In the never-ending search for quality and value, one is constantly balancing the promise of quality and care that accompanies established premium brands with the economy, but unknown quality, of new and less-entrenched products. Often consumers gamble on budget product, only later realizing that they really got just as much as, if not less than they paid for. In the end, they either continue to replace low-quality products with more low-quality products, or, they finally purchase the higher-priced brands they were trying to avoid. Fortunately, Saber knives are a rare exception to this oft-lamented dilemma, offering a significant amount of quality at a very attractive value.
Saber’s stated goal is to create quality German-style kitchen cutlery that can rival the best offerings of established brands like Wusthof or Henckels’ Twin logo series, but without the premium price tag. Initial reviews of the Saber Working Chef’s set indicate that in many respects, they have achieved this goal. The Working Chef’s set contains a total of 10 knives plus a honing steel, all securely contained in an attractive, heavy-duty professional-style knife bag. The bag uses rigid polymer sheaths to hold the knives snugly in place, and although not indestructible, they should be much more resistant to cuts and tears than the fabric and Velcro straps one often finds in pro knife bags.
The knives have a very similar weight and look to the Wusthof Classic or Henckels Pro-S, with the exception that every knife has a hollow-ground edge. Fully-forged blades of premium German steel and full-tang, triple-riveted polypropylene handles gave the knives a comforting, sturdy substantiality in the hand. Most of the knives are very well-balanced at or near the bolster, even the longer and heavier knives like the 10” chef’s knife. Although the handles are a little bit boxier and the bolsters not as smoothly tapered to the blade as on the Wusthof Classic, they presented no discomfort at all during use. The only thing that detracts from the overall presentation is the printed slogan on each blade: “Not Just Sharp; Chef Sharp!”. Saber should remove that logo if they want to their knives to have the gravitas of their more established German competitors.
Right out of the box, the knives displayed an impressive edge, cutting all but the toughest and most fibrous foods easily and cleanly. Finely dicing a whole onion proved to be a nearly tearless experience using the 8” chef’s knife, indicating a smooth and well-polished edge. The bread knife made quick work of slicing a large, crusty loaf of Italian bread, producing few crumbs in the process, and the slippery but sinewy texture of chicken thighs melted away before the edge of the boning knife. Chefs and serious cooks both professional and amateur will appreciate the inclusion of a 10” chef’s knife, which is especially efficient for chopping or mincing large items like squash or large piles of vegetables or herbs, and a 10” ham slicer, perfect for carving and serving roasted meats. The remaining knives, a paring, a 4” and 6” utility, and 7” santoku, all have the same sharpness and sturdy construction. My only quibble is that with the 10” ham slicer, the 8” carving knife seems extraneous. Perhaps in its place, a working chef might have more use for a meat cleaver?
Saber knives are made in China, a decision calculated to reduce the price point of the knives. But they appear not to scrimp on quality when it comes to actual materials and processes. The knives are made of high-quality, high-carbon German steel, and are fully forged and tempered to a demonstrably similar level of performance as other premium German brands. The 8” chef, the workhorse of the set, was used for heavy chopping and mincing for several days in a row, after which the edge was still sharp and smooth enough to shave hair off this reviewer’s forearm. In a more punishing test, the 7” santoku was abused with several minutes of vigorous chopping and slicing on steel and tile countertops (horrible treatment for any knife), and was still able to chiffonade basil leaves with only barely noticeable bruising of the herbs. Subsequently, a few passes on the honing steel were sufficient to restore the edge. Finally, the santoku was purposely blunted well past the point of usability (by grinding the edge head-on into a whetstone). Within 10 minutes of sharpening on the stone, the knife edge was once again shaving- sharp. Lastly, the long-suffering santoku was soaked overnight in a basin of soapy water to replicate the indignity of being left in the sink with the dirty dishes, then it was allowed to air-dry in the dishdrain. No ill effects were seen in the handle, but one minuscule spot of oxidization appeared on the blade. Take note: Like all good cutlery, these knives should be hand washed ONLY and never allowed to soak or air-dry.
Although nothing reveals the true quality of a knife like the test of time, Saber’s Working Chef set has so far performed remarkably, promising a high enough level of performance that, at this price, they could give the Germans a run for their money. I’ll be eager to see what happens.
You can buy Saber Knives direct from the Saber Knife Store
May 8, 2011 | Posted by 
Categories: Knife Set Reviews | 
Tags: kitchen cutlery, lucky winner, quality product, retail value, signature dish, soligen | 
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