Mercer CulinaryM23506 Renaissance, 6-Inch Chef's Knife

I've got some fairly expensive Shun and Wusthoff and Zwilling chef's knives, but for single-serving meals this 6 inch knife is by far my favorite. When just doing a quick chop of a single veggie, it fits perfectly well on my smaller cutting boards and offers a little bit more control than a larger knife.The blade doesn't feel flimsy or too heavy (like most of my Wusthoffs). The grip is very comfortable, not too heavy, not too light, not bulky at all, and not square-edged and uncomfortable (like some of my Zwillings).Out of the package, it's razor sharp and after several months of use, all it needs is a quick pass on a honing rod to restore that.It honestly makes me regret spending so much on some of my other knives. I could have several more of these Mercer's for what I spent on those.

Holds its edge well and has a great in hand feel. Plan on buying the full set.

I was waiting for this knife to go on sale and it finally did. My score!! I highly recommend!

It really is a great knife. The hand feel is great in the hand and feels good in the hand. The balance of the knife is feels pretty good in the hand and it cuts like a wet dream. The blade steel is actually pretty decent but I have yet had to sharpen it so don't know how well it sharpens up yet.

Very sharp, lightweight, yet good balance. Perfect for the smaller chopping jobs, such as scallions, asparagus, etc. would buy again.

Good little knife. Holds edge, nice n sharp.

TLDR: If you know how to sharpen and maintain your knife, this line from Mercer is one of the best value around.I have a couple decades of experience cooking professionally, from prep cook all the way to executive chef position at various establishments. My knife collection ranges from inexpensive flea market finds to top tier commercial brands to custom handmade knives.This line of knives from Mercer is easily the best value around if you know how to put a convex edge and know how to maintain through regular stropping and honing.The steel strikes a great balance between edge retention, ease of sharpening/maintenance, and durability. If the steel has really high strength, it will hold an edge longer but is more prone to chipping and can be more difficult to sharpen. If it’s too soft, it is very easy to sharpen and get a razor edge, but will require frequent resharpening. This knife occupies that sweet spot of being easy enough to sharpen and maintain while being tough enough to hold an edge for a reasonable amount of use/time before maintenance is needed.

Blade is a bit thinner than I'm used to and the factory edge was kinda blah but after running it over my 400 & 1200 whetstone it is quite sharp. If this holds an edge I will be happy.