Trying to decide if Wusthoff gourmet knife set (highly rated but not forged) or Heinkel four star (forged) knives would be the best purchase. They are withing $50 of each other right now.
My wife who fancies herself to be a bit of knife snob. Lol.
Shouted out Heinkel before I finished reading out your post.
They are owned by the same company. Forged is better than stamped. My recommendation is to find the level of quality you like, and then get the brand that feels the best in your hand.
Most experts on knives would suggest not buying a knife set at all. Buy individually going for the best in each type of knife. Unless you fillet fish or other specific tasks, most home chefs only need 3 knifes. Many articles on it online but here is one: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/knife-sets-scam
I know I didn’t answer your question. 
I cook daily for my family, usually pretty elaborate stuff, and of the many knives I bought over the years, I use only 2 of them 90% of the time: an 8" , and a 5". Both Japanese, not even super-expensive brands. I love them.
All other things being equal, the forged would be better than stamped. But all other things really aren’t equal with knives. Go check them out in a store where you can hold them and determine how well the handles and weight suits you, and buy the ones that feel better in your hand.
And budget for a knife sharpener as well, as even the greatest knife in the world sucks when it’s dull compared to a cheapo knife that’s just been sharpened.
I have several Wustof and I really like them but if I could go back, I’d get Heinkel. They just feel better in my hand. When I choke up on a Wustof the neck tends to dig into my fingers, Heinkel doesn’t.
I consider myself a bit of a knife snob as well… but!!! When we were moving and all our stuff was in storage, I bought a few of those cheap ceramic knives just to be able to make a few simple meals until I got my stuff back. You know what… I love them!! I thought I’d get rid of them once I had my knives back, but I actually use them more! They’re so cheap that I don’t get upset when one of my kids chip them.
The one that fits better in your hand.
I got a set of Wusthoff knives for a wedding present more than 35 years ago. The handle on the one I use most often got slightly cracked about five years ago when I dropped it one too many times, but it still works great. No complaints. Some Henckel knives are made in China according to a comment on this article. https://blog.metrokitchen.com/guides/wusthof-vs-henckels-knives/
I have 3 Wusthof also, 2 are my daily go-tos, for literally decades now.
But a family member has a ceramic and its my go-to at their house, that surprised me a lot! It stays sharp without sharpening, weird.
I agree about getting a knife sharpener. The same knife right before and right after a minute of sharpening is a huge difference.
I have some good knives that I have had for decades, some with wooden handles and some with plastic handles (but high quality plastic). The plastic holds up better through the decades. With the wooden handles you need to avoid soaking them for too long.
Does an in-home knife sharpener work as well as getting them professionally sharpened? And, Is there a danger to the knife from sharpenng it too often?
I have a combo of knives—many are from our wedding over 30 years ago. One that I bought on a whim at Sam’s Club and we all use a ton was a cheap no name Santoku style —about $7!
Agree you have to see what feels good in your hand(s). The ones that will be used are the best.
While we are talking about knives, I’m very glad we never got a knife block but have our knives in a drawer with plastic knife sheaths. Takes up less room and suits us perfectly! The sheaths have lasted decades.
I keep my knives on a magnetic metal bar on the wall. I hate knife blocks because I can never remember which knives are where and since they are in vacation homes they tend to be in different places every time.
Have you considered Global knives? I purchased mine about ten years ago (when they were a lot more expensive) and they have held up well; I sharpen them every month or so and they basically live in and out of the dishwasher. You can get a starter set at Williams Sonoma for under $300
D bought me three Wusthof knives last Christmas after being annoyed at my cheap knife assortment. New knife ritual for me is to cut the #%*! out of a finger washing them (and forgetting how crazy sharp they are).
I try to keep as little as possible on the counter and love this cork/bamboo knife dock that fits nicely in a drawer:
https://www.containerstore.com/s/deluxe-bamboo-knife-dock/d?q=cork%20knife%20holder&productId=10028653
@aMacMom that knife dock is clever!
DH has taken over 90%+ of the cooking and he hates our current knives. He did extensive research and in the end it come down to which felt best in his hand. He decided on the Wusthof Classic Ikon line. He mainly uses a SANTOKU but has also asked for some more “specialty knives” that he thinks might be useful like the Deli knife with the offset handle and the tomato knife. I think the bird beak peeling knife would be a good addition too. All the sets had some knives I know we’d never use and not the ones he wanted. @veryhappy and @thumper1 both had good things to say about the Wusthof outlet store in CT. They take phone orders and ship for $5 flat rate and their price are SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than any of the sales I found. Phone: 1-203-852-8000, Toll Free Phone: 1-800-289-9878
See post #74 on this thread
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/2164419-black-friday-2019-search-for-sales-on-specific-items-p1.html
@3scoutsmom , where did you find outlet pricing online? H has been asking for a good knife.
You have to call and ask, I spoke to Debra and she offered to give me her email address if I had a long list (mine wasn’t long) and she’d reply with prices. Of the Classic Ikon line every price she gave me was exactly $90 less than the cheapest sale price I could find. Only down side is that they just have what the factory sends them and they didn’t have some of the knives on my list. DH went to various retail stores and actually held various knives before making up his mind.