Best knife sets

The best knife sets for your every kitchen need, including carving, chopping, and slicing.

knife set
(Image credit: Amazon)

No kitchen is complete without the best knife set. Knife sets include everything you need to slice bread, carve meat, and finely chop vegetables and fruit. Some also feature kitchen knives, and come in attractive knife blocks that will look great on your kitchen counters. 

Our favorite option is the Home Hero Stainless Steel Knife Set. It comes with six steak knives, as well as a pizza knife, cheese knife, vegetable peeler, and other useful extras, all with a rust-free non-stick finish. We've also found budget options and sets that offer quality over quantity for travel or small kitchens. Keep reading to find the best knife set for you.  

The best knife set

Home Hero Stainless Steel Knife Set

(Image credit: Home Hero)

Home Hero Stainless Steel Knife Set

Stylish and practical

This 17-piece knife set comes with everything you need to cook up a storm.

Pros:

  • 17-pieces
  • Non-stick
  • Stainless steel
  • Looks good

Cons:

  • The stand is hard to clean
  • Acrylic stand, not glass
  • Not dishwasher safe

The Home Hero Stainless Steel Knife Set is the best you can buy. It's a 17-piece set and it comes with 13 professional knives as well as kitchen scissors, a peeler, a premium-quality two-stage knife sharpener, and a stand. The 13 knives include a carving knife; utility knife; cheese knife; pizza knife; chef knife; bread knife; paring knife; and six steak knives.

Each knife is stainless-steel and coasted with non-stick paint, also they have ergonomic PP handles. The best part? They are rust-free and the stand that comes with is see-through so you can show off your new knives.

Basic option

AmazonBasics 14-Piece Kitchen Knife Set

(Image credit: AmazonBasics)

AmazonBasics 14-Piece Kitchen Knife Set

With stainless steel blades

This compact knife set comes with a pine wood block and boasts enough storage for 14 utensils.

Pros:

  • 14-piece set

Cons:

  • Basic
  • Only one color option
  • Hand-wash only

The AmazonBasics 14-Piece Kitchen Knife Set is cheap yet cheerful. This 14-piece set comprises of six 4.5-inch steak knives; an 8-inch chef knife; an 8-inch slicing knife; an 8-inch bread knife; a 5.5-inch utility knife; and a 3.5-inch peeling knife. As well as some kitchen shears, a knife sharpener and a pair of scissors. Each knife fits in an exact place in the pine wood block that comes with, too.

Each knife boasts a superior high-carbon stainless steel blade, while they are unfortunately not dishwasher safe. With triple-rivet plastic over-molded handles, they are also easy to grip making for fewer accidents. That and they are compact so great for those with a small amount of worksurface space.

Budget-friendly

Ginsu Kiso Dishwasher Safe Set

(Image credit: Ginsu)

Ginsu Kiso Dishwasher Safe Set

A dishwasher-safe and budget-friendly knife set

Friendly on the wallet and in the dishwasher, these basic knives are great!

Pros:

  • Dishwasher safe
  • Affordable
  • Nice, black wooden block
  • Three different color options

Cons:

  • All knives are serrated

On a budget? The Ginsu Kiso Dishwasher Safe Set is a great knife set at an affordable price. It comes with 14-pieces and in three different colors, from black to purple and red. In the set, there's a chef knife; a slicer knife; a santoku knife; a boning knife; a utility knife; six steak knives; a paring knife; and a pair of premium shears, all of which sit inside a black wooden block.

These knives boast composite handles that are comfortable, easy to hold, and easy to clean. They're also sleek-looking, especially considering the price tag. All knives feature a patented Ginsu serration pattern so that they stay sharper for longer. They're all dishwasher safe, too.

A smaller set

knife

(Image credit: Amazon)

Royal Doulton Gordon Ramsay Block Knife Set

Five high quality knives with a filament block

A pared down set, perfect for use on the go. 

Pros:

  • Has everything you'll need
  • Filament block 
  • High performance blades

Cons:

  • Hand wash recommended

The Royal Doulton Gordon Ramsay Block Knife Set is Ramsey-approved. It comes with six knives: a Chef Knife, Bread Knife, Santoku Knife, Utility Knife, and Pairing Knife. The included filament block is compact and makes travel easy, so this is a great choice for smaller homes or even RVs or camping. 

Other blocks come with more knives, but we think all the bases are covered here, and the tapered blade means that these knives are designed to last. They are hand wash recommended which could be a downside, but if you want a more minimal kit that still has everything you need, this is the one for you. 

For style

The Pioneer Woman Cowboy Rustic Linen Cutlery Set

(Image credit: The Pioneer Woman)

The Pioneer Woman Cowboy Rustic Linen Cutlery Set

Available in four colors, this knife set definitely looks the part

This beautiful knife set comes in your choice of white, black, brown, or turquoise.

Pros:

  • Range of colors
  • Nice looking block

Cons:

  • Basic
  • Hand wash only

Buy The Pioneer Woman Cowboy Rustic Linen Cutlery Set if you're after a good looking knife set to jazz up your worktop. It comprises 14 pieces: a chef knife; a bread knife; six steak knives; a utility knife; a paring knife; a Nakiri knife; and an 8-inch sharpening steel. The lovely wooden block that comes with it looks the part, too.

These knives are constructed of durable stainless steel, and feature ergonomic handles for aesthetic appeal and comfort. These handles come in four different colors: white, black, brown, and turquoise. These knives are hand wash only.

Luxury option

Sabatier 5236954 Stainless Steel Hollow Handle Edgekeeper Knife Block

(Image credit: Sabatier)

Sabatier Stainless Steel Hollow Handle Edgekeeper Knife Block

A comprehensive bamboo knife set that's durable and very high quality

A modern and professional set from popular kitchen knife brand, Sabatier.

Pros:

  • Has sharpener built into the block
  • Bamboo block
  • 16-piece set

Cons:

  • Not dishwasher friendly
  • Bulky
  • Expensive

This Sabatier Knife Block Set is our pick of the best luxury knife set. This set includes 16-pieces: a chef knife; a slicer knife; a serrated utility knife; a chef knife with kullens; a fine edge utility knife; a paring knife; eight steak knives; and a pair of all-purpose shears – all inside a bamboo storage block that features a built-in universal sharpener.

Each knife is crafted from high-carbon stainless steel and is corrosion-resistant as well as lightweight. The stainless steel handles are durable and sanitary, boasting a satin finish. The handles are also designed with a comfortable grip in mind and are perfectly weighted. Hand wash them with warm water and mild detergent, and dry immediately. 

A bit different

knife

(Image credit: Amazon)

Marco Almond Rainbow Titanium Cutlery Knife Set

This knife set is far from boring

Striking blue handles and a rainbow blade means you'll never forget which knife set is yours. 

Pros:

  • Dishwasher safe
  • Striking
  • 14 knives included 

Cons:

  • Not for everyone's tastes

Inject some personality into your kitchen with the Marco Almond Rainbow Titanium Cutlery Knife Set. The knife blades are metallic rainbow, and the handles are a striking blue. This could be useful for those in house-shares, who want to avoid confusion over whose knives are whose. Because they're a reasonably priced option, this could also be a fun set for college students or amateur chefs. 

The set includes six steak knives, a chef knife, slicing knife, bread knife, santoku knife, utility knife, paring knife, and all-purpose kitchen shears. 

Our cutting-edge verdict

Why you can trust Real Homes Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

We think the Home Hero Stainless Steel Knife Set is the best you can buy. It's packed with 17 striking pieces that also have a non-stick finish. Also striking is the Marco Almond Rainbow Titanium Cutlery Knife Set, which comes finished in a metallic rainbow. For traditional luxury, check out the Sabatier Knife Block Set, or for more of a rustic look, The Pioneer Woman Cowboy Rustic Linen Cutlery Set is a great option. 

If you want something more pared-back, the Royal Doulton Gordon Ramsay Block Knife Set would be our top pick. It's not the cheapest though - for that, check out the AmazonBasics 14-Piece Kitchen Knife Set or the Ginsu Kiso Dishwasher Safe Set.

Why trust us?

At Real Homes, we recommend the best products to enhance your life. As expert curators, we handpick products based on quality and usefulness to positively impact your day-to-day, from cart to doorstep. We take our responsibility seriously — testing products, reading reviews, and sourcing knowledgeable outlets to ensure our selections are worthy of your time and money.

We deliver detailed product overviews, balancing objective information with subjective opinions, so making the best choice for your home and lifestyle is as easy as possible.

I absolutely love a good set of knives in a totally non-creepy way. My kitchen is full of different knives for many different tasks and trying them out is a highlight of my day.

Annie Collyer
Head Ecommerce Editor

Hi! I'm Annie, and I'm the Head Ecommerce Editor at Real Homes. I've been part of the Real Homes team since 2018, when I joined as Deals Editor. Along with covering major sales events — from Black Friday to Amazon Prime Day — I review home must-haves so that you can buy with peace of mind. Mostly focusing on home fragrance and sleep, as well as a few vacuum cleaners, I've tested pretty much every item you can think of that you need in your home. I live on the outskirts of the city in a two-bed apartment with my husband and my pug, Doug. So I am always searching for compact alternatives and ways to save floor space. What about when I am not typing away? Well, you'll find me enjoying an iced coffee (no matter the season) and trying out the latest brunch spots the city has to offer, or booking my next holiday. Where else can you find my words? Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, Ideal Home, Gardeningetc, and Woman & Home.