I have used a few different set and stand alone knives. They never seemed to impress me much. BUT I purchased a J.A. Henckels 8 inch chefs knife and was so impressed with it that knew I would have to have MORE! This set is all I will ever need. I am so impressed with the self sharpening that actually works to the weight of each knife and mostly when I use one of these knives the feel of it in my hand is amazing! They feel so balanced and just so expensive! I love these knives. If you are looking for a set that will do all you need in the kitchen this is the set for you!