Misen (named for the French cooking expression “mise en place” which refers to prepping ingredients for service) has done something wholly remarkable by creating well-made, chef-quality knives for a fraction of the typical cost. Just $165 will get you their full set, a chef’s knife, bread knife, and paring knife, and boy oh boy are they worth it. The knives are well-balanced, sit comfortably in the hand using a chef-style pinch grip, and provide a level of dexterity that’s missing from many of their competitor’s products. Buying knives is often a frustrating experience as price points and quality seem to be either rock bottom or sky high, but Misen has seemingly done the impossible by making a line of products where quality outstrips price point.