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4 Best Knife Sets for One-Stop Kitchen Shopping
Whether you're a novice home cook or seasoned back-of-house vet, it's time to upgrade.
So, you're all caught up on The Bear and are inspired to get chefing. Not like Italian Beef chefing, we mean you want to do some real-deal Jacques Pepin type stuff. You want to break down ducks and chop up mirepoix and say shit like "needs more acid, chef." Well, some kitchen gadgets and top-notch cookware will help with that, but what you really can't do without are great knives.
Every chef is only as good as the knife in their hands. And while nerds on the internet will say you need a $500 knife from an artisan maker, we say do what makes you comfortable. For a lot of home cooks, that's buying a knife set. However, I will concede to the knife nerds, a lot of knife blocks actually suck—you get upsold on a bunch of sub-par knives you don't really need. So to help everyone out, we put a bunch of knife sets in the hands of our home cooks and asked them to tell us which are best. They came back with this list of the absolute best knife sets money can buy. Shop from this list, and you'll never be disappointed.
Global Takashi 7-Piece Block
Global Takashi 7-Piece Block
Pros
- Easy to clean and care for
- Sharp Japanese-style edge
Cons
- Stainless steel handle doesn't feel the most secure
Global is famously the brand that Anthony Bourdain stood behind. And although he advocated for just needing a chef's knife, the Global block is still a great buy. We prefer this seven-piece set, because it comes with a honing steel, but the five-piece set is great too.
Global knives are easy to clean and care for. And it's one of the best brands at blending the feel of Japanese and Western knives. These knives are sleek and lightweight while still being tough and abusable. (They're actually a more available version of the Hast knives I recommend next.)
Hast 7-Piece Knife Set
Hast 7-Piece Knife Set
Pros
- Super lightweight
- Easy to care for
- Innovative block takes up less counter space
Cons
- Almost too sleek for some, even Global knives have some texture
I awarded these knives in our 2023 Home Awards, and everything I said about them still stands. They're light, easy to clean, and a bit of a cross between Japanese and Western knives. That means you can really use and abuse them, but they still have an air of elegance. For a daily driver knife set (my own personal knife set) this is as good as it gets.
Shun Classic Blonde 5-Piece Starter Set
Shun Classic Blonde 5-Piece Starter Set
Pros
- Look like much more expensive knives
- So easy to care for
- Three knives is perfect amount
Cons
- Require more special care
As far as what you need in the kitchen, this is it—chef's knife, small pairing knife, and slim utility knife. Add a honing steel, and you're good to go.
For these knives themselves, Shun is the best in the business for Japanese-style knives that are readily available stateside. This set has a lot that makes it punch above its price point in terms of look and performance. For looks, the stainless steel layers mimic the look of much more expensive Damascus blades, and the oval WA-handle does the same. And for performance, that handle is the standout. PakkaWood is a type of wood/plastic composite that makes these knives incredibly easy to care for. Exactly what you want from a block set.
Mercer Culinary 6-Piece Knife Block
Mercer Culinary 6-Piece Knife Block
Pros
- Incredible price
- Perfect beater knives
- Great steel for the price point
Cons
- Clear knife block not for everyone
Mercer is the most common name when you ask people for starter or budget knife recommendations. They're decidedly German, big and heavy and easy to care for. But, compared to a lot of knives at the same price point, Mercer uses a much nicer high-carbon steel.
Like we said, they're easy to care for, and that's a huge selling point for most. They can take a beating. And, the price can't be beat.
What to Look For In a Knife Set
There's a handful of things we tested for, but with knife sets, it all comes down to ease of use. Do you have every knife you need? Are they easy to clean? Are they easy to keep sharp? You don't want to worry about your knives. You want to free up mental space for the more important stuff.
The knives included - Honestly, we think four knives are more than enough. All you need are a chef's knife, pairing knife, bread knife, and boning knife. Most everything on this list comes with more of that, but none of these blocks have shit you'll never use. Everything has a purpose and deserves to be included.
Keeping the knives sharp - Good knife set knives should be easy to keep in slicing shape. A few passes on a honing steel once a week is all it should take. That should keep them sharp enough between professional sharpening, which you only need once every couple of years.
Beating the knives up - We don't want these things to be delicate. Leave that for the heirloom hand-forged knives you buy. Knives from a knife set should be ready to take a beating. This is especially important if you're a novice cook. You're going to use your knives improperly, make sure they can handle it.
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