When our team set out to find the best knife sets, both practical for everyday cooking and aesthetically pleasing, we were on a hunt for knives that were exceptionally designed. In total, we tested 21 sets. As we narrowed down our search, we prioritized blades that were extraordinarily sharp and could easily slice through all sorts of ingredients.
The sheet of paper was pierced by the blade, observing the amount of force needed and the precision with which it effortlessly glided through the paper. With a deliberate action, we initiated the incision on the paper, starting from the base of the knife and progressing towards the point, as part of our initial examination of printer paper.
The grips assisted in the knives’ execution. If the blade and surface of the knife had any influence on functionality, and if the knives felt notably heavy or light, we questioned ourselves. We evaluated the knife’s execution with each trial, observing characteristics such as comfort, equilibrium, layout, and dimensions. Ultimately, we employed the paring knife to remove the hulls of three sizable strawberries. Subsequently, we utilized the serrated knife to divide a loaf of crispy bread, such as sourdough, into two equal portions. Then, we proceeded to use the chef’s knife to thinly cut a ripe tomato and dice an onion.
We evaluated various categories to identify the top-performing knives based on their design, the number and variety of knives provided, efficiency, and cost. Numerous affordable sets outperformed expensive ones, suggesting that price did not always correlate with quality.
Factors We Consider
Storage
If you want to ensure that your sharp knives are stored safely and securely, you may want to consider a premium magnetic strip wall mounting system for both your counter space and drawer space. It can often be easier to buy a universal in-drawer storage system or knife block without having to purchase a knife set. Some sets come with blocks that can be useful if you don’t have existing knives that would fit in the slots or if you don’t plan on expanding your knife collection. However, if you invest in a knife set, you can be sure that your knives will be stored in a way that prevents them from dulling or damaging your drawers by accidentally knocking into other cutlery.
Number and Type of Knives
Sometimes, when you have a tighter budget, it can be more budget-friendly to buy a smaller set of knives and expand as needed. If you often host dinner parties for ten or more people, it is most helpful to include sets that have eight or six knives. One of the biggest decisions will be whether the set comes with steak knives or not. When buying sets, it’s important to consider the knives that you actually need and use, so you can feel that they are cost-effective. If you don’t know much about knives and just want anything, a serrated knife, paring knife, and a large chef’s knife are essential. Any professional chef will tell you that you only really need these three knives.
Materials
Finding the right material for your cooking decision-making should be part of how you sense that the material provides a comfortable and non-slip surface for safe gripping, makes it easy to sharpen and is resistant to dulling. Handles can be made of wood, plastic, or metal. Some knives are even made of ceramic, while others are made of carbon steel or stainless steel.
Care
Blades made of carbon and stainless steel can be sharpened even if they chip, whereas ceramic blades are not reparable and can chip easily. Stainless steel blades can be left to dry in dry air, whereas carbon steel blades need to be thoroughly dried after washing as they can easily rust. If you know that you are likely to ignore the recommendations for dishwashing and buy knives with a plastic or metal handle, make sure to never put a knife with a wooden handle in the dishwasher. Many of us occasionally ignore that advice, but most manufacturers will tell you that you should not put knives in the dishwasher where high heat can dull them and damage the blades.
Other Knife Sets We Tested
Strong Contenders
We felt that the high price tag might not work for many home cooks, so we included the 5-piece Berti Coltellerie knife set ($2,128 on Amazon) in our list as a better fit. The chef’s knife worked well for everything, except for cutting onions, where the serrated and paring knives easily did the job.
The Zwilling Stainless Damascus 7 Piece Magnetic Set by Kramer ($1,800 at Cutlery & More) is a high-quality option.
A jagged knife does not have it. Furthermore, with improved levels of sharpness, we would choose a more affordable collection; nevertheless, the holder was undeniably remarkable, and these blades were exquisite.
Amazon Essentials 18-Piece Kitchen Knife Block Set ($74 on Amazon).
There are still superior alternatives available in the market, however, we believe that this set serves as a suitable fundamental or introductory set. In order to enhance the grip and usability of the knives, it would be beneficial to enhance the ergonomic aspects, nevertheless, the knives included in this set possess remarkable sharpness.
Farberware Edgekeeper 21-Piece Forged Triple Riveted Block Set($70 on Amazon).
We feel that even though this set is priced high, there are better picks. Although they may not be as sharp, all the knives were straight and sharp right out of the box.
Aiko Damascus Steel Knife Set ($368 at Santoku Knives).
We also missed having a stand. We desired a chef’s knife that was not dull, and the paring knife felt uncomfortable. Although the performance of the set fell a bit short, we would recommend this stunning knife to a friend who wanted a knife that looks impressive.