Best Kitchen Knives 2022: Stay sharp with the best knife, santoku, paring and bread knife sets (2023)

If you're tired of flattening your fruits and vegetables, our pick of the best kitchen knives is here to save you from the struggle. You know it's time for new knives when, despite sharpening them to death, you find yourself cutting into meat or nearly cutting your fingers every time you try to attack an onion. But with so many styles and price tags to choose from, how do you know where to start when looking for your new knife?

They can also be haunted by other predicaments. Should you buy your knives individually or in a set? Do you have to choose a well-known brand? What features should you consider?

Our guide will help you decode these dilemmas so you can slice through them with ease for years to come. If you already know what type of kitchen knife you need, skip our buying guide for reviews of the best individual knives and kitchen knife sets to buy.

The best kitchen knives: at a glance

• Cheap kitchen knives:Zyliss Comfort 6 pieces
• PreferablyAll-in-one knife and sharpener set:Messerblock Ninja Foodi StaySharp
• The best safety knives:Viners Secure 4-tlg
• The best space savers:BergHOFF 5 Piece Leotard
• Best Affordable Santoku Knife:Victorinox 17cm Holy

How to choose the best kitchen knives for you

Buy kitchen knives individually or in a set?

There's no need to invest in a set if you only need to replace one or two of your knives, or if you're the type of chef who only uses a few knives anyway. Do not automatically exchange similar items, for example, exchanging an old kitchen knife for a new one, etc. Check out our guide to knife types below to see if a santoku or chef's knife, for example, will suit your needs better than what you've been used to in the past.

On the other hand, if all your knives had it and/or you like a wide range of knives for different tasks, consider a set, many of which come with a handy storage block.

What types of knives are there?

Kitchen knives are categorized by their shape and size, with specific options best suited to specific tasks. These are the main types:

• kitchen knife:Also known as a paring knife, this little knife is good for detail work like seeding chilies and slicing brussels sprouts.
• Kitchen knife:Typically a smaller knife that can be used for everyday vegetable peeling and fruit peeling.
• serrated knife:Also known as a tomato knife, this little knife can help you get ultra-thin slices from a tomato and peel citrus fruits. The serrated edge means it grips when cutting fruits or vegetables.
• Brotmesser:The long serrated blade cuts loaves of bread without tearing or crushing the bread.
• chef knife:Also known as a chef's knife, this multi-purpose knife was made for a variety of tasks, from cutting raw meat and tough vegetables to chopping herbs. They are available with leaves from 15 cm to 36 cm.
• Santoku Messer:Made for slicing, dicing, and mincing, these Japanese-style knives have become all the rage. They differ from chef's knives in that they have a blunt end rather than a pointed end, and the notches in the blade ensure you get thin slices without food sticking to them.
• Slicing Master:In the 1950s, no decent home would have existed without a carving knife and fork. While you can live without one, these long, sharp knives can still come in handy when you're eating a lot of roasting.

KEEP READING:Our selection of the best chef's knives

What other types of knives are there?

For the serious chef there are a plethora of other knives including a boning knife (for cutting meat), fillet knife (for preparing fish), cleaver (for chopping meat), and utility knife (a serrated utility knife). ). for cutting and trimming meat and larger vegetables).

Other specialty knives include Chinese chef's knives, spatulas, and mezzalunas (a knife with two handles and a curved blade for chopping herbs).

How important is the type of metal?

At the cheaper end is stainless steel; These knives are nice and solid, but they can dull quickly and take a while to sharpen. Carbon steel is more expensive, but the metal is easier to keep sharp, although it can rust.

Other alternatives include ceramic blades. These are nice and light and much harder than carbon steel, don't need sharpening, and don't rust, although they can chip.

Then there's Damascus: These expensive tempered knives have a carbon steel core surrounded by layers of smooth and hard stainless steel, resulting in an extremely hard and sharp edge.

Are there other features to consider?

Find out how the knife is built. A fully forged knife is best, as it is made from a single block of steel for both the blade and tang (the bit that attaches the blade to the handle). Very expensive? Imagine a machine-stamped knife cut from a continuous strip of stainless steel. While not as durable as the fully forged, it's not a bad compromise. If you are a regular knife user you need to think about weight, although for occasional knife users this won't be an issue.

You should also try a knife for balance. Some designs focus weight on the blade to make cutting tough foods easier, while others have heavier handles, making the lighter blade easier to maneuver. Ideally, you want to make sure you have a good balance between the blade and the handle. When a knife comes with a bolster, the thick connection between the handle and the blade also affects balance.

Make sure the handle fits you ergonomically and don't forget the washing instructions. While most knives are dishwasher safe, they stay sharp longer if you wash them by hand. Then think about storage, with the best place being a knife block or magnetic wall shelf.

KEEP READING:Our favorite kitchen bucket

The best kitchen knife sets to buy from €15

1. Viners Assure Four-Piece Knife Set: The best safety knives (which are also a bargain)

Preis:£ 13 |Shop now at Dunelm

If you have small children or are simply tired of gnawing on knives that have been placed upside down in the drawer, Viners has found an ideal solution. Unlike classic blades, each knife in the Assure set has a completely flat tip. While this makes for a rather unusual looking blade, it hardly changes the way it works - you can still slice, slice and dice as normal. In the set, you get a 6-inch chef's knife, a 6-inch santoku knife, a 5-inch utility knife, and a 3.5-inch paring knife. This is great for everyday tasks, but if you like to experiment with a variety of ingredients, you may need to supplement this set with additional knives.

These knives are lightweight and comfortable to hold, and the non-slip coating on the handle is a nice addition to both functionality and appearance. For the price they did an excellent job slicing soft to medium sized foods, although they did have a bit of a struggle slicing the squash. However, if you're on a budget and want to keep sharp points out of little hands, we highly recommend this set.

key specs–Types included:6" chef's knife, 6" santoku knife, 5" utility knife, 3.5" paring knife;Knife Block Dimensions:3,1 x 21,5 x 33,5 cm (BTH);Guarantee:ten years

Shop now at Dunelm

2. Zyliss Comfort 6-Piece Set: Best Value Kitchen Knives

Preis:44 £ |Shop now at Lakeland

If you're looking for a great, affordable set of knives that won't bend or break under pressure, this colorful set from Zyliss might be for you. With comfortable soft-touch grips and custom protective sleeves, they not only look great, they're also safe to use and store. The blades are made from Japanese stainless steel and are honed to a fine finish that should stay sharp longer. We really like the size and shape of these rackets; They are ideal for both larger cutting jobs and precise dicing.

In testing, they offered some resistance to some firmer vegetables and didn't cut through tomatoes and grapes as easily as the more expensive knives on this list. However, that is to be expected at this price. If you don't want to miss out on a super expensive set of knives, or just need something quick, this is a great set for everyday tasks.

Key Specs - Types Included:Paring Knife (6.5cm), Two Serrated Paring Knives (10.5cm), Utility Knife (13cm), Santoku Knife (18cm), Chef's Knife (18.5cm);Knife Block Dimensions:N / A;Guarantee:Five-year manufacturer's warranty

Shop now at Lakeland

3. Ninja Foodi StaySharp Knife Block – Best all-in-one knife set and sharpener

Preis:£ 180 |Shop now from Ninja

This modern knife block from Ninja is much more than a high-quality, mid-range knife set. Not only does it have five knives for a variety of prep tasks, but it also comes with a built-in knife sharpener. It's a great addition, especially if it's your first time spending a little more on knives and you're not a whiz at sharpening, but still appreciate the difference a sharp knife can make.

The sharpener can take a while to get used to and we would have liked another smaller blade in the line, but other than that it ticks all the boxes. In terms of workmanship, these knives are as exceptional as the block they are delivered in: they are made from forged stainless steel and are extremely comfortable to hold. The curved plastic handle makes it comfortable to hold and the blades easily cut through even the toughest vegetables like squash. If you're looking to upgrade your current knife set, this is definitely one to consider.

Key Specs - Types Included:Vegetable knife (9 cm), utility knife (12.7 cm), ham knife (20 cm), onion knife (20 cm), bread knife (20 cm);Knife Block Dimensions:Not specified;Guarantee:Life expectancy

Shop now from Ninja

4. Tower Kitchen Knife Set: Best Affordable Nonstick Knives

Preis:£ 41 |Buy now on Amazon

If you want to be pleasantly surprised by cheaper knives, you should try this nonstick set from Tower. The Celestone coating used on the blades is incredibly effective and we didn't experience any sticking at all, even when cutting potatoes, which are notoriously bad at sticking to knife blades.

The grips also have grip and weight, which we find both a good and a bad thing. We liked how they felt, but they weren't the most balanced knives. They are also quite thin, which means they are very spicy, but they are not good for harder vegetables like rutabaga or squash. However, for everyday tasks like slicing onions, bread, tomatoes, and more, they are ideal.

Key Specs - Types Included:chef's knives, bread knives, carving knives, utility knives and paring knives;Knife Block Dimensions (WTH):not fixedGuarantee:5 years

5. BergHOFF Leo 5-Piece Knife Block Set: Best Affordable Knife Set for Versatility

Preis:£50 |Shop now at Argos

This set is a space saver's dream. Not only is the block slim, some of the knives double as other kitchen tools, allowing you to avoid extra clutter in your cutlery drawer. The paring knife has a mini grater on top, while the small chef's knife has two notches for scraping herbs. The block storage insert is reversible, allowing you to display a pink or gray top, and since there are no defined areas for each knife, they can be inserted and rearranged however you like.

These knives not only look good but are also comfortable to use. The soft, non-slip handles are comfortable to hold and the nonstick steel blades with a flat tang make chopping a breeze. While these aren't the most precise knives you can buy, they get the job done and look great in the kitchen. Better yet, they come with a 15-year warranty, so you can count on them to stay the course.

Key Specs - Types Included:small chef's knife, bread knife, paring knife, utility knife, and paring knife;Knife Block Dimensions (WTH):not fixedGuarantee:15 years

Shop now at Argos

6. Lakeland Fully Forged Stainless Steel Five-Piece Block – Best Budget Full Tang Knife Set

Preis:£100 |Shop now at Lakeland

Cheap knives tend to be flimsy, cumbersome, and not up to the simplest of tasks. However, Lakeland's fully forged block is not your typical knife set. For €100 you get five strong, dishwasher-safe kitchen knives that are ideal for everyday tasks. Each knife is made from a single piece of forged stainless steel, which means there are no weak points to compromise the strength of the blade.

We've been using these knives for weeks now and think they're great for everyday kitchen tasks like chopping vegetables, carving meat, and slicing bread, but if you're looking for a specialty blade, you're going to have to spend a bit more. or consider buying them individually. While we think it would benefit from another mid-range utility knife, this is still a complete set that's definitely worth your time.

key specs–Types included:Schälmesser (9cm) Brotmesser (22cm), Tranchiermesser (22cm), Kochmesser (20cm), Allzweckmesser (10,5cm)Knife Block Dimensions:Not specified;Guarantee:3 years

Shop now at Lakeland

The best bread, vegetable, santoku and chef's knives to buy

1. Le Creuset Paring Knife With Stainless Steel Handle: Best Paring Knife

Preis:£ 64 |Buy now on Amazon

Le Creuset is a brand known more for its pots than its blades, but this is the sharpest, most precise, and easiest-to-use paring knife we've found for chopping or slicing everything from onions and garlic to potatoes and beans.

In fact, even after preparing a roast for 16 people, our hands showed no signs of pain, and since the blade is made of Damascus steel, it will see you through vegetable preparation year after year. However, it is hand wash only and should not be used with wet hands.

Key Specs - Type:9 cm stainless steel;Guarantee:two years

2. Victorinox Santoku Knife 17 cm: The best Santoku knife in the mid-price segment

Preis:£ 48 |Buy now on Amazon

We reviewed a few Victorinox knives, but this small, lightweight Santoku is a particularly good choice for aspiring chefs. It's not the best santoku knife you can buy, but it's good for the price and allows you to quickly chop things like onions, carrots, and tomatoes. All this without being too big and bulky.

The serrated blade means tough foods are less likely to stick to it when cutting, and while the rosewood handle wouldn't be our top pick for handle material, it's pretty sturdy and looks good. The handle has been treated to minimize water damage, but you do need to be very careful when cleaning it, and although the listing says otherwise, it's definitely not dishwasher safe.

Key Specs - Type:17 cm stainless steel;Guarantee:not fixed

Buy now on Amazon

3. Zwilling 10cm Fully Forged Paring Knife: Best Paring Knife

Preis:£ 47 |Buy now on Amazon

This cute paring knife is a must-have for all those tough tasks in the kitchen. From peeling vegetables to chopping tomatoes, garlic and ginger, it's the ideal size for a variety of kitchen tasks. It is super sharp and will last for years if you treat it right and sharpen it regularly.

The blade is fully forged and ice hardened for durability and corrosion resistance. The handle is made of a comfortable synthetic material designed to comfortably hold an average-sized hand for long periods of time, so you don't have to worry about fatigue whether you're peeling and mincing a clove or a whole head of garlic. .

Key Specs - Type:10 cm steel alloy;Guarantee:not fixed

Buy now on Amazon

4. Lakeland Fully Forged Stainless Steel Bread Knife – The best bread knife around

Preis:£ 22 |Shop now at Lakeland

This is a great price for a strong, well balanced bread knife. The good grip ensures a straight cut, making it easy to produce everything from fine, filigree glass to coarse door sills.

We found that it cuts through loaf after loaf without dulling it, even crisp white bread with soft, airy centers. The stainless steel serrated edge is sharp and durable and can be cleaned in the dishwasher after use.

Key Specs: Until:Stainless steel blade the 22 cm;Guarantee:3 years

Shop now at Lakeland