Mercer Culinary M21078 Genesis 8-Inch Short Bolster Chef's Knife,Black

Brilliant knife! My partner has a set at his house, and as a traveling medical professional who cooks more rarely, I purchased this as my one-and-done. Easy to hone, sharp, and durable (my partner has had his for over 10 years), I find it the perfect size to cut just about anything I need- not too small and not too large; this is the most versatile knife for a functional minimalist kitchen.

Did not disappoint I have one and bought this for my son. He fell in love. Raved about how well it handled sharpness comfort of use. It is my go to knife Great quality

Great buy for the money. The handle is perfect... Get it.

Great gift for the budding line cook. No bolster makes it much more comfortable to hold than your average chefs knife.

I started doing a lot more cooking during the quarantine. Or maybe instead of cooking, I should say "cutting raw ingredients and heating them in the oven to make them edible". My signature dishes are chicken, steak, and roasted vegetables. You heard me right: vegetables. It turns out they taste pretty good when you roast them and add a little bit of seasoning.Previously, I had a very cheap chef serrated knife that I bought from the grocery store. Food preparation involved a lot of vigorous hacking and sawing. At some point it dawned on me that my knife was super dull and it was dangerous to be using my other hand anywhere in its vicinity. So I put on my consumer hat to find the perfect chef's knife. After some research, I decided to avoid getting a knife with a full bolster or serrated edge because of the potential to interfere with sharpening. I decided that a Japanese style knife would likely be too expensive. For German-style knives, something like a Wusthof would also be out of my price range.The Mercers eventually stood out because they are a respected brand, and have some highly rated offerings at budget price points. Specifically, it was between this knife (the Mercer Genesis) and the Mercer Millennia. I chose the Genesis because of the forged construction and full tang, so it has a more premium look and might be more durable over time.The difference between the Genesis and my old knife has been like night and day. Out of the box, the Genesis was like a freaking light saber; anything I threw in front if it, it cut with barely any effort. I became even more worried about cutting myself than I was before, so I try to be extremely careful whenever I am handling it. The handle is very comfortable, and the weight feels very well balanced. The blade has a high quality look to it, and shows no signs of rust or discoloration so far. Along with the knife, I picked up a cheap honing steel, and have been using it every time I use the knife. After about a month of daily use, the edge is still very usable but not as light saber-like as it was initially. At some point, I'll pick up a set of whetstones and have a go at them.So far I am very pleased with this purchase. If you are looking for your first real chef's knife, I would say to definitely consider Mercer's lineup:- the Genesis if you can justify spending around $40.- the Culinary Renaissance looks to be even a little nicer at around $50.- the Millennia at around $20.- the Culinary Ultimate is currently around $12 if you're really hard up.There are a large number of other highly rated (and very nice looking) alternatives on Amazon under $40 if you are less concerned about brand recognition.

In almost every review of "best chef's knife", you'll see the Victorinox Fibrox come out on top, which has me convinced those reviews must be sponsored. I bought one based off those recommendations and was entirely underwhelmed by how cheap the stamped blade looked and how flimsy and insecure the plastic handle felt in my hand. Searching for a better replacement in the same price range, I came across the Mercer Genesis and can confidently state that THIS is the knife everyone should buy in the value-priced segment.Everything about the knife is just better. The handle is phenomenal. It fits the palm of your hand very well, and it's reassuringly grippy without ever being tacky like rubber. Also, while the forged steel blade is admittedly a hair softer than the stamped blade of the Fibrox, it simply looks better. That's a completely subjective opinion but, hey, sometimes aesthetics are important. The knife does weigh ~2 more ounces than the Fibrox. I find the slightly greater heft aids on cutting and gives me more control, but some people may prefer something a little lighter.As for the reviews stating their knife has rusted, I know exactly why it happened: they put their knife in the dishwasher, which we all know you shouldn't do, right? Wait, you don't put your kitchen knives in the dishwasher, do you??? Besides the general knocking around that happens during a wash cycle, the chemicals in dishwasher detergent are highly aggressive and can cause pitting, which leads to rust. Don't put your knives in the dishwasher, folks!Overall, this has been my go-to kitchen knife for the past 2 years. I find myself reaching for it far more often than other, much more expensive, knives in my knife block. I keep the more expensive knives around for specialty applications, only. The Fibrox has gone into the utensil drawer (with a blade protector, though, because I'm not a savage) and I haven't looked at it ever since.