Wüsthof Gourmet 11-Piece Knife Block Set, Beech Wood

First real knife block I've ever bought. The wood is solid, the knives are sharp as hell, and I love how they left slots free so you could go out and add the knives specific for your cooking needs. All around a high quality starter block for your amateur chef.

After years of using budget knives, I finally decided to upgrade my kitchen setup with the Wusthof Gourmet Knife Set, and I’m so glad I did! Having lived in Germany for several years, I became deeply familiar with the rich history of German knife makers. The craftsmanship and precision that goes into German knives is legendary, and Wusthof is no exception. I was able to snag these on a Black Friday sale, and the value is outstanding. While these aren't the premium, hand-forged Wusthof knives, they are made from high-quality German steel and are built to last. The blades sharpen beautifully and, with just a quick honing, they maintain their sharpness effortlessly. What I love most about these knives is how low-maintenance they are. They are dishwasher safe, which is a huge bonus for me. The handles are made of premium quality materials that feel fantastic in the hand, with a solid, secure grip that gives me full confidence while using them. The set comes in a sturdy wooden block, with a few extra openings for expanding your knife collection over time—an added bonus if you're planning to add more knives in the future. Overall, I am confident that these knives will last me a lifetime, and I couldn’t be happier with my purchase. If you’re looking for a reliable, high-quality knife set that will serve you for many years, I highly recommend the Wusthof Gourmet. You won’t regret it!

Great knives cut my finger day 1 room for 5 more!

I'm no expert, but these seem to be pretty good knives. That said, I didn't realize they were lighter weight than the Wüsthoff Classic line, which are heavier and cost about twice as much as these, so I was a bit disappointed when these came. Still, I can't really fault these Gourmet knives; they're sharp and cut well and seem to handle nearly as well as the more expensive ones. It's just that if you have experience with both, these feel a bit cheap.

Nice looking wood block and sharp knifes to do all my vegetable slicing. My favorite one is the bread knife. Still trying to figure out how best to use the honing tool. I wish I would have boughten this nice set long ago instead of buying all those cheap knifes.

It's what I expected from a quality, and reputable manufacturer. Block was individually wrapped tightly to protect it during transit, as was all the knives in their own wrapping. I was reluctant to purchase due to it's price, but you do get what you pay for, and I'm glad I paid for this set. I naively thought the knife set I was previously using was adequate for me; what I didn't realize was how much I was 'forcing' the knives to cut/serrate. With this Wüsthof knife set, the effort seems, effortless. The knives feel comfortable and sturdy to use, giving me confidence, and a better sense of safety. I prefer to handwash these, as it can only add to their longevity. I haven't used the honing steel, haven't had to yet, but I'm sure it will work as intended, just like each individual piece in the set. And, btw, I am not a chef or anything like that, I just need to cook, and I'm enjoying how this knife set makes me feel when I'm using them.

The knives are decent quality with a very good blade. The edge is razor sharp. Cutting is a pleasure. The selection of knives however is seriously lacking. I wish it didn’t include the four steak knives or count the knife block as an item. It’s actually only 5 knives and a few accessories. Some of the best knives I’ve ever used but disappointed in the knife selection.

This is my first set of premium knives and I am very pleased with them. I have owned them for 2 months and still have a very sharp edge. Cooking is much easier with a knife that cuts smoothly. My old knives would not hold an edge and I got tired of repeated sharpening. So these are overall a time saver, even though they need hand washing. I would have liked 2 more steak knives, but did not want the bigger set, (which was not on Sale). I have since bought the Santoku knife and a carving knife to complete the set. Overall the knives are a little lighter than I would have liked, but I am getting used to it. I couldn't justify the extra cost of the Forged version. I think that these will be fine, and hold up to many sharpenings. If I was a chef and used them all day - I would definitely consider the forged. The thicker blade would hold up better and take more sharpening. But considering my use case, I think that this is in the sweet spot. I had also considered Japanese steel knifes, but I understand that they can be brittle as a trade off for the harder steel. A chipped knife was not something that I wanted to risk. Finally, do your research. There are so many brands with similar names, and similar lines. Way too easy to miss the fine print that the particular set that you are considering was not made in Germany, (but Prominently display things like, "German Inspired" or "German Steel", etc. I have had my share of Chinese knife sets with substandard steel that rusts and won't hold an edge. Don't pay for the name, dig into the specifications a bit. I am very happy with my choice and expect that they will continue to perform well for many years.