Best Kitchen Knife Sets – Buying Guide and Reviews
Come along as we review 10 of the best kitchen knife sets on the market.
Knives are different things to different people. To some, they are as basic as any other kitchen tool, and their use is simple – to chop ingredients into manageable pieces when prepping food. For others, they are a collector’s item, and they will go to great lengths to get the best regardless of budget. Regardless of how you perceive your knives, they are an investment that you will want to spend a reasonable amount of time selecting.
What goes into choosing the best knife set for your kitchen? Well, not too many details as you will see further in this article, but the details are specific. Blades, handle, counter space, what and how you cook as well as your budget are some of the things that will determine the knife set that will work for you.
Table of Contents
- Kitchen Knife Sets – Review & Buyer’s Guide
- 1. Chef Knife Set Knives Kitchen Set
- 2. Cuisinart C55-6PCSBK Advantage Color Collection
- 3. Emojoy Knife Set, 15-Piece Kitchen Knife Set
- 4. Bellemain Premium Steak Knife Set of 4 Stainless Steel
- 5. McCook MC35 Knife Sets
- 6. J.A. HENCKELS INTERNATIONAL 35309-000 Statement Knife Block Set
- 7. Deik Knife Set
- 8. Knife – Kitchen Knife Set
- 9. McCook MC41 6 Pieces Forged Triple Rivet Kitchen Knife Set
- 10. Marco Almond KYA31 Japanese Stainless-Steel Knives Set
- Buying Guide – Kitchen Knife Sets
- Frequently Asked Questions – Kitchen Knife Sets
Kitchen Knife Sets – Review & Buyer’s Guide
1. Chef Knife Set Knives Kitchen Set
An incredible and comprehensive knife set fit for both culinary experts and amateurs from Home Hero. With its sleek look and design, the set has five different knives made from nonstick stainless steel. They include a carving knife, a chef knife, a paring knife, a utility knife and a bread knife. Also included in the set are a safety finger guard, a knife sharpener and an outstanding acrylic cutlery stand. The sharpener consists of both coarse and fine sharpening modes as well as a V-shaped base for a firm grip on your kitchen counter. All the knives are of high quality due to their initial coupling with stainless steel during production. This feature gives them a high degree of resistance to rust. Besides, they all have laser finished blades resulting in a clear, nonstick and smooth grain outcome. Any of the chopped up food ingredients do not adhere to the blade during its use. Cleaning the knives is an easy and quick process since they are safe for the top rack of your dishwasher. Handwashing the set is possible as well.
- It has nonstick knife blades.
- It has seven different items of cutlery.
- It has a double-mode knife sharpener.
- It contains redundant items.
2. Cuisinart C55-6PCSBK Advantage Color Collection
This Cuisinart set has a collection of six steak knives with a lifetime warranty. They all have stainless steel blades and are black in color, but you can have a choice of various colors if you so wish. The different colors allow for matching each knife to a particular task or food during cooking or dining. This tiny application avoids potential food cross contamination especially when other people have allergies. In case of differently-textured meat products, the variety of choices allows you to pick the correct blade for the particular task. The blades have nonstick ceramic coating thus making your slicing and chopping processes relatively easy. In addition to cutting steak, these knives are great for slicing most types of flesh including poultry. Designed for the discerning consumer, these premium knives also have ergonomic handles and color-coded matching blade guards. Due to their lack of a knife stand, the individual pieces are easy to store among other utensils as long as they have an enclosing ceramic cover. Both handwashing and dishwashing these knives are advisable without any risk to the quality of the set.
- It is ideal for meat-based foods.
- It has various colors from which to choose.
- It has a lifetime warranty.
- Its coating may peel off occasionally.
3. Emojoy Knife Set, 15-Piece Kitchen Knife Set
A newly released kitchen knife set from Emojoy. These premium knives are sleek in design with their ergonomic pakkawood handles. The set includes a chef knife, slicing knife, bread knife, santoku knife, paring knife, utility knife and six steak knives. These knives range in size from 8 inches to 3.5 inches. Also included in the set are kitchen scissors and a knife sharpener. For you to appreciate their timeless look at first sight, set your palm grip to the smooth wooden grain of the knife handles. For its unmatched accuracy and deadly precision, the knife blade of the set is a stainless-steel product of X50Cr15 superior high carbon. You also get a sturdy and long-lasting bolster for a stable control alongside your Emojoy set. The blades are sharp and practical while maintaining their resistance to rust. They are also devoid of those ugly indentations common to low quality knives. Hand cleaning these knives is an easy and quick errand followed by storing them safely within their slots in the pakkawood block.
- 15 pieces in one set.
- It has a tough pakkawood knife block.
- It has a sleek and ergonomic design.
- It is an expensive set.
4. Bellemain Premium Steak Knife Set of 4 Stainless Steel
The makers of this group of four steak knives have a reputation of using surgical grade, rust-free stainless steel for their blades. This Bellemain knife set will slice through your beef or steak with such amazing ease that you will not notice it at first. Specifically designed for steak, these knives have long-lasting blades tempered with ice as opposed to the usual heat. All the four different steak knives are versatile for various beef with varying degrees of toughness. For less incidences of having stuck steak, each of your Belleman knives has a hollow ground with a precision-cut steel margin. It is a steak knife that maintains a stylish look and elegant appearance at all times. This knife is very ergonomic, especially for the seasoned steak eaters since it handles expertly during its use. Being full tang in design, these knives guarantee durability and strength as opposed to those made from conjoined pieces or component parts. Also, as producers of the knife set, Belleman provides you with a buy-back guarantee in case you feel unsatisfied with your product.
- It has durable full-tang stainless steel blades.
- It has hollow ground blades.
- It has ergonomic handles.
- It is specific to steak use.
5. McCook MC35 Knife Sets
This high-quality German stainless-steel kitchen knife set from McCook consists of eleven pieces that are wholly rust and tarnish-resistant. It is of high-end restaurant quality as well. Subjected to at least five different functionality and quality tests, this McCook knife set is FDA approved. It includes a chef knife, bread knife, santoku knife, meat fork, serrated utility knife, fine-edged utility knife, slicing knife and a paring knife. These knives range between 3.5 and 8 inches in their various sizes.
An Acacia knife block with an inbuilt sharpener and multipurpose kitchen shears form part of the set as well. The shears can perform other tasks that are not limited to the use of knives. With their tapered ground edges, these knives offer you with the perfect degree of sharpness during their kitchen use. Accuracy in cutting is also achievable due to this exclusive taper technology. Confident and comfortable usage of the knives is an effortless task due to their ergonomically designed handles. The safe storage of your set pieces is possible via the accompanying acacia knife block.
- It has an adequate number of cutlery pieces.
- It has FDA approval.
- It has knife blades with tapered ground edges.
- It has an acacia knife block.
6. J.A. HENCKELS INTERNATIONAL 35309-000 Statement Knife Block Set
This knife set from J.A. Henckels is a product of high carbon stainless expertly crafted to achieve an unmatched value and excellent performance. It has twelve cutlery pieces ranging from 3 inches to 9 inches in size. They include a chef knife, bread knife, paring knife, six steak knives and a santoku knife with a hollow edge. A steel knife sharpener and a knife block made of hardwood are components of the set as well. For dicing onions and chopping herbs, you can use the chef knife while the hollow edge santoku is efficient in mincing your garlic. Use your bread knife to slice across any crusty dough cleanly. This set has a tendency to maintain its sharpness over a more extended period compared to other sets. Although hand washing is the ideal recommendation, you can also clean the knife set in a dishwasher safely. To achieve durability, all the knives within your Henckels set have triple-riveted handles that consist of a full tang design. As a result, the makers have a limited lifetime warranty on this product.
- Its cutlery pieces are large in size.
- It is both dish and hand-washable.
- It has a hardwood knife block.
- It is fairly expensive.
7. Deik Knife Set
This fourteen-piece knife set from Deik includes a chef knife, paring knife, carving knife, utility knife, bread knife and six steak knives. Also included within the set are an acrylic knife block, a pair of shears and a steel knife sharpener. The various sizes of the cutlery range from 3.5 to 8 inches. Forged continuously in a single piece, the knives in this set have an unmatched standard of durability and strength. This long-lasting trait allows you some leeway for a multipurpose use of the set. They are bound to remain sturdy and equally sharp in spite of their repeated and extended use.
The knives’ resistance to rust and bacteria is possible due to the use of stainless steel with a stain-free high carbon component in their manufacture. The set features ergonomic handles with a tapered and curved design that fits comfortably within your grip during its usage. Due to the set’s variability, you have a multipurpose choice of cutlery for all your kitchen needs, i.e. cutting. dicing, slicing and chopping.
- It is a multipurpose, utility-driven cutlery set.
- Fourteen pieces in one set.
- The handles are ergonomic.
- It has an acrylic knife stand.
8. Knife – Kitchen Knife Set
Ailuki provides you with this particular knife set for all your kitchen cutlery requirements. The set consists of nineteen pieces of cutlery. They include a chef knife, slicing knife, santoku knife, utility knife, bread knife, carving fork, paring knife and six steak knives. Besides, you can have a knife sharpener, cooking scissors, storage block and two shredder claws within the same Ailuki knife set. Every item in the set is a product of premium material. The knife blades designed for their durability, precision and rust resistance are of X50Cr15 high-carbon German stainless steel.
Besides, this type of steel is responsible for the lack of pits and the shiny appearance of your knife set. It also has a long-lasting razor-sharp edge adjusted to a 16-degree angle. Its maintenance is easy due to the hand-polished and precisely tempered blade margins. Also, the Ailuki set is a full tang model that guarantees sturdiness and durability. The handle provides you with a firm and comfortable grip on the knife thereby preventing sudden slippage. Safe storage is possible via the accompanying hardwood knife block.
- Shredder claws for barbeques.
- Both hand and dish-washable.
- It has nineteen cutlery pieces.
- Being a premium product, it is relatively expensive.
9. McCook MC41 6 Pieces Forged Triple Rivet Kitchen Knife Set
Another knife set from McCook with six pieces of cutlery made of high carbon stainless steel. The items in this particular set range in size from 3.5 inches to 6 inches. They include a chef knife, paring knife, serrated utility knife, santoku knife, a beech wood knife block and utility kitchen shears. The knives are resistant to both corrosion and tarnish thereby rendering them items of high quality. The whole set has approval from the FDA after undergoing a minimum of five different, but specific tests.
This McCook MC41 set uses an exclusive technology to grind and taper the knife blades thus making them precisely sharp when used in cutting. Also, this same technology makes the blades relatively easy to re-sharpen when the need arises. The ergonomic knife handles offer you a confident and comfortable experience when using the set. Efficient and safe storage of your knives is achievable through the use of the knife block made of natural beech wood. The manufacturer also offers a money-back guarantee for this product.
- It has FDA approval.
- It is Tarnish and rust resistant.
- It uses an exclusive taper grind technology for its blades.
- It contains fewer pieces of cutlery compared to other knife sets.
10. Marco Almond KYA31 Japanese Stainless-Steel Knives Set
This set contains fourteen pieces of cutlery from Marco Almond. These pieces include a chef knife, santoku knife, serrated utility knife, slicing knife, paring knife, utility knife and six steak knives. You will have a multipurpose kitchen shear and a black wooden knife block with the set as well. The set derives most of its high quality from high carbon Japanese stainless steel which also contributes to its premium look. It boasts of excellent craftsmanship, a uniquely sleek design and hard plastic handle that assist in attaining a firm grip. The steel used in the Marco Almond KYA31 set is resistant to rust, pitting and dust thus making it sturdy and durable when compared to other low-quality knife sets. The knife block has an inbuilt steel knife sharpener for your convenience since this feature allows for self-sharpening. The block also provides a safe storage space for your whole set. When cleaning your knife set, hand washing is the recommended method as opposed to dishwashing which negatively affects the quality of the knives.
- It contains fourteen pieces of cutlery.
- It is resistant to both corrosion and pitting.
- It is made from premium quality material.
- It does not allow the use of a dishwasher.
Buying Guide – Kitchen Knife Sets
If you’re looking at your knife as an investment, then you won’t want to just buy the next set you find on shelves. Here are things you want to look for before buying a set.
Construction
Knives will either be forged or stamped. Those are the main construction methods that also determine the weight of the knife. Forged knives are made when a piece of steel is molten and then beaten into the shape the maker wants. Stamped knives, on the other hand, are made through stamping a sheet of metal. For that reason, forged knives are costlier than their stamped counterparts, and they are also more durable. They are heavier, have a bolster that stamped knives lack, and have a thicker blade. On the downside, they are less flexible as compared to stamped knives.
Material of the Blade
Steel is the most popular blade material, but more and more knife brands are using ceramic. Stainless steel is durable, corrosion-resistant, and sturdy, and so most experts prefer it to ceramic because the latter chips and breaks easily. Downside: it dulls quickly and isn’t the easiest to sharpen. Stainless steel knives are easy to maintain as long as you hand wash them instead of tossing them in dishwashers.
Carbon steel, yet another popular material with knife makers, is easy to sharpen, doesn’t dull easily, but it needs too much care. Because the material rusts easily, it needs proper drying after washing. Stainless steel alloys are the perfect combo of steel and carbon, making knives that meet some of the highest standards. The Japanese love them, and because this mix combats the shortcomings of both materials, these knives are quite pricey.
Handle Material
Most knife handles are either made from composites – plastics – or stainless steel, both of which are strong and durable. Some brands, mostly high-end, have wooden handles because these are sophisticated and good-looking. However, they succumb to rot easily if they are not kept dry at all times. They are not the kind you toss in the kitchen sink for hours because they will come apart in days.
Comfortable in the Hand
You want to select a knife that feels natural in your hand. If the handle is too thick that you can’t hold it easily or the entire knife is too heavy, it may be unsafe to use. The handle should be ergonomic so that it fits in the hand effortlessly. You also want a textured grip that will prevent the knife from slipping and hurting you or anyone else.
Ease of Care
Most knives are ideally handwashed, as tossing them in dishwashers can damage the blade. That said, you want one that doesn’t need special care unless you don’t have an issue paying it too much attention. Most knives need regular honing to stay in top shape, but they only need professional sharpening once a year. Wooden chopping boards are also ideal as they do not harm the blade.
Other Factors
You may want to consider storage space if you are pressed for it. Some sets come with a wooden block while others do not. You can still buy the block separately. If you have no much space for a whole block, then magnetic strips that take up little space could be ideal. You can also store them inside a drawer. The décor of your kitchen is yet another point you may want to think of especially if you are keen on how everything looks in your home.
Frequently Asked Questions – Kitchen Knife Sets
Conclusion – Wrapping Up
Was this article helpful? We wrote it with the intention to inform and make it easier to choose your next set of kitchen knives, and we sure do hope this was achieved. Remember to keep your knives sharp because a dull blade does more harm than good. As always, this piece is up-to-date, and the products we selected are from reputable brands and available online.