A kitchen knife can range quite dramatically in price, from $20 to over $200.
Often these price differences are for good reason, but it does mean that it’s always worth doing a little research before committing to a knife.
Two brands people will often want to compare are ZWILLING JA Henckels and Mercer. They both offer similar knives in terms of style but have a fairly large price difference.
In this article, I’m going to tell you the differences between these two brands. I’ll go in-depth into the details of each, talking about where they are made, what materials are used and the difference in price.
This article should provide all the information you need to select the right knife for your needs.
ZWILLING JA Henckels knives are traditionally German knives with hundreds of years of heritage, but they are significantly more expensive knives than Mercer knives. Mercer’s Renaissance range offers an experience very close to that of a ZWILLING JA Henckels, but their Taiwan manufactured knives cost significantly less.
| My recommendation | Current price |
| ZWILLING Professional “S” Chef’s Knife | View on Amazon (opens new tab) |
| Mercer Culinary Renaissance 8-Inch | View on Amazon (opens new tab) |
ZWILLING JA Henckels vs Mercer – Comparison Table
Here is my summary comparison table for each brand. This is mostly based on their main range of knives; the ZWILLING Professional “S” and the Mercer Renaissance Chef’s Knife.
For a more in-depth look at each category then check out the rest of the article below.
| Category | ZWILLING JA Henckels (Pro S) | Mercer |
| Country of Manufacture | Germany | Taiwan |
| Steel type | X50CrMoV15 | X50CrMoV15 |
| Rockwell hardness | HRC 57 | HRC 56-58 |
| Factory edge | 15 degrees (double bevel) | 15 degrees (double bevel) |
| Handle material | POM (thermoplastic) | POM (thermoplastic) |
| Price range | $140 – $160 (Pro S) | $50 – $60 (Renaissance) |
| Main benefit | High quality, super durable | Low price, well designed |
| My recommendation | Zwilling 8-Inch Professional S (view on Amazon) | Mercer Renaissance Chef’s Knife 8-Inch (View on Amazon) |
ZWILLING JA Henckels vs Mercer – Where are they made
| Brand | Country of manufacture |
| ZWILLING JA Henckels | Germany |
| Mercer | Taiwan |
ZWILLING JA Henckels knives are produced in the German city of Solingen, where they have been produced since their launch in 1731.
ZWILLING JA Henckels are not to be confused with knives labeled just ‘JA Henckels’. ZWILLING knives are distinctly marked with the logo of the two stick-like people.
JA Henckels knives, without the ZWILLING mark are not made in Germany.
ZWILLING is a huge group, which owns various knife brands. Generally, ZWILLING knives are a mark of quality.
The most well-known brand within the ZWILLING group is JA Henckels, but ZWILLING also owns other more surprising brands like Kramer and Miyabi which are both made in Japan.
Mercer manufactures their knives in Taiwan, using imported German steel.
Mercer is part of a growing trend in the knife industry of using quality materials, like German or Japanese steel, but basing the manufacture in low-cost countries, like China or, in Mercer’s case, Taiwan.
In the past, these less authentic brands have been of noticeably lower quality, but more and more these brands are actually producing knives of a comparable standard to their German or Japanese counterparts, for a much lower price.
ZWILLING JA Henckels is clearly ‘the real deal’ in regard to being a truly German manufacturer of German-style kitchen knives, whereas Mercer is a less authentic brand without nearly the same level of heritage.
ZWILLING JA Henckels vs Mercer – What steel do they use
The first thing to know is that ZWILLING JA Henckels and Mercer actually both use the same steel for their knives, at least in their main range.
| Brand | Steel type | Rockwell hardness |
| ZWILLING Professional “S” | X50CrMoV15 | HRC 57 |
| Mercer Renaissance | X50CrMoV15 | HRC 56-58 |
Both these knives use the same steel, X50CrMoV15. ZWILLING provides a very accurate HRC rating for their steel at 57 whilst Mercer state a range of 56-58, which is pretty typical for X50CrMoV15.
Both the ZWILLING Professional “S” and Mercer Renaissance are made from forged steel so you’ll find hardly any difference between the two in terms of sharpness and performance.
Both the ZWILLING JA Henckels and Mercer use X50CrMoV15. It’s a German steel that is popular amongst producers of quality western-style knives, mainly due to its durability.
X50CrMoV15 large benefit is its durability, and that’s why it’s so popular with many European knife brands.
The main elements of interest within X50CrMoV15’s composition are Carbon, Vanadium and Chromium.
The Carbon content is around 0.55%. That’s not particularly high when comparing it with other quality knives; however, it’s high enough to provide sufficient strength in the blade for a 15 – 20 degree angle on each side, which is standard for western knives.
The big benefit of not having a very high Carbon content is that higher Carbon steels are usually more brittle, therefore the 0.55% content keeps the blade durable.
That’s the same with the strong Vanadium of 0.4%, Vanadium improves the resistance to wear of the steel also adding to its durability.
The Chromium content is 15% is what the 15 in X50CrMoV15 represents. Chromium is vital for the durability of steel as it’s what makes stainless steel resistant to rust.
Steel need only be 10.5% to be considered stainless, so a 15% content is high and makes this a quality stainless steel, very unlikely to rust unless extremely mistreated by the owner.
Ultimately, on the cutting edge, both of these knives will perform almost exactly the same.
ZWILLING JA Henckels vs Mercer – How sharp are they
You will experience an almost identical sharpness between the ZWILLING JA Henckels and Mercer knives and both will hold their edge for a similar length of time.
| Brand | Factory edge | Rockwell hardness |
| ZWILLING JA Henckels | 15 degrees (double bevel) | HRC 57 |
| Mercer Renaissance | 15 degrees (double bevel) | HRC 56-58 |
Both ZWILLING JA Henckels and Mercer use the same steel for their main range, as such there will be very little difference between the two when it comes to sharpness.
They use the same steel, are both forged and have the same factory edge.
As a result the two blades are ultimately going to be extremely similar and will perform almost exactly the same for sharpness.
There isn’t much to choose between the two when measuring sharpness.
ZWILLING JA Henckels vs Mercer – What are the handles made from
The material used for handles is a vital and often overlooked feature of any knife.
A quality handle is often the sign of a quality overall knife. Handles need to be made from a durable material that can withstand all the heat and moisture fluctuations knives can experience in the kitchen.
Once again we’ll focus on the two main ranges from each brand, the ZWILLING Professional “S” and Mercer Renaissance.
| Brand | Handle material |
| ZWILLING Professional “S” | POM (thermoplastic) |
| Mercer Renaissance | POM (thermoplastic) |
Both ZWILLING Professional “S” and Mercer Renaissance use a thermoplastic material called POM (Polyoxymethylene) for their knife handles.
Although, it is worth mentioning that the lower price ranges of Mercer, such as the Genesis range, use a Santoprene handle. This is a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), which is still very durable but not as hard as POM, the advantage is increased grip due to the texture, but it is more prone to damage.
But for now, let’s focus on POM as that is used by both brands in their main range. Materials like these are ideal for knife handles due to their extreme durability.
POM is specifically designed for high stiffness and stability, and being a thermoplastic means it’s also extremely resistant to temperature and moisture changes.
It’s a fantastic material to use for knife handles, that will undergo all sorts of pressures.
ZWILLING JA Henckels vs Mercer – How much do they cost
Both these brands have a range of knives all at differing price ranges.
To allow for a fairer comparison I’ve categorized three of their major ranges that represent their highest and lowest cost knives.
I’ve tried to compare similar knives, sticking to 8 Inch Chef’s knives or the closest equivalent they have in the range.
In brackets next to the general price range you’ll see the name of the range.
These prices are rough estimates. Prices do change over time but this is intended as a rough guide.
| Brand range | ZWILLING JA Henckels | Mercer |
| Premium | $180 – $200 (Pro) | Not Applicable |
| Standard | $140 – $160 (Professional S) | $50 – $60 (Renaissance) |
| Value | $80 – $100 (Twin Signature) | $15 – $25 (Millennia) |
This is easily the main benefit of Mercer knives over ZWILLING JA Henckels.
Mercer knives are significantly less expensive. In fact, you could pretty much consider all of the Mercer ranges to be value ranges, and they don’t offer any knives close to a Premium price.
I have to say; Mercer does offer a very good product for the price. The very low Millennia range is not going to be as durable as a ZWILLING JA Henckels knife, but for the price, you would expect it to.
But when you look at the Mercer Renaissance range, as most of this article does, what you get is a knife that is very similar to the ZWILLING JA Henckels but is around one-third of the price.
Is it a genuine German knife? No, it’s made in Taiwan using imported German steel, and that’s the main reason it is so much less expensive.
But it does use the exact same steel ZWILLING JA Henckels use, and the entire design and build quality are similar.
If the price wasn’t a factor, ZWILLING JA Henckels would always be my first choice between these two brands, but for those on a budget Mercer offers serious value for money.
ZWILLING JA Henckels vs Mercer – What is the difference
The main difference between ZWILLING JA Henckels and Mercer knives is the price. Mercer knives generally cost much less than ZWILLING JA Henckels.
| Brand | Main benefits |
| ZWILLING JA Henckels | High quality, super durable |
| Victorinox | Low price, comfortable design |
I like both these brands, but there is a clear difference in the average price.
ZWILLING is a name that’s synonymous with quality and durability. Their knives use classic designs and are built to last.
Mercer has focused on the more budget-friendly end of the price scale, and they actually offer incredible value for money.
The really cheap Mercer knives, at the $20 mark, are not comparable to the quality a ZWILLING JA Henckels would offer, although they are still a good option if you’re on a very tight budget.
But the Mercer Renaissance, is a good contender against the ZWILLING Professional “S”, using almost identical materials and having a very similar design.
ZWILLING JA Henckels vs Mercer – Which is better for you
The determining factor for which of these brands you choose really comes down to budget.
If you have over $100 to spend, I would recommend a knife from the ZWILLING Professional “S” range over a Mercer knife. I think ZWILLING offers some of the best western style Chef’s knives within the $100 – $200 price range.
However; if you are conscious of price, then Mercer knives are one of the best value-for-money knives out there.
The most similar ZWILLING JA Henckels knife at this price is their Twin Signature collection, but you’ll usually find they still come in more expensive than Mercer Renaissance and they use stamped X50CrMoV15 steel rather than forged.
With Mercer, you are not getting the very best, authentic German knife, but you are getting something pretty close.
My ZWILLING JA Henckels Recommendation
View the 8-Inch ZWILLING JA Henckels Pro S on Amazon (opens new tab)
You can’t really go wrong with the ZWILLING JA Henckels Professional S.
The steel is ultra-durable, ideal for busy kitchens and it’s very unlikely to rust or chip.
It uses POM thermoplastic for the handle, so there’s next to no chance of it distorting under the general moisture and temperature fluctuations you get in the kitchen.
It’s a great knife and one of the best examples of a quality western chef’s knife you’ll find.
My Mercer Recommendation
View the 8-Inch Mercer Renaissance Chef’s Knife on Amazon (opens new tab)
This is one of the most expensive knives from Mercer, and it’s still only at the price of most other brands’ value ranges!
What you get for around $50 is very good value. X50CrMoV15 forged german steel, half bolster with a thermoplastic, triple-riveted handle, and a classic western chef’s knife design.
It’s a knife you just can’t be disappointed with at that price.
It may not be the genuine article in that it’s manufactured in Taiwan instead of German, but it’s still a quality knife and an absolute bargain.
