Which are the best kitchen knife sets UK? Chef knives from Lakeland, Joseph Joseph, Opinel & Kuhn Rikon

Deborah Cicurel
By Deborah Cicurel
Published 31st Oct 2022, 16:06 BST
Updated 31st Oct 2022, 16:28 BST
Best kitchen knife sets: high quality chef knives Best kitchen knife sets: high quality chef knives
Best kitchen knife sets: high quality chef knives

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Be it a bargain set from Lakeland, brightly coloured blades from Kuhn Rikon, or high-end chef’s knives from Zwilling, there is a kitchen knife set for every household here

A good kitchen knife set is an essential home item, whether you’re an expert chef or someone who struggles not to burn toast. A set of great knives will make simply everything in the kitchen, from slicing to chopping, mincing to carving, a pleasure rather than a chore.

Best kitchen knife sets at a glance

What’s included in a chef’s kitchen knife set?

Most knife sets come with at least two or three knives, and can have as many as six or even more within their set.

These can include a bread knife to make slicing loaves easier, a carving knife to help you perfectly cut through roasts, a chef’s knife for a variety of kitchen tasks such as mincing, slicing and chopping, a paring knife, great for peeling and paring fruit and veg, and a santoku knife, which originates from Japan and is wondrous at a variety of multipurpose cooking preparation tasks.

How to chose the right knife set for your kitchen

We have rounded up some of the best knife sets on the market today. We’ve included a range of styles and budgets, each with their own unique selling point, so you can find the perfect knife set for you.

We tested out each knife on a variety of ingredients, taking into account not just how well it did its job, but how well it represented value for money too.

Before you buy a knife set, consider what you really need. If you already have a good collection of knives, you might not need to buy a set with six or seven knives, but may be able to save money and buy a smaller set to bolster your collection.

If you are serious about your chef-ing, it’s worth investing in a dedicated chef’s knife - one that you can treat reverentially and insist no one else in the household has access to. We have a list of our favourites here.

However, if you’re looking to really make your food preparation much easier and more efficient, it may be worth investing in a larger knife set. Considering how vital knives are in the kitchen, we’d say it’s a solid investment to get a brilliant set you can use for years to come.

Consider also the style of your kitchen accessories and where you will store the knife set. Many knife sets come with an included block, which is great for storage and easy knife selection, but they do take up space, so consider whether you’d like to display it on the counter or tuck it away in a cupboard.

You should also consider your particular needs. If you have children running around the kitchen, you might like a knife set with a locking mechanism so that little hands can’t get into it.

If you’re looking to make an investment that will last the test of time, we’ve also included some higher-end knife sets with amazing tricks up their sleeves, such as a self-sharpening mechanism.

How to care for your knives

Caring for your knives means regularly sharpening to keep a clean, sharp edge. We’re big fans of the Vogue Ceramic Knife Sharpening Steel 30.5cm for this task - it’s easy to grip, which makes the task of sharpening overall simpler. If your knife set has a self-sharpening mechanism, naturally you can skip this step.

Where possible, keep knives away from the dishwasher. Instead, wash by hand and dry immediately after use and put away either in a knife block or drawer immediately.

Whichever knife set you are looking for, you will find it here in our roundup.

Key Specs:

Knife block included: Yes Number of knives included: Five

A well-priced, efficient knife set that will look great in your kitchen, the Fully Forged Stainless Steel 5-Piece Knife Block from British brand Lakeland is a fantastic all-rounder.

The set comes with a paring knife, a cook’s knife, an all-purpose knife, a carving knife and a bread knife, giving you five stainless steel knives to choose from when it comes to kitchen tasks such as mincing, slicing or slicing.

The knife block is a solid piece of thick wood that feels high quality and sturdy, while the knives themselves are reliable, weighty and sharp to cut and chop with. The knives are also dishwasher-safe, making clean-up time a doddle.

A great all-rounder you can rely on.

Key Specs:

Knife block included: Yes Number of knives included: Six

If you’re a serious chef and you’re looking to make an investment in your cooking tools, buy the 7 Piece Ash Self Sharpening Knife Block from German kitchenware brand Zwilling and don’t look back.

It goes without saying that the included larding and garnishing knife, utility knife, slicing knife, chef’s knife, bread knife and multi-purpose shears glide, chop and mince through food perfectly, professionally and effortlessly.

Where this set really stands out is in its self-sharpening abilities. This is enabled thanks to its chic ash wood knife block, where, in each knife slot, there are two integrated ceramic sharpening stones positioned at the ideal grinding angle to sharpen your knives every time you pull them out and keep them at their sharp best forever.

To make sure you never put the wrong knife in the wrong slot, each slot helpfully has a small picture of which knife belongs there.

A dream choice for someone who not only never wants to sharpen their knives ever again but wants to work with a high-end knife set every day.

Key Specs: Knife block included: Yes Number of knives included: Six

Looking to buy some steel for a man with kiddies? If you’re worried about leaving a knife set out on the counter with young children running around, the Lockblock™ Knife Block Set from British brand Joseph Joseph is the choice for you.

This ingenious set, which comes with six knives (two paring knives, a santoku knife, a chef’s knife, a bread knife and a carving knife), has a locking mechanism to ensure only adults can remove knives.

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