I bought these because I was having a hard time with the Chinese ones I picked up from my local grocery store. The Chinese ones sort of bit into my ring finger and they were 100% wooden with no lacquer/sealant, so they stained and didn't feel nice to hold. I figured a rounder and smoother set would help and surprise surprise, I was right. These feel a lot better and the grooves at the top help keep them from slipping. They have no metallic aftertaste and feel light and durable. I also have no problem eating things with them, they grip just as good as my former set of chopsticks.
We bought a set of eight pairs years ago but had lost a few over the years so I was really excited to find these. They are a perfect match, so apparently this design has been around for a while. We use them all the time and run them through the dishwasher. I can't tell the old ones from the new ones because they don't scratch or dent.
The twisty grips on these somehow make them feel more comfortable to hold than my old metal chopsticks. I noticed, however, that they are considerably more lightweight that the stainless steel ones I've had before. This leads me to believe they may actually be aluminum, which wouldn't be bad. Many utensils are made of aluminum, and the material is great, so long as you don't cook food at high temperature with it. Overall, I'm satisfied and will likely make other purchases.