Wusthof Culinar Asian Knife Set, 2-piece

This is such a fantastic set! The santoku is superb. I use the Classic version of this knife at home -- this one has the exact same blade, and just the handle is a higher-end version, with a nice gently ergonomic shape, and an incredibly good looking and strong satin-finish stainless steel, for a lifetime of trouble-free service. The slight extra heft of the all-metal handle also makes it really well-balanced and comfortable and easy to use. In my opinion this is an excellent alternative to a Japanese knife, since the blade design really is the same as most Japanese Santoku knives (there is no bolster, and it's nice and thin and sharp) and you'll get probably 90-95% of the performance of even the best Japanese knives, but the Wusthof knives are more affordable, easier to maintain, have better warranties, and in general have better consistency in quality (fit and finish are more consistent since Wusthof has engineered their production so well). I have no hestistation in recommending this knife for yourself, or to give as a gift, and for everything from casual home use, serious home use, or for use in a professional kitchen (indeed, over the years these have been quite popular with my professional chef customers).