Based on Extensive Testing, Here Are the 4 Best Knife Sets

When looking for the best knife sets, it’s critical to maintain high standards. After all, a high-quality set includes some of the most essential tools for a home kitchen. The blades should be sharp and robust, and the handles should be comfortable griping. The storage system should be as simple as possible, whether a traditional wooden block or a modern stand. Crucially, the set should focus on knives you use regularly, such as the flexible chef’s knife and the precise paring knife—rather than a bunch of needless blades that will never see the light of day.

The greatest knife sets are razor sharp, comfortable to hold, and built to last.

The Misen Essentials Knife Set emerged as the winner after weeks of living and cooking with 40-plus knives from nine top-rated sets. This streamlined set of three essential blades—a chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a bread knife—left little regarding sharpness, balance, and mobility to be desired. The Wüsthof Classic Seven-Piece Slim Knife Block Set includes five professional-quality knives and a pair of kitchen shears, is excellent if you want a slightly larger set with a lovely wooden storage block. While either of those sets will satisfy most home cooks, two others stood out during testing: the budget-friendly Mercer Culinary Genesis Six-Piece Knife Block Set and the finely built Miyabi Artisan Seven-Piece Knife Block Set.

The following are the winners of my testing process:

• Best Knife Set Overall: Misen Essentials Knife Set
• Best Knife Block Set: Wüsthof Classic Seven-Piece Slim Knife Block Set
• Best Value Knife Set: Mercer Culinary Genesis Six-Piece Knife Block Set
• Best Upgrade Knife Set: Miyabi Artisan Seven-Piece Knife Block Set

 

Misen was founded in 2015, believing that home cooks need professional-quality tools at a more accessible price. The direct-to-consumer knife retailer has truly accomplished its goal. Unlike most knife sets, which include at least one unneeded blade, Misen’s set, which includes a chef’s knife, paring knife, and bread knife, covers only the fundamentals, and each blade is worth adding to your cutlery collection. (You can read my full review of the set here.)

Misen blades feature an unusual construction and are made of robust stainless steel with high carbon content. Misen sharpens both sides of its knives at a 15-degree angle, unlike typical Western knives, which are sharpened at a 25-degree angle. This acute angle is most common in Japanese-style knives, and it’s one of the reasons Misen’s knives are so sharp and precise. I cut through hard winter carrots like butter with the chef’s knife; with the paring knife, I had no issue moving the diminutive blade around an apple to peel away its thick skin. The bread knife also passed its tests: thanks to its long and solid build, its sharp teeth sawed through a loaf of crusty sourdough and a squishy stack of Wonder Bread, albeit it did leave a few crumbs from both.

Meanwhile, the handles, made of a strong plastic composite and come in four colors, are comfortable griping no matter what you’re chopping. The knives also feel well-balanced due to their full-tang construction, which means the blade’s metal goes down through the end of the handle. I appreciated the distinctive curved bolster at the base of the chef’s knife blade, which made it simpler to hold and control the knife with a pinch grip.

I love how simple this set is overall. Misen sells a wooden magnetic knife strip and an in-drawer storage unit in addition to the 3-piece, which does not include a wood storage block. If you’re looking for a knife set with a storage block, Misen sells two larger versions of the Essentials Knife Set, including a seven-piece model with a Santoku knife, a utility knife, a pair of kitchen shears, and an angled wooden block. The only problem? The seven-piece is virtually always unavailable. If you are lucky and check the website when the set becomes available, we recommend you take the larger pick.

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Close your eyes and envision a chef’s knife resembling the Wüsthof Classic knife. The premium blade, invented in 1886 in Solingen, Germany, is one of the world’s most renowned kitchen knives, prized for its durability and relative price. While you might be tempted to try one of Wüsthof’s newer or larger sets, the Wüsthof Classic Seven-Piece Slim Knife Block Set is the best. The set is unrivaled in quality and value, with a chef’s knife, a paring knife, a bread knife, a santoku knife, a serrated utility knife, and a pair of kitchen shears encased in a sleek hardwood block.

I instantly appreciated how easily the narrow acacia block slid between my appliances on my congested countertop, taking up the minimal room yet keeping the blades within easy reach after installing the set in my home kitchen. I was amazed by the knives. The full-tang blades are forged from durable high-carbon stainless steel and slice like butter right out of the box. Because of its heaviness, the chef’s knife, which features a classic German-style construction, does some slicing work for you. Using my forefinger and thumb on the blade, I could easily slice hard winter carrots into coins and chop parsley leaves without bruising. The rest of my fingers wrapped around the comfortable synthetic handle.

While the bread knife was first disappointing since it isn’t long enough to see across a large loaf of sourdough (eight inches long), it made up for this limitation by slicing through all types of bread with minimal crust break. I could maneuver the sharp small blade around an apple, peeling off the skin in a single spiral and dice shallots with accuracy, so the paring knife also passed the most crucial tests.

Aside from the three essential knives, the set includes interesting extras. The serrated utility knife, in particular, is a winner; it cleanses through juicy tomatoes and oranges without making a complete mess of your wooden cutting board. The kitchen shears feature my ideal construction: pull-apart blades, which make for easy cleaning and sharpening and, as a result, a longer life. But what’s the best aspect about this set? These knives are for the long haul. I’ve had (and honed) a Wüsthof Classic chef’s knife for over a decade, and it still slices as good as the day I purchased it. If one of your knives develops a manufacturing flaw, all Wüstof knives come with a limited lifetime warranty.

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If you’re looking for a dependable, low-cost knife set, the Mercer Culinary Genesis Six-Piece Knife Block Set is a great option for less than $200. This five-knife set with a space-saving glass and wood storage system is ideal for beginning cooks, and the ergonomic rubber handles provide extra nonslip grip and comfort. (You can read my complete evaluation of the set here.)

I have used Mercer Culinary knives before. My cutlery equipment came with its blades when I started culinary school. I still use a few of the knives after years and years—that’s how good they’ve held up. The knives worked admirably in my testing (of a fresh set) across all culinary challenges. The Western-style chef’s knife features a curved bolster at the blade’s base that helps you maintain a pinch grip. It has some weight to it as well, but it’s overall balanced and easy to control. While peeling an apple, the paring knife was very easy to maneuver. However, one of the most critical blades let me down: the bread knife was not long enough to cut across a sourdough loaf.

Aside from the fundamentals, the Mercer Culinary set includes a trustworthy 5-inch utility knife, which resembles a long paring knife, and a boning knife, which is important to have on hand if you want to butcher at home. I tested the latter by butchering a fresh chicken into quarters with the curved blade, and it easily did the job. During this test, I appreciated the nonslip rubber that Mercer Culinary utilizes on its handles, which helps you keep a tight grip on the knives.

Unlike most knife block sets, this one includes a sleek, modern stand made of beechwood and toughened glass that allows you to see the blades of your knives at all times. It’s easy to pull out the wrong knife when working with wooden blocks, which can be frustrating after a while. Because of the clarity of the Mercer Culinary block, I never had to guess which knife I was picking up based on the handle. If you prefer a storage block that lets you see all of the knives in the set in a single row, this set is also available with a metal and glass stand.

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I’d never spent more than $100 on a single knife, and I was content with that decision until I had these hand-honed knives. The Miyabi Artisan Seven-Piece Knife Block knives are incredibly stunning, with hand-hammered steel blades and polished cocobolo wood handles. More significantly, the blades are unbelievably sharp, making them a joy to use.

Miyabi, a subsidiary of the German knife firm Zwilling, handcrafts knives in Seki, Japan, using conventional and new metalworking techniques. Miyabi’s full-tang knives combine the greatest features of Western and Japanese-style knives. They’re honed to a highly acute angle (9.5 to 12 degrees) using a traditional procedure called honbazuke, then ice-hardened for greater edge retention. As a result, the blades are razor-sharp and thin—but also more sensitive and prone to chipping. For example, you wouldn’t want to use them to cut through chicken bones, and you certainly wouldn’t want the blades to come into contact with dishes. The handles, too, demand some special attention. Treat the wood regularly with oil (such as linseed) or wax to maintain their color and luster.

The set also includes:

• A santoku knife can serve as a second multipurpose knife if you like to cook with a friend or partner.
• Honing steel is handy for keeping the thin pointed edge of these knives in line.
• A pair of shears is my preferred red tool for everything from butchering chicken to cutting parchment paper rounds for baking.

On the other hand, the handles on these shears were a touch small for my liking. Additionally, the inability to pull the blades apart makes it harder to clean them completely.

As lovely as this set is, it does feature one odd design choice: the bamboo storage block provided has more slots than knives. If you wish to expand your knife collection while keeping your cutlery in the same block, consider the extra holes a bonus. If you don’t plan on expanding, the extra holes are redundant (and unattractive).

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Other Knife Sets I Tested

Five of the nine knife sets I tested did not cut:

Global Five-Piece Teikoku Knife Block Set: While I know and trust many home cooks who love Global knives, the stainless steel handles are difficult to hold. I struggled to grasp the paring knife’s handle because it felt too small, and the blade was too thick for precise work. I fell in love with the set’s 5.5-inch vegetable knife, which made the ideal small chopper. (The handle features an easier-to-grip design.)

Knives + Stand: I love the magnetic Stand with this three-knife set; it’s beautiful, durable, and easy to use. I also loved the knives in this set, which worked admirably in my tests. This set was eventually discarded since it didn’t provide as much versatility as others, and the serrated knife’s 6-inch blade needed to be longer to slice across a normal sourdough loaf.

Made In Knife Set: Unless you wish to buy it separately, this set does not include a knife block or storage option, so it already has much to prove to cut here. Though charming, these knives are a little clumsy and heavy, with unnecessarily thick blades that could have performed better during my tests.

Zwilling Four Star Eight-Piece Knife Block Set: This is a popular, highly rated knife set, but in my testing, I struggled to see the appeal. Despite being full-tang, the handles all felt hollow, which I found most obvious in the chef’s knife: the blade felt too heavy for the handle. Furthermore, the bread knife needed to be longer to cut through a sourdough boule.

Wüsthof Classic Ikon Six-Piece Starter Knife Block Set: Given Wüsthof’s reputation, I highly hoped for this premium knife set. The knives in this set were heavy and awkward compared to those I tested, making them difficult to hold and maneuver. I don’t believe they’re worth the $475 asking price.

 

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How I Tested The Best Knife Sets

Knife sets come in an almost limitless variety of configurations and sizes. However, most chefs agree that you only need three knives: a chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a bread knife (also understood as a serrated knife). My first step toward determining the top knife sets was restricting the options. To that end, I adopted a few firm stances when contemplating future test sets. One such approach is to avoid knife sets that include steak knives, which are best purchased separately (if you want a set). After researching top-rated sets and reading innumerable customer evaluations, I settled on sets with three to five knives and other tools like end shears.

Chef’s KnifeHands down, a chef’s knife is the most crucial in your kitchen. With a sharp point and a slightly curved blade, this versatile knife may be used for everything from slicing vegetables to carving poultry. To test the chef’s knives included in the various sets, I rested my index finger at the base of the blade and tried to balance the knife like a seesaw. The knife will be harder to hold and maneuver if the handle or blade is too heavy to balance.

I sliced carrots with a traditional rocking motion, evaluating how effortlessly and cleanly each knife cut through the tough produce. Then, with each knife, I finely cut a bunch of parsley to see if the blade was sharp and precise enough to slice the sensitive herb without bruising. My final test was solely for the most promising chef’s knives: I asked the top contenders to carve a roast chicken to determine if they could cleanly slice through the crispy skin and flesh without tearing the former. This test also helped me measure the grip on the knife handles as the chicken juices and shmaltz began to coat my hands.

Paring KnifeShort knives are ideal for cuts that need delicacy and precision, such as peeling potatoes and segmenting citrus fruit, because of their sharp tips and short blades. I began by peeling and slicing an apple with each of the knives I tested to determine how easy it was to maneuver the blade around a circular object. Then, I diced a shallot with each knife using the standard crosshatch technique I learned in culinary school.

Only the sharpest bread knives can cut through soft Wonder Bread without squishing it.

Bread KnifeBread knives feature serrated, long blades that should be long enough to cut through a whole loaf of crusty bread. I used each knife to slice a sourdough loaf, observing how easily they sawed through the bread’s hard crust and how much-shattered crust each knife left behind. I then sliced through stacks of Wonder Bread to determine if the knives could cut through the bread without squishing it or releasing crumbs.

Additional Knives and ToolsBecause the three knives mentioned above are the most essential, they were the focus of my testing. Having said that, if a set included an extra blade or tool, I used it. I snipped herbs and cut raw chicken backbones with kitchen shears. I honed some of my older knives with honing steel and sliced an onion with the new blade. Also I thinly sliced ribbons of lacinato kale if a set included a santoku knife (essentially a lighter, Japanese version of a chef’s knife). Cucumbers were sliced with utility knives. I cut a raw chicken into quarters to put the single-boning knife to the test. I thinly sliced lemons and tomatoes with a single small serrated prep knife.

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How To Pick A Knife Set

If you still can’t decide which knife set is right for you, consider these factors:

Included Knives

Knife sets vary in various configurations and styles of knives—there is no such thing as a standard. All sets should include the three essentials: a paring knife, a bread knife, and a chef’s knife. A utility knife, which is longer than a paring knife but shorter than a chef’s knife, is also included in some sets. Boning knives, ideal for those who perform a lot of butchery at home, and fillet knives, designed for cutting fish and removing bones, are also included in sets (albeit less frequently). Kitchen shears and honing steels are two of the most often used non-knife tools, and both are crucial (the latter is required for knife maintenance). However, you can always buy these separately. Chavez suggests buying a flat diamond steel for less than $20 because he finds it slightly easier to operate than a round one for most people.

Remember that quantity does not imply quality. In general, knife sets with more than ten pieces should be avoided. Some knives, such as steak knives, should be purchased separately. (Also, if you want all of your knives to be of the finest quality, most knife experts believe that buying each piece of cutlery individually is ideal so that you may pick the absolute best in each knife category; although, buying a complete knife set is more convenient.)

Material

Most knives designed for home kitchens are constructed of stainless steel due to their durability and corrosion resistance. However, you could come across knives made of carbon steel. While this material is harder and stronger than stainless steel, carbon steel knives are more prone to staining, breakage, and corrosion. One steel is different from carbon steel; the latter only demands more upkeep. Consider looking for knives of high-carbon stainless steel to get the best of both worlds. More importantly, make sure the knives you’re considering buying are “full-tang,” which means the steel runs from the tip of the blade to the end of the handle.

Personal taste governs the material of the handle. Some prefer a rubber grip handle for comfort and safety, while others are drawn to polished wood’s beautiful texture. Remember that wood-handled knives are a little more picky regarding upkeep. You shouldn’t leave them damp or sitting around in the sink if you want them to last (but you shouldn’t do that with any knife).

Price

A set of knives should be considered an investment—something you will own, use, and benefit from for many years. Spend between $100 to $700 on a high-quality knife set with storage. Of course, many sets fall outside this price range, but you shouldn’t trust a knife set that costs less than $100. Knives are designed to last if they are crafted and cared for appropriately. So, while price is an important issue, you must also consider value. Remember that quality is more important than quantity.

Block

Knife sets usually include a handy storage block with slots for keeping your knives and tools. Angled blocks, which store knives diagonally, are the most prevalent; this style makes it easy to pull the knives in and out, but these blocks take up a lot of counter space. On the other hand, Upright blocks are more compact; however, removing the knives seems more awkward.

Remember that you will need an alternative storage solution if a set does not include a block (or if you do not wish to use the included block). Universal knife blocks, which have different knife-sized slots and are built on an angle for improved access, are ideal for people who prefer to store their knives on the countertop within easy reach. If you’re short on counter space, a magnetic strip installed on the wall is a terrific space-saving solution.

For those who prefer to keep their knives hidden, in-drawer knife organizers with slots will keep them safe and out of sight. Don’t leave your knives lying about in your drawers if you have knife sheaths to protect the blades. “That will keep them from banging up against all the other tools in your drawer,” Chavez explains. Stay away from knife blocks with built-in sharpeners that claim to sharpen your knives as you insert and remove them from the block. “That’s going to hurt your knife more than it’s going to help,” Chavez warns.

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My Expertise

Knife sets come in an almost limitless variety of configurations and sizes. However, most chefs agree that you only need three knives: a chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a bread knife (also understood as a serrated knife). My first step toward determining the top knife sets was restricting the options. To that end, I adopted a few firm stances when contemplating future test sets. One such approach is to avoid knife sets that include steak knives, which are best purchased separately (if you want a set). After researching top-rated sets and reading innumerable customer evaluations, I settled on sets with three to five knives and other tools like end shears.

Chef’s Knife Hands down, a chef’s knife is the most crucial in your kitchen. With a sharp point and a slightly curved blade, this versatile knife may be used for everything from slicing vegetables to carving poultry. To test the chef’s knives included in the various sets, I rested my index finger at the base of the blade and tried to balance the knife like a seesaw. The knife will be harder to hold and maneuver if the handle or blade is too heavy to balance.

I sliced carrots with a traditional rocking motion, evaluating how effortlessly and cleanly each knife cut through the tough produce. Then, with each knife, I finely cut a bunch of parsley to see if the blade was sharp and precise enough to slice the sensitive herb without bruising. My final test was solely for the most promising chef’s knives: I asked the top contenders to carve a roast chicken to determine if they could cleanly slice through the crispy skin and flesh without tearing the former. This test also helped me measure the grip on the knife handles as the chicken juices and shmaltz began to coat my hands.

Paring KnifeShort knives are ideal for cuts that need delicacy and precision, such as peeling potatoes and segmenting citrus fruit, because of their sharp tips and short blades. I began by peeling and slicing an apple with each of the knives I tested to determine how easy it was to maneuver the blade around a circular object. Then, I diced a shallot with each knife using the standard crosshatch technique I learned in culinary school.

Only the sharpest bread knives can cut through soft Wonder Bread without squishing it.

What Are The Three Knives That Everyone Should Have?

Every home kitchen should contain three knives at a minimum: a chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a bread (or serrated) knife. Because of its size and versatility, a chef’s knife is the most important tool in any home kitchen. A paring knife—ideally, one with a narrow, sharp blade and an easy-to-grip handle—comes in handy for smaller, more delicate chores like peeling apples. Last is a long bread knife for slicing tall layer cakes and sawing through crusty bread lovers. If you’re developing your collection of knives rather than buying a set, this is the one must-have knife you can save money on in terms of price. In most circumstances, a long, simple, budget-friendly serrated knife with a plastic handle (the kind you’d find at a deli) will work.

How Should You Take Care Of A Knife Set?

Knives should be quickly dried after use and hand washed. Even if a set claims to be dishwasher-safe, you should avoid running the blades through it because prolonged water exposure wears them down faster. Furthermore, knives should never be stored where their exposed blades could touch other objects, such as in a kitchen drawer without knife sheaths. “It dulls your knife faster if it comes into contact with hard objects that aren’t on your cutting board,” Diaz explains.

After each use, it’s also a good idea to start honing all your knives (excluding serrated ones). To hone a knife, run the length of either side of the blade at roughly a 20-degree angle across honing steel, straightening the knife’s edge and helps maintain it sharp. As long as you maintain your knives daily, they should only be sharpened once a year. Speaking of sharpening, while you may do it at home with a dedicated machine or sharpening stone, it’s generally better to leave it to professional knife sharpeners or kitchen stores because the process involves removing material from the knife to reestablish an angled sharp edge.

What’s The Difference Between A Western-Style Chef’s Knife And A Japanese-Style Santoku Knife?

Chef’s and Santoku knives appear identical to the uninitiated eye and are not that different. They’re both multipurpose knives designed to be the workhorse of your knife collection. However, there are some significant differences between the two styles. Western-style knives typically feature thicker, curved blades, which makes them heavier overall. Japanese-style santoku knives typically feature straight blades and are lighter, thinner, and shorter. Many chef’s knives nowadays are hybrids, combining characteristics from both traditions.

Is one style better than the other? No, the ideal style for you relies heavily on your slicing style. Do you use the traditional French slicing technique of rocking your knife up and down on the board while you cut through vegetables? If so, you should have a Western-style chef knife in your collection, as santokus feature straight blades that don’t allow for rocking. Listen to Chavez: “If you’re a chopper rather than a rocker, you need a santoku knife.” That said, many people prefer the feel of Japanese-style santoku knives over Western-style chef’s knives, which can feel unwieldy—especially to those with smaller hands. Finally, the best knife for you is the one that feels comfortable in your hand.