Product reviewed: Shun Kanso 3-Piece Block Set
When I fell deeper in love with cooking, my heart grew fonder of knives. My appreciation for knives further escalated after taking a couple of knife skills classes. One of the biggest takeaways I learned is never to chop. For example, imagine chopping green onions and the knife repeatedly slamming against the cutting board. Instead, you should use a circular, fluid, slicing motion with knives, taking advantage of the back of the blade for the majority of the cutting work. My love for knives is why I was so thrilled to review the Shun Kanso 3-Piece Block Set!
The set includes the Shun Kanso 8-inch Chef’s Knife and a honing steel (a must-have tool to maintain a sharp edge on knives). Both the knife and honing steel fit in a bamboo Slimline Block with slots for four more additions to your knife collection. The block is compact and doesn’t take up much valuable counter space.
Based on Zen philosophy, Kanso is a design principle meaning “simplicity” — but a simplicity that is achieved by eliminating the non-essential. In Shun’s Kanso series of products, the knives are manufactured by taking away anything that doesn’t matter and keeping only what does: high-performance steel, a razor-sharp edge, perfect balance and precision cutting control.
My first impression of the chef’s knife was that it is extremely light compared to other chef’s knives I own. The knife has a razor-sharp edge making cutting easy. I also noticed the knife’s appearance right away: It has a beautiful finish that hides scratches and gives the knife a rustic appearance.
I love how the handle feels in my hand. It has a comfortable grip, and the full-tang construction provides strength, balance and cutting control. But my favorite feature of the knife is that it’s sharpened to a 16-degree cutting angle on each side to cut cleanly and help food cook evenly. Amazing!
The Shun Kanso 8-inch Chef’s Knife and honing steel would be great for anyone from an at-home cook to a professional chef. Truly, this is an essential type of knife that every person should own.
(If you are recommending it to patients or clients, be sure to cover basic safety, since these knives are extremely sharp.)
I highly recommend the Shun Kanso 3-Piece Block Set to anyone I know, or as a gift for someone interested in upping their knife game!
