Making dinner every night is stressful enough, but throw in blunt knives and you’ve got a recipe for a veritable kitchen nightmare.
The best kitchen knife sets will ensure smooth and seamless chopping, dicing and slicing so you don’t have to work up a sweat with a blunt instrument every day.
And you don’t need to go too nuts, as a small set will cover everything most of us need, from paring knives for peeling and chopping veg, to bread knives, carving knives and all-purpose chef’s knives.
So, whether you’re whipping up a simple salad or cooking up a feast, we’ve rounded up the best kitchen knife sets to make life a little easier. You can’t blame the tools now…
Best kitchen knife sets for 2021
1. Victorinox Kitchen Set 5 pieces
Budding chef in the making? This five-piece kitchen knife set is a very worthy investment.
The Swedish steel is ultra-high quality and the knives stay sharp for a very long time.
There’s two paring knives for peeling fruit and chopping vegetables, a tomato and table knife. You also get a carving knife to make roasts a breeze, and a bread knife for the perfect slice of toast without butchering your loaf to pieces.
One customer wrote: “My husband is a chef so likes to have decent knives in the kitchen at home too. He loves this set. Bought to replace my old blunt knives. They’re great. Lightweight and very sharp.”
Price: £55.07, Amazon – buy here now
2. Nihon X50 Knife Set 5 Piece and Magnetic Block
Keep your kitchen knives on a fancy magnetic board with this cool set. Crafted with stainless steel, it’s got all your chopping needs covered, with a paring, utility, chef, bread and carving knife.
The comfortable handles are made with European beech, and the blades are super-sharp, being inspired by Japanese tradition.
“Absolutely love my new knife set, I don’t think I’ve ever owned knives so sharp,” said one satisfied review.
Price: £119, ProCook – buy here now
3. Jamie Oliver 6 Piece Kitchen Knife Block Set
This chunky kitchen knife set is the business, as Jamie himself might say. Made with strong German stainless steel, they offer great balance and weight, as well as sculpted handles for maximum comfort.
There’s a paring knife for peeling, a utility knife (great for precise chopping of smaller food items like shallots), a santoku knife (perfect for slicing and dicing things like cheese and meat), an all-purpose chef’s knife, and a bread knife.
Price: £149.99, Ocado – buy here now
4. Joseph Joseph Elevate Knives, 6-Piece Set
These silicone-coated blades offer a reliable and no-nonsense kitchen knife set, including everything you need, from a paring knife to a carving knife.
The blades are sharp and non-stick,and have been designed to improve hygiene and minimise mess. Each knife has a weighted handle with an integrated tool rest, ensuring that when the knife is placed down its head is always raised off the work surface. Genius.
Each one also has a protective sheath boasting a built-in sharpener for longevity.
Price: £46, Amazon – buy here now
5. Kitchencraft Masterclass 5 Piece Knife Block Set
Up your kitchen knife set glamour game with this beautiful brass collection.
The high-grade stainless steel has been coated with the brass-effect hue, and the blades slot neatly into a contemporary black block with a brass-trimmed bottom.
The flared bolster handle provides excellent balance, and ensures that the knives are easy to sharpen. The set includes: a chef’s knife, carving knife, bread knife, utility knife and paring knife to cover all chopping bases.
One glowing review read: “This knife block is simply a visual highlight. The knives cut fantastically and, if you take care of them by hand washing, they will still look like new even after half a year.”
Price: £49.99, Wayfair – buy here now
6. Jean Dubost Kimono Kitchen Pradel Knife Set
A premium kitchen knife set, this high-end choice comes in a sustainable and stylish bamboo block.
The Pradel knife is noted for its high quality, and was first crafted in France in 1920. This set includes a bread knife, chef knife, paring knife, carving knife and utility knife to cover all your cooking needs.
You can also add a personalised message on the knife block if it’s a gift (or you just want the family name on there).
Price: £72, Farrar Tanner – buy here now
7. Opinel Les Essentiels du Cuisinier Knives Set of Four
If you’re looking for a simple set of knives to make quick work of prepping for family meals, this kitchen knife set is ideal.
As its name suggests, it has the ‘essentials’ you need, including a serrated knife, a paring knife and a peeler, all crafted from high-quality French steel. A good buy? Bien sur.
Price: £38, Selfridges – buy here now
8. Hecef Kitchen Knife Set
Looking for good quality at an affordable price? This five-piece kitchen knife set is everything you need for whipping up delicious dinners without any stress.
Crafted with high-quality black stainless steel, the retro style is funky and functional. The colour coating prevents food from sticking to the blade, resulting in faster and easier chopping and slicing. And there’s a super-sharp edge for longer-lasting performance. Great bang for your buck.
Price: £23.99, Amazon – buy here now
9. Prue’s World 3-Piece Knife Set with Knife Roll
You don’t need a huge kitchen knife set to get started. This three-piece set by celebrity chef and Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith is small but mighty.
It boasts a well-weighted utility knife, which is a great all0rounder for chopping; a santoku knife, which has a broad blade with scallops so thinly sliced veg or cheese can slide off without sticking; and a carving knife, which is totally versatile and brilliant for lots of food prep. And, if anybody knows what makes a good knife set, it’s got to be Prue…