The 9 Best Knife Sets for Every Couple's Registry

Best Overall

Henckels Statement 15-Piece Knife Block Set

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Zwilling and J.A. Henckels is a classic knife brand that's synonymous with quality and endurance. This 15-piece knife set is ideal for everyday use and offers a value that’s difficult to beat. The stamped blades make them lighter than forged knives and, thus, more maneuverable and less likely to wear out your hands and wrists. Light does not mean flimsy, though. Each blade is made from a single piece of high-quality stainless steel (ensuring its durability) and boasts a professional satin finish that is finely honed for lasting sharpness.

The knives feature triple-rivet handles and stainless-steel endcaps for balance, and they are even dishwasher-safe for those days you just don’t have the time or energy for handwashing. The set includes a 3” paring knife, 5” serrated utility knife, 7” santoku knife, 5” santoku knife, 8” chef’s knife, 8” bread knife, six 4.5” steak knives, sharpening steel, kitchen shears, and a handsome hardwood block to store everything in.

Price at time of publish: $345

Best Budget

AmazonBasics Premium 18-Piece Kitchen Knife Block Set

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Coming in at a great budget price, these knives are an absolute steal (pun intended). The professional quality, stainless steel blades are precision-honed for lasting sharpness. They also have a full tang (meaning that the knife consists of a single blade that extends into the handle) with a secure bolster (the area where the blade meets the handle) and ergonomic, triple-riveted handles. These desirable features make the knives sturdy, durable, and well-balanced, increasing comfort and control and reducing the potential for accidents.

The set also includes a wide variety of blades: an 8” chef's knife, a 7” santoku knife, an 8” slicing knife, an 8” bread knife, a 5.5” utility knife, a 6” boning knife, a 3.5” paring knife, and eight 4.5” steak knives. So, no matter what you’re cooking up, you’ll have the right tools for the job. Extras include a pair of 8” kitchen shears, an 8” sharpener to help you keep your blades in tip-top shape, and an attractive rubber-wood storage block. 

Price at time of publish: $69

Best Splurge

Wüstof Ikon 7-Piece Knife Block Set

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Pricey? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. Wüsthof has a reputation for making excellent products that last. So, go ahead, get attached. You’ll never need another set of knives. This set includes the essentials (an 8” chef’s knife, a 6” utility knife, a 3.5" paring knife, and an 8” bread knife) and some great extras (a 9” honing steel, a pair of pull-apart kitchen shears, and a 15-slot storage block made of solid wood). Each knife is precision-forged from a single piece of sturdy, high-carbon German steel that resists rust and corrosion. Full tangs are triple riveted to polypropylene handles which makes these knives as durable, well balanced, and easy to control as they are elegant.

Wüsthof uses Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) to ensure a 20% sharper blade with twice the edge retention, which means your blades will stay sharper for longer. Finally, the hardwood block that comes with this set (available in natural, walnut, acacia, and black tones) is gentle on your knives’ edges and stores up to 15 items safely. With this knife block on your countertop, no one will question that you mean business in the kitchen.

Best Roll Set

Mercer Culinary Millennia 8-Piece Knife Roll Set

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If you simply cannot imagine how you’d fit a knife block on your countertop, this knife roll is the perfect solution. Just pull the case out of its drawer and spread it out on the counter when you’re ready to cook. As a bonus, you’ll be able to easily carry your knives with you wherever you go. Visting your parents or renting a beach house and dreading having to use dull knives? Not anymore! This knife case is lightweight and made of tough fabric that resists tears and scuffs. It even has an adjustable and detachable shoulder strap.

And if you’re worried that you’ll have to compromise on quality for the sake of convenience, don’t be. Mercer’s knives are each made of a single piece of high-carbon Japanese steel which sharpens quickly and is easy to maintain. They have ergonomic handles composed of Santoprene for comfort and polypropylene for durability. For safety, they have protective finger guards and textured finger points which improve grip. This set includes six knives—a chef’s knife, a santoku knife, a bread knife, a slicing knife, a boning knife, and a paring knife—as well as a honing steel to keep them in great shape.

Price at time of publish: $152

Best Self-Sharpening

Calphalon Contemporary Self-Sharpening Knife Block Set

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Calphalon’s knife set was made for those who are all about convenience. The richly stained maple wood block has built-in ceramic sharpeners that maintain your knives’ razor edges with every use, and the knives’ labeled handles ensure that you grab the tool you’re looking for every time. Even better, the Calphalon set comes with such an expansive variety of knives that you never have to worry you won’t have the right blade for a specific task. With an 8” chef's knife, 8” bread knife, 8” slicer, 7” and 5” Santoku knives, 6” utility knife, 6” fork, 5.5” tomato/bagel knife, 5” boning knife, 4.5” paring knife, 8 steak knives, and a pair of kitchen shears, you’ll be prepared to slice, chop, peel, pare, cut, and debone anything you like.

These knives have fully forged blades and premium bolsters and tangs designed for strength and balance. They are made of high-carbon, no-stain German steel for life-long durability, and their blades have a nonstick coating for easy cleaning and maintenance. Their contoured handles ensure a comfortable and secure grip. They even come with a full lifetime warranty!

Price at time of publish: $330

Best Design

Cangshan 6-Piece Tai Knife Block Set

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These elegant, forged blades are made of high-alloy Swedish steel and put through a six-stage heat treatment that makes them exceptionally strong and sharp. Their sleek, angular handles—which come in a crisp, fresh white or an arresting, onyx black—offer a glimpse of the full length of the blade they surround and are secured by a single mosaic rivet which gives them a clean look. The set includes five luxurious knives: an 8” chef’s knife, an 8” bread knife, a 7” santoku knife, a 5” utility knife, and a 3.5” paring knife.

If you’re looking for a superior knife set that doubles as a stunning kitchen counter centerpiece, the Cangshan Tai knife block set is exactly what you want. It’s easy to see why this set won an International Red Dot award for design. Its triangular walnut block is striking, simultaneously classic, and unusual. It retains the simple elegance of a traditional woodblock, but the open sides offer a modern peek at the gorgeous knives within.

Price at time of publish: $100

Best Variety

Chicago Cutlery Fusion 17-Piece Knife Set

4.8

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For those who demand quality and variety, Chicago Cutlery’s Fusion knife set is a dream come true. The 17-piece set includes a 7.75" chef knife, a 7.75" serrated bread knife, a 7" santoku knife, a 5" santoku knife, a 5" utility knife, a 3.25" paring knife, eight 4.5" steak knives, sharpening steel, a chop assist, and a lovely chestnut-stained wood block. The set is undeniably versatile, and the quality of these knives is shockingly high for the price point. Like most top-notch knives, they are forged from high-carbon stainless steel for a stronger, sturdier, and more balanced blade that resists stains, rust, and corrosion.

Because of Chicago Cutlery’s signature 26-degree, taper-ground cutting edges, they are sharp and precise, and they stay that way longer than cutlery from many leading brands. Their contoured cushion-grip handles are definitely a plus as they ensure a comfortable and secure grip. It’s also worth noting that the steak knives aren’t just superfluous extras. They have full tangs and are of the same superior quality as the rest of the knives in this set. In fact, customers frequently purchase them on their own.

Price at time of publish: $140

Best Customizable

Berti Italian Cornotech-Handled Kitchen Knives

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Let’s say you’ve already got a knife that you could never part with. She’s perfect, you’ve named her, and no one else is allowed to touch her. Then, you need a knife set that you can mix and match based on your needs. At Food52 you can choose from a selection of gorgeous Berti knives to make your own set: a curved paring knife, a straight paring knife, a tomato knife, a utility knife, a chef’s knife, a bread knife, and a carving knife.

These knives are handcrafted in Italy, and their blades are made of high-carbon, laser-cut steel. Their triple-riveted handles are made of Cornotech, an extra-durable material that looks and feels like ox horn. You can add these beauties to your own block or order them with the individual blocks Berti makes for them—each of which features a black silhouette of the appropriate knife and Italian script identifying the types of food it is meant to slice (verdure, carni e formaggi, pane a dolci). Together, these lovely little blocks look like a set of books, and they lend a cozy, homey air to any kitchen.

Price at time of publish: $311 with block and curved paring knife