ProCook is a British brand that launched in 1996 and is run by an original family member of the founding business. It tends to sell through other retailers and its website and has been striving to create a name for itself among so many exceptional brands. Unlike brands such as Wüsthof, Richardson Sheffield and Global, ProCook doesn’t specialise in knives and makes many other homeware products.
This 9-piece knife block set is aimed at those totally refreshing their knife collection or starting one from new. It’s an impressively comprehensive set and for the average and enthusiastic domestic cook I doubt you’d need a type of knife not in this set! If 9-piece is just too much – there’s a 6-piece version of this too.
The ProCook Gourmet X30 Knife Set 9 Piece contains:
- 9cm Paring knife
- 13cm Utility knife
- 16cm Chef’s knife
- 16cm Santoku knife
- 18cm Cleaver
- 23cm Bread knife
- 25cm Carving knife
- 20cm Carving fork
- 25cm Sharpening steel
- Knife block
Without a doubt, this knife block has all the knives you’d reasonably need and that is a good thing, especially as they’re all very neatly presented in the knife block. It’s a great selection without looking overwhelming, which can be difficult to achieve.
The knives (and fork) have a very traditional full tang riveted design and a decent weight to them. They feel pretty solid to hold and although the bigger, more professional brands use a higher quality of steel, these blades do look good and feel strong.
I like the addition of the Santoku knife in this collection as I think it will bring this awesome knife type to the casual domestic cook who may not have used one before. The cleaver is the only item that I would say was unnecessary as these knives don’t get much use but it’s really up to your personal needs.
If you’re starting your kitchen tools afresh and are an everyday cook who likes to experiment a little then this could be a good set. I would say that if they were looked after and watched for rust, they could last a good decade at a push but there’s something about them that just doesn’t give that ‘lifetime’ impression like the Wüsthof ranges.
The handles do feature a nice, comfortable curve and offer pleasant chopping while the block is well designed and the knives fit in to their slots without any trouble. They feel like they have a good balance and I’m quite happy using them.
For those who are overwhelmed by the range here, this also comes as a 6-piece set which could well be the answer to your problems. Reasonable quality but without the unnecessary knives.
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Pros
- Affordable
- Wide selection of knives
- Nicely presented in block
- Available in a 6-piece set
Cons
- Lacks the power and longevity perhaps of more specialist brands
- Possible overkill with the selection – depending on your needs – may be better to choose the 6-piece set
Summary
I think having an excessive knife collection is pointless and if you’re buying a block with 9 knives, they better all be knives you’ll use at least twice a year. If you don’t need a cleaver…do you need this set? Should you choose the 6-piece one instead? It’s up to you and although this is a comprehensive collection for a great price, there’s no point in owning knives you won’t need. Especially when you can get a more specialist, smaller set for not much more o just the 6-piece version of this one.
For the everyday domestic cook, the quality of these should be just fine. They’re not professional level but you may well not need professional level anyway. Although these probably aren’t lifetime knives, if looked after well they should last you for a good few years plus.
If this is your price bracket and you think you’ll use the carving tools and the cleaver – then go ahead. Otherwise, I’d look at smaller collections with equal or better longevity.
>>> Click Here to see Pricing and Reviews on Amazon <<<
