News

Jun 07, 2023

The 9 Best Knife Sets of 2023

The Wüsthof Gourmet 10-Piece Knife Block Set is a great value given its versatility and quality. Nina Bahadur is a writer and editor based in NYC who specializes in beauty, kitchen, and organizing

The Wüsthof Gourmet 10-Piece Knife Block Set is a great value given its versatility and quality.

Nina Bahadur is a writer and editor based in NYC who specializes in beauty, kitchen, and organizing content. Highlights: * Writing has appeared in SELF, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, The New York Times, Health, SHAPE, Food52, and more * Former Deputy Editor for HuffPost Women * Former Deputy Culture Editor for SELF.com

Jump to a Section

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more.

Real Simple / Reese Herrington

A good knife is undoubtedly the most important cooking tool you can own. Purchasing a set of knives is an easy and cost-effective way to ensure you have the right knife for every job, regardless of what cooking task a recipe throws your way.

To select the best knife sets, we researched dozens of options at different price points, considering factors like material, versatility, and storage. We also tapped Noah Poses, executive chef at The Fulton in New York City, and Jeremy Rock Smith, chef and author of The Kripalu Kitchen for tips on choosing the right knife set for your needs.

Smith says it’s important to consider what foods you’re preparing on a regular basis when choosing a knife set: “If you buy a 21-piece knife set and you're a vegetarian, it could be that half those knives are used for breaking down meats and you're not going to utilize them,” says Smith. “How many you need should really depend on what you're regularly cooking.”

Amazon

Who it’s for: People who want a high-quality knife block set that they can add to with time.

Who it’s not for: People who want a lot of specialty knives.

This Wüsthof set contains the basics every home cook will need, along with some extras. The acacia knife block comes with kitchen shears, a paring knife, a spear point paring knife, a trimming knife, a serrated utility knife, a single-blade utility knife, a spreader, a cook’s knife, and a honing steel to help keep your blades sharp. And the block comes with additional slots, should you want to store any existing knives you have or leave room for additional knives you may acquire in the future.

The stainless steel knives are full tang, which means the metal from the blade extends down the full length of the handle as well. The handles are made from lightweight polypropylene to make them easy to hold and balance, and the material is designed to resist heat and discoloration.

Price at time of publish: $320

Number of Knives: 7 knives, 1 pair of shears, 1 honing steel | Blade Material: Stainless steel, polypropylene handles | Block Type: Acacia wood

Amazon

Who it’s for: People who want an inexpensive set of nonstick, color-coded knives.

Who it’s not for: People who want a more subdued knife set and people who want a knife block.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly set, this Cuisinart collection is a good pick. The set includes a chef’s knife, slicing knife, serrated bread knife, santoku knife, utility knife, and paring knife. The knives are stainless steel coated in nonstick ceramic, and each knife is a different color, making it easier to remember which knife to use for what task—or prevent any cross-contamination if someone in your home has food allergies.

This set doesn’t come with a knife block. Instead, each blade has a color-coded edge guard to keep the blade sharp and protect against accidents if you’re storing them in a drawer.

Price at time of publish: $19

Number of Knives: 6 knives with sheaths | Blade Material: Ceramic-coated stainless steel | Block Type: None

Williams Sonoma

Who it’s for: People who are willing to spend more on handcrafted Japanese knives.

Who it’s not for: Beginner cooks or anyone who wants more utilitarian knives.

If you’re looking to splurge on a set of knives, this set—handcrafted in Japan—is an excellent option. The blades are forged from an extremely hard stainless steel and the handles are made from a wood and plastic composite material called PakkaWood.

The 11-slot bamboo block contains a paring knife, boning knife, utility knife, serrated utility knife, santoku knife, chef’s knife, bread knife, honing steel, and kitchen shears. Each knife is designed to be lightweight, agile, and super sharp (when used and honed regularly, Shun says they should only need to be professionally sharpened once or twice a year). The hammered blades have a beautiful, unique-looking finish that makes them a conversation piece, too.

Price at time of publish: $1,150

Number of Knives: 7 knives, 1 pair of shears, 1 honing steel | Material: Stainless steel, PakkaWood handles | Block Type: Bamboo

Amazon

Who it’s for: People who want a minimalist knife set that contains just the basics.

Who it’s not for: Advanced cooks and people who want specialty knives.

This Global Classic set contains the only three knives a home cook needs: A chef's knife for 98 percent of kitchen tasks, a serrated utility knife for slicing through crusty bread, and a paring knife for trimming fruits and vegetables. Each knife is made from a single piece of stainless steel, and the dimpled handles are ergonomic and designed to prevent your hand from slipping.

This set doesn’t come with a knife block or edge guards, so you will need to figure out your own storage solution—a magnetic knife strip could be a great option.

Price at time of publish: $180

Number of Knives: 3 | Material: Stainless steel | Block Type: None

Made In

Who it’s for: People who want a small knife set that goes just beyond the basics.

Who it’s not for: People who don’t want to pay extra for a knife block.

This four-piece knife set contains a chef’s knife, bread knife, paring knife, and a nakiri knife—the latter is a straight, square blade that’s ideal for quickly slicing and dicing vegetables in a downward motion, as opposed to the rocking motion of rounded blades. The full-tang knives are made from stainless steel hardened with nitrogen, which helps prevent the blades from chipping.

There are three color options for the handles: olive wood, truffle black, and pomme red. The black and red handles are made of a stain-resistant, slip-resistant polymer for easy handling. Unfortunately, this set does not include a knife block, but Made In sells a magnetic knife block separately, and it just so happens to be ideal for storing this four-piece set.

Price at time of publish: From $349

Number of Knives: 4 | Material: Stainless steel with polymer or olive wood handles | Block Type: None

Amazon

Who it’s for: People who want a catch-all knife set that includes a set of steak knives.

Who it’s not for: People who only want to add a few knives to their collection.

The hardwood knife block contains a peeling knife, paring knife, utility knife, serrated utility knife, boning knife, bread knife, chef’s knife, and eight matching steak knives, all of which are made from high-carbon stainless steel. It also contains kitchen shears and a sharpening steel.

This 18-piece set is a cost-effective way to outfit a kitchen with all the knives you’ll ever need, and its high-quality construction and materials means you’ll get years of use out of this set.

Price at time of publish: $300

Number of Knives: 15 knives, 1 pair of shears, 1 honing steel | Material: Stainless steel | Block Type: Hardwood

Courtesy of Material

Who it’s for: People who want a standalone set of steak knives.

Who it’s not for: People who want a set of knives designed for cooking.

This set of steak knives was our favorite out of all the steak knives we test in our Lab. One tester described the blades as “very balanced, sturdy, and comfortable” as well as “extremely sharp,” and was impressed by how easily they cut through steak with a tough outer crust.

These stainless steel blades have a straight blade rather than a serrated one, and the composite handles come in several different pastel and neutral hues. Plus, unlike many knives, they are dishwasher safe. The set comes with a maple wood holder that can stand vertically on your countertop or lay horizontally in your utensil drawer.

Price at time of publish: $90

Number of Knives: 4 | Material: Stainless steel with composite handles | Block Type: Maple

Target

Who it’s for: People who don’t want to purchase a knife sharpener.

Who it’s not for: People who would rather hire a professional to sharpen their knives or use a whetstone.

If you already know you’ll never take your knives to a professional or sharpen knives with a honing steel, a knife set with a built-in sharpener will help you to maintain your knives with as little effort as possible. This Cuisinart set contains a chef’s knife, slicing knife, bread knife, santoku knife, serrated utility knife, paring knife, six steak knives, built-in knife honer, and built-in knife sharpener.

Plus, the blades are forged from nitrogen-infused steel, which helps it to maintain its edge for longer and prevent corrosion. The full-tang blades and ergonomically designed handles make this knife well balanced and comfortable to handle, while the safety bolster gives you maximum control as you work.

Price at time of publish: $80

Number of Knives: 12 | Material: Stainless steel | Block Type: Wood

Amazon

Who it’s for: People who want a knife set that can be taken on the go.

Who it’s not for: People who want their knife set to be a permanent fixture on their countertop.

If you don’t want a knife block, you should consider a knife roll. Chefs often use them to transport their knives, so they’re great for people who travel a lot. They can also be safely stored in a drawer or cabinet. This Mercer Culinary set of stainless steel blades includes a paring knife, boning knife, santoku knife, bread knife, slicing knife, honing steel, and chef’s knife. Also included is an eight-pocket knife roll—all of which feature Japanese stainless steel blades and comfortable polypropylene handles.

Price at time of publish: $152

Number of Knives: 6 knives, 1 honing steel | Material: Stainless steel with polypropylene handles | Block Type: Knife roll

Our top pick is the Wüsthof Gourmet 10-Piece Knife Block Set. It comes with just the right amount of knives for most kitchens, in addition to a pair of kitchen shears and a honing steel, all of which can be stored in the acacia wood block. The knives themselves feature stainless steel, full-tang blades and lightweight polypropylene handles that makes them easy to use no matter your skill level.

Knives are typically either metal (like stainless steel or carbon steel) or ceramic.

Stainless steel is “the most common,” says Smith. “They're easy to sharpen and they don't rust. The only downside is that they tend to be a little weaker than most knives, but they're affordable.”

According to Smith, a type of metal called damascus steel is typically found in high-end Japanese knives. He says these blades are super effective, but can be extremely pricey.

Carbon steel is harder than stainless steel, which means it stays sharper for longer. “The edges are amazing,” Smith says—but knives made from carbon steel can be prone to rust if you don’t care for them properly.

Ceramic knives are made from zirconia, which is incredibly hard and sharp material. However, ceramic knives can be brittle—this means they can chip or even break.

When you’re purchasing a knife set, consider how many knives you’ll realistically use in your regular rotation. Adventurous home cooks and amateur butchers might benefit from a large knife set with plenty of variety, while that type of set isn’t a great fit for a small household of people who don’t cook much.

“I find that when purchasing a knife set, you sometimes have too much choice,” says Poses. “You might end up picking one or two favorite knives within the set and not using the rest.”

To figure out how many knives you need, Poses says: “People should consider the practicality of the knives they are choosing and if they really need them for everyday use.” For example: Do you need a set with a high-end boning knife if you’ll only use it once a year to carve a turkey? Do you often wish you had a second paring knife or a larger bread knife during your weekly meal prep? Think about what knives you use in a given week, and use that info to select a knife set.

Some knife sets come with storage options such as a wooden knife block, a knife roll, or an in-drawer knife storage solution. Other knife sets come without a storage solution.

The best knife storage solution for you will depend on your kitchen’s size and layout, and whether you prefer to keep knives displayed on your countertop or tucked away in a drawer or cabinet. Smith says that knife blocks and magnetic knife strips are the most common knife storage options for home chefs. “I also use a trick where I fill a bin with raw popcorn kernels and put the knives in there to store them,” he says.

Every person should own a chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a serrated knife.

A chef’s knife is an all-purpose blade you can use to cut a multitude of things: Meat, herbs, fruits, veggies, and more. This is the knife you use most often in everyday cooking. “Purchasing a higher quality chef’s knife is a long-term investment,” says Poses—if you take good care of high-quality knives and sharpen them often, they can last decades.

A paring knife is a smaller blade used for what Poses calls “in-hand projects” like peeling apples, hulling strawberries, and segmenting citrus fruits.

A serrated knife is “beneficial when working with foods that have a hard exterior and soft interior such as a loaf of bread,” Poses says. They’re also well suited for soft fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes or citrus fruits.

Knife sets vary in price from $20 or less for a budget-friendly set to $1,500 and more for high-end knife sets. Luxury or handmade knife sets can retail for $4,000 or more. Pricing depends on the materials used, whether the knives are handmade, and how many knives are in the set.

This article was written by Nina Bahadur, a writer with 10 years of experience writing about home, beauty, and health topics. For this piece she spent hours researching knife sets of varying sizes, materials, and price points. She spoke to Noah Poses, executive chef at The Fulton in New York City and Jeremy Rock Smith, chef and author of The Kripalu Kitchen, to answer common questions about knife sets and offer expert tips on how to pick the right set for your needs.