Knives are sharp and stay sharp for a long time. Comes with a sharpener and kitchen shears which is a great plus. I was hoping to get a Wusthof set but they didn't have the set selection that J.A. Henckels does. I don't know what the difference is anyway. All I know is that these knives get the job done: they're sharp, lightweight, have a good balance at a more sensible price.