Chefs Knife Review: Henckels TWIN Pro-S Chef’s Knife
Henckels TWIN Pro-S Chef’s Knife
Germany and France meet again. This is a traditional French chef’s knife, with a wide blade and curved leading edge but from Henckels, one of Germany’s oldest knife makers. How old? Try 1731, when Peter Henckels registered the familiar twin logo with the Solingen Cutler’s Guild. J. A. Henckels opened their doors as a small outlet in Berlin in 1818 and now boast a staff of over 3,000 worldwide.
To clear any confusion between this knife and less-expensive Henckels you might see at, say, Target: J.A. Henckels International is the “value” brand of Zwilling J.A. Henckels. The value brand company itself has been around since 1895, so these people know their knives.
The Henckels Twin Professional S line contains knives for all tasks including a parer, bread, utility, carving, santoku, etc. and the chef’s comes in a 6, 8 or 10 inch version. This review is on the 10-inch, which may be perhaps better suited to larger chefs, or at least the chef that prefers using a larger knife. Make no mistake, this is one big knife.
The Pro S handles are also heavier and carry more of the weight towards the rear of the knife. The steel used is the same as in the 4 and 5-Star lines. The welding process that Henckels uses combines 3 different types of steel into a single piece, so the knives have very sharp edges yet also boast superior stain-resistance. Henckels makes the claim that the welds themselves are stronger than the actual steel.
The TWIN Pro-S steel is also hardened through a process called Friodur ice hardening, in which the finished knife blades are immersed in liquid nitrogen to increase blade strength.
Click here to check out current prices on the Henckels Pro-S Chef’s Knife.
Henckels TWIN Pro-S Chef’s Knife Features
- Sturdy, heavy knife with a broad, strong blade to improve cutting-edge retention
- High-carbon, no-stain steel blade designed with a laser-controlled edge
- Synthetic, 3-rivet Novodur full tang handle for long-lasting durability
- Sigmaforge one-piece construction providing improved stability of the blade and steel.
- Friodur ice hardening process to improve steel hardness
- Made in Germany by company with over 280 years of experience
- Lifetime Warranty
Henckels TWIN Pro-S Chef’s Knife Reviews
At Best Chefs Knife we found many accolades online with lots of satisfied customers heaping praise on the Pro-S Chef’s Knife as a good investment. This is in part perhaps due to the great lineage the Zwilling J.A. Henckels’ name brings. When you manufacture products for nearly 300 years, you get pretty good at it. When you offer a lifetime guarantee-well, even better.
Numerous people added credibility to the company’s good name with many positive reviews. A great number expressed their satisfaction in the overall “feel” of the knife with regards to weight and balance. They stated that the knife feels right: not too light, not too heavy and has a substantially sharp edge. All agreed the 10-inch is a very large knife and several made a note to say that it certainly requires a larger cutting board.
A reviewer commented on how very convenient is was to slice hard cheeses from a large wedge which an 8-incher sometimes would be too small. At Best Chefs Knife we don’t slice up a lot of big cheese wedges but we definitely like a larger knife for our summertime watermelons.
We noted, however, that several recognized that this large size led to a bit of the weight being shifted into the blade rather into the rear of the knife. However, a few comments stated the exact opposite-remarking the solid handle added too much weight to the back end and was much heavier than a Wusthof. We think this is largely due to the 10-inch blade difference from most users experience with 8-inch chef knives.
One reviewer that grabbed out attention was a professional chef for over 15 years and had owned the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro-S for 26 years. They remarked that it was extremely versatile and could handle any job from fine chopping to thin slicing as well as prepping meats and fish. Our attention was caught by the fact that they still use it daily at home.
The reviewers were fairly unanimous in their appreciation for the entire line of Henckel products and overall design of the 10-inch. However, one negative we discovered commented on the fact that the spine of the 10-inch is noticeably thinner than the spine of the 8-inch. They felt this made the spine edge too sharp and that it opened the possibility of cutting yourself depending on your grip. We feel that with the proper chef’s grip of pinching at the bolster would eliminate that possibility.
Hot Chef Knives Recommendation
Therefore, at Hot Chef Knives we are satisfied with recommending the Henckels TWIN Pro-S Chef’s Knife to our readers. It is well balanced and solid to hold without being too heavy. Even though the 10-inch is larger than typical, the weight is just right: not so light you can’t control it but also not so heavy that you cannot work fast. Given the incredible experience and history behind the Zwilling J.A. Henckels name we feel the lifetime warranty is certainly worth the price paid.
Just think: In 1731, Benjamin Franklin opened the first library in the United States and Henckels was already making knives. Interesting…
We have found Amazon.com to have the best prices on chef’s knives including the Henckels Pro-S. Click here to check it out.
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Tags: Henckels Pro-S Chef's Knife
5 Comments at "Chefs Knife Review: Henckels TWIN Pro-S Chef’s Knife"
These are great knives to use, however the so called lifetime guarantee is not worth the paper it is written on. I had one knife fail when a section of the blade broke whilst cutting a potatoe. The Australian distributer claimed it was not due to a faulty knife. I know the truth and I had to jump through hoops just to lodge a claim. I now have a set of Wustoff’s and are more than happy. Especially as get free lifetime sharpening. Never buy a HENKEL AGAIN.
These are excellent knives that I’ve used for over 15 years.I would highly recommend them. I also had an experience snapping a tip off, one due really to my own fault, trying to force a large joint apart instead of reaching for a clever and had a new one on the way to me before I even had a chance to return the damaged one. So I considered that exceptional service.
Hi BIll-
Yes, and that’s something you certainly don’t get with cheap knives. People all too quick forget about longevity in this “disposable” world we’re in right now. The best knives are real investments, that’s for sure.
Hi, I also have a broken knife. Where is contact info for warranty replacement?
Hi Lisa-
Do you have a Henckels? If so , you should visit an authorized dealer in the US first before sending the knife in. Go to their US website at J.A. Henckels and click on “Find Retailers” to locate one close to you. The same link can provide you with contact info as well.
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