| Ranking | Product | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercer Culinary Millennia 8-Piece Knife Roll Set |
View On Amazon | |
| 2 | Mercer Culinary Renaissance 8-Inch Forged Chef’s Knife |
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| 3 | Mercer Culinary Millennia 10-Inch Wide Bread Knife |
View On Amazon | |
| 4 | Genesis 3.5-Inch Forged Mercer Culinary Paring Knife |
View On Amazon | |
| 5 | Genesis 6-Piece Forged Mercer Culinary Knives |
View On Amazon |
You need some new knives? You’ve heard a lot about Mercer, but are not sure of their quality or which knife you ought to check out first.
Don’t Worry!
As We have done your part of hard work and provided you with a Mercer knives review and buying guide that also features some of Mercer’s most popular products and discusses their uses.
Read on to find out more about this popular brand what makes them one of the best knives on the market.
What Are Mercer Knives?
If seeking a knife or set of knives to be used in your home, restaurant kitchen or as a gift for the new culinary student, Mercer has been manufacturing quality blades for the past 30 years.
They supply cutlery to nearly 90% of the culinary schools in North America. You can also find their products in many commercial kitchens and lately, on the residential market.
While their reputation is one known to pros, the best Mercer knives are actually priced such you can afford to use them on a daily basis. Quality and affordability? Yes, it’s actually true.
Are Mercer Knives Good?
Mercer knives are constructed as you would expect any quality chef knives to be with triple rivets, forged steel and single piece construction.
All their knives will require sharpening from time to time using a steel.
Their handles are offered in a variety of materials, but all are NSF certified, easy-to-grasp and shaped for comfortable use.
They should be hand washed using warm water and a mild soap, as harsh detergents and bleach can discolor and pit the finish.
If you visit the kitchens of your favorite popular eating spot, you will probably find Mercer knives in them.
Quality For Reasonable Price
Millennia is the line that home chefs and culinary students will look to when seeking a good blade for a reasonable price.
This line is also offered with color-coded handles for ingredient dedicated preparation in a busy, commercial kitchen where best safe food-handling practices are used.
Advertised as stain-free (not stainless) and made out of high Carbon Steel, they are the best bang for your consumer dollar.
You will likely not see them sold in knife blocks, but rather as individual pieces as Mercer focuses on use rather than appearance for their products.
It’s A Culinary Student Win
Mercer does offer knife sets in a roll that mimic the high-priced professional sets but without costing a thousand dollars.
For the purpose of learning proper knife techniques, mastering your sharpening skills and developing excellent knife maintenance habits, their Millennia sets can’t be beaten.
Look:
It is not a knife set that will last beyond a few years of constant use.
But that’s what attending school is all about, learning what you really want when you leave the classroom.
Before buying for a new student, check with the requirements of the institution to make sure the right blades are purchased and avoid having to do a return.
Related reading: 13-Piece Millennia Culinary School Kit
How to Choose Mercer Knives?
Select from the line that meets your needs.
Mercer offers four lines of professional knives at different price points to satisfy the four-star chef or somebody just beginning their career.
MX3 is their premier line made out of VG-10 Japanese steel requiring the largest investment.
The Renaissance and Genesis lines both serve the segment of chef seeking a superior knife that works with their individual needs. Both are fully-forged.
Genesis has ergonomic Santoprene handles with a single rivet at the bottom. However, with the steel running the entire length of the knife, they have excellent balance for precise cutting.
The bottom line:
The Praxis and Asian collections offer attractive blades at a price that many home cooks will like, but don’t confuse these knives with the MX3 or renaissance lines.
Related article: Mercer Cutlery Knife Pack Plus Review
The Most Recommended Mercer Knifes: 5 Best Mercer Knife Reviews By Sujana Marie
1. Mercer Millennia Knives Review
Mercer Culinary Millennia 8-Inch chef’s knife is a great introduction to quality chef equipment, without spending a small fortune.
The set includes a paring knife, boning knife, Santoku, 8-inch chef, sharpening steel, bread knife and carving knife.
The set is made out of high-quality carbon steel from Japan, but is manufactured in Taiwan.
The lightweight handles are constructed out of Santoprene which is easily sanitized and NSF certified.
For an experienced chef, these are a little too light for long-term comfortable use but are an excellent set to teach a student how to care for their knives.
It also features a convenient roll with slots for each knife for safe storage and transportation.
Pros:
- Low price
- Full set of quality carbon steel knives
- NSF certified
Cons:
- Not designed to last for years and year
- Made in Taiwan
- Lightweight handle
Read Our Full Review Here
2. Mercer Renaissance Chef Knife Review
Known as the workhorse of the professional kitchen, this Mercer Culinary Renaissance 8-Inch Forged Chef’s Knife is constructed of high-quality German carbon steel.
The single piece of steel runs the entire length of the knife, including the handle.
This helps the chef maintain a superior balance of the blade while chopping.
Durable handle is made out of Delrin and is NSF certified for use in commercial kitchens. It takes a little effort to maintain a blade of this quality.
You should not run it through the dishwasher, use bleach or leave it to soak. Even washing it in a stainless steel sink can cause discoloration over time.
However, for a moderate price, you should enjoy long-lasting performance with this purchase.
Pros:
- Single piece construction runs full length of blade
- NSF certified
- Excellent balance
Cons:
- Requires hand washing and particular maintenance
- Single blade costs as much as economical home kitchen set
Read Our Another Full Review Of Mercer Chef Knie Here
3. Mercer Bread Knife Review
There’s nothing as frustrating as trying to slice through a loaf of crusty bread and end up with a pile of crumbs and squished pieces.
You need a quality blade made out of carbon steel that maintains its serrated edge and has enough heft to cut a loaf without complaint.
Better yet, you don’t want to spend a fortune. That’s what this Mercer Culinary 10-Inch Wide Bread Knife accomplishes.
There’s almost no downside to this piece, except it does not come with a sheath.
It is constructed such that the blade and serrations work for both left and right-handed cooks. The blade is listed as stain-free, not stainless.
If you wash and dry it by hand, it should maintain its beautiful finish for years to come.
Chefs swear by their Mercer knives. You can, too!
Pros:
- Handle and serrations function for both lefties and righties
- Slices through crusty bread without flattening loaf
- NSF certified handle resists build-up of germs
Cons:
- No cover/sheath included
- Hand wash and dry required
Read Our Full Review Here
4. Mercer Culinary Genesis Paring Knife Review
When seeking a small knife to be used for precise cuts in the preparation of fruits, vegetables and decoration, the Genesis paring knife is perfect for the job.
The small forged steel blade is shaped to help the chef create stunning designs in an easily manipulated piece.
The non-slip Santoprene handle ensures it won’t fly out of your hand when focused on carving a centerpiece.
The price is very affordable and this is an excellent blade to start your quality knife collection with, as it won’t break the bank.
The small blade can be a little more difficult to create the perfect edge on and it must be hand-washed to avoid pitting or discoloration.
Pros:
- Versatile size helps create stunning garnishes
- Non-slip handle
- Good price to start collection
Cons:
- Small size can be difficult to sharpen
- Requires maintenance
- Hand wash only
Related article: Mercer culinary Genesis 6-Piece
5. Mercer Forged Knife Block Set Review
It’s a beautiful kitchen knife set to display on your modern kitchen counter.
This set includes a handsome glass block that holds five knives including a 3 1/2-inch paring knife, a 5-inch utility knife, an 8-inch chef’s knife, an 8-inch bread knife, and a 6-inch boning knife.
Unlike a magnetic knife holder, the glass block protects fingers from sharp edges while still displaying your kitchen utensils.
Manufactured out of German 50 Cr Mo V15 steel but made in Taiwan, these knives will hold a sharp edge and feature single piece construction.
Pros:
- Beautiful glass knife block
- Good price for set of quality cutlery
- Nice German steel
Cons:
- Block only fits five knives
- Made in Taiwan
- Lacks riveted handle
Another Mercer Forged knife Set Review Here
Which One is The Best Mercer Knives?
If you are shopping for your new culinary student, the Mercer Culinary Millennia 8-Piece Knife Roll Set includes all the blades they will need for classes without costing you a small fortune.
If you simply wish to add a top quality knife to your kitchen collection that will last, the Mercer Culinary Renaissance 8-Inch Forged Chef’s Knife is an excellent piece with a sharp edge created out of German carbon steel.
We hope you have enjoyed reading our Mercer knives review and buying guide and that it helped you make your final choice when adding the best Mercer Knives to your professional or home kitchen.
