Since I'm on line, I'll toss in my two cents for a quick answer.
First, you're posting onto an old thread, on the Cooking Equipment forum. You would probably get a lot more answers, and faster response (especially from BDL), if you started a new thread on the Cooking Knives forum.
Second, concerning box sets - there is simply no love for them on this web site. Box sets, especially in the price range you list ($300 or so) are at best an iffy proposition for quality. You will be advised (and I am one of those advising) to buy your knives singly, so that you buy the best knife for the purpose, rather than buying a set because it "looks good". Knife sets are mostly for impressing your guests with the fact that you have a "full set" of knives on your kitchen countertop. you end up spending a lot of money on a collection of knives, of so-so-quality, for which you end up using only a few on a regular basis. If you aspire to be a great cook and think that getting a good set of knives will help you - save your money and buy your knives one-by-one. Knife sets are definitely not the best way to spend your money.
Be also advised that a basic set of knives consists of two knives - a chef's knife and a paring knife. A third knife rounds out what the first two don't do well - a serrated edge bread knife.
You specifically called for a santoku in the knife set. Have you used a santoku? If you have (and are using a santoku) and you prefer it because it is a shorter knife than a gyuto or chef's knife, then that might very well be a good reason to look for a better one. Otherwise, buy a chef's knife or a gyuto.
There's not a good deal of sympathy on this web site for santoku's, since everything you can do with a santoku, you can easily do with a gyuto or chef's knife - and there's much you can do with a gyuto or chef's knife which will be much more difficult with the shorter santoku.
Third, you are extremely irritated by dull knives. Expect to remain irritated by dull knives until you get a way to sharpen your knives yourself. Honing is mostly a means to straighten the microscopic alignment of the edge of the knife - it does not sharpen. To sharpen, you need a way to remove metal in a controlled fashion. The traditional way is by using a series of stones of varying grit. An alternative way is to use a guided system, such as the Edge Pro Apex or the Wicked Edge system. Pull-through sharpeners, either mechanical or electric, don't get much sympathy from many of the reviewers on this web site.
You say that you are not interested in a lifetime set now, but would be more interested in something that would last a decade or so. I would suggest that you concentrate your immediate money for what will give you a combination of "best bang for the buck" AND permanent quality.
For a budget of $300, my recommendations for you would be as follows:
First, go to your local library and check out or reserve or get on inter-library loan a specific book,
An Edge In The Kitchen by Chad Ward, then read through it. Published in 2008, the specific prices are now dated, but it will give you a lot of information that I can't fully describe in this posting. The going rate through Amazon and such used book sites as Alibris and Abebooks runs about $20 to $25, but getting it through the library will save you money (sorry, Chad!).
Next, concentrate on sharpening as your first priority - even a low quality knife when sharpened will be much better than a better quality, but dull knife. Sharpening skills will last you a lifetime. Sharpening stones and/or a guided sharpening system will last you decades, if not for the rest of your life. Chef Knives To Go ("CKTG") offers a basic stone set for about $130, and also offers The Edge Pro Apex guided system in various combinations beginning at $165.
Look at how you intend to hone your knives - if your honing rod is metal, especially a coarse steel rod, get a new honing rod. You can do a lot of damage to the edge of your knife before you realize it with a coarse steel. As an alternative rod, CKTG sells the 12" Idahone for $30.
Assuming you have a sharpening system and have about $105 to $140 or so left. Save money on your paring knive and bread knife selections. Buy a Victorinox (also known as Forschner) paring knife with a Fibrox (molded) handle for about $5. Also buy a Dexter Russell or Victorinox (Forschner) serrated bread knife for under $15. Those can be bought at a local restaurant supply stores.
You now have left somewhere between $85 and $120 left of your original $300. That should be your budget for your chef's knife or santoku. This is where the differences in opinion will be all over the map. I'm going to give a few suggestions, but they will be for a French chef's knife or for a gyuto. I won't go into santoku's.
For a quality stainless knife, a lot of people (including BDL) have listed the Mac MBK-95 Professional Line 9-1/2" "Mighty" French Chef/gyuto as an excellent quality basic chef's knife, though it is priced at about $185. I would suggest you just swallow a little bit harder and extend your budget and go for it.
For a carbon steel knife, you might look at a K-Sabatier. The least expensive source I have seen them at is China Fair Inc (
www.chinafairinc.com), which offers a 10 inch carbon steel K-Sabatier chef's knife for $90. Other people like the Japanese CarboNext gyuto.
You will then have a small, but very good basic set of knives and a means of sharpening them.
You will then be able to concentrate on the important thing - cooking
Galley Swiller