As you enter the kitchen, the first thing you probably reach for is a knife. You need a decent set for a multitude of tasks including whipping up a meal, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
They are probably the most useful things to have around when you’re getting ready to cook. No wonder there’s such a large variety of chef knives available on the market from standard European styles, to the many different types of blades available from around the world such as the very useful, but delicate Chinese meat cleaver.
Most kitchen knives come in a compact, handy set, making any kitchen job a breeze and with a cutlery set, you can meet all your cooking requirements in one go.
The bets set should have all kinds of knives packed in one convenient container. From cutting to chopping, slicing to grooving, peeling to paring, there’s a knife for every need. So the best knives set would have all the options that’ll equip you to handle anything!
But what is a good kitchen knife set?
Depending on the need, you can pick out the one best suited for that particular task especially as we are now in a brand new year!
5 Best Kitchen Knife Sets Under $500
- Mercer Culinary Genesis
- Zwilling J.A. Henckels
- Cuisinart C77SS-15PK
- Amazon Basics Premium
- Chicago Cutlery Cutlery Fusion
Table of Contents
What Makes These Products So Good?
What makes a good knife set? What kinds of things should you look for when deciding to buy?
These are great questions and I know that unless you know exactly what brand you are looking for; it can be a bit of a minefield of information to wrap your head around.
Have a read of the basics below to get an idea, and then you can see the full description of each product in this list.
The cutting edge
This is the strongest type of blade that you can buy and means that you are essentially holding on the actual metal, (with handles added for comfort).
The term full tang basically means that it is one solid piece and the 2 handle pieces are pinned on to the blade, one on each side.
This is in comparison with half tang knives, which go the length of the handle, but only half the width of it.
What Cooking Knives Should be in a Kitchen Knife Set?
Bear in mind that this list is no exhaustive, but I just want to let you know which knives you should have at a bare minimum.
- Paring Knife
- Chef’s Knife
- Bread Knife
- 10-inch Slicing Knife
What Is A Chef Knife Used For In The Kitchen?
A good knife is every cook’s reliable tool.
It helps in preparing food ingredients through cutting, slicing, mincing, and more.
One of the most popular and reliable types of knife in the world are the chef’s knives. Originally, a chef’s knife is designed to cut and disjoint large cuts of beef.
I recently wrote a post about the different types of Japanese chefs knives and when researching that topic, I found out that they have a very similar knife to the traditional Western chef’s knife called the gyuto knife.
In fact, I will be writing an article about gyuto vs chef knife very soon so keep your eyes peeled!
Today, they’re primarily designed to be a general utility knife for most western cooks and households.
What Does Full Tang Mean?
This is the strongest type of blade that you can buy and means that you are essentially holding on to the actual metal, (with handles added for comfort).
The term full tang basically means that it is one solid piece and the 2 handle pieces are pinned on to the blade, one on each side.
This is in comparison with half tang knives, which go the length of the handle, but only half the width of it.
Diversity in material
The variety in knives extends to the materials used too.
Knives may be made from anything ranging from carbon steel and stainless steel to titanium and high carbon stainless steel. You may also come across laminated, ceramic, and plastic knives in the different options on this list.
Ideally, your kitchen set should have many different varieties to help you meet all your kitchen needs. However, despite the multitude of functional benefits, you wouldn’t want to spend a fortune on buying a set.
Best Kitchen Knives Under $500
Mercer Culinary Genesis
Its tempered glass block and some other unique features compensate for the fact that the Mercer has only six pieces.
The superior quality and performance standards of this set come from the high carbon, no-stain German X50 Cr Mo V15 cutlery steel used, which is resistant to rust, corrosion and discoloration.
Long-lasting sharpness is assured.
The lifetime warranty and the NFS certification attached to this set make it an excellent asset for any professional or ametuer chef. The set includes:
- 3-1/2” paring
- 5” utility
- 8 ”chef’s,
- 8” bread
- 6”boning knives
The knives are made in Taiwan using European components and technology.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- The handle is high-quality ergonomic Santoprene, providing excellent comfort
- Non-slip grip of the handle ensures it doesn’t slip even while using with wet hands
- Handle can withstand hot and cold temperatures, which prevents it from breaking due to exposure to kitchen oils
- Knives are precision-forged, providing immense strength and durability
- Superior balance as the full tang runs through the handle length
- Edges are taper-ground, thus enhancing the stability and performance of the knives
- Block is designed to stand stable and upright on the kitchen counter
Cons
- Blocks need more height as knives stand upright
- Knives become dull and edges don’t remain sharp after some time
- Knives tend to bend with use
- Staining might spoil the knives within a few months of use
Summary
You’ll love the feel of the comfortable and efficient Mercer knives; with their excellent finish and cutting edge efficiency matching professional levels.
Easy to use and maintain, they stay sharp longer, requiring less work and stress. The best part is probably the superior grip which allows exceptional control when using with dry or wet hands.
You can see our full Mercer Culinary Genesis review here.
Chicago Cutlery
This is a set of top quality professional high-carbon stainless steel kitchen blades with forged blades.
The sharpness of the blade, with its Taper Grind edge, is perfect for precise cutting. The steel quality ensures strength and keeps the knives rust-free. The poly handles are built for a comfortable grip. The set contains:
- 3.25 ″ trim
- 3″ peeler
- 5″ utility
- 8 – 4.25″ steak knives
- 7.75″ chef
- 8″ slicer
- 7.75″ bread
- 5 ″ partoku
- 7″ Santoku
- 8″ stainless sharpening steel
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Designed for ease of precise cutting and re-sharpening
- The blade is hard and resistant to stains and rust
- Sleek design and style, with a stainless steel plate on handles and stained pine woodblock
- Blades are strong, yet not too heavy
- High level of balance and control
- Comes with a full life-time warranty
Cons
- The set looks loose and untidy as the knives do not line up properly in the slots
- Needs to be hand-washed and dried immediately after use to prevent rusting
- Steak knives are of poor quality and not sturdy
- Does not include scissors
Summary
Built for precision-led performance, this 18 piece set is ideal for skillful cutting, chopping, slicing, etc. as part of everyday cooking.
The assortment of knives contained in the package is suitable for all kinds of food preparation. With the Chicago knife set, you’ll get the feel and experience of a professional chef with total confidence in cooking a range of dishes.
It’s definitely a deal at the price it comes for.
Amazon Basics
With finely sharpened edges, each of the 18 pieces in this set is designed for comfort and excellent use.
The blades are precision-formed and made of high-quality stainless steel. They are built for balanced and controlled use, making them effective tools for any kitchen.
The pieces in this set include:
- 8” chef
- 7” Santoku
- 8” slicing
- 8” bread
- 5.5” utility
- 6” boning3.5” paring
- (8x) 4.5” steak knives
- 8” kitchen shears
- 8” sharpener
- wood block
The knives however, need careful maintenance. They are hand wash only. But if you read my other reviews about certain cookware pieces, you will understand that The Kitchen Guy always recommends hand washing when you can do.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Knives are weighted to ensure effective use, with complete control and balance
- Handles are triple-riveted and ergonomic, enabling a comfortable, secure grip
- Set has a sharpener to keep blades well sharpened at all times
- All-purpose chef’s knife has a curved blade for chopping with a rocking motion
Cons
- Made in China, hence standards don’t match those of some other sets
- Knives aren’t very sharp
- Scissors tend to come apart during use
- Block is poor quality
- The finish of grips/handles is not good
Summary
With the Amazon Basics, you’ll get just about everything you need for cooking – from dicing and chopping to slicing and more.
Their cutting edge performance will leave you amazed and inspired to experiment with all kinds of cooking for any number of people.
It’s quite a bargain too!
Cuisinart
The Cuisinart knife set is quite decent quality.
What you get with this set is:
- 8″ chef’s blade
- 8″ slicing knife
- 7″ Santoku knife
- 5.5″ serrated utility knife
- 3.5″ paring knife
- 3.5″ bird’s beak paring knife
- 8″ sharpening steel
- All-purpose household shears
- A block to hold them all
The high-carbon stainless steel blades give precision and accuracy. Their unique design makes them aesthetically appealing.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- The bolster is strong and durable, thereby ensuring total control and stability
- Handles are ergonomically designed, for complete comfort
- Knives are extremely easy to clean and maintain
- Lifetime warranty gives right to replace in case of a problem
- Block is extremely good quality wood
Cons
- Steak knives have a straight edge and aren’t serrated
- Block slots are not cut properly
- Blades on large knives are thinned out in some places
- The handle is not heavy enough for controlled chopping
- Rusting problem despite hand washing and immediate drying
Summary
You can try these out if you’re looking for something good-looking and strong. Fine chopping and fine cutting may not be the best features of these knives, but they’re sturdily built and ensure accuracy and precision.
J.A. Henckels
This really premium kitchen knife knife set, includes:
- Includes 2.75 inches
- Bird’s beak peeling
- 4 inches parer
- 4.5 inches vegetable utility
- 5 inches serrated utility
- 6 inches utility
- 7 inches HE Santoku
- 8 inches chef
- 8 inches bread
- Kitchen shears
- 9 inches sharpening steel
A great feature of these knives is that the full tang extends through their length, ensuring solidity and balance. The brand quality is manifest in every component of the set, which has a metal end cap displaying the JA Henckels International logo.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Handles are crafted for comfort and control with their ergonomic and triple-rivet features
- Precise cutting, slicing, and peeling due to the satin-finish stainless steel blades
- Edges are sharp and built to last long, with easy care and maintenance
- Balanced weight ensures good control
Cons
- Blades are actually made in China; hence quality is not that of the original brand
- Blades lack sharpness needed for some kitchen jobs
- The grip of paring knife feels too big
- Slots aren’t cut properly on block
Summary
The quality may not be really Henckels standard, but the set is nevertheless an excellent buy for anyone wanting to do some professional cooking at home.
Ease and comfort are assured and they are weighted for fantastic balance. The ergonomic design also ensures that using the knives doesn’t come with any stress.
You can see our full J.A. Henckels review here.
Conclusion
Though these chefs knives all meet the threshold for this article; there’s a diverse price range to choose from. How much you want or need to spend on these pretty essential items will depend on what kind of cooking you typically do.
For the more professionally inclined, the Mercer and the Henckels seem to be a better bet. The Cuisinart is a set of solid knives that you may like if you’re looking for total control and stability.
Or you could opt for the Amazon Basics weighted knives that deliver efficiency with balance. It’s a great value for its price though not really top end.
The Chicago set is your kind of knife set if you want ease of precise cutting and re-sharpening.