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Mercer Knives Review: All The Things You Should Know About Them – [2022 Edition]

Mercer is a big name when it comes to knives. However, not everyone knows this brand thoroughly. In this Mercer knives review, let’s find out about it with Battersby. We will help you to know the different types of Mercer knives. Plus, let’s find out the company’s top 5 best-selling kitchen knives.

In-depth Mercer Knives Review 2022

1. Mercer Culinary M23510 – Best for All-rounder Knife

Product highlights

This is the best chef knife from Mercer culinary. As with other Mercer models, the product meets quality and safety standards. Which means you can expect long-term use if you want to use this chef’s knife.

The material of the knife is high carbon stainless steel. The knife is specially forged to keep the edge and surface durable for a long time. They designed the edge as a ground taper. So its edge allows sharpness for a long time.

With a 15 degree angle, the knife works very well. The Delrin handle is durable and won’t crack or come into contact even after heavy use. The knife has a short stopper. So you can use the entire edge of the blade while slicing cabbage or larger fruit.

The triple studs indicate a full tang blade that extends at the end of the handle. Provided with all kinds of safety protection, Renaissance cutlery requires very low maintenance.

Pros

  • High carbon German steel.
  • Anti corrosion and rust-free.
  • High quality chef knife.
  • Thin and razor-sharp edge.
  • Short bolster and full tang.
  • Triple rivets bring safety and high quality.
  • Easy to grip handle.

Cons

  • Not dishwasher-safe.

Bottom line

Everything about this knife is special. Mercer Culinary guarantees the best professionals to manufacture this forged kitchen knife. Preference for all kitchen and knife enthusiasts. They made the knives more carefully and maintained all strict rules. Even the knife is NSF certified, confirming that the knife is safe and of high quality.

The definition of quality, safety and performance. The Mercer Culinary M23510 Renaissance Forged Knife is highly recommended for you.

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2. Mercer Culinary Genesis Knife – Best for Complete Knife Set

Product highlights

The transparent glass knife block is my favorite part. This glass block will help you keep your knives organized. It will also help you locate the right knife quickly. Without the hassle and guesswork of using a wooden knife case or ordinary chisel.

The material of the blade is top-quality premium German carbon stainless steel. Which means the blade will stay sharper in the long run. You won’t need to sharpen them more often than with other blade materials.

The ergonomic handle makes it easy to hold the knife even with wet hands. Making it safer to use and helping to avoid accidents when cooking.

Knives come with a latch. A handy feature that not only creates the perfect balance between the blade and the handle. But also a safety feature that helps keep your fingers from slipping in the path of the blade knife.

Pros

  • The handle is comfortable to grab.
  • Full action with amazing balance.
  • The tapered ground edge is easy to honing.
  • Lifetime warranty.
  • Tempered glass knife block offers a luxurious feel.

Cons

  • The blades tend to have yellow and rust spots.

Bottom line

Consider the Mercer Culinary Genesis set for a high quality set. We believe that Mercer Culinary knives will not let you down. Everything you need for the kitchen is in this knife set. And their luxurious appearance will make everyone admire them.

3. Mercer Culinary Millennia Bread Knife – Best for Tight Budget

Product highlights

The Amazon’s Choice bread knife, the Mercer Culinary Millennia. With a super sharp Japanese steel blade, it is a basic serrated knife. 

Thanks to the textured handle, which is easy to grip without slipping, this is a safer slicing option. Mercer Culinary Millennia glides through breads and soft fruits like butter and doesn’t require much force. 

While its 10-inch length may seem too long, the long blade makes it easier than ever to cut through the widest part of a large cake and cut it into layers. And because the blade is thin and light, it is easy to maneuver.

This is an NSF certified knife. Which means it is also suitable for use in commercial kitchens. You can clean it with ease too. The handle has non-slip textured finger points and a finger guard.

Mercer Culinary M23210 Millennia 10-Inch Wide Wavy Edge Bread Knife, Black

4 new from $24.40
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as of April 10, 2024 3:24 pm

Pros

  • Good value for the money.
  • High quality knives.
  • Wide blade.
  • Thin and sharp blade.
  • NSF certified.

Cons

  • It might be hard to control.

Bottom line

But note that the wider, deeper serration on this knife gives you a little less control. This results in thick slices and may not have perfect edges. 

With that said, you can’t beat it for value, and if you’re not fanatical about accuracy when it comes to slicing crispy bread, this knife is a great choice.

4. Mercer Culinary Genesis Santoku Knife – Best for Home Chefs

Product highlights

While home chefs have a wide variety of knives to choose from. NSF-certified knives are most likely to be in the kitchens of your favorite restaurants. 

These Mercer Genesis Culinary knives are NSF certified. But still appealing enough for a household knife set. It features a Santoprene handle for a secure, comfortable grip. And a 7-inch blade made from rust- and corrosion-resistant German steel. 

The Mercer Genesis knives have a full tang for better balance and a longer sharpened edge. Granton edges help food not stick, for easier cutting and slicing.

Pros

  • Ergonomic Santoprene handle.
  • Rust and corrosion resistant.
  • Well balanced blades.
  • Sharp edge retention.
  • The knives you need in the kitchen.

Cons

  • No knife guard provided.

Bottom line

Mercer is killing it these days for great performance at a low cost. And its santoku knife is no slouch. As one of the most affordable knives we’ve tested. Mercer Genesis’s blades outperform many knives that cost more than twice as much. 

For the price, you can also get one. It’s the perfect knife for guests who want to help in the kitchen. 

Related: Best Knife Set under 100

5. Mercer Culinary M23500 – Best for Versatile Use

Product highlights

The Renaissance knife set from Mercer Culinary is quite similar to the Genesis set reviewed above. Again, you get all the cutlery essentials. Including a Chef’s knife, Paring knife, Utility Knife, Bread Knife and Paring Knife, plus a tempered glass knife block. This is one of the most modern knife blocks we’ve seen in this price range.

They made the blades in the Renaissance set from heat-treated X50 Cr Mo V15 steel. What is unique about this material is the efficiency it offers. As it is strong enough to hold its shape and withstand falls and accidents while being soft enough to resist chipping. 

It is also fairly easy to maintain and polish. And besides being stain and rust resistant, it is suitable for both home and professional use.

Pros

  • Triple-riveted knife set.
  • Transparent tempered glass knife block.
  • Excellent balance.
  • Long-lasting sharpness.
  • Lifetime warranty.

Cons

  • It needs special maintenance and care.

Bottom line

These knives can protect your hands as you swing the blade around. Forged blades have superior balance and durability compared to stamped ones. The Renaissance collection is a real bargain for the price for this.

While these blades are razor-sharp on the right side of the box, you should note that they won’t hold the edge forever. So it’s essential to keep the sharpener nearby.

Buying Guides

When learning about Mercer knives review, we see that Mercer Cutlery may not be as appealing as knives from brands like Shun. But each knife is well-crafted, comfortable, and ready-to-use in the professional kitchen. 

They are the perfect tool for learning how to use your knives. Because you get more experienced, you can pick up a 62 HRC + carbon knife. However, in the meantime the easy care, comfortable handle and high quality stain resistant steel of the knives. This Mercer knife will be very good.

mercer knives review battersby 1

Mercer Genesis vs Renaissance knives review

1. Types of Mercer knives

Renaissance

Learning about Mercer knives review, you will see that Mercer Culinary’s Renaissance Series knives are undoubtedly one of the most popular knives in their lineup. These knives use a common German steel, similar to high end knives. 

They forged the Mercer Renaissance knives. And triple riveted for added durability. They are very nice western style knives with a shortening pin for a great price! 

It checks all the boxes when thinking about a good, high-quality knife. There really isn’t a shortage of anything, except perhaps a big brand name.

Genesis

In our opinion, the Mercer Culinary Genesis Series is the best knife line! And, I think most consumers agree as it is clearly popular based on online customer reviews. 

For what you’re getting, it’s hard to believe the price is so low! They made the Genesis blades from X50CrMoV15, a top German steel. 

They are precision forged and have full support, which is great for balance and handling. These knives are very important in your hand. The handle is unique and made of Santoprene, providing a good, non-slip grip.

MX3 series

Mercer’s MX3 Series knives are a special series made specifically for Japanese inspired knives. The MX3 knife uses Japanese super VG-10 steel. They precisely forged it with a black and full Delrin handle. 

The material of these blades are steel just like what you would expect to see. There is nothing “cheap” about this knife. But the price is about 30-50% lower than many similar knives made by Mercer competitors.

ZuM Series

The sleekest and most elegant of Mercer knives, the Züm line focuses on minimalist design and superb ergonomics. That starts with the delicately molded Delrin handle. Even when it is wet, a synthetic material that provides excellent grip. 

This complements and balances the blade, forged from a single piece of high carbon stainless steel. Add in a round spike that bends into a precise point and you have a range of knives that are both versatile and beautiful.

Millennia

Mercer’s Millennia Series knives price is very low. The quality is not as high as others, but they’re not junk either. The Millennia series is a perfect example of a “starter” knife. They stamped the blades with cheap Japanese steel (X30Cr13). 

They made the handles from polypropylene. They come in several different color options. Note, this is NOT a full tang (3/4). If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, perhaps these are the best cheap kitchen knives for you.

Praxis

Mercer Culinary’s Praxis Series knives are another exceptional knife. They all made these knives with natural rosewood handles. 

Aside from the handle material, these are essentially the same knives, or at least the blades, as the more popular Millennia line offers. They use the same stamped Japanese X30Cr13 steel. Unless you really like rosewood handles, these offer the least value to the consumer of any Mercer knife.

mercer knives review battersby 2

Knives review Mercer Culinary

2. Material

Mercer uses two different steels for their knives. They have unique features to stand out. One is their famous German steel line and the other is their Japanese stainless steel line.

German steel blades are thicker and heavier. They are well suited for everyday cooking due to their versatile design. Extremely resistant to weather and temperature changes, these knives have a long service life.

Japanese steel, on the other hand, is ideal for thinner, more delicate slicing jobs. Japanese steel is thinner and sharper. So you can cut more precisely.

Japanese steel has a higher carbon content. This can allow them to be really thin without breaking. Because they are more flexible.

The difference between Japanese vs German steel is not based upon quality as both are great for that. The difference occurs in function and usage. So, you are completely free to choose which one suits your needs best.

3. Quality

Mercer is one of the leading prestigious knife brands, known for its quality materials and skilled craftsmanship. Needless to say, they are the favorite industry of many chefs.

The main difference between Mercer Cutlery and other brands will be the price range. Mercer strives to offer affordable options that everyone can afford. They believe that quality products are not necessarily inaccessible to the masses.

While Mercer is certainly not the best, they know what they are doing and respect their customers to deliver the best within budget.

Mercer is especially popular with young culinary students. Because their knives feel and act like professional kitchen knives.

Frequently Asked Questions

mercer knives review

Mercer Culinary knives are made in Taiwan

1. Where are Mercer knives made?

Although they manufactured Mercer knives from high quality German and Japanese steel, they are made in Taiwan. They are very high quality tools that go through a rigorous QA process before reaching your door.

2. What is the blade angle on a Mercer knife?

The Mercer Guide is a 4″ knife sharpening guide with ceramic inserts. That will teach you and all those who touch your prized cutlery the proper angle for stone sharpening. Designed to hold your knife at a 20 degree angle and is ideal for chef blades 6″ and longer.

3. Are Mercer knives full of tangs?

For their use by culinary students, Mercer Genesis knives are well known. Fully forged and non-yellowing, premium German steel. Tri-riveted handle, with ergonomic POM Handle. The shortened jig allows for easy re-sharpening, and the full drum provides excellent balance.

4. How do you sharpen a Mercer knife?

With your left hand, hold the sharpener on the table. Insert the blade into the groove of the 1st stage. Press down to bring the blade firmly into contact with both internal diamond coated discs, and slide the blade back and forth in a sawing motion.

5. How do you clean a Mercer knife?

Follow the guidelines to maximize the performance of your Mercer knives. After each use, you should hand wash the cutlery carefully. Wash it with warm water and mild to medium strength soap. Rinse and dry completely using a soft cloth.

Conclusion

Through this Mercer knives review, we hope you have a better understanding of this Taiwan brand. With a very affordable price, we can say that Mercer offered us too much value. Make all your guests admire the elegance and quality of the knives.

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