Best knife sets for key kitchen tasks

Whether a novice or experienced cook, a set of sharp knives is essential to make your dicing, slicing, chopping and carving easier. Though you can buy individual knives, the best knife sets also tend to come with storage, which is an excellent way of looking after them.Knife sets vary hugely in price and, at the top end, are expensive, but they are an investment that will last for years with care. And, as our test shows, buying knives on a budget doesn't always mean they won't perform well.Choose a set that will be useful for the way you cook: three to four knives will usually cover all bases, with larger sets having more specialised knives such as filleting, carving and more.A good starting set may include a chef's knife – potentially the most versatile knife – or similar, plus a paring knife for fruit and vegetables and a serrated knife for tomatoes, cheese and soft fruits. Some also come with integrated sharpeners, though for those that don't, you can refer our guide on the best knife sharpeners to buy.Want to see this content?This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.Best knife sets at a glanceJUMP TO REVIEWS5/5 starsBest blowout knife set: Zwilling Spectrum Knife Block, £699Best classic knife set: Stellar Classic Knife Block Set, £129Best knife block set: Opinel Parallèle five-piece knife block set, £179Best Japanese knife set: HexClad the Essential Japanese Damascus steel knife set, £459Best of the restBest knife set for busy kitchens: Tefal EverSharp Pro, £159.99Best knife set for under £100: ProCook Professional X50 Contour knife set, £69Best knife set with sharpener: Ninja Foodi StaySharp 5-Piece Knife Block, £179.99Best traditional knife set: Sabatier by Stellar kitchen knives in wooden knife block, £115Best essentials-only knife set: Circulon chef, utility and paring knife set, £60Best knife set for drawer storage: Joseph Joseph 10-piece Multicolour Knife & Utensil Set, £90Best investment knife set: Zwilling Pro 7 Piece Ash Self Sharpening Knife Block, £449Jump to:How we tested knife setsKnife sets come in all shapes and sizes – and at a variety of price points too – so we tested a wide range, from simple, budget-friendly sets to premium knife blocks that come with integrated sharpening tools.Photograph: Rachel Ogden / Good FoodBread knives were put through their paces with crusty baguettes, while paring knives tackled fiddly fruits like cherries. We finely diced onions, carrots and celery for a sofrito to test chef's knives, also crushing garlic cloves under the blades to help assess their strength. If a set came with a Santoku knife, we chopped up fresh herbs, and for those with a carving knife, we carved a small roast chicken.Good Food / Elaine LemmWhen testing knife sets, we looked out for the following:Effective cutting: This is key – there’s no point having a beautiful set of knives if they’re ineffective. We wanted knives that cut cleanly and easily.Quality: We rated our knives for strength and balance. We also looked for knives that are comfortable to hold and use.Range: Taking into account the number of knives in each set, we looked for a good variety.Aesthetics: Many knife sets are designed to be on display. We awarded marks for stylish knives and, if applicable, for the appearance of the knife block, too.Storage: We looked at whether the knife block was thoughtfully designed to store knives safely and securely.Value: The knives we sampled ranged from £8.99 to over £700, and in each case we looked at whether the knife set offered good value for money.Sustainability: We awarded extra points to those knife sets that came packaged in recyclable materials and had a lifetime warranty (or could be easily repaired by the manufacturer).Why you can trust Good Food reviewsOur expert reviews team at Good Food has put a wide range of knife sets through rigorous testing using our trusted matrix format, after which we award each product a star rating.Everything we test is put through its paces in the Good Food Test Kitchen, which is designed to mirror a typical home kitchen rather than a laboratory-like setting. That means if a knife set performs well in our kitchen, you can count on it performing well in yours, too.Photograph: Judy Yorke / Good FoodWe also never send our reviews to manufacturers or retailers for approval before publishing, and we never accept payment in return for positive reviews.Best knife sets to buy in 2026Zwilling Spectrum knife blockAvailable from Zwilling (£599)Best blowout knife setPros: 50 per cent reduced carbon footprintBeautiful Micarta handleHardened steelExceptional sharpnessCons:Plastic in packagingPriceStar rating: 5/5Unwrapping this stunning knife block set from Zwilling was such a pleasure; inside the box was a stylish black block with a stainless-steel base and five gorgeous knives. Sadly, there was too much plastic packaging, which was a surprise, considering this knife set boasts a 50 per cent reduced carbon footprint with its blades.The German-made knives are steel-forged and ice-hardened which creates a hard, super-sharp edge that holds for longer. The Micarta handle features a textured linen look that provides both strength and grip, making it a delight to hold. However, the chef's knife is quite heavy and may not suit everyone due to its size. As expected of knives of this calibre, they're full tang with an outstanding balance.The knives flew through the test; nothing stood in their way, not even the super crusty sourdough loaf. The set is an investment piece, and one that, if properly cared for, will last a lifetime.Specifications:Set contains: Paring knife (10 cm), utility knife (13 cm), slicing knife (16 cm), chef's knife (20 cm), bread knife (20 cm)Materials: Stainless steel blades, Micarta (fabric and resin composite) handlesWarranty: LifetimeDishwasher safe? NoAvailable from:Want to see this content?This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.Stellar Classic Knife Block SetAvailable from Stellar (£77.40)Best knife set for classic knivesPros:Full tang for strengthIncludes scissorsSlide neatly into the blockFinger guardsDishwasher safeCons:The block is a little top heavyStar rating: 5/5There is a lot to like about the Stellar knife set; it is not showy or gimmicky, just a classic set of beautiful knives at an astonishing price for the quality.Straight from the box, it is clear to see why these are called classics; they feature strong black, three-rivet handles with a full-tang blade, adding weight to the knife without making it feel heavy. The blade is tempered, making the edge sharper and corrosion-resistant.We enjoyed the knives; they have good balance in the hand, and the finger guard on each blade makes them feel safer to use. They performed effortlessly in all the tests, and we particularly loved the multi-purpose scissors. But we had one gripe: the knives and scissors slipped in effortlessly into the wooden block, but it was top-heavy and fell over when we moved it.The Stellar knives are an excellent set and reminiscent of traditional French chef knives, and will look great in any kitchen, whether modern or traditional.Specifications:Set contains: Paring knife (9cm), utility knife (10cm), carving knife (20cm), Bread knife (20cm), Cooks knife (15cm), Cooks knife (20cm), ScissorsMaterials: Stainless steel, plastic handlesWarranty: LifetimeDishwasher safe? YesAvailable from:Opinel Parallèle five-piece knife block setAvailable from Farrar & Tanner (£179)Best knife block setPros: Well-designed blockExcellent performanceGood selection of bladesCons:Star rating: 5/5Comprising five knives with beech handles, plus a matching beech wood block, this attractive set is one to have out on display – and it's not just eye-catching, it’s well-designed too.The block has wide slots at the top, cut all the way through to protect the blades, while underneath are silicone pads to keep it sturdy on your worktop. Its choice of knives should also cover most tasks: we felt the only omission would be a utility knife as the paring knife in the set is on the small side.We used the Santoku for the larger prep jobs that a utility would usually handle, such as slicing tomatoes, which it did well, producing effortlessly thin slices.All the knives performed excellently in our tests, with the stand-out star being the frighteningly sharp chef’s knife, which went through hard vegetables like they were butter. The only knife in the set that could be sharper was the bread knife.While it was capable of producing thin slices from a crusty loaf, some sawing was required at the base. Unsurprisingly, wooden handles mean hand washing is a must but otherwise, it’s a great set for keen cooks or those keen to upgrade to improve their repertoire.Specifications:Set contains: Paring knife, chef's knife (20cm), Santoku knife, carving knife, bread knife, knife blockMaterials: Stainless-steel blades, beechwood handlesWarranty: LifetimeDishwasher-safe? NoAvailable from: Want to see this content?This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.HexClad the Essential Japanese Damascus steel knife setAvailable from HexClad (£459)Best Japanese knife setPros:Premium designNicely packagedEasy to controlLifetime warrantyCons:Star rating: 5/5If you're after a quality knife set that will stand the test of time – or you're perhaps looking for a gift – this six-piece set from HexClad should fit the bill perfectly.Each blade is forged from Japanese Damascus steel with a striking wave pattern, and we found them ultra-precise, smooth and easy to control in test.A honing steel for sharpening is also included in the magnet-sealed box, along with a microfibre polishing cloth for keeping your knives in tip-top condition.At over £300 this set certainly isn't cheap, but its premium design and lifetime warranty is reassurance enough that when you invest in knives as good as these, you won't need (or want) to replace them anytime soon.Specifications:Set contains: Chef's knife (20cm), bread knife (20cm), santoku knife (18cm), utility knife (13cm), paring knife (9cm), honing steel (23cm)Materials: Japanese Damascus steel blades, pakkawood handlesWarranty: LifetimeDishwasher-safe? NoAvailable from:Tefal EverSharp Pro knife setAvailable from Amazon (£104.99)Best knife set for busy kitchensPros:Stand doubles as knife sharpenerGreat knife size rangeEnsures knives are very sharpComfortable to holdCons:Stand is made from plasticBread knife does not get sharpenedStar rating: 4.5/5If sharpening your knives is always on your to-do list, invest in this innovative knife block and you’ll never have to do it yourself again. With space for 5 knives, including a paring and utility knife, a chef's knife, bread knife and Santoku knife, this block keeps things neat and tidy – all while sharpening the blades every time they are inserted back into the block.Made from German stainless steel, they’re designed to last for at least a decade, guaranteed. With comfortable plastic handles, they’re especially great for super fine slicing – from carrots to celery and even watermelon. The only downside? The block, although it does have a 2-in-1 function, is made from plastic, so it won’t be the most aesthetically pleasing feature on your kitchen worktop.Otherwise, we found that these knives cut through everything like butter. We never found that they needed extra sharpening, but do note that the bread knife doesn’t have a self-sharpening hole, so this won’t be permanently sharp like the other knives in the set.Specifications:Set contains: Paring knife (9cm), chef knife (20cm), bread knife (20cm), santoku knife (16.5cm), utility knife (12cm)Materials: German steel blades and plastic handlesWarranty: 10 yearsDishwasher safe? Information not availableAvailable from:ProCook Professional X50 Contour knife setAvailable from ProCook (£55.20)Best knife set for under £100Pros:Attractive designUltra-sharp bladesComfortable to holdCons:Some non-recyclable packagingStar rating: 4.5/5Simple yet stylish, this three-piece knife set is well balanced and makes light work of various chopping tasks, slicing through tougher veg like celeriac with ease.Its triple-riveted handles are comfortable to hold and we particularly liked the chef's knife, which – at 16cm – is a little smaller than most others we've tested, so slightly less imposing for entry-level cooks.We felt reassured by the sturdiness and quality of the X50 German steel blades too, which should stand up to frequent sharpening over years to come.Specifications:Set contains: Paring knife (9cm), utility knife (13cm), chef's knife (15cm)Materials: German X50 stainless-steel blades, layered resin composite handlesWarranty: 25 yearsDishwasher-safe? NoAvailable from:Ninja Foodi StaySharp knife block 5-piece setAvailable from Amazon (£149)Best knife set with sharpenerPros:Integrated knife sharpenerRecyclable packingErgonomic to holdIncredibly sharp on unboxing10-year sharpnessCons:Large countertop footprintNo smaller chef's knifeStar rating: 4.5/5The thing that strikes you when unboxing this knife set is Ninja's bold and instructional box decoration. The second is its size. This is not a knife set for a small kitchen – it requires as much room as a kettle would in both width and depth, primarily due to its unique selling point: the integrated knife sharpener.It's a bulky but undeniably useful addition, which sits to the right of the knives in the block and is intuitive to us, with a lever that runs the length of the knife blade in a controlled, smooth motion.Each knife offers an ergonomic handle and has a heft that donates quality, without feeling heavy. It actually gives you confidence when using the larger carving and chef's knives. It's clear to see which knife slots in where as the grooves vary in width.At 20cm long, the large chef's knife and carving knife give you excellent leverage for chopping through tough ingredients such as a large butternut squash and tough pumpkin skin. The paring knife and utility knife both cut remarkable smoothly, easy to navigate around fiddly fruit stones and tomato skins safely.It would be nice to have the option of a smaller chef's knife, but the utility knife fulfils the requirements easily. We used the knives for two weeks to test the effectiveness of the sharpener (as the instructions suggest) and found three strokes created a blade that sliced effortlessly through paper.Specifications:Set contains: Chef's knife (20cm), bread knife (20cm), carving knife (20cm), utility knife (13cm), paring knife (9cm), knife block with sharpenerMaterials: Stainless-steel blades, premium plastic handlesWarranty: 10 yearsDishwasher-safe? NoAvailable from:Want to see this content?This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.Sabatier by Stellar set of 5 kitchen knives in wooden knife blockAvailable from Stellar (£57.50)Best traditional knife setPros:Very effective knivesPleasant to holdLightweightCons:Star rating: 4.5/5Some knife sets are designed for style and to be a focal point of the kitchen. Others – like this one – just get quietly on with the job in hand. This is a straightforward, traditional-looking, unflashy knife set for those who enjoy home cooking and the set contains all the knives you need to accomplish every task.The wooden block itself is fairly discreet looking, and we found the knives nicely sharp and pleasant to hold. We particularly liked the smallest knife, which is slightly squarer than most paring knives and particularly easy to use. It looked a bit like a cross between a paring knife and a Santoku knife, and was light and easy to manipulate.We tested the knives on everything from butternut squash and onions to cherries and pineapple. The bigger knives worked their way efficiently through the tougher fruits, while the smaller ones diced everything without much effort.They are comfortable to hold with a ridge between handle and blade to protect fingers from slipping. The bread knife is also short and easy to control, slicing effectively through our baguette.Specifications:Set contains: Paring knife (9cm), utility knife (10m), chef's knife (15cm), carving knife (20cm), bread knife (20cm), beechwood knife blockMaterials: Stainless-steel bladesWarranty: Lifetime guaranteeDishwasher-safe? Yes, but handwashing is recommendedAvailable from:Want to see this content?This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.Circulon chef, utility and paring knife setAvailable from Circulon (£47.99)Best essentials-only knife setPros:Soft grip handles for comfortRelatively inexpensiveNot too heavy, so a good choice for those with mobility issuesCons:Struggled with tough cuts – more effort neededNon-traditional looks won't appeal to everyoneStar rating: 4/5Part of a three-piece set that includes a chef’s, utility and paring knife. This collection from Circulon stood out for comfort, with soft-grip handles that offer excellent control and stability. The knives felt well balanced in the hand during our test and were easy to manoeuvre, especially when tackling everyday prep like slicing onions and chopping celery.While the blades are made from Japanese steel and performed well during testing, they aren’t the sharpest, requiring a little more effort when working through tougher ingredients such as root vegetables. However, they still delivered reliable results and are more than suitable for general kitchen tasks.The knives feature a series of holes in the blades, which help prevent food from sticking, making batch-cooking prep quicker and less frustrating. Though the overall appearance is more functional than stylish, the set is a solid choice for those prioritising comfort and ease of use.Specifications:Set contains: Chef's knife (20cm), utility knife (15cm), paring knife (9cm)Materials: Japanese stainless-steel bladesWarranty: Limited lifetime guaranteeDishwasher-safe? NoAvailable from:Joseph Joseph 10-piece Multicolour In-drawer Knife & Utensil SetAvailable from Amazon (£90), Joseph Joseph (£90)Best knife set for drawer storagePros: In-drawer traysWeighted handles so blade doesn't touch worktopUtensil set includedCons: Plastic handles feel a little cheapStar rating: 4/5There’s a lot packed into Joseph Joseph’s 10-piece set: two in-drawer plastic trays, ideal for the person who dislikes clutter on the worktop, five kitchen knives, and a handy set of utensils. Each of the knives features the company’s signature Elevate design, meaning that the blade is raised up from the surface when not in use. The knives are colour-coded too, ensuring that you can keep one for raw meat and fish, for example.However, while they’re brilliantly designed and thought out, there’s no getting away from the fact that the plastic handles feel cheap and lightweight compared to others that we tested.While the larger knives had more weight in the blades and handles of a good length, the smaller ones in this set had short handles and could be impractical for those with larger hands. Plus, while the Elevate design is clever, it can get in the way. For example, the chef’s knife sliced brilliantly, but the projection was an obstruction when crushing garlic with the blade.We also found the paring knife difficult to use around the curves of an orange as the projection made it hard to see progress.Specifications:Set contains: Paring knife (9cm), serrated knife (11cm), Santoku knife (14cm), chef's knife (16cm), bread knife (20cm), solid spoon, slotted spoon, slotted turner, flexible turner, ladle, two in-drawer storage traysMaterials: Japanese stainless-steel blades, plastic handlesWarranty: 2 yearsDishwasher-safe? NoAvailable from:Want to see this content?This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.Zwilling Pro 7 Piece Ash Self Sharpening Knife BlockAvailable from Zwilling (£449)Best investment knife setPros:Excellent quality and innovative knife block designIncludes scissorsCons:ExpensiveShort warranty for the priceThe five knives in this set should cover every kitchen task you’d need and the scissors are a welcome bonus, too. The ice-hardened stainless steel knives are full tang (as you would expect at this price point) and are pleasingly weighty in the hand. The slight curve at the bottom of the handle makes them particularly comfortable to hold.The knives cut effortlessly, with the bread knife gliding through our crusty loaf. We particularly liked the serrated utility knife, which was perfect for cutting anything from tomatoes to grapefruit.While the black-handled knives with flush rivets look traditional, the knife block itself is clever and innovative. Each knife has its own slot, with an image next to it to show you which one goes where.The slots for non-serrated knives have integrated ceramic sharpening stones, so they're gently sharpened each time you pull one out or put it back. The ash block is also attractive and sits quite low, so you can easily place it under a cupboard.Specifications:Set contains: Paring knife (10cm), utility knife (13cm), slicing knife (20cm), chef’s knife (20cm), bread knife (20cm), kitchen scissors, ash knife block with sharpenerMaterials: Stainless-steel blades, stainless-steel/plastic handlesWarranty: 2 yearsDishwasher-safe? Yes, but handwashing is recommendedAvailable from:Want to see this content?This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.Other knife sets tested and ratedJamie Oliver Tefal 6 kitchen knives and block, £149.99Kuhn Rikon Colori knife and block 6-piece set, £44.95Joseph Joseph LockBlock, £179Joseph Joseph Elevate knives carousel set, £99.99Japanese knife trio, £115JosephJoseph Elevate steel knife set, £130Good Food in partnership with Tower knife setAvailable from Amazon (£69.99), Tower (£69.99)Set contains: Chef's knife, bread knife, carving knife, paring knife and utility knifeEffortless food prep meets sleek design in this five-piece knife set and block, created in partnership with Tower. Each knife is made from high-grade stainless steel with fine-edge blades for precision slicing, dicing and carving. Comfortable ergonomic handles and a sturdy, stylish block make this set ideal for everyday use. Versatile, easy to clean and built to last, it’s a practical and elegant addition to any kitchen.Available from:What to consider when buying a knife setIntended use: One of the first things to consider when buying a set is whether the selection will meet all your needs. Some smaller sets won’t contain a bread knife, for instance. This might be fine if you already have one, or only buy sliced bread, but it will be an issue for many.Quality: Full tang knives – where the blade is a single piece of metal running the whole length and through the handle – is generally thought to be stronger but can be expensive. Half tang knives, where the handle is simply attached to the end of the blade, may be more affordable.Storage: Some sets can be kept in the cutlery drawer while others come in a block, in a variety of colours, sizes and styles. Think about how much worktop space a set takes up and whether you prefer a compact design or one that makes more of a statement.Safety: This is a big concern, especially for parents. In some of the blocks we tested, the knives projected from the side while others needed to be pulled from the top end, making them harder for young children to remove.Which knife types typically come in knife sets?Bread knife: long serrated knives for bread, rolls and other baked goodParing knife: small knives for general tasks, including cutting and peeling vegetablesChef’s/cook's knife: wide-bladed, multi-purpose knifeCarving knife: for meatSlicing knife: long bladed knifeSantoku knife: a versatile Japanese-style knife with indents on the blade, designed for chopping and dicing. You can also use the flat surface to scoop up finely chopped ingredients like herbs and garlic.How to dispose of kitchen knivesThe best way to dispose of knives you no longer need is to pass them on to someone who needs them. If you’re a keen cook, you may want to upgrade your knives but they could be more than adequate for a student or someone setting up home for the first time.If this isn’t possible, most councils will allow you to dispose of them with your general waste, though do check first. If doing this, wrap them really carefully – put the tips in corks, for instance, or wrap them thickly with newspaper or bubble wrap, secured with tape.In other areas, you’ll be asked to take them to a recycling site and put them in the scrap metals bin.How to sharpen knivesUnless your knife is very dull, in which case you’d need a whetstone, the easiest methods are by using a sharpening steel or knife sharpener. Sharpening steels are also known as honing rods: this is because what you’re doing is honing, ie straightening, the blade, to make it more effective at slicing.Place the rod with its tip on your worktop or a chopping board and the handle pointing at the ceiling. Hold your knife so that the edge of the blade is at a 20-degree angle. Pull the knife toward you while moving down the length of the steel – do not use a sawing motion or apply force. Repeat a few times, then do the same on the other side.Manual knife sharpeners are usually held in place on the worktop while you draw the knife through each of its slots: most will have options from coarse to fine. For blunt blades, start by drawing through the coarse slot before finishing off with the fine.The fine slot or setting by itself is more like honing the blade and ideal for regular maintenance. You can find more tips from Good Food's Barney Desmazery in our 'how to sharpen knives' guide.Related reviewsBest bread knivesBest hand blendersBest kettlesBest toastersBest slow cookersBest mixing bowlsBest bread binsBest flour siftersBest multi-cookersBest cake standsBest cake tinsBest serving dishes and plattersBest food processorsHow to sharpen knivesKitchen appliance dealsAir fryer dealsMicrowave dealsDishwasher dealsPizza oven deals

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