This is my first adventure into the more expensive side of knives and I am thoroughly impressed. This knife has a comfortable grip, balanced, and is lightweight. My previous knife set, even when new, tore meat instead of cutting it. I even sharped those knives many times and they still could not make a clean cut. This knife has been amazing and has made cooking even more fun and effortless. I look forward to adding more of the Kaizen II knives to my set.