If you regularly prepare and cook meals at home, you probably have a go-to knife for finely chopping veggies, or a trusty carving blade for slicing through juicy brisket. Knife sets can vary widely in price, ranging from budget-friendly options to more high-end sets. Whether you’re looking for a backup or a brand-new cutlery set, we’ve got just the right one to fit your wallet.
Decent:
Cuisinart 15 Piece Kitchen Knife Set
These knives are crafted with superior high carbon stainless steel blades for precision and accuracy. Among the 8-inch Chef Knife, 8-inch Slicing Knife, and a few other staples are six smaller 4.5-inch Steak Knives. Keep in mind, the steak knives aren’t serrated if that’s a key factor for you, however they are quite sharp. And the Chef Knife is a standard size, creating a comfortable hand-feel and control but lacks heft. Remember lighter knives will start and stop more quickly but a heavier knife might seem to, and they require less effort to lift and more effort to push against resistance. It’s a passable set in a pinch but is unlikely to stand the test of time when it comes to a long-term investment.
Good:
Farberware Forged Triple Rivet Kitchen Knife Block Set
Another affordable set that provides good value for what you’re getting. Each handle is ergonomically designed for a comfortable grip and features a full tang with a stainless-steel endcap for balance. You’ll find these to feel stable, but they aren’t what you’d see on the cooking show Chopped. With 21 pieces, including a sturdy cherry-finish wood block with a built-in knife sharpener, you have pretty much everything you need! Although the sharpener is in a slightly awkward place and you must take the knifes out to use it, we deem this a minor inconvenience and worth overlooking.
Better:
BergHOFF Antigua 5-Piece Cutlery Set
Graduate from novice to “I know what I’m doing” with this BergHOFF set. While it may not have as many pieces as some of the others, less can sometimes truly be more, and we’re getting the tradeoff of better-quality cutlery. Made of high-quality German steel, which is renowned for its strength and durability, helps it stand out. It’s made from high-carbon content, making it harder than stainless steel, resulting in a sharper edge that maintains its sharpness longer than other types of knives.
Best:
Chicago Cutlery Fusion Knife Set
Step up your game with this all-in-one 17-piece set that provides a flexible cooking experience. It
comes with not one, but two Santoku knives at 5-inch and 7-inch lengths. Remember, Santoku knives should loosely correspond with the chef’s height, so take your pick depending on what feels more comfortable. The 26-degree taper grind edge on the blades (Chef knife, pairing knives, etc..) are designed for precise cutting and easy sharpening. And while this set comes with a sharpening steel tool, you likely won’t need to sharpen them for a very long time. When you do though, they don’t require much work on the stone and take an edge beautifully.
Awesome:
Wüsthof Classic 9-Piece Acacia Knife Block Set
Welcome to the big leagues. Top quality knife sets like the Wüsthof are hard to come by. The cutlery is full tang triple riveted synthetic polypropylene handles that resist fading, discoloration, heat, and impact. This series of knives are forged from a single block of High Carbon Stainless Steel and tempered to 58-degree HRC, which produce blades that are 20% sharper with twice the edge retention compared to other models. When you use a Wüsthof knife, you can be sure that you are holding one of the world’s best cooking utensils. Yes, you will pay a pretty penny for it. Yes, it will be worth every cent.