Cuisinart's 12-Piece Color Knife Set is Bright, Versatile, and Affordable

We purchased the Cuisinart 12-Piece Color Knife Set so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

A versatile set of knives is an invaluable and essential kitchen tool. The right knives can make kitchen tasks quicker, easier, and safer to complete. If you’re looking for a basic knife set that offers plenty of utility and sharp cutting ability without breaking the bank, the Cuisinart 12-Piece Color Knife Set is one of the most affordable options out there. The set includes six different non-stick coated blades and each knife comes with its own blade guard for safe storage. We got to work chopping, mincing, and slicing to assess the sharpness, comfort, and practicality of the knives in this set. Keep reading to see if it’s the best set for your kitchen.

Performance: An all-purpose set that’s easy to use

Overall, we like the versatility of the Cuisinart 12-Piece Color Knife Set. Each piece is lightweight, comfortable, and safe to grip thanks to the thoughtfully designed contouring on the handle. This set includes six types of knives: a 3 ½-inch paring knife, a 6 ½-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. Each knife has a matching blade guard that covers the entire blade for safe storage when not in use.

Right out of the package, each blade seemed plenty sharp and ready to dice, chop, and slice whatever we could think of. We started with the most basic of kitchen prep tasks: chopping an onion. We used the santoku knife since it’s designed with dimples on each side to easily release food; it glided easily and we had an onion evenly diced in no time. 

We also used the serrated bread knife to slice French rolls for serving with dinner and the small paring knife for cutting fruit, chopping strawberries, and slicing mini cucumbers for a salad.

A serrated blade is usually our go-to choice for slicing and chopping tomatoes since the teeth help grip and slice through tomato skin. The bread knife can be used for cutting large tomatoes, but it may prove challenging if you’re chopping cherry or grape varieties. 

We would have liked to see a smaller serrated knife included with this set. Perhaps in place of the utility knife. It ended up being our least favorite knife in the set because it’s large and we weren’t sure what to use it for. This set also lacks a sharpener, but that’s not a deal-breaker since you can have your knives professionally sharpened or purchase an inexpensive sharpening tool separately.

Design: Colorful, safe, and comfortable

These knives are eye catching thanks to their bright, cheerful primary colors. They aren’t just fun to look at, though. The colors can help you keep track of what types of food you’re cutting and prevent cross-contamination when working with raw meat and produce.

The blade guards are easy to slide on and off. You can safely store the knives in a drawer and never have to worry about accidentally cutting your fingers when reaching for a knife. They also make these knives easy to take on the go for travel, camping, and potlucks. We plan on packing this set next time we head to a beach rental. Just be warned: they are somewhat bulky and will take up a good deal of space in a drawer.

We found it a little hard to tell which knife is which when the blade guards are on them. We ended up having to take off the guard each time we reached for a knife to see if it was the one we wanted. You either have to memorize which color is which blade, keep the package handy, or take a photo to identify the different knife edges.  

Durability: Hand wash for longer use

We didn't observe this, but other reviewers claim the ceramic nonstick coating on these knives are prone to chipping when you sharpen them or run them through the dishwasher. To help preserve the coating, we recommend hand washing. Luckily, washing by hand is easy since not much food sticks to these knives.

Price: Complete set for a budget price

The Cuisinart 12-Piece Color Knife Set retails for around $20. That price is hard to beat for a set of six knives. Knife sets and even single knives can cost hundreds of dollars, depending on the brand and number of pieces included. This Cuisinart knife set is one of the most affordable you can find and includes a nice variety of blades that can handle any kitchen cutting task. It’s an especially excellent option for dorm living, beginner kitchens, second homes, and even for travel (think: camping). They’re also backed by Cuisinart’s lifetime warranty.

Competition: Plenty of more extensive knife sets available

Cuisinart 15-Piece Stainless Steel Hollow Handle Block Set: If your budget allows, this knife set, also from Cuisinart, is another great choice for an affordable price. Retailing for around $80, it’s triple the price of the brand’s colored knife set but it includes more pieces to complete your collection.

The Cuisinart Stainless Steel Hollow Handle Set is made entirely of high-carbon stainless steel for a sleeker and more contemporary design. The hollow handles are extra light-weight and ergonomically designed for an easy, comfortable grip. The set also comes with a knife block for countertop storage, a pair of kitchen shears, a sharpening steel, and a set of six serrated steak knives that also fit in the storage block.

Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Block Set: Priced around $150, this set of knives is more high-end and includes everything you could need from a knife set. There are eight different stainless steel blades, a set of eight steak knives, a storage block, and sharpening steel, but the set lacks kitchen shears.