Best Kitchen Knife Sets
Looking for the perfect set of knives? Your kitchen knife set should contain at least a chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a serrated knife.
- A chef’s knife has an 8 to 10 inch long, curved blade and can be used for chopping meat or slicing vegetables. It has a broad blade and so you can turn it on its side to crush garlic and scoop ingredients from your board to your bowl.
- A paring knife is a short blade, about 2.5 to 4 inches long. It is a nice small blade, perfect for detailed, precise tasks. It fits nicely in your hand and is easy to manipulate. It’s great for peeling apples or removing pepper seeds.
- A serrated knife or bread knife is very versatile. Its 6 to 10 inch serrated edge saws through trickier surfaces like bread, tomatoes, peaches, and cake.
As long as your kitchen knife set has these three knives, you can’t go wrong. Of course, many sets have much more than just three knives, to cover any cutting or slicing chores that may come your way.
Here are a few of the most popular brands on the market:
Home Hero Stainless Steel Knife Set
This gorgeous kitchen knife set consistently receives five star ratings. The knives are both affordable and attractive, as well as super sharp, sturdy, and practical. All knives are stainless steel with superior blades, and will not rust, stain, or pit. They are durable, with professionally crafted accuracy.
The set consists of 17 pieces including the storage block and knife sharpener, as well as a chef knife, carving knife, six steak knives, peeler, scissors, a cheese pizza knife, utility knife, bread knife, and more. They all offer excellent precision cutting.
The steak knives will accommodate any cut of steak or BBQ meat that comes your way. The peeler works wonders on cucumbers and other veggies from your garden. The carving knife cuts right through unthawed meat with no problems at all. The cheese and pizza knives are absolute stars – much easier than using a pizza roller – and nothing sticks to the blades.
All knives have a non-stick coating, which makes them ideal for any task in your kitchen that requires chopping, slicing, or cutting.
Each knife has an ergonomic handle that is easy to hold in your hand while cutting.
They come with a premium quality, two-stage external sharpener that many users think is the best part of the entire set. With this set, you can easily sharpen your knives whenever the need arises.
The knives are stored in a contemporary acrylic block that suits today’s modern kitchens. The storage block is not just beautiful. It also organizes your knife cutlery to the highest level.
All the knives are easy to clean. The acrylic base is also simple to clean – just unscrew the grommets at the bottom and wipe with a damp sponge.
One drawback is the knives are not built as all one piece. Food can get stuck between the attached pieces, and there is a chance of the blade separating, although that is rare.
Pros
- Set of 17 pieces including six steak knives, peeler, scissors, storage block, and more
- Affordable, attractive, super sharp, and sturdy, with non-stick coating
- All knives are stainless steel with superior blades that will not rust, stain, or pit
- Ergonomic handles are easy to hold while cutting
- Comes with a premium quality, two-stage sharpener
- All stored in contemporary acrylic block that suits modern kitchens
Cons
- Knives are not all one piece, so food can get stuck between the attached pieces
Farberware Resin Cutlery Knife Set 5183157
This is an affordable set of 12 multicolored resin knives, with covers for each knife so they can be easily stored away in your drawers. This is a great set for beginners as well as for those who have been cooking for a long time.
The blades are actually stainless steel coated with a non-stick resin which stops food from adhering to the knife. They are well balanced for more precise cutting. They stay sharp for a long time and do not wear out easily.
The set includes a chef knife, bread knife, slicing knife, Santoku knife, serrated utility knife, paring knife, and covers for each.
They come in a combination of many bright colors, including red, light green, dark blue, purple, orange, and aqua. Although they look like plastic kids’ toys, these knives are actually very sharp and high quality, which makes them a pleasure to use to cut up your food.
The handles are ergonomically designed and comfortable to grip in your hands.
All knives in this set are easy to clean and dishwasher safe. However, hand washing with mild soapy water is preferred to maintain a longer lifespan for the knives. Rinse and dry immediately.
One drawback: although these knives do not require sharpening often, if you do sharpen them, they might not take on the sharpened edge very well, which will lead to more time and energy spent on cutting your food. Also, some users have found the cover for the chef knife to be very tight.
Pros
- Very affordable, durable, and long lasting
- Set of six knives, each with its own cover, for easy storage
- Blades made of stainless steel with non-stick resin coating
- Combination of bright colors including red, purple, and blue
- Ergonomically designed handles
- Easy to clean and dishwasher safe
Cons
- When resharpening, knives may not take on the new edge very well
- Cover for chef knife is too tight
Oster Lindbergh Stainless Steel Cutlery Set 81007.14
This affordable kitchen knife set is ideal for beginners. It includes 13 knives, which is a comprehensive number of blades without being overwhelming. It covers all your essential cutting needs without taking up much counter space.
Despite its low price, the knives are sturdy and a good weight. They are full tang, meaning each knife is one continuous piece running from the end of the handle to the end of the blade. The knives are light weight and easy to use.
The blades are very sharp with precision performance, which enables you to cut easily and cleanly. Each knife is well balanced and durable. The blades are made of high quality stainless steel which is stain-resistant.
The set includes one carving knife, a chef knife, a bread knife, a utility knife, a boning knife, a paring knife, kitchen scissors, six serrated steak knives, and a rubberwood storage block which protects the knives from scratches.
This knife set is very cute with its teal handles and black or pine-colored block case. There are other sets available with different colored handles.
It is also dishwasher safe which any kitchen newbie will appreciate. However, like with all good quality knives, it is best if you hand wash them to keep the blade from getting dull.
One drawback users have noted is although the knives are made of stainless steel, they do rust easily. Also remember this is a lower cost model so it will not perform as well as more expensive brands when it comes to cutting.
Pros
- Affordable and ideal for beginners
- Set includes 13 knives such as chef knife, bread knife, paring knife, six steak knives, etc.
- Knives are sturdy, sharp, and well balanced stainless steel
- Knives are full tang, meaning the steel extends from end of handle to end of blade
- Very cute set with teal colored handles
Cons
- Knives rust easily
- Knives do not perform as well as other more expensive brands
J.A. Henckels Knife Block Set 13550-005
This kitchen knife set includes 13 knives, including a paring knife, a serrated utility knife, a Santoku knife with hollow edge, a chef’s knife, a bread knife, serrated steak knives, kitchen shears, a sharpening tool, and a hardwood block to store it all in.
The knives are made of high quality stainless steel, with comfortable plastic handles. They are light weight, which makes them especially handy for people with arthritic hands and other hand mobility problems. They are also super sharp, and every cut feels like slicing through butter.
Each knife is a full tang, single piece which provides the utmost in maneuverability and durability. The blade is professionally satin finished with Precision cutting, and is well honed, which adds to its long lasting sharpness.
The handles are traditionally triple-riveted to offer balance.
Each knife has its own specialty and as a set they cover all the cutting and slicing tasks you might have in your kitchen. The chef’s knife is great for chopping onions and herbs; the bread knife slices cleanly through sourdough and other breads; the Santoku knife is handy for mincing garlic, and its blade has indentations which stop food from sticking. The list goes on!
These knives are easy to clean and dishwasher safe. However, to make them last longer, hand washing is recommended instead. They may rust if you leave them soaking in water or air drying.
One drawback is, the paring knife is rather wide which causes a challenge with maneuverability.
Pros
- Set includes 13 knives – chef’s knife, Santoku knife, paring knife, steak knives, etc.
- Made of high quality stainless steel
- All knives are full tang, single piece for the utmost in maneuverability and durability
- Professionally satin finished and well honed
- Comfortable plastic handles
- Easy to clean and dishwasher safe
Cons
- Paring knife is rather wide which poses a challenge with maneuverability
Mercer Knife Roll Set M21820
This is a unique knife set in that it bundles all the knives into a convenient rolled canvas bag. It includes seven knives – a pocket knife, a paring knife, a boning knife, a Santoku knife, a bread knife, a slicing knife, a chef’s knife as well as a steel rod for honing the blades.
Bring it to work or anywhere – it’s not just for the kitchen. This set is a great space saver, available at a very affordable price. It is organized and includes everything you need for a knife set.
Each knife is made of high quality, one-piece Japanese steel, which sharpens quickly and is easy to maintain. This super hard steel resists rust, corrosion, and discoloration. It is strong and durable. The quality is on par with other German brands, at a fraction of the cost. The knives are light weight and thin, which is fine since the actual blade is solid and hard.
The knives have textured finger points which improve their grip and safety, and provide slip resistance. They have an ergonomic handle made of Santoprene and polypropylene, which offer both comfort and durability. The knives also have a protective finger guard.
They are easy to clean when washed carefully with soap and water. Do not put these knives in the dishwasher.
The carrying bag itself is roomy, well-constructed, and holds the knives well.
Pros
- Set includes seven knives and a honing rod bundled into a rolled canvas carrying bag
- Includes pocket knife, chef’s knife, Santoku knife, and knives for paring, boning, slicing
- Each knife is made of high quality, one-piece Japanese steel
- Sharpens quickly and is easy to maintain
- Strong and durable, resists rust, corrosion, and discoloration
- Textured finger points for better grip, and ergonomic handle
Cons
- None reported by users
How to choose a knife set
Now that you’ve seen some of the most popular kitchen knife sets on the market today, here are a few features to look for when putting together your own set.
Shape of the knives
The shape of the knives – or rather the blade – is usually either western or Japanese style. Western style blades are heavier, thicker, and curved on the cutting edge side of the blade, which makes this type of knife suitable for mincing and cutting. They are usually bevelled on both sides to an angle of about 20 degrees. Japanese knives are slimmer, more light weight, have a straighter cutting edge, and are great for chopping. Their bevel angle is usually a sharp 15 degrees. Some kitchen knife sets include both types of knives.
Material
A knife’s overall weight, durability, and cutting ability are determined mostly by the material it is made of. Some knives are made of clay, but most knife sets have knives made of metal. The most popular blade material is stainless steel, which is resistant to corrosion and rust, and is very durable, long lasting, and easy to maintain.
Knife handles can also differ in material. Some handles are made of wood or metal, and others of plastic or polypropylene. These are all good choices, as long as the handles are non-slip, comfortable, and ergonomic.
Now that you have examined the most crucial features to look for in a knife set, along with the most important knives that should be included in the set, and seen some of the more popular sets on the market today, you’re ready to go out there and find the perfect set of knives for yourself. Enjoy!