We Tested and Reviewed the Best Knife Sets of 2023—Here Are Our Favorites

Best Overall

Chicago Cutlery Fusion 17-Piece Knife Set

4.8

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Our Ratings

• Design
  4.5/5
• Size
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

It’s hard to find fault with the Chicago Cutlery Fusion set, which includes every knife you’ll need along with a sharpening steel, and extensive testing cemented this comprehensive collection as our top pick. We tested an 18-piece set, which is no longer available and included a peeler; however, this similar 17-piece set has everything you might need for chopping, slicing, and dicing.

The blades are made from high-carbon stainless steel and have rubber and metal handles that are designed for style and, as our tests revealed, have a very comfortable grip. The knife edges are not only super-sharp but they're designed to be easy to re-sharpen when necessary, so you never need to worry about a dull blade.

This set includes a 7 3/4-inch chef knife, 7 3/4-inch serrated bread knife, 7- and 5-inch santoku knives, 5-inch utility knife, 3 1/4-inch paring knife, eight 4.5-inch steak knives, sharpening steel, chop assist, and knife block to hold all of the components. We tried out each knife to slice and chop everything from baby back ribs to baguettes to veggies. The verdict? Impressive performance and superb versatility.

During our tests, we noted that the steak knives weren't serrated, which we found surprising, but they smoothly cut through steak regardless. It's likely that they will need to be resharpened at some point if used often, and they should be hand washed to retain their edge. While we were impressed with the quality of the knives themselves, we felt the block itself left something to be desired—still not a deal-breaker for this all-around winner. Given its extensive array of super-sharp knives, the set is definitely worth the cost. Even after six months of use, these blades were still easy to handle and sharp as ever.

Price at time of publish: $129

Blade Material: High carbon stainless steel | Number of Knives: 14 | Sharpening: Sharpening steel | Storage: Acacia wood block

Best Budget

Cuisinart Advantage 12-Piece Color-Coded Knife Set

4.2

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Our Ratings

• Design
  4/5
• Size
  4/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Value
  5/5

Nonstick blades help keep food from sticking and are easy to clean as well. This colorful, affordable set from Cuisinart includes six knives and six matching sheaths, so you can tuck the knives into a drawer without worrying about damaging the blades or stabbing yourself when you reach into the drawer for a peeler. After chopping, slicing, and dicing, we found this set offered plenty of utility and sharp cutting ability without breaking the bank. Each piece is lightweight, comfortable, and safe to grip thanks to the thoughtfully designed contouring on the handle. You just have to memorize which color knife is which since it's hard to tell while the sheaths are on.

Since these ceramic knives are more affordable than similar sets, they’re also great for taking along to picnics or potlucks, for a college kid’s apartment, or for the vacation cabin or RV. The set includes a 3 1/2-inch paring knife, a 6 1/2-inch utility knife, a 7-inch santoku, an 8-inch serrated bread knife, an 8-inch slicing knife, and an 8-inch chef’s knife. The manufacturer suggests hand washing, but several users said they’ve been washing them in the dishwasher with no apparent harm. Still, we'd recommend hand washing for the best care for your knives.

Price at time of publish: $25

Blade Material: Ceramic | Number of Knives: 6 | Sharpening: None | Storage: Individual plastic sheaths

Best Design

Mercer Culinary Genesis 6-Piece Forged Knife Set

4.7

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Our Ratings

• Design
  3.5/5
• Size
  4/5
• Performance
  4.5/5
• Value
  4.5/5

This set of five knives (3 1/2-inch paring knife, 5-inch utility knife, 6-inch boning knife, 8-inch bread knife, and 8-inch chef's knife) comes with a beautiful knife block made of wood and tempered glass. The handles are Santoprene, which can stand up to rough kitchen use, extreme temperatures, and kitchen oils while still offering a sure, comfortable grip, even with wet or greasy hands. The blades are made from high-carbon German steel that resists stains and rust, and the taper-ground edge stays sharp and is easy to re-sharpen when necessary.

These knives worked like a dream during our tests, producing thin tomato slices and finely diced onions with practically zero resistance. In fact, they were some of the smoothest and most balanced cutting knives of all the sets we tested. We loved how easy it was to work for long periods of time, thanks to the comfortably-curved rubber handles and bolster. The set has every knife that your average home cook would need without too many extraneous and unnecessary knives, and the glass knife block is a nice alternative to your standard wooden block that would fit beautifully in a modern-style kitchen. Our only qualm was that the glass knife block could be hard to keep clean among kitchen splatters and grease.

After testing them long-term for six months, we maintained that these knives were a great value for the price. The grippy handle still looked new after repeated washing, and the blades remained quite sharp.

Price at time of publish: $180

Blade Material: High-carbon German steel | Number of Knives: 5 | Sharpening: None | Storage: Magnetic wood and tempered glass stand

Best Lightweight

Cuisinart Stainless Steel Hollow Handle 15-Piece Block Set

4.3

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Our Ratings

• Design
  4/5
• Size
  4.5/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Value
  4.5/5

While most knives have handles made from wood, rubber, or plastic, these knives are all metal for a sleek, modern appearance and easy care. They’re made from high-carbon stainless steel and have a taper-ground blade for a very sharp edge and easy sharpening.

The set includes a 3 1/2-inch paring knife, a 3 1/2-inch bird’s beak paring knife, a 5 1/2-inch serrated utility knife, a 7-inch santoku knife, an 8-inch slicing knife, an 8-inch chef’s knife, six steak knives, a pair of shears, and an 8-inch sharpening steel.

We particularly loved the paring knife, which quickly became a favorite for small jobs like slicing nectarines, plums, and berries. However, we found the high-carbon stainless steel material on all the blades to be ideal for cutting. The included black knife block holds all the components and adds to the modern look of the set. While they may look hefty, the knives are surprisingly lightweight due to the hollow handles. These should be hand washed and dried.

Price at time of publish: $60

Blade Material: High carbon stainless steel | Number of Knives: 12 + scissors | Sharpening: Sharpening steel | Storage: Black hardwood block 

Best Self-Sharpening

Henckels Classic 15 Piece Self Sharpening Block Set

4.2

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Our Ratings

• Design
  3/5
• Size
  3/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Value
  4/5

The set includes a 4-inch paring knife, a 5-inch serrated utility knife, a 5.5-inch prep knife, a 7-inch Santoku knife, an 8-inch chef's knife, and eight 4.5-inch steak knives. The block uses a combination of dark-stained ash wood and brushed stainless steel.

What really sets the block apart is the self-sharpening feature. It's topped with a stainless steel cap that contrasts the wood nicely for a modern, industrial look. Plus, there are dedicated sharpening slots that sharpen each time a knife is removed and returned to the block. It also has a labeled slot guide to keep every knife organized in its proper place. This set also gained extra points for the quality of the knives themselves—they're fully forged and feature triple-rivet handles to provide additional balance and comfort. The size of each knife is just right, and the chef's knife, in particular, felt very sturdy. The block is attractive, compact, and lightweight.

In our tests, the chef's knife in this collection sliced perfectly through paper to test its sharpness and cut tomatoes cleanly. The paring knife was able to hull strawberries without any effort as well, though we noted the handle might be too small and thin for those with larger hands.

Price at time of publish: $260

Blade Material: German stainless steel | Number of Knives: 14 + scissors  | Sharpening: Built-in | Storage: Ash wood and stainless steel block

Best Splurge

Wusthof Classic Ikon 7 Piece Block Set

4.2

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Our Ratings

• Design
  5/5
• Size
  3/5
• Performance
  4.5/5
• Value
  3/5

The well-known Wutshof kitchen brand certainly lives up to its reputation with this stunning 7-piece knife block set. It comes with a 3.5-inch paring knife, a 5-inch serrated utility knife, a 5-inch hollow edge Santoku knife, an 8-inch bread knife, an 8-inch chef's knife, kitchen shears, and a 6-slot Acacia wood knife block. We love how the slim block design (9.5 x 3.5 inches) helps maximize counter space while maintaining a stylish, sleek design–perfect for apartment living.

After testing these knives long-term, we found ourselves reaching for the chef's knife at practically every opportunity. At the same time, the Santoku knife also got a lot of use thanks to its ideal length and weight. These knives are sharp, sturdy, and easy to handle—plus, the Acacia wood is a really nice touch and feels elegant and modern. This is a universal knife set with blades built for hard-working use that will surely live up to its investment with the proper care.

Price at time of publish: $695

Blade Material: High-carbon stainless steel | Number of Knives: 6 + scissors  | Sharpening: None | Storage: Acacia wood block

Best Classic

Farberware Edgekeeper 21-Piece Forged Triple Riveted Block Set

4.2

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Our Ratings

• Design
  3/5
• Size
  4/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Value
  4.5/5

This set saves you money in two ways. First, it’s less expensive than similar sets to purchase, and second, you won’t need to buy a knife sharpener to maintain the knives. The knife block has Edgekeeper sharpeners in each slot, so your knives will get a sharpening swipe every time you insert and remove them. The blades are fully forged from high-carbon stainless steel, and the triple-riveted handles are comfortable to hold—impressive features considering the price

This set includes an 8-inch chef’s knife, a 7-inch santoku knife, an 8-inch bread knife, an 8-inch slicing knife, a 6-inch boning knife, a 6-inch cleaver, a 5 1/2-inch serrated utility knife, a 3 1/2-inch paring knife, a carving fork, eight steak knives, and a pair of kitchen shears. The included knife block keeps all of them secure and accessible on your counter. These knives should be hand washed and dried immediately.

We love the classic design of these knives and their aesthetically-pleasing wooden block. The chef's knife sliced cleanly through both the tomato and the onion, though the bread knife was a bit lacking in terms of sharpness. The paring knife also impressed us with its lightweight, well-balanced feel and sharp tip for coring.

Price at time of publish: $70

Blade Material: High carbon stainless steel | Number of Knives: 18 + scissors  | Sharpening: Built-in | Storage: Cherry stained wood block 

Best Japanese

Ginsu Gourmet Chikara Series 8 Piece Set

4.2

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Our Ratings

• Design
  4/5
• Size
  3.5/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Value
  5/5

This set of Japanese-style knives includes an 8-inch chef's knife, a 7-inch Santoku knife, a 3.5-inch paring knife, a 5-inch serrated utility knife, a 5-inch non-serrated utility knife, a pair of kitchen shears, and a honing rod. The tiered knife block, although it takes up a good amount of space on the counter, makes it easy to see exactly where each knife is stored. It's also lightweight and made using bamboo, a sustainable and renewable material.

We were big fans of the Santoku knife in this set. The handle felt extremely balanced, and the heel design features a thick, heavy bolster. All of the knives, however, were super sharp right out of the box. The chef's knife was able to slice completely through a sheet of paper without catching and cut through a tomato with little to no effort. The paring knife also performed well–easily hulling strawberries thanks to the sharp point of the blade.

Price at time of publish: $100

Blade Material: Stainless steel | Number of Knives: 5 + scissors  | Sharpening: Honing steel | Storage: Bamboo block