Speaking of holiday gifts... recommend a kitchen knife set

I know... Henckels Zwilling.  But maybe you knife-knowing members have some other recommendations.  I don't need a sharpener, I already have a couple good ones.

I'm looking for a really good knife set, preferably with a storage block.  My problem is that I live alone, might have Hot for Teacher moving in with me in January, but that's still just two people.  I want a larger set... meaning not just your typical chef, steak, bread, and paring knives.  I wouldn't mind having a cleaver, boning knife, and a few other styles.  Problem seems to be, the larger knife sets don't seem to add more types of knives, they add more of the same knife.  I don't need 8 steak knives.  I need 4 tops.

Brands?  Recommendations?  Budget is around $200.

Being GRM, take a road trip. Visit Smokey Mtn. Knife Works. 
Bonus: do your other Christmas shopping in their gift shop!

Take a ride down 30 to the knife shop in Intercourse, they'll hook you up.

I'm using a cheap set from Amazon that had a block and no steak knives. I've added 18" slicer, a butcher knife, and a better chef's knife all bought independently. 

Isn't the guy that was Hot for Teacher technically David Lee Roth?

Can he bring knives?

You'll be hard pressed to find better more utilitarian kitchen knives than Rada. Amazon is your friend, but I pick them up at a local Mennonite shop. Grandma used them, and they stayed sharp with just a steel forever. 

In reply to JFW75 :

The knives I'm replacing are actually Rada :)

Glad you like them, but I'm not a big fan.  Mine lasted 4 years and they are hopelessly dull, and almost impossible to sharpen.

I was gonna say global, but then you said $200. 

https://www.globalcutleryusa.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAvK2bBhB8EiwAZUbP1GDUY6omcrlco37dRjlhf0VvA-4vfseCWmeBbgF94ane8CUit1bQSRoC7lAQAvD_BwE

They're not cheap (my 12" chef was 225. But it's...a 12" chef knife) but they hold an edge extremely well and come brutally sharp out of the gate. They're a little finicky because they're carbon steel, but I would not hesitate to buy more of them. Swmbo is actually after a shorter chef because the one I bought is longer than her forearm. 

You don't really need all those knives.  Get the Cutco Petite Chef.  Under $200. 

My wife gave me this set a couple of years ago. I have been very happy with it. They are $160. The picture is the link.

I like them well enough I also bought their 14' slicing knife. I've been very happy with it as well. 

I'd probably go to a restaurant supply store and see what they recommend. 

Victoinox fibrox.   Cheap.  Sharp. Highly rated by thst cooking show I loathe.  

https://www.victorinox.com/us/en/Products/Cutlery/Knife-Blocks-Sets/Swiss-Classic-Kitchen-Set-5-pieces/p/6.7133.5G?&utm_medium=pla&gclid=CjwKCAiAvK2bBhB8EiwAZUbP1OObfFYON38KM44RsKHz_QCZ5pTCEkCzhW9n0dpyEeKZ1o2WTTucBBoCtAkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Victorinox. Done. Fill out link for free shipping. Might have to find block or storage. Lifetime warranty to boot.

We got a J.A Henkles set as a wedding gift 6 years ago, and are pretty impressed. 

FBC mentioned fibrox above and is spot on. I have a block of loads of nice knives, everything from $250 made-by-Zwilling Bob Kramer reproductions to exotic japanese high-carbon steel vegetable knives. The best value for money in the whole block are my victorinox fibrox knives.

They're good steel that walks the line of being soft enough to be easy to sharpen to a really keen edge but still hard enough to maintain the edge for a month of use. The handles are ugly but feel great no matter how slimy your hands are. You can get just about any shape and size of knife you dream of.

From most useful to least useful, I'd build my set like this:

Amazon.com: Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife, 8-Inch: Chefs Knives: Home & Kitchen

Amazon.com: Victorinox 3.25 Inch Swiss Classic Paring Knife with Straight Edge, Spear Point, Black, 3.25" : Home & Kitchen (get two or three of these)

Amazon.com: Victorinox Swiss Army 10-1/4" Serrated Bread Knife with Fibrox Handle : Home & Kitchen

Amazon.com: Victorinox Swiss Classic Boning Knife with Narrow, Flexible Blade 6" : Home & Kitchen

Victorinox Cleaver + Free Shipping (amazon.com)

Amazon.com: Victorinox VIC-5.2523.17 Fibrox Pro Santoku 7" Granton Blade 1½" Width at Handle Black : Home & Kitchen

Then add in a knife block you like the looks of and you're all set. You can always add more knives in the future and they'll fit your set.

They're ugly, but they work.

+1 for Victorinox. 

I built a “in drawer” knife block for the set I have.

So I've been doing my typical overthinking... spreadsheets, charts, user reviews, etc.  I like both the Fibrox and the Henckels.  I couldn't find a Fibrox set that had what I wanted, and putting together a set a la carte would have been pretty prohibitive on the wallet for this gift.

I settled on a 16-piece Henckels set from their Classic line (forged, three rivet).  I conveyed my wishes to Santa (mom) and here's hoping.

Thank you all for the input.  I feel informed.