The Best Kitchen Knife Sets on Amazon, According to Professional Chefs
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Knifework is one of the more dangerous and tedious skills for a home cook to build, which explains why culinary history is littered with attempts to minimize it. Food processors, mandolins, and Slap Chops are all well and good, but for anyone who’s even halfway serious about cooking at home, knife skills, and a great set of knives, are essential. From animal butchery to precise vegetable julienning, the right knives can make a burdensome chore into a satisfying pleasure.
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Professional chefs are very particular about their knives and typically buy them individually rather than within a set. While amateur chefs certainly don’t need the bespoke set that can handle the Saturday rush at Four Charles, there’s a lot to learn from the materials, shapes, and designs that the pros prefer.
The virtue of the knife set is that it covers all the bases — serrated and not, long and short, for general or specific use — in one go. There’s a large range of prices for knife sets, from sub-$100 options to others well over $1,000. The sweet spot will vary depending on one’s budget and cooking habits, but it’s generally worth paying more for a set that will last a long time.
What the Experts Say
For this story, SPY spoke with Roger Sitrin, the Lead Recreational Chef Instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education; Midori Shaffer, co-founder and CEO of Hasu-Seizo; and Jeremy Watson, founder of Chubo Knives, to help sort through the best kitchen knife sets available now.
Watson says “Knives are a very personal tool and there are so many options available, but the most important thing when buying a new knife is to get the right knife for what and how you cook.” Avid bakers will need a bread knife, seafood lovers a boning knife, carnivores a carving knife, et cetera. Sitrin cautions that getting a set with knives one won’t use might seem harmless but their cost means the necessary knives are inherently cheaper since the price has to be spread out over more items.
Owning a suite of cutlery begs the question of where to store them all. “Knives should be stored in a way that prevents them from knocking into one another or other items, you also need to protect the blades,” Sitrin says. Classic knife blocks, svelte magnetic numbers, blade guards (that protect blades in drawers), and in-drawer solutions are all effective options, and it’s worth considering what makes sense for one’s kitchen when shopping for a new set.
In terms of budgeting for a kitchen knife set, Shaffer says that “it’s worth investing in a high-quality knife that will last a long time, but it’s also important to choose a knife that you can afford.” The durability of knives, which do last a long time if properly taken care of, is the determining factor here. Most people will be happy to spend a bit more on something that will last much longer.
BEST OVERALL
Henckels Graphite Razor-Sharp 13-pc Knife Set
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Most home chefs will be more than satisfied with this set of knives from Henckels, a well-done standard set housed in a classic countertop block.
Sitrin says “Every home chef should have the following knives: a chef’s knife (8 or 10 inches long), paring knife, serrated knife with an offset handle, scissors, and a good honing rod.” This set includes all of those, along with a set of four steak knives (because eight is overkill) and a couple more specialized blades. Each is made of a single piece of German stainless steel, a classic material in bladesmithing, tripled-riveted to a curved, comfortable handle.
At $150, this set is squarely in the middle of the market — more than knives that aren’t built to last and less than those that only professionals can appreciate.
BEST MINIMAL SET
Material Kitchen Trio of Knives
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A big knife, a small knife, and a serrated knife comprise this set from the design-focused kitchen brand. They’re available in non-standard colors like mauve that look great on the (sadly, sold separately) sculptural wooden magnetic knife block.
A knife set that simply looked nice would not earn a recommendation. These do because they’re made of high-carbon stainless steel. Sitrin says that regular stainless steel is “comparatively soft and has difficulty holding an edge…Adding carbon to the stainless makes the metal harder while remaining stain-resistant. A harder metal can hold an edge better and longer.”
These knives aren’t cheap, at $170 for the set without any kind of storage, but they perform impressively and offer a different kind of aesthetic than the sea of harsh black, silver, and dark wood options that form the bulk of the marketplace.
BEST GERMAN
Wústhof German 10-Piece Knife Block Set
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Wústhof has been making knives in Germany for two centuries, and this set is a quintessential collection of knives that have that particular heft that makes German cutlery so satisfying to use.
“German knives (sometimes referred to as Western-style knives) are stamped from a piece of high carbon stainless steel and then sharpened, then the handle is added,” Sitrin says. He adds that they’re typically easier to sharpen than their harder Japanese counterparts. This particular set is a product of that process, and it comes with a good mix of solid, hollow, and serrated blades. The handles are triple riveted and made of polypropylene, a synthetic material that can stand up to the rigors of heavy use without degrading over time.
The $275 price tag for this set reflects the heirloom quality of the blades. It’s not the set you’d buy for someone who can barely crack an egg, but it’s a good choice for those with loftier kitchen ambitions who are willing to care for their cutlery.
BEST JAPANESE
Global Teikoku 5-Piece Stainless Steel Knife Block Set
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The open-air center of the oak block for this set of Japanese knives from knife maker Global shows off the blades rather than hiding them, an added decorative element in addition to the knives being of excellent quality.
Watson says “Japanese knives are loved by chefs because they perform extremely well, but have a reputation for being delicate and thin.” Sitrin adds that they’re harder and thinner than German knives due to the way the metal is folded, hammered, and sharpened to a more acute angle. But it’s the handle — part of the same piece of steel as the blade, dimpled for slip-resistant grip, and filled with sand for balanced cutting — that truly sets these knives apart.
Like other high-quality knives, the $250 price tag on this set is justified by their quality and longevity. Global also offers a lifetime warranty on all their blades, further assurance that this set is worth the investment.
BEST BUDGET
Farberware 15-Piece Forged Knife Set
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Casual home chefs might not want to invest the money and maintenance into a set of knives that will last a lifetime. For these folks, this sub-$50 15-piece set from the best-selling cutlery brand in the country is a fine choice.
Watson says “If you know that you are not great at keeping your knives clean then choose something stainless steel that will be a little more forgiving.” These Farberware knives are made of stainless steel, so they fit the bill. Also appealing to the infrequent slice-and-dicer is the size of the set, which includes a full complement of prep knives, six steak knives, shears, and a traditional block to store everything in.
After looking at premium knives for hundreds of dollars, seeing a set like this for $36 is jarring. At a price point that low, they don’t have to last a lifetime to be a good value.
Frequently Asked Questions About Knife Sets
Which Knives Come in a Knife Set?
That depends on the set, of course, but the most basic trios typically include a chef’s knife, serrated utility knife, and paring knife. Bigger sets add on more specialized blades (e.g. a bread knife), shears, and/or a set of steak knives.
What’s the Best Way to Store Kitchen Knives
“Knives should be stored in a way that prevents them from knocking into one another or other items, you also need to protect the blades. You can do this by using blade guards, an in-drawer or countertop knife block or keeping them in their original packaging,” Sitrin says. Most knife sets come with a countertop block of some sort, but in-drawer blocks or magnetic racks can also protect cutlery just fine.
When Should I Buy a Knife Set Instead of Individual Knives?
Buying a knife set decreases the number of buying decisions you have to make and gives you a set of knives that look good together. If you’re highly particular about knives, opt to shop and buy individually instead.
Will Buying a Knife Set Make Me a Better Cook?
Maybe! If you enjoy cooking more after a decent set of knives, you’ll do it more and probably get better at it. Who knows, one day you might be the pretentious jerk lecturing normals on the virtues of hollow edge construction!
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