Large knife sets that come with a storage block are handy—it’s literally a one-stop shop. And if you’re a fan of serving grilled ribeyes whole to your guests, you’re going to need some sharp steak knives. Global’s knives are strong performers in our tests, and their unibody construction makes them easy to clean and maintain. We also like their unique steel, which retains sharpness without being as brittle as other alloys.
While they can be polarizing, many people find their dimpled steel handles comfortable to hold, and their knives come sharp out of the box. A big reason we like this large set over other options is that larger knife sets are usually extremely expensive, or they’re made up of a knifemaker’s budget line. Here you see strong value for great knives, and the inclusion of a petty knife, a chef’s knife, and a kiritsuke-style slicing knife means there’s nothing you won’t be able to cut with swiftness and precision.
Given its size, it’s a well-balanced set, and the inclusion of the serrated utility knife is a nice touch for slicing tomatoes or peeling squash. It may feel like a hefty sticker price, but you’d be hard-pressed to find this many high-quality knives at this price point from other brands.
Olivia Tarantino
How we picked the best knife sets
We’ve been testing knives for years now, and we have found that the same brands tend to come out on top across each knife category. Luckily for you, aspiring knife set purchasers, that means we’ve had no trouble finding three-piece sets from brands we know and love that feature product-test-winning, quality knives our team of experts can vouch for. Each set listed above is made up of individual knives we’ve tested against a long list of competitors and wholeheartedly approve of.
Head over to our individual reviews of the best chef’s knives, best bread knives, and best paring knives for even more information.
FAQs
How many knives do you need in a knife set?
We firmly believe that three knives are all you really need: a chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a bread knife. Together, they cover just about every essential kitchen task, from chopping vegetables to slicing crusty loaves.
That said, if you’re looking to upgrade or expand your collection, three additional knives are excellent additions: a nakiri knife, a petty knife, and a cleaver. While not essential, they’re nice to have: the nakiri offers extra precision for vegetable prep, the petty knife is ideal for those in-between tasks that a paring or chef’s knife might not handle quite as neatly, and a cleaver can help tackle larger chopping tasks (or precion cuts with a Chinese cleaver).
Which is the best brand for knives?
Mac has come out on top of our knife testing across the three core knives—chef’s, serrated, and paring—but the question itself is sort of like asking “who is the best guitar player.” Different people will find different knife shapes, weights, and handle styles better or worse for their hands. And, there are a lot of small elite knife makers out there that make items that aren’t just kitchen tools, but works of art. If you want to investigate some of those, we’d encourage you to check out a shop like Chubo Knives for elite Japanese blades.
But as far as affordable, widely available knives go, Mac’s routinely out-performed the competition. They are made in Japan from molybdenum high carbon steel, which blends the durability of Western-style steel with the precision sharpness of traditional Japanese blades. The result is a knife that’s lightweight, versatile, and sharp. Mac’s bread knife took the top spot in our testing thanks to its 10.5-inch blade, which is an inch and a half longer than most. That extra length makes it easier to slice through wide loaves like focaccia in a single stroke.
Are expensive knife sets worth it?
We stand by all of our recommended knives, but what you will get if you buy higher-end knives are blades made from better steel that are finished with more care. That means they’ll hold an edge longer, require less sharpening, and last for years with proper care. For most home cooks, it’s worth investing at least $150–$200 in a chef’s knife since it’s the blade you’ll reach for every day. Secondar knives like paring, bread, or utility knives don’t need to be as pricey, but if you use them often, it may be worth upgrading those, too (and getting them as part of a bundle in a small knife set is a good way to do that).
Read more here about how much you should spend on a knife.
Is it better to buy knives individually or as a set?
It depends on your priorities. The great part about a knife set is that it’s a one-and-done purchase. You get the three essentials (chef’s, bread, and paring knives), and you can trust that each knife in the set has been tested to perform at a high level. That said, buying individually gives you more flexibility. Maybe you prefer a 6-inch chef’s knife over an 8-inch, or a longer bread knife like Mac’s 10.5-inch version over Shun’s 9-inch or Hedley & Bennett’s 8.6-inch tapered blade. Think of a set as a strong starting point: it gets you well-equipped right away, but you can always mix and match later as you learn what sizes and styles feel best in your hand.
Is it cheaper to buy knives in a set?
In general, yes—most manufacturers will offer at least some discount when you buy knives as a set rather than one at a time. How much of a discount? Well, that varies. For some brands, buying a three-piece set is like getting a third knife for free. For others, you might only save a few bucks. Still, many sets will also go on sale, adding even more savings to the already discounted knives. At the end of the day, it’s worth pricing out each knife in a set to see how much you’ll save by buying the bundle, and weigh that against being able to pick your favorite knife from each type. Still, we find that if you’re a fan of one knife from a brand, you’ll probably enjoy the handle style and comfort of other knives from the same brand—combined with some savings, you get a strong argument for picking out a knife set when you need a kitchen refresh.
What’s the best way to store your knives?
Proper storage is just as important as proper sharpening when it comes to keeping your knives in good shape. No knife should ever be tossed into a drawer with other utensils—that’s a quick way to dull the edge, damage the blade, or worse, hurt someone.
The best storage option depends on your kitchen setup and preferences, but our favorite is a magnetic strip mounted on the wall. It keeps blades accessible, protects the edge, and works for all shapes and sizes, whether you’ve got a slim paring knife, a hefty cleaver, or even kitchen shears. Another big plus: magnetic strips take up zero counter or drawer space and are easy to clean with a quick wipe. These are our favorite magnetic strips.
