’s belt, but if it won’t cut, it might as well stay in the block and look pretty. Your guests can ooh and ahhh over it it while you slice and dice with your Radas. That’s the biggest difference between these knives and the expensive ones with ogle factor. They are nothing to look at. The brushed aluminum handles are nice enough, though, and they provide good grip even with wet hands. Some may not like the texture, as it does not feel as nice in the hand as wood or composite. If you hand-wash them they will stay nice; you can throw them in the dishwasher but understand that the handles will oxidize and get gray and dull pretty quickly. I have not used the plastic-handled ones, but I think the aluminum gives them a little touch of class, but I doubt anyone will ever call them the Faberge eggs of knives. If you think Faberge eggs are pretty. Ergonomically they are fine. By “fine” I mean that I don’t ever think about balance or heft when I use them. They’re perfectly functional. The blades are a shade thinner than some of the more expensive knives, and flex a little more. Again, it’s never an issue and personally I prefer a bit of this, anyway. Like the handles, their finish is completely utilitarian, nothing fancy. I fully understand that for some folks, their kitchen is their pride and joy. They cook a lot and do it well, and won’t settle for anything less than the best money can buy. I get it—you’re going to spend money on your passion and that’s okay (God knows I sure do--I have fly rods so expensive I had to learn to live with one kidney. Totally worth it.). It’s why avid golfers buy carbon-fiber titanium wonder clubs that not only hit the ball better and further, they give you advice on your swing and criticize your sense of style, or why bass fishermen will buy a metal-flaked $50,000 boat loaded with ten grand’s worth of electronic equipment to chase fish that any kid with a banged-up rowboat, a cane pole, and some patience will probably catch too. That said, if you want knives that just work, buy these. The whole set is less than forty bucks, for Pete's sake. If you don’t like them you can give ‘em to your just-getting-started-in-the-real-world kid as long as you trust them with sharp pointy things. Great stuff made right here in Iowa, USA. Why buy cheap Chinese garbage when you can get quality right here?

I love how affordable these knives are. I have had many different $200-300 knife sets, and none of them have held up as well as these. My husband and I ordered this set along with the dicing knife and butcher knife, and we use them as our everyday knives. They have held up marvelously, are extremely versatile, look great in the kitchen, and the lifetime warranty doesn't hurt either. We sharpen them maybe once every 5 or 6 months- they maintain their edge unbelievably well. We keep these knives on a 17" magnetic bamboo wall strip, and they look so amazing in the kitchen. This is one of the best purchases I have ever made on Amazon. It is important to note- if you want a Rada knife set that is DISHWASHER SAFE, do NOT get the silver handled set. The black resin handles are the ones that are dishwasher safe. A lot of the poor reviews on this knife set are due to the discoloration of the silver handled knives, but that is just because people do not know how to clean them properly. The silver handles definitely require more upkeep than the black, so that is a factor to consider. For anyone that buys the silver aluminum brushed set, the best way to clean them is to use Bar Keeper's Friend powder/soap along with steel wool. This soap is great for getting rid of oxidation that will inevitably dull the color on the aluminum handles. Just sprinkle the powder on damp steel wool, put in some elbow grease, and it comes out good as new. Another important side note- if you are generally a clumsy knife user and/or are unsure with your hands, you may want to reconsider purchasing this set. These knives are VERY SHARP. They cut through veggies, meat, sponges, etc with practically no pressure whatsoever and they stay that way for years. The handles are also very smooth. I am very dexterous with my hands and fingers, and I have knicked myself a couple times. These knives are fantastic as long as you learn how to maintain them, and even then, the maintenance required for this set is extremely low when compared to more expensive knife sets. It is a great buy, and a must have for anyone who has been disappointed by other knives in the past!

I've spent 42 married years with some pretty awful knives. The thought of buying good knives just wasn't one of my priorities until several months ago, when I finally decided I had to make some kind of decision to make my kitchen experience easier. I had considered all the so-called best brands and was a little cautious about spending a fortune on a set of knives and then having to "baby" them to keep from ruining them. Just by chance, a knife discussion came up on a recipe forum I frequent, and one of my friends there said her favorite knife was a Rada paring knife that her daughter had found in an apartment she rented and gave it to her. I had never heard of Rada before. Then I spoke with my cousin's wife who had raved about her tomato knife several times in the past and had bought one for her daughter and daughter-in-law. Then I came here and read all the reviews, so I decided to take the plunge. I ordered this gift set plus six serrated steak knives, a chef's knife, an extra paring knife (all black handles), and the Rada sharpener for about $108 total (including shipping from two different vendors here). At first, I was struck by how lightweight they were, and that was a bit different for me to get used to. And the look and feel of them seems on the cheap side, but MAN, ARE THEY EVER SHARP!!!!!!!! I've cut myself three times already. lol But the slicer went right through a raw acorn squash with very little effort, when I used to have to position my Santoku knife on top and pound it down with my meat mallet! Per the reviews here, I chose the black handles. The brushed aluminum looks classier, but several people said they discolored. I did learn just last year that sodium carbonate (main ingredient in dishwashing detergent) will discolor and pit aluminum, which explains why some of my cooking utensils and lids look so tarnished. Even though I often hand-wash knives as I go, I wanted the option of putting them in the dishwasher. I could probably have gotten by with just a chef's knife and the super parer (or two). I use them constantly every day. I like the super parer over the regular parer. It is longer and seems to give me a little more leverage. I'm not sorry I have the others, though. I know they will come in handy. I reached to get one of my peelers this evening to clean some carrots and found the Rada peeler that I had totally forgotten about (was more interested in the knives when I got the set). Wow, that thing is great! Tip--don't rake the side of the blade with your finger to remove cut food particles stuck to the knife. If you must, at least rake downward instead of sideways. Trust me on this one... I am VERY pleased with my purchase and recommend them to anyone. They are inexpensive and made in the USA! Go RADA!!!!!!!

I have to update this review from a while back, it's now been 8 years since I bought this set and every knife (other than the long slicer that somehow got some burrs on it, likely from ineffective use in my college days) is still going strong. I bought this on a whim as a poor college kid because they were affordable and looked nice, but the quality is unbelievable still. The peeler, cook's knife, and tomato slicer are used on a weekly basis (I still use the cook's knife despite owning a much more expensive set of Wusthof knives that I got as a gift). It's unbelievable how well these maintain an edge; I am very bad about sharpening my knives but these really don't seem to care, they just keep working. Cannot recommend enough, especially with it being USA made. I very very very rarely review anything, but I have to say that these knives are one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. I bought them my sophomore year of college, 5 years ago, and they’re still holding strong to this day. I have since bought a much more expensive set of Wusthof knives, but all of the Rada knives outperform those knives in durability and quality. I cannot say enough how much I love these knives. I rarely need to sharpen them, but when I do, they are honestly frighteningly sharp, and they maintain that very edge for months. Highly recommend these. As a somewhat side note, the Santoku knife in this set is by far my favorite kitchen knife I’ve ever owned, it is extremely versatile, lightweight, and the wide santoku backside is useful for scooping up large amounts of cut vegetables.

My husband and I have been using RADA cutlery for decades! I am pretty sure we have every knife they make. Now that our kids are moving out, these knifes make great gifts for them. All the RADA cutlery is super sharp and later easily re-sharpened with the sharpener that they sell.

Very good quality. Very sharp. No dishwasher. It dulls them. They were recommended by a friend.

Love the knives. I received a torn box, knifes falling out. The bubble wrap kept the box somewhat secure. Box was open on all sides. I paid $80 for knives. Been looking for them for years. Ran across a video of a woman using them. Finally had the name of them and ordered immediately. Only to be disappointed by the careless packaging. Will I return them?? Nope!! Happy with the knife set but unhappy with lack of consideration for a good product. Take more pride and care in how your extremely well made products are packaged.

To be honest, I expected a little more, the handles looks cheap, like painted, but what can you expect for that price.

Excellent articles, l'information fourni est parfaite. Très contente de l'achat

These are both beautiful and functional. Great value.

Se decoloran y tienen un aspecto terrible. Solo se lavaron a mano.

I just love these knifes, just visited my mom and dad and found what I think is a knife like these in there cutlery drawer and asked my dad where it came from and he said he thinks from his parents cutlery collection. It must be 70 or more years old, must be good knifes. They are not the must comfortable in the hand because the handle is to thin but they are heavy enough as is, so I think this is the happy medium to get the quality.