12 best knife sets for chopping and dicing in 2026, expert-tested

Why trust the Good Housekeeping Institute?

We’ve been testing products at the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 100 years and have harnessed all that knowledge and experience when it comes to testing knife sets.

Blossom Boothroyd, our homes testing manager, designed a set of protocols that hold each set to the same high standards. She’s spent years testing home and kitchen products and collaborated with our food experts to ensure each knife is reviewed just as you would use it in your own kitchen.

All the feedback is then passed to our senior homes and lifestyle writer, Megan Geall, a keen home-cook and owner of our winning Ninja StaySharp set. She turns our experts’ opinions into easy-to-read reviews that include everything you need to know before you shop.

What should I consider when buying the best knife set?

There’s a lot to think about when investing in a knife set, but comfort is key; every knife should act and feel like an extension to the user's hand.

Material: Knives are commonly made from the following four materials: stainless steel, carbon steel, Damascus steel or ceramic. Here's a breakdown of each

• Stainless steel: The most common type of knife, they are simple to sharpen and don’t rust easily. However, they're prone to flexing, bending and going blunt fairly quickly. This is because stainless steel is softer than other metals, such as carbon steel.
• Carbon steel: The traditional material used for making knives, carbon steel stays sharp for a long time. However, it's prone to rust (seasoning it with mineral oil will help prevent this) and requires more care and maintenance than its stainless steel counterpart. But if you're serious about cooking and not working within a budget, carbon steel is the way to go.
• Damascus steel: Damascus steel knives have a carbon steel core and a stainless steel exterior. They're distinguished by their striking designs along the blades, but can be expensive – they’re usually handmade, so expect to pay between £70 and £500. Some stainless steel knives are coated to look like Damascus steel, so beware.
• Ceramic: These lightweight, extremely sharp knives aren’t too expensive. They don’t rust and rarely need to be sharpened, but they can chip easily. They're difficult to maintain at home, as hard ceramic requires a diamond sharpener, meaning you usually have to send them back to the supplier to sharpen.

Weight, comfort and balance: Look for a knife with a little weight behind it that doesn’t strain your wrists. A knife’s weight should be equally balanced between the handle and blade – if the handle is too heavy, it won’t cut as effectively and if the blade is too heavy, it will be uncomfortable to use.

Tang: The tang refers to the unsharpened, unexposed part of the blade that extends down the handle. There are three main tang types:

• Full tang: The blade is one solid piece of metal that runs down the full length of the handle. On some knives, the tang is visible and fastened by rivets. A full tang knife is always the best choice, as it usually has better balance and a more robust design. It also means there's no danger of the handle coming loose from the knife blade.
• Rat tail tang: The blade narrows as it goes through the handle and is commonly welded at its base. Knives with a rat tail tang can come loose over time, making the handle wobbly.
• Half tang: The blade extends half way along the handle. If too much force is applied, a half tang knife can snap, as only glue is binding the knife and handle.

Handle types: Plastic handles tend to be smooth, free from grooves that can trap dirt, and are sometimes slightly textured to offer a more secure grip. Keep them well away from heat sources when cooking to avoid melting the handle.

Wooden handles will need oiling with a dedicated knife handle oil. Most modern wooden-handled knives have a light clear plastic coating to protect them. When washing, avoid prolonged soaking.

Most knives are suitable for right- or left-handed users, as the double bevel makes both sides angular and sharp. But some knives – bread knives, in particular – usually have a single bevel. This means the blade is only sharp down the right-hand side.

What are the different types of knives in a knife set?

There are hundreds of different knives on the market, each with their own culinary task, but here are the main knives to consider.

• Chef’s knife: This is a multi-purpose knife well-suited to most tasks. A chef’s knife will be thicker towards the heel, making it perfect for hard root vegetables, potatoes and meats.
• Santoku knife: The Santoku knife originated in Japan and is a general purpose knife. It has a thinner blade than a chef’s knife and is most effective when dicing, chopping and mincing.
• Paring knife: This small and nimble knife is ideal for fiddly tasks such as peeling, coring and finely slicing.
• Serrated paring knife: These knives look similar to a paring knife but they have a serrated edge. They’re great for cutting tomatoes and citrus fruits.
• Utility knife: A smaller version of a chef’s knife, it's best used when a chef’s knife is too big for the task at hand. Ideal for carving chicken breast or slicing small vegetables.
• Carving knife: Best for slicing joints of meat and poultry. Use the wrong knife and you risk shredding, tearing and hacking at the meat, rather than cutting it cleanly.
• Bread knife: Designed with a sharp serrated edge to easily cut through crusts and rusks. They’re also great for cutting fruits with fibrous skins, such as pineapples.
• Peeling knife: Similar in appearance to a paring knife but the blade curves inwards. This makes removing tough skins from fruit and vegetables much simpler.

How to clean your knives

The best sets come with a lifetime warranty and if you care for your kitchen knives, you’ll find they’ll keep chopping, dicing and slicing for decades to come. It’s important to clean them properly, as well as storing them safely and securely.

According to Good Housekeeping’s Household Advice Editor, Katie Mortram, cleaning your knife set correctly is one of the best ways of keeping it in good nick. While some brands claim their knives are dishwasher safe, she recommends handwashing.

“Never put kitchen knives in the dishwasher, even if they say dishwasher-safe,” says Mortram. “The abrasiveness of the detergent can degrade the blade, and the prolonged exposure to moisture and humidity can encourage rust. If the handle is made from wood, this can split and crack as well.”

Best practice is to wash your knives in hot, soapy water and then dry them with a tea towel, rather than leaving them to air dry. However, we do also test any dishwasher-safe claims as part of our testing.

How to sharpen knives

A sharp knife is a safe knife. Ones that are blunt or unsharpened require more force to cut, which increases the likelihood of slipping and causing injury. You can choose between a manual knife sharpener, electric sharpener, sharpening stone or whetstone, or honing steel. For the average home cook, a manual or electric sharpener may be best as they’re cheaper and easier to get to grips with.

GHI tip: Don’t use the blade side to scrape ingredients off a chopping board into a pan. Instead, turn your knife upside down and push them with the back (spine) of the knife across the board to avoid blunting it. Or use a scraper to transfer your ingredients from chopping board to a pan.

How to store your knives

Storing knives in the cutlery drawer unprotected is dangerous and can seriously damage them, too. Here are the most effective ways to store your knives.

Knife blocks: Many sets come with a knife block, or you can buy universal knife blocks. They're a great option for those short on space but can be difficult to clean. You also risk dulling the blade as you pull the knife out, but luckily, some blocks have horizontal slots, so the knives don’t sit on their blades, and others have sharpeners built-in to the outside.

Magnetic strips: These are long, horizontal, magnetic strips that attach to the wall above your countertop. They securely hold your knives to the wall and won't blunt them.

Sheaths: The cheapest storage option, some sets include sheaths for all knives. This means they can be safely stored in the cutlery drawer.

The verdict: The best knife sets to buy in 2026

Our all-round winner is Ninja’s StaySharp Knife Block thanks to its impressive performance and handy integrated sharpener. The sleek, black finish might not be for everyone, though, so for something with a more traditional wooden block (and smaller footprint), opt for the Robert Welch Knife Block Set with Wooden Block, which comes with a lifetime warranty.

For those looking for a knife set that offers great value for money, the Judge Pro 5-Piece Knife Block Set is a great set for less than £60, while the Morphy Richards 5-Piece Knife Set with Sharpener is similarly priced and has an integrated sharpener, too.