Step Up Your Cooking Game: The Best Knife Sets In 2022

Leading the way for our pick of the best knife set is the J. A. Henckels International Statement Knife Block Set. With it, you get 3 paring knives, a serrated knife, a utility knife, a Santoku knife, a chef’s knife, a bread knife, and 5 steak knives along with a pair of kitchen shears. In other words, it’s got everything to cover your basic and not-so-basic cooking needs. Equally important, these knives are made of high-quality stainless steel and boast a professional satin finish to ensure durability and a sleek, stylish appearance. Even though they’re stamped and not forged, the full tang blade design means they feel secure in your hand no matter what you are preparing. And since they’re stamped, they’re also quite lightweight – ideal for home cooks.

The block makes them easy to store, but it’s a little too horizontal, which makes it difficult to retrieve the knives quickly. This is the only real issue we encountered, though. With dishwasher-safe parts, plenty of slicing and dicing options, and an elegant design, it will blend perfectly into any kitchen decor whether you want to cultivate something traditional or go all out for a more modern appearance.

For more quality blades like this, check out our guide to the best meat cleavers.

The Home Hero Stainless Steel Knife Set Acrylic Stand is a 17-piece knife set that offers everything you could possibly need (13 chef knives!) while also coming at a spectacularly affordable price. Here, you get knives for chopping, cutting, and slicing, but there is also a carving knife, pizza knife tool, scissors, and a bonus vegetable peeler, while the honing kit means you can keep these knives sharp for years to come.

These are solid quality knives, made from stainless steel with a nonstick coating for easy cleaning. The stand may not be as stylish as the wooden block which may hinder your hopes of having the best-looking kitchen in the country, but it’s still attractive and fits in nicely with modern kitchen decors. It’s also easy to retrieve the knives from without knocking it over or causing a scene. There’s also a money back guarantee if you’re not completely satisfied, but that seems unlikely, and with such a great value knife set, you’ll be able to become the master of your kitchen as soon as you pull these out of the box. Just be careful of your fingers.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive knife set at an affordable price, look no further than this Cuisinart Triple Rivet Collection Cutlery Block Set. This is a 15-piece set complete with sharp and reliable high-carbon stainless steel blades and a safety bolster to prevent any unfortunate accidents in the kitchen. The set includes six steak knives, a chef’s knife, a santoku knife, a paring knife, a honing steel to sharpen the edges, kitchen shears, and more.

These are also one of the most comfortable knives we’ve identified thanks to the ergonomic handle that will make that Sunday dinner food prep easier. The storage block follows the stable tradition of other examples, and the angled design means the knives are easy to pull out whenever the task demands it. They are also well-balanced to allow for controlled cutting, and the block isn’t too bulky. Overall, it’s a superb set, but we wish the steak knives continued the wooden-handle design instead of relying on plastic. It’s not a big deal, but it does make them feel a little cheaper and less durable compared to other options.

Looking for the best of the best? Wusthof it is, then. Beloved by professional chefs (including Gordon Ramsay), Wusthof has over 200 years of expertise in creating the perfect blade, so you can be certain you’re getting a top-of-the-line set. This is German forged steel, so it’s both sharp and easy to sharpen, making it ideal for tough kitchen tasks. The Wusthof Classic 7 Piece Slim Knife Set includes every knife a home cook needs in his or her culinary arsenal: 8″ chef’s knife, 6″ prep knife, 5″ serrated utility knife, 8″ bread knife, 3.5″ paring knife, plus kitchen shears.

Each knife in this set is fully forged, full tang high-carbon stain-resistant stainless steel with bolster that helps add balance and weight. Wusthof use new Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) to ensure the edge of the blade is precise and uniform from the tip to the heel, and this same tech also gives a 20% sharper blade and promises double edge retention. As for the block, it is made from acacia wood and has a small footprint to maximize your counter space. Whether you’re looking for professional knives for culinary school or for home use, this is one of the best knife sets around and one we think is worth the splurge.

Our guide to the top sushi knives features more quality blades for your kitchen, so be sure to check them out.

If you’re of the opinion that you know your way around a kitchen and want the best of the best choices for your chef knife set, the Mercer Culinary Magnetic Knife Board Set is the only one you should ever consider. While this set may not be as comprehensive as others (it only contains 5 knives), it still demands attention, and is a perfect choice if you’ve already got the basic knives but would prefer higher quality for special occasions. Additionally, Mercer is one of the few brands accepted in culinary schools, so you know they’re the real deal.

The blade is precision forged for ultimate quality while the angled construction ensures a sharp and fine blade even after months of use. The elegant wood handle is easy to grip and comfortable for extensive chopping sessions, while the whole set overall is a dream to look at. However, we’d only recommend this set if you’ve got the space for it. The stand is good-looking, but if you have any low-hanging kitchen cupboards, it might make it a little tricky to position properly. Another issue is safety: the knives are easier to retrieve compared to blocks, so keep the set out of reach of any children. Overall though, this is one of the best knife sets on the market, so whether you’re looking for quality blades for culinary school or a set to enhance your cooking experience at home, this is a fantastic option.

For cheese lovers, we have prepared our selection of the best cheese knife sets, so check them out.

Made in Japan, Global knives are some of the finest knives in the world, and we mean this both figuratively and literally. These are thin, delicate and ultra-sharp knives that excel at precise cuts. This Global 3-Piece Knife Set, in particular, includes a 7″ hollow edge Asian chef’s knife, a 5″ prep knife, and a 3.5″ paring knife, making it a fantastic basic knife set everyone should have in their kitchen.

Crafted from Cromova 18 high carbon stainless steel and sharpened on both sides, these blades make short work of any cutting tasks in the kitchen. The chef’s knife is ideal for meat and fish as well as vegetables, the versatile paring knife is perfect for peeling, cutting and garnishing fruits and vegetables, while the prep knife excels at slicing and chopping smaller fruits and veggies. We’re also fans of the hollow edge on the chef’s knife as it prevents food from sticking from the blade. If you’re looking for a simple but top-quality kitchen knife set and you prefer Japanese steel, this is a fantastic set. We only wish it also included a santoku knife.

You may also like some of the quality carving forks from our list, so check them out.

The 15-piece Cuisinart Stainless Steel Hollow Handle Block Set is another solid choice for those looking for a reasonably priced option but still chasing the excellent quality you need from a kitchen knife set. These blades offer precise cutting, while the hollow handle makes them lightweight and easy to control, although this could affect the durability, especially if you’re lax on sharpening them.

They are easy to clean and even dishwasher safe, while the lifetime warranty ensures you can overcome any issues you encounter with a (hopefully) simple email to the manufacturer. The precision tapered blades mean excellent performance, and the ergonomic handle is comfortable for anyone to use. Like anytime you deal with something that is entirely metal, though, there’s the risk of rusting, especially if you do not dry them properly after washing them, either by hand or in the dishwasher. As long as you remember to dry them thoroughly, though, you’ll enjoy years of superb slicing with no need to break the bank to buy them.

You may also like some of the most reliable butcher knives from our list, so be sure to check them out.

While all of these sets are great and most offer fantastically affordable knives for home use, the Cuisinart Color Knife Set is our choice for the best budget option around. It’s a 12-piece color-coded set that can help prevent cross-contamination for big meal preparation and it includes everything you could possibly need for any cutting tasks in the kitchen (aside from the cutting board).

Made with stainless steel with a non-stick ceramic coating, these knives chop and slice your fish and meat, onions, mushrooms, peppers, and zucchini with ease. While there’s no block or stand to store the knives, each knife has its own blade guard to help protect the little ones (and the big ones, too) from cutting themselves. They are very sharp straight out of the box, which is obviously a good thing, however, this means that unless you’re careful, it’s a little too easy to cut yourself. Bear in mind that like most kitchen knives, these are not dishwasher safe; in fact, you should be careful and gentle when washing and drying them to preserve the paint.

Find more amazing kitchen tools by checking out our guide to the most sought-after electric knives.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive knife set that offers excellent quality and high-end performance for pro chefs and busy home cooks, we highly recommend this Dalstrong Gladiator Series Colossal Knife Block. Crafted with high-carbon German steel that is precisely tempered and stain-resistant, these knives will last a lifetime. The 18-piece knife block set set includes a bread knife, slicer knife, Kiritsuke knife, santoku knife, chef’s knife, nakiri knife, paring knife, utility knife, boning knife and more, making it a kitchen workhorse.

Precision-forged from a single piece of German steel, these knives are sturdy, ultra-sharp, with excellent wear and stain resistance. The knife handles are triple-riveted and made from ABS polymer, providing a comfortable grip. The handmade acacia wood block looks gorgeous on any countertop, but is, of course, large so it takes up quite a bit of space. We’re huge fans of the Dalstrong Cimitar Butcher Knife (read the in-depth review here) and we’ve no doubt that this comprehensive knife set is just as good.