One of the things that sets Shun’s Classic line apart is that it features the brand’s proprietary VG-MAX core, a high-carbon steel with additional metals like chromium and molybdenum added in the mix to help with corrosion resistance and sharpness. In testing, we found this made for blades that cut effortlessly through anything we threw at them, and retained their sharpness over time.
The rounded pakkawood handles of the Classic line knives made each of them extremely comfortable to hold, and because the handles maintain an even thickness throughout their length, they allow each user to find the grip and hand positioning that’s best for them.
Best inexpensive knife set: Mercer Culinary Renaissance 5-Piece Magnetic Board Set
Mercer Culinary Renaissance 5-Piece Knife Set With Magnetic Board
Pros
Cons
- Slightly bulkier than other options
Included knives: 8″ chef’s knife, 8″ bread knife, 3.5″ paring knife, 5″ utility knife (and magnetic knife board)
Material: High-carbon steel
Full tang: Yes
Spending $400 on a knife set, like the Mac and Shun options above, is a big investment, even if you’re getting three high-quality blades. For a more budget-friendly alternative, we recommend this four-knife set (it gets called a five piece set because the knife board counts as a piece) from Mercer Culinary’s Renaissance line. It’s a great, cheap option for anyone who wants reliable knives without committing to a premium price point.
Mercer’s knives have consistently performed well in our testing, from the Renaissance line to the more affordable Genesis and Millennia collections. Their Millennia 10-inch Wavy Edge Bread Knife, priced under $16, is even one of our top picks. In our tests, the Mercer chef’s, bread, and paring knives all delivered clean, consistent cuts and maintained their edges well after repeated use. While they didn’t outperform the more expensive contenders, they came surprisingly close considering they were less than half the cost. Made from high-carbon steel with full-tang construction and durable handles, the knives in this Renaissance set feel solid, well-balanced, and easy to control.
A high-performing aesthetic option: Hedley & Bennett Chef’s Knife Set
Hedley & Bennett Chef’s Knife Set
Pros
- Contains longer utility knife instead of a short paring knife
- Lightweight
- Tapered bread knife allows for improved maneuverability
Cons
Included knives: 8″ chef’s knife, 8.6″ bread knife, 5.6″ utility knife
Material: High-carbon stainless steel core
Full tang: Yes
In our testing for the best chef’s knives, Hedley & Bennett’s chef’s knife stood out as well-balanced, comfortable to grip, and easy to maneuver thanks to the seamless transition between the handle and blade. After months of use, our test kitchen editors were impressed with how well it held up. And while testers preferred the Mac, if you’re looking to bring some fun color into your kitchen while still investing in a high-performing knife set, Hedley & Bennett is a great choice.
We especially like that this set includes a utility knife. Unlike a traditional paring knife, the utility knife is about two inches longer (5.6 inches vs. 3.5), making it a bit more versatile for both small and larger tasks, such as slicing an oversized apple.
The bread knife is on the shorter side, at only 8.6 inches, but the sharp, tapered serrated edge allows for more controlled, precise cuts compared to some straight blade designs. Deputy Food Editor Hana Asbrink notes that the slope of the blade also helps prevent your knuckles from hitting the cutting board, which is a common issue with bread knives that maintain the same width along the entire blade.
Best expanded set: Shun Classic Blonde 7-Piece Knife Block Set (5 knives)
Shun Classic Blonde Knife Block, Set of 7
Pros
- Beautiful, patterned steel
- Well-balanced
Cons
- Bread knife is a little short
Included knives: 8″ chef’s knife, 9″ bread knife, 6″ utility knife, 3.5″ paring knife, 6.5″ nakiri knife, 9″ honing steel, 8-slot storage block
Material: High carbon stainless steel
Full tang: Yes
If you’re looking for a more expansive knife set beyond our essential three-piece recommendation, the larger version Shun’s Classic line from above is a standout. This seven-piece set includes a chef’s knife, paring knife, and bread knife—plus two useful additions: a 6-inch utility knife and an underrated pick up in the 6.5-inch nakiri knife. It also comes with a honing steel and a sleek birch kickstand block.
Not familiar with a nakiri knife? It’s a Japanese-style vegetable knife with a flat, rectangular blade. Unlike a chef’s knife, which uses a rocking motion, the nakiri is designed for straight-down slicing, making it especially efficient for chopping vegetables. A utility knife will fill that sweet spot between a paring and chef’s knife—ideal for tasks that require more control than a larger blade allows but would swamp a small paring knife.
Best large knife set: Wüsthof Gourmet 12-Piece Knife Block Set
Wusthof Gourmet 12-Piece Knife Block Set
Pros
- Affordable
- Includes steak knives
Cons
- No bolster impacts balance
- Stamped, not forged
Included knives: 8″ chef’s knife, 8″ Bread Knife, 4.5″ Utility Knife, 3″ Spear Point Paring Knife, 2.5″ Paring Knife, Four 4.5″ Steak Knives, kitchen shears, 9″ honing steel, 15-Slot Block
Material: High carbon stainless steel
Full tang: yes
While we think a three-piece knife set has everything most home cooks really need, we understand the desire to spring for a more multifaceted option—particularly if you’re in need of a steak knife set and knife storage solution too.
The Gourmet series is essentially Wüsthof’s budget or starter line. While these knives won’t quite afford you the razor-sharp edge or durability of the ones we recommend above, they’re still good knives for the price that will serve you well for years to come, and their high-carbon stainless steel blades will work great for chopping and dicing through whatever your heart desires. The reason we recommend the Gourmet over say, the higher end Classic or Ikon lines is because they will set you back more than $1000. We don’t think you should drop that much on big set like this until you’re sure you’re going to make use of everything in it. The more luxe Wüsthof lines are excellent though.
The Gourmet set includes the three essential knives we’ve been going on about (chef’s, bread, and paring), plus a smaller 2.5-inch paring knife for more precise cuts, a 4.5-inch utility knife, four 4.5-inch steak knives, a honing steel, a set of handy kitchen shears, and a 15-slot wooden block to store it all in. At around $400 at the time of writing, it’s a good deal for a set of cutlery that expands on what we think of as core knives, but isn’t full of niche types of knives you’ll never actually use.
How we picked the best knife sets
We’ve been testing knives for years now, and 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. Scroll to learn more about each one, or 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, the two additional knives in our recommended Shun set—a nakiri knife and a utility knife—are excellent additions as is a santoku knife. While not essential, they’re nice to have: the nakiri offers extra precision for vegetable prep, and the utility knife is ideal for those in-between tasks that a paring or chef’s knife might not handle quite as neatly.
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.” There are lot of small elite knife makers out there that make items that aren’t just kitchen tools, but works of art. However, a single knife from them can cost as much as a full set listed here. 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 for an affordable, widely available knife, it doesn’t come much better than Mac in our opinion. 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.