A kitchen knife set from a knife company is a different animal than one from a kitchenware brand. Our sets come from makers who grind blades for a living, with Shun Japanese sets, Microtech steak knives, Victorinox professional blocks, and Benchmade travel kits covering everything from a two piece starter to a 15 piece block. Prefer to build your own? Our kitchen knives carry the individual blades.
Shun anchors the case with Japanese knife sets handcrafted in Seki City, with Classic and Premier blades in layered Damascus over VG-MAX cores and pakkawood handles. Block sets run from five piece starters to the eight piece Premier Professional and nine piece Classic Chef's Choice, in drawer sets keep counters clear, and two and three piece starter, carving, and Asian sets are the easy door into Japanese cutlery. Kanso, Sora, and Shima sets cover other styles and budgets.
Steak knives are where a knife maker shows off, and Microtech's 4.5 inch steak knife set runs M390MK with G-10 handles in black, ivory, Caribbean blue, OD green, coyote, and merlot, plus DLC builds with bronze titanium bolsters and plain or fully serrated edges. Shun's Classic, Premier, and Shima four piece sets cover the traditional table, and our steak knives carry more.
Three blades do most of the work: a chef knife for prep, a paring knife for detail, and a serrated blade for bread and tomatoes. That is why two and three piece starter sets punch above their size, while a full block adds carving, utility, and shears once you know you will use them. Our kitchen knife buying guide breaks down every piece.
Shun's four piece BBQ set and the Swiss Army seven piece BBQ kits pack for the smoker and tailgate, Benchmade's three piece travel sets put DLC coated CPM 154 in a roll for cooks who refuse hotel knives, and Opinel's olivewood trio covers the picnic table. The Victorinox field dressing set carries kitchen sharpness into hunting camp, with Demko, Kershaw, and Case sets rounding out the case.