The Best Knife Sets of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Of all the tools you need for cooking, the kitchen knife is perhaps the most important. There’s hardly a dish out there that doesn’t require slicing or dicing of some kind. Every kitchen should have several essential knives specialized for different tasks, from a versatile chef’s knife for everyday chopping to paring knives for small-scale mincing, peeling, and trimming.

The best knife sets provide easy access to all of your essential knives at once, along with a sleek, safe, and functional place to store them. Perfect for a beginner cook, newlyweds, or anyone who needs a kitchen refresh, the best knife sets include several basic blades, often at a significant discount from buying the knives one by one. In our never-ending quest to find the best kitchen tools, we put 42 of the best knife sets to the test, evaluating each knife set based on sharpness, design, and overall value.

$WÃ¼sthof Classic 10-Piece Knife Set with Beech Block$

PHOTO: Wüsthof

Wüsthof knives are reliably high-quality across the board, so the brand’s a great choice for a full set. The Wüsthof Classic chef’s knife was the second-sharpest out of the box in our testing, and the paring knife needed almost no effort to hull strawberries. We like that this block includes two serrated knives: a long one that glides through crusty bread, and a shorter utility blade that will work for raw meat prep or a post-cooking steak knife. There’s also a tiny, curved peeler knife great for cutting precise garnishes.

The two-piece kitchen shears are very easy to clean, but they didn’t have the strength to chop through chicken wings in testing. That’s our main quibble with the set, along with the fact that the block has a bigger footprint than competitors. The Classic line is Wüsthof’s best-selling and most affordable, though it’s still slightly above average for our tested knives. We say the price is well worth it for the quality from one of our favorite German kitchen brands.

Blade Material: Forged steel | Handle Material: Plastic | Block Dimensions: 12.5 x 4.4 x 12 inches | Includes: Peeling knife, paring knife, serrated utility knife, double serrated bread knife, chef’s knife, carving knife, meat fork, honing steel, 9-slot block

Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore

Amazon Zwilling Gourmet 10-Piece Knife Block Set

PHOTO: Amazon

The best knife block sets can get very expensive; it makes sense when you’re buying several top-quality blades all at once. But this Zwilling one impressed us with its comparatively affordable price. The paring knife was probably the best performer, a practically weightless tool that was able to slice the skin of a kiwi with only gentle pressure. We also liked the extra-sharp serrated bread knife, and the shears — they don’t come apart for cleaning, but they chopped through chicken bones with no problem.

Our biggest problem in testing the Zwilling set was its chef’s knife, which is unfortunately the most-used knife in just about any kitchen. It easily sliced through a tomato but lacked the power and balance to evenly cut an onion or slice through a sweet potato without serious effort. Its handle is also awkward to hold.

Blade Material: Stainless steel | Handle Material: Plastic | Block Dimensions: 14.17 x 6.3 x 6.1 inches | Includes: Peeling knife, vegetable knife, paring knife, serrated knife, slicing knife, bread knife, chef’s knife, honing steel, shears, 13-slot block

Williams Sonoma Cangshan 12-Piece Maya Block Set

PHOTO: Williams Sonoma

This set’s narrow, angled walnut block holds its knives efficiently but also stands out in a sea of near-identical square blocks. The lustrous knife handles, made of durable African blackwood, match the block nicely, and their octagonal shape fits securely in the hand. The blades are all super-sharp and well-balanced, making quick work of all of our tests. We especially liked that the shears have a serrated blade to get a good grip on and chop through cartilage and bone, and a flat blade to slice cleanly through delicate chives and other herbs.

In the overall world of knife block sets, the Cangshan is a bit expensive, but it’s not overpriced for a set of Japanese knives. It includes 12 pieces, but four of those are standard steak knives — you don’t get any specialty tools other sets don’t have. We’re also a bit disappointed at the lack of a long meat slicer; an 8-inch chef’s knife and a 9-inch bread knife are the biggest here.

Blade Material: Damascus steel | Handle Material: African blackwood | Block Dimensions: 9.75 x 6.67 x 9.5 inches | Includes: Paring knife, serrated utility knife, santoku, bread knife, chef’s knife, steak knives, honing steel, shears, 11-slot block

Amazon Zwilling Pro 10-Piece Knife Block Set

PHOTO: Amazon

Zwilling makes both fancy and budget knives: The Pro line is built to hold up to the rigors of restaurant cooking, which makes it quite a bit more expensive than the brand’s Classic design. The Pro’s handle shape and thick bolster lend themselves well to the pinch grip favored by trained chefs, and the heavy-duty construction ensures these knives will remain intact and easy to clean for years.

The chef’s and paring knives in this set were both among the sharpest in the test by mechanical measurement, and they slid through every ingredient we could slice with them. The Zwilling Pro bread knife was also impressive, able to slice crusty bread and turn soft sandwich bread into cubes without crushing either one. The one item that disappointed us was the shears: They felt cheap and uncomfortable, had trouble cutting up chicken, and didn’t come apart for easy cleaning.

All in all, the Zwilling Pro set is a good choice if you’re ready to step up to a higher level of knife. It’s only barely above average in cost for the models we tested, but it’ll keep up with ones that cost thousands.

Blade Material: Stainless steel | Handle Material: Plastic | Includes: Paring knives (2), serrated utility knife, prep knife, santoku, bread knife, chef’s knife, shears, honing steel, 16-slot block

PHOTO: Shun

Japanese knives are known for their high quality (and high prices), and Shun is among the top names in Japanese knives. If you’re looking to equip a truly luxury kitchen, this could be the best knife set for you. The set covers every kitchen function, from slim boning knife to hefty santoku, and the pieces are all razor-sharp — well, except for the honing steel and block itself, of course.

The Shuns slid through all of our test ingredients like butter. The smooth, oval-ish handles of its Classic design felt a little unusual at first, but as we got used to them we realized that the shape helps guide your hand into a comfortable position sort of automatically. This wards off fatigue when you’re doing a lot of chopping.

Shun knives also look gorgeous, with a distinctive wavy pattern in the steel made by folding together layers of different compositions. They’re heirloom-level tools that will last for years if hand-washed and honed properly, and they come at an heirloom-level price to match.

Blade Material: Damascus steel | Handle Material: Pakkawood | Block Dimensions: 11 x 5 x 9 inches | Includes: Paring knife, santoku, boning knife, chef’s knife, slicing knife, bread knife, chef’s knife, honing steel, shears, 11-slot block

Amazon HexClad 7-Piece Japanese Damascus Steel Knife Set

PHOTO: Amazon

HexClad’s Japanese-style knives look a lot like the Shun Classic models above, except they’re about half as expensive and aren’t made in Japan. Nonetheless, most of them performed nicely in our tests — especially the chef’s knife, which was sharp enough to slice off a translucent sliver of tomato with practically no effort. We also like the compact magnetic knife block; it holds all the knives securely on one side, and you can use the other for spatulas, tongs, and any other steel tools.

The bread knife is where this set came up short in testing. Its serrations were able to get through the crust, but the blade wasn’t sharp enough and tore the interior of the loaf. The set’s seven pieces also include just five knives and no shears, something you need to take into account when you consider its below-average price.

Blade Material: Damascus steel | Handle Material: Pakkawood | Block Dimensions: 9.88 x 8.81 x 3.94 inches | Includes: Paring knife, utility knife, santoku, bread knife, chef’s knife, honing steel, magnetic knife block

PHOTO: Misen

Pros

These high-quality, reasonably priced knives are a joy to hold, and we love that they come in fun colors.

*Editor’s note: We paired these knives with the Misen Magnetic Knife Strip to create a full set.

Misen makes top-quality knives at a mid-level price, and this set is a perfect demonstration of that. The blades are made from hard high-carbon steel like that used in many Japanese knives, which can hold a super-sharp edge. The grip shape is quite comfortable to hold, and the unique sloped bolster lets you access and chop ingredients from the very beginning of the blade without getting your fingers in the way.

We had a great test performance with the chef’s and bread knives, but the paring knife was disappointing. It was near the bottom of the list in our mechanical measurements of sharpness, and it had trouble getting through the skin to peel a kiwi. This set is comprehensive for all kitchen needs, though its knives are a bit shorter than others — especially the serrated knife, just 5 inches long compared to most sets’ 8- or 9-inch bread knives. We do love the color choices; you can get the identical set in bold red or blue, or more traditional black.

The simple wall-mounted magnetic strip is unexpectedly fantastic. It holds all the knives securely but not so much so that you can’t pull one off with one hand when you need it. And it can go anywhere you can screw in a screw: a wall, under a cabinet, inside a cabinet door — there are lots of ways to free up counter space.

Blade Material: Carbon steel | Handle Material: Plastic | Strip Dimensions: 2.5 x 15.75 x 0.75 inches | Includes: Paring knife, serrated knife, utility knife, santoku, chef’s knife, shears, ceramic honing rod, magnetic strip

Our Favorite Knife Set

The German-made Wüsthof Classic 10-Piece Knife Block Set came out on top in our extensive testing, impressing us with its design, performance, and variety. The Wüsthof Classic chef’s knife was the second-sharpest out of the box in our testing, and the paring knife needed almost no effort to hull strawberries and deftly peel kiwis.

Other Great Affordable Knife Sets

A full set of knives is going to be an investment under any circumstance, but it’s also something that will fully equip your kitchen for years. If you’re looking for a more affordable knife block set, these are a few of the top performers in our tests that also won’t break the bank:

How We Tested Knife Sets

Through multiple rounds of testing, we chose 42 of the best knife sets to evaluate side-by-side. Though different sets include different assortments of knives, each one in our test had a chef’s, paring, and serrated bread knife, and we focused our tests on those to create an equal comparison.

Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore

Sharpness Tests: We recorded the sharpness of each set’s chef’s and paring knives straight out of the box using a scientific edge-measuring tool. This works by gauging the amount of force needed to cut through a standard material — less force means a sharper knife. (Keep in mind that pure sharpness isn’t the only factor in how well a knife works in practice; blade shape and handle design play a big role, too.)
Chef’s Knife Tests: To evaluate the chef’s knives, we used them to slice through paper and ripe tomatoes, and to chop garlic, onions, and sweet potatoes. We noted how cleanly they cut and how well they were able to get through hard ingredients, and observed any design factors that made the knives especially comfortable or uncomfortable to hold.
Paring Knife Tests: Using the smallest, shortest blade included in each set, we sliced through paper, hulled strawberries, and peeled kiwifruits. We evaluated sharpness as well as the knives’ level of control and ability to make fine cuts without errors.

Bread Knife Tests: We used the sets’ largest serrated knives to slice a loaf of crusty sourdough and to cut sandwich bread into cubes. This measured the serrations’ ability to “bite” into hard materials, as well as the knives’ overall sharpness to cut soft bread without smashing it flat.
Shears Tests: If sets included kitchen shears, we used them to cut three whole chicken wings into pieces, looking at how well they could grip and chop through joints and cartilage. We also attempted to cut straight through chicken bones to measure the shears’ overall strength. We then snipped fresh chives into pieces, noting whether the shears could cut cleanly without damaging the herbs.

Besides the standardized tests above, we used the other knives included in the sets for general everyday cooking, noting any with especially good or bad design elements, and whether extra items added extra value over smaller sets. We looked at the knife blocks themselves as well, rating their quality of materials and efficient use of space.

After completing all the other tests, we revealed the retail prices of the sets and considered value for money. At the time of testing, the knife block sets ranged from just over $100 to well over $1,000, with an average of $569.

Factors to Consider

Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore

Number and Type of Knives

Any pro chef will tell you that you only really need a large chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a serrated knife to do just about anything you want, and almost any block set will include at least one of each. Beyond that, different kinds of specialized knives have more specialized uses: santokus for rapid chopping, shears for butchering poultry, long slicers for carving meats, and more. These make a set more versatile, but might also not be worth the increased cost. Sets with a lot of pieces often include multiple steak knives, which aren’t necessarily very useful — especially if you already own steak knives as part of your flatware set or just a set of steak knives.

FOOD & WINE / WILL DICKEY / JESSICA CHRISTOPHER

Knife Materials

Most knife blades are made of steel, in one of two types: Stainless steel is rust-resistant but softer and less able to hold a perfect edge, while carbon steel makes a harder and sharper but more brittle and delicate knife. Carbon steel is more difficult to work with and tends to cost a little more.

When it comes to knife handles, there are a lot more material options, from plain wood to rubber to various kinds of plastic and resin. The shape and texture of the handle affect how comfortable the knife is to hold, as well as how slippery it will be when wet. One thing to take a close look at is how smooth and tight the joints are between the handle and the blade; any gaps can catch bits of food and will likely get wider over time. And don’t forget looks! Your knives will be on display on your counter all the time, so they should be aesthetically appealing.

Knife Blocks

It’s a terrible idea to store knives in a drawer, where they can scrape against each other, dulling and chipping their blades. The knife block is a perfect solution, offering a slot to hold each knife safely, securely, and in easy reach. Blocks come in different sizes and orientations that fit better in different kitchen locations. Keep in mind if you have a tight fit that you need several extra inches above most blocks to leave room for the knives to lift in and out. If you’re adding a block set to an existing knife collection, you should also check how much space the block offers — some can fit only the included tools, while others have extra slots.

An especially space-saving option is a magnetic knife block. Knives (or any tools made of steel) will stick in any orientation and don’t need a specially sized slot. The block itself is also more narrow and takes up less counter space. There are also magnetic blocks that mount to the wall and don’t need any counter space at all. The downside with these is that they won’t stick to items made of ceramic or aluminum.

Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to care for a knife?

A good kitchen knife should never, ever go in the dishwasher, even if the manufacturer says it’s allowed. Hand washing with soap and a sponge is all you need to keep a knife clean. It’s a good idea to dry knives off with a soft cloth right after washing, as well, since standing water droplets can lead to rust.

How do you sharpen a knife?

To keep the edge sharp as long as possible, run your knife across a honing steel every time you use it. But no blade will stay sharp forever: You’ll need to sharpen your knives at least once or twice a year, or whenever you notice them getting dull. You can do this at home with an electric sharpener or whetstone, or have them professionally sharpened for a small fee. (Check your local farmer’s market; many have on-site booths that will sharpen your knives while you shop.)

What kinds of knives do I need?

At the bare minimum, every kitchen should have a large, straight chef’s knife for chopping and a serrated knife for slicing. Add a shorter paring knife for peeling and you’ve got the assortment that you’ll find in almost every knife block set.

Depending on your tastes and what kind of cutting you do, you might also want to add some specialty knives to a basic set. Fans of barbecue (and meat in general) could use a butcher knife, boning knife, or brisket slicer, while a seafood lover might want to invest in a fish fillet knife. For entertaining, there are all kinds of cheese knives made for different styles, and a carving knife is always impressive at a holiday feast.

Other Knife Sets We Tested

Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore

Strong Contenders

Wüsthof Classic Ikon 10-Piece Knife Set ($895 at Amazon)

Compared to the standard Wüsthof Classic set we named our best overall, the brand’s Classic Ikon knives are slightly more expensive and have a slightly different look, with a sleek rounded handle. Both are great choices, but we honestly found the Classic knives more comfortable to hold than the Classic Ikon.

Chicago Cutlery Halsted 7-Piece Modular Block Set ($90 at Amazon)

The single cheapest set we tested, these knives beat out competitors that cost several times as much. We also like the space-saving block design, which lets you tilt the knives forward to remove them rather than pulling them out of the top. The blades are…okay, not super-sharp but still functional. For a serious cook, it might be worth investing a little more money.

GreenPan Premiere Knife Block Set ($200 at Williams Sonoma)

GreenPan is better known for its nonstick cookware than its knives, but this set is nice and sharp and looks far more expensive than it is. Its performance in testing was mediocre, with a chef’s knife that did well with tomatoes but needed a lot of force to get through sweet potatoes and a serrated knife that crushed soft bread.

Global 10-Piece Takashi Knife Block Set ($600 at Williams Sonoma)

Global’s knives are unique because they’re made from a single piece of steel, with no separate handles that can come apart or collect bits of food. That makes them simple to clean and take care of, but they can also get slippery when your hands are wet or greasy. If that’s your preference, this is an excellent set at a just-about-average price.

All-Clad 7-Piece Knife Block Set ($200 at All-Clad)

Though not the absolute least expensive out there, All-Clad’s set is priced at a great level for beginners. It includes everything you need, like an especially powerful pair of shears that can chop right through chicken bones and a razor-sharp paring knife. The chef’s and bread knives, unfortunately, weren’t as sharp as we would have liked.

Ninja NeverDull 12-Piece Premium Knife System (Amazon)

This set’s block incorporates a knife sharpener, which works by simply moving a lever back and forth. That’s a great feature, but you don’t get a good assortment of blades here. The 12 pieces include six steak knives and no bread slicer at all.

Wüsthof Gourmet 10-Piece Knife Block Set ($275 at Amazon)

This set is a more affordable way to get Wüsthof knives than the Classic or Classic Ikon lines, though it’s distinctively lower quality. The handles aren’t particularly comfortable to hold and the sharpness is mediocre, but it does include everything you’ll need.

The results above came from our most recent tests, but a previous round of evaluations looked at a different group of 21 knife block sets. These are the former favorites:

Wüsthof Classic Ikon 7-Piece Slim Knife Set (Amazon)
Cangshan Thomas Keller Signature Collection 7-Piece Magnetic Knife Set (Cangshan Cutlery)
Global 7-Piece Takashi Knife Block Set (Global)
Global 10-Piece Takashi Knife Block Set (Global)
Mercer Culinary Genesis 6-Piece Knife Block Set (Amazon)
Henckels Classic 15-Piece Self-Sharpening Knife Set (Amazon)

What Didn’t Make the List

The knife sets we chose not to feature had different shortcomings, whether not sharp enough, not including the right blades, or simply too expensive considering their poor performance.

Miyabi Birchwood SG2 7-Piece Knife Block Set (Williams Sonoma)
Shun Premier 8-Piece Knife Block Set (Shun)
Victorinox Swiss Classic 9-Piece Knife Block Set (Sur La Table)
Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 12-Piece Knife Block Set (Beautiful)
Messermeister Meridian Elite 8-Piece Magnet Block Set (Amazon)
Henckels Dynamic 7-Piece Knife Block Set (Amazon)
Viking Full-Forged German Steel 10-Piece Knife Block Set (Viking)

Our Expertise

Clarissa Buch Zilberman is a food writer with nearly a decade of experience. She has written for Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Travel & Leisure, and more. The Miami-based journalist specializes in lifestyle, business, and travel.
Food & Wine commerce writer Jason Horn updated this story with insights from further testing. With nearly 20 years of experience writing about food and drinks, he’s written for Cooking Light, Serious Eats, Garden & Gun, Playboy, and many more. He’s a recent convert to the magnetic knife block, which has freed up a whole area of his kitchen counter he couldn’t use before.

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