As always, sturdy and beyond expected functionality, great balance in-hand and set has something for everyone. My forte' isn't baking. That's the husband, especially bread and rolls. He says the bread knife is " the best I've ever owned". And that's saying a bit--we are both in our mid-to-late sixties and have been in the kitchen since our teens. This is our first full Henckels set but have been using them individually in dribs and drabs all along. Don't wait as long as we did. They are just wonderfully crafted.