Best Kitchen Knives
Upgrade Your Chef Skills With These 7 Kitchen Knife Sets
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Ask any professional chef what they simply can’t live without, and they’ll say high-quality knives. After all, these are the tools they use to expertly chop herbs, slice and dice veggies and carve meats. Needless to say, if you’re seeking to improve your kitchen skills, a solid set of knives is a must.
Case in point: At Fogo de Chão, all the Churrasco-style meat offerings are carved table side. Meaning, having a quality knife is imperative for the chefs.
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“The perfect knife must be finely sharpened and has a curve at the base of the blade, as this gives your finger something to rest on and allows the control needed to butcher and carve with precision,” says Fogo de Chão Gaúcho Chef, Jean Boschetti.
The only challenge, of course, is choosing the right knife set to meet all your specific needs. For one, you’ll want a set that includes at least five knives — a chef’s knife, a carving knife, a bread knife, a utility knife, and a paring knife. Those are the essentials for an amateur chef, but if you’re whipping up home-cooked meals on the regular, you may want a more extensive set including a steak knife and a Japanese santoku knife (used for chopping veggies). Some of the best knife sets even come with some helpful extras such as a sturdy stand for organization, and a built-in sharpener to keep them in tip-top shape.
Basically, quality and variety are the two main factors to consider when shopping for kitchen knives. But if all this sounds overwhelming, don’t stress — we’ve rounded up the best-rated, top-selling kitchen knife sets on Amazon to make your selection process an easy one.
A Super Durable Set in a Striking Countertop Block
J.A. Henckels International Statement Knife Block Set
J.A. Henckels is one of the oldest and largest knife manufacturers out there. This particular set is made with high-quality stainless steel and a satin finish for long-lasting sharpness, and the triple-rivet handles ensure balance and comfort while you chop away. It’s all in the details with these knives, too — the hollow-edge Santoku knife boasts tin indentations (grantons) that prevent food from sticking to the blade while you cut.
The set has already amassed nearly 1,500 reviews on Amazon, and reviewers are particularly impressed with how lightweight they feel, courtesy of its single-piece, stamped blade construction. Just FYI, “nothing can prepare you for dealing with how sharp these knives are,” says one reviewer. In fact, one customer said her husband accidentally sliced a sponge open during the initial cleaning. You’ve been warned.
A Sturdy Modern Set With All the Bells and Whistles
Cuisinart 15-Piece Stainless Steel Hollow Handle Block Set
This set features a whopping 14 pieces, including handy extras like kitchen shears (perfect for a whole chicken) and a steel rod for sharpening. It also comes with six hot-forged steak knives, all bound to impress guests next time you’re serving filets. Did we mention the precision-tapered blades that are super easy to clean?
Reviewers say these knives are a “one-handed cutter’s dream,” in part because of their one-piece stainless steel construction). “It was my turn to host the family dinner party this past weekend and thanks to these Cuisinart knives, it was a huge success!” said one product fan. Another claimed that they were even sharper than he expected, noting that he had “to relearn respect for these knives.”
While they’re technically dishwasher-safe, reviewers highly recommend hand washing them to ensure their longevity.
A Sleek, Rust-Resistant Set That Holds Its Sharpness
Mercer Culinary Genesis 6-Piece Forged Knife Block Set, Tempered Glass Block
What makes this knife set stand out? The see-through tempered glass block, giving it its modern look while making it super easy to find the right knife quickly. Not only that, but the forged blades are made of high-carbon, non-staining German steel, which resists rust and corrosion. And thanks to the forged construction and taper-ground edges, which are polished by hand, they stay sharper longer and cut efficiently.
Mercer Cutlery is well-known in the restaurant world — in fact, it supplies knives to the vast majority of the cooking academies. If they’re good enough for pro chefs in the making, they’re good enough for you, right? Plus, this set has been certified by the National Science Foundation (meaning it meets the organization’s lofty standards for safety, quality, and performance).
A Budget-Friendly Set With All the Basics
7 Piece Stainless Steel Cutlery Knives Set by Home Hero
Amazon customers say this set is so sturdy, sharp, and comfortable to grip that they hold up to their expensive counterparts. Just look to the thousands of five-star reviews for proof. Reviewers adore the space-saving, minimalist storage design, which features slip-resistant rubber feet as well as internal enclosures to prevent damage to the blades.
“II had an unthawed pack of bacon that needed to be cut into cubes,” says one reviewer. “No time to stick it in the freezer to get a bit solid, so I broke out the carving knife and NEVER have I had an experience where the blade just went straight through unthawed meat like that! I was AMAZED.”
As an added bonus, this set comes with a dual-ended sharpener with precision angle guides, which features two modes for both fine and coarse sharpening.
A Self-Sharpening Set for Effortless Slicing and Dicing
Calphalon Classic Self-Sharpening Cutlery Knife Block Set
Sharpening your knives is essential to ensuring your work is both efficient and effective, but remembering to do so can be a hassle. That’s where this set comes in handy — ceramic sharpeners are built right into the block, so every single time you remove them or place them back in their slot, their edges are automatically sharpened. Reviewers across the board are impressed with this feature.
“This must have been the knife set Mickey Mouse used to cut his bread so thin,” said one. “The self-sharpening block keeps the knives sharper than my grandfather’s wit.”
That’s not all there is to love, either. The blades are constructed from forged, high-carbon, no-stain steel, so you can rest assured that they’ll last. Plus, the triple-riveted handles are contoured for a secure grip, and they’re labeled so you can quickly and easily identify whichever knife you need within the block.
An Elaborate Set That’s Ideal for Entertaining
Master Maison German Stainless Steel Cutlery With Knife Sharpener & 8 Steak Knives
If you host a lot of dinner parties, this extensive set is a godsend. Not only does it contain all the essential knives, scissors, a honing rod and a storage block, but it also features a set of eight matching steak knives. Each and every knife is forged from a single piece of premium high carbon, German stainless steel, resulting in a hardy, razor-sharp blade that that rarely needs to be maintained. And the thoughtful design seems to really make a difference — the lightweight distal-tapered spine and balanced weight distribution allow for maximum precision without any fatigue when cutting.
“These knives feel and perform well beyond the price,” said one guy, who also noted that they fit like they were made for your specific hand. “They are well-built, solid and oh yeah, SHARP! I personally own an expensive set of German-made knives and if I am being honest, these are just as sharp.”
A Versatile, Cost-Effective Set With a Convenient Sharpener
McCook MC29 Self Sharpening Kitchen Knife Set with Hardwood Block
The company claims that all of their knives have gone through at least five evaluations before they’re sold, and that level of diligence and attention to quality shows — the set has earned a five-star rating on Amazon from more than 800 reviewers.
What exactly sets them apart? They’re truly built to last. Not only are these high-carbon stainless steel knives tarnish-resistant and rust-resistant, but their in-slot sharpeners are designed to ensure precise cutting each and every time you use them. Plus, the ergonomically-designed handle offers optimal comfort while handling the knives, which is key when you’re whipping up a complicated dish.
And take your pick between an Acadia wood, Walnut wood or solid black finish for the storage block.
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