I O Shen is a relatively new knife manufacturer compared to many European and other Japanese brands who have been around for 50+ years. Started in 2004, I O Shen have nonetheless created an impressive reputation for themselves and strive to set themselves apart from the crowd with their intriguing blend of Japanese and European techniques and styles.
This 3-piece knife set is a truly beautiful set that is suitable for regular domestic chefs and even professionals. While there are many excellent knives out there, I O Shen certainly make an effort visually to give their knives a different edge (pardon the pun).
The I O Shen 3 Piece Knife Set contains:
- 21cm Chef’s knife
- Sahm Kohm Slicer
- Paring knife
This set is really ideal for an enthusiastic domestic chef looking for a set of knives that will make their preparation and cooking a lot faster and more pleasurable. They look nice, especially with I O Shen’s iconic handle aesthetics but they are actually a lot heavier than many comparable knives. For extended use this can be uncomfortable for the wrists.
>>> Click Here to see Pricing and Reviews on Amazon <<<The handles are noticeably wider and chunkier than the majority of knives I have ever used and this could be a really big problem for some people or those with fairly small hands. It’s also hard to see that the extra weight and width can be any kind of bonus as there are plenty of equally strong and strong knives out there that weigh less and come with more streamlined handles. Nevertheless, if you have big enough hands, you eventually get used to the width.
The paring knife has an unusually specific point that needs minding to not snap but it is actually extremely sharp and makes cutting some food a marvel rather than a chore. The Sahm Kohm slicer is a total pleasure to use and deals with its tarry quickly and efficiently. It has a great shape and feels very solid and reliable to handle.
The 21cm chef’s knife is the knife I prefer the most out of the three but I would still rate the Wüsthof equivalent better. Still, this chef’s knife is very good and won’t disappoint the adventurous amateur chef. This grip is great and the handle is very comfortable (if you have big hands) as the shape is nicely rounded.
The price of these knives is pretty reasonable given the quality although I could perhaps be tempted by the equivalent Global 3 piece set over these ones. Mainly because the sheer brilliance of Global is very evident in their knives and their handles are suitable for all hands. Not to mention they’re lighter. Still, if you’re looking to branch out into the world of high quality knives then this I O Shen set will certainly give you a good start.
It’s almost a shame that these don’t come with a knife block, although it’s understandable as there are only three in this set. The handles on I O Shen are one of their most stand-out features and it seems a shame to hide them away in a drawer. They are quite attention grabbing and, if nothing else, are a pleasure to use because they’re so pretty.
>>> Click Here to see Pricing and Reviews on Amazon <<<Pros
- Look great
- Rounded handles are comfortable to hold
- Good selection for a good price
Cons
- Much heavier than lots of other brands
- Wide handle makes them almost unusable for smaller hands
- Not much brand information available
Summary
In short, these are good knives for the home chef; they look nice, they’re all useful and they are blissfully sharp. However, my main issue with them is that the handles are simply too wide unless you have large hands and the knives are fairly heavy. For prolonged use, both these points could be drawbacks.
The price isn’t bad at all and this would make a good starter kit for a budding chef. If you’re looking for a real investment set at the same price or not much more, Global, Wüsthof and Richardson Sheffield all have good options to check out too. If you’re totally in love with the handle design on these I O Shen knives though, I won’t hold it against you.
>>> Click Here to see Pricing and Reviews on Amazon <<<