My wife and I were gifted this set and I have to say that I am extremely impressed. The knives come out of the box with a good balance and edge to them, and the sharpening steel makes it a snap to keep those edges sharp, granted that you even need to use it with how well the knives keep their edge! This is a good starter set that has all of the essential knives to do any task in the kitchen! This set is a must have for all households!