The 10 Best Knife Sets Of 2024

All-Clad’s 12-piece forged knife set delivers on quality. It comes in a sleek wooden block, and unlike other bulky knife sets, the Good Housekeeping Institute “found all items in this set to be useful”— from the chef's knife to Santoku knife to kitchen shears and steak knives.

In fact, the team included this German stainless-steel set in its 2022 Kitchen Gear awards. They found that of all the knives submitted, these earned the highest overall scores in tester surveys assessing how well they cut various hard and soft ingredients, their ergonomics, and more. The experts even said that “testers would continue using these knives” after the review process ended.

• Number of knives included: 9
• Storage: Acacia wood block
• Blade material: German stainless steel
• Sharpening: Honing steel

This Victorinox knife set doesn’t include common extras like sharpening or storage tools, but it does come with three key stainless steel knives for less than $100. Papantoniou especially loves this set as it features the brand’s popular chef’s knife, which she calls “large, lightweight, and inexpensive.” Good Housekeeping Institute testers also like how safe it feels to use. They mention that the “plastic handle fits comfortably in your grip” and “helps keep your fingers away” from the blade, which they mention is "nice and sharp" to cut foods like cheddar cheese and steak.

• Number of knives included: 3
• Storage: None
• Blade material: Stainless steel
• Sharpening: None

It’s never too late to start experimenting in the kitchen, and Material’s trio of knives are here to help. Papantoniou says this “pretty” set is “really approachable” for beginner chefs, as it's reasonably affordable, effective, and promotes an easy grip. In total, you get an 8-inch chef’s knife, 6-inch serrated knife, and 4-inch paring knife, all made of Japanese high-carbon stainless steel. Bonus: The magnetic wooden stand they come with doubles as a stunning way to display each item.

The Good Housekeeping Institute tested the chef’s knife in particular and mention that it “offers some heft but is still lightweight compared to the Western-style knives” they tested. The experts add that the piece is similar to Japanese-style knives thanks to its thin, rounded handle, but is beneficial for new cooks since it “feels sturdy and natural in the hand." Additionally, they mention the set doesn't require much sharpening and that it cuts everything from onions and tomatoes to fresh mozzarella with ease.

• Number of knives included: 3
• Storage: Magnetic, FSC-certified walnut or beech block
• Blade material: Japanese high-carbon and stainless steel
• Sharpening: None

Looking for a basic, reliable knife set? Consider Shun Kanso's five-piece collection. “It houses everything you need to cook a complete meal in your kitchen,” Naik says. “I used it for five years in my home before expanding my knife set!” The included 3.5-inch paring, 7-inch Santoku, and 6-inch utility knives have alloy steel blades and are adaptable enough to tackle different prep tasks.

“I used the 6-inch chef’s knife as my all-purpose knife to slice, dice, mince, and smash (like garlic against a cutting board), and outside of my chef's knife, I required minimal other gadgets because it was so versatile,” Naik adds. “I used the serrated knife for breads, tomatoes, and other soft ingredients.”

According to Naik, the contoured tagayasan wooden handles are also lightweight. “When the weight of the handle is lighter, I have to do minimal work to get a precise cut,” says Naik. “Since I'm vegan, I'm cutting a ton of produce all the time, so this characteristic of the weight and weight distribution is super important.”

• Number of knives included: 3
• Storage: Bamboo knife block
• Blade material: Alloy steel
• Sharpening: Combination honing steel

The Hedley & Bennett Chef's Knife Trio set comes in “pretty colors” and is “really high quality,” says Papantoniou. The chef's knife in this set has not only been used at the Kitchen Appliances Lab since it first came out, but many Institute pros also have it in their home kitchens as well. Alongside the chef's knife, which the team says is great for cutting around bones with its sharp tip, the set includes a 5.6-inch utility knife and 8.6-inch bread knife.

Papantoniou says these knives were designed “with chefs in mind,” as the company tapped professionals to craft “the sturdy yet lightweight” Japanese and German steel blades. The pieces “feel really good in the hand” and are “very approachable,” especially when it comes to the utility knife, she adds. This knife is longer than a typical paring knife, so you can use it for more food prep tasks.

• Number of knives included: 3
• Storage: None
• Blade material: Japanese or German steel
• Sharpening: None

No one likes a kitchen knife that dulls easily. The Good Housekeeping Institute says Ninja's 14-piece knife block set has all the “super sharp” knives you’ll need and comes with an innovative self-sharpening block. The team gave this set a 2021 Kitchen Gear Award since testers say these are the “sharpest knives they ever used” and stay sharp. They also note the knives “have heft to them but feel balanced in the hand” and include “comfortable sizes,” including an 8-inch chef's knife and a 5-inch Santoku knife. Additionally, the suction cups on the bottom of the block help it stay in place.

• Number of knives included: 12
• Storage: Plastic and stainless steel knife block
• Blade material: German steel
• Sharpening: Built-in knife block sharpener

With an average 4.9-star rating and over 4,400 reviews, this best-selling Made In knife set is beloved for its full-tang build and knife variety. Papantoniou says the four knives included—a chef's, nakiri, bread, and paring knife—“feel balanced in the hand,” calling them “light enough” to hold while still having "heft" for efficient cutting.

Papantoniou says the nakiri knife is especially helpful for “transferring food from a cutting board to a plate” thanks to its straight edge. She also recommends this knife for vegetarians because it’s “really good for chopping veggies” like celery and onions.

Other perks: These knives are available in a handful of vibrant hues, feature “cute packaging,” and include helpful instructions, she adds.

• Number of knives included: 4
• Storage: None
• Blade material: Proprietary NITRO+ metal
• Sharpening: None

Henckels knife block set has a little something for everyone. “You have your chef's knife for people who are more advanced and in tune with cooking, but there are also shorter knives that are a little more approachable,” says Papantoniou. She notes that the German stainless steel knives are full-tang, which gives them a more stable and well-balanced feel in hand. The Good Housekeeping Institute notes that the 8-inch chef's knife does an "ace job" at "blitzing parsley, dicing onions, and deboning a chicken."

And just in case you need any more convincing, this set is also a number one best seller on Amazon. Customers rave about how sharp the knives are and how easy they are to maneuver.

• Number of knives included: 13
• Storage: Hardwood knife block
• Blade material: Stainless steel
• Sharpening: Honing steel

This premium Wüsthof designer knife block set is a stunning and sturdy option, says Naik. While it's on the pricey side, she loves that it’s “customizable in terms of color and is very personality driven. Plus, it has all the essentials you can imagine,” she says. Included is a 3.5-inch paring knife, a serrated and traditional utility knife, a 7-inch santoku knife, two different-sized chef's knives, a 9-inch double-serrated bread knife, and a two-tone wooden storage block.

The steel alloy blades are “durable for everyday use,” notes Naik, as they get the job done even in moist conditions. “I'm cutting washed herbs, wet vegetables, and the like constantly, so I need knives that can hold up to a wet environment, which these do,” she mentions.

Each knife handle is also made of a vibrant, triple-riveted synthetic material, called POM. “In this case, the handle is not wood (which is my preferred), but the weight of the handle is just as optimal, not to mention beautiful,” she adds.

• Number of knives included: 7
• Storage: Two-tone block with inserts of oiled ash wood
• Blade material: Chromium-molybdenum-vanadium steel alloy
• Sharpening: None

The Good Housekeeping Institute gave these “beautiful HexClad knives” a 2022 Kitchen Gear Award for how sharp and versatile they are. Made of Damascus steel, the set comes with six pieces that are durable and recognizable for their “patterned appearance.”

Since the set comes with a chef's and Santoku knife in nearly the same size, the experts say you can “choose the one you prefer to use” for different kitchen tasks. Plus, they mention the “utility knife stands out for having numerous uses.” One tester who doesn’t usually use big knives felt like all of these were “wonderfully balanced” and “made it easy to cut quickly and safely” on a range of foods, from potatoes and carrots to tomatoes, meats, and crusty bread.

• Number of knives included: 5
• Storage: None
• Blade material: Damascus stainless steel
• Sharpening: Honing rod