The 5 Best Kitchen Knife Sets Under 100$ in 2024

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In this article, I’m going to help you to find the best kitchen knife set under 100 Dollars and what to look for in a kitchen knife set. You will also learn about the most valuable types of kitchen knives to have in your home kitchen, and which ones you might want to have included in your kitchen knife set. 

Following, you’ll find my selection of 5 sets of the best kitchen knife set under 100 $, which offer a good range of the most used types of knives without compromising on quality. Also, I come along with my 3 top picks, so you can choose the kitchen knife set that fits best your needs.

HENCKELS-12-piece-Knife-Block-set-Best-kitchen-knife-set-under-100-

Best Overall

Henckels 12-Piece Knife Block Set

Best overall Knife Set including sturdy and sharp carbon stainless steel knives, a sharpening steel and a wooden knife block.

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best kitchen knife set under 100$ - Cuisinart 15-piece

Best Value

Cuisinart 15-Piece Graphix Collection

Great looking stainless steel knives, kitchen shear so as a sharpening steel. All together in a black knife block.

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best kitchen knife set under 100 $ - Victorinox 5-piece Set

Most Forgiving

Victorinox 5-Piece Swiss Classic Set

High-quality and out-of-the-box sharp Swiss Victorinox knife set including all the knives you need for daily kitchen work.

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Best Kitchen Knife Set under 100 $ – Table of Contents


Domestic Kitchen Counter

What to consider when buying a Knife Set

When thinking about getting yourself your first or a new set of kitchen knives, you should consider what type of cooking you do the most. Normally or most of the time, you might want to buy a kitchen knife set cause of one of the following reasons:

  • You moved out of your Parent’s home and want to start to build up your first home kitchen
  • You’re getting more serious about home cooking and consider getting different types of Knives for different use cases

For both cases, this guide might help you to find a good quality kitchen knife set under 100 dollars that includes the most commonly used Kitchen Knives you might want to use for daily cooking.

So what then to consider when buying a knife set? If your menu or your type of cooking only involves cutting bread for breakfast and a few basic cuttings of meat and/or larger vegetables, you could go with a basic knife set including a Chef’s Knife and a bread knife. However, if you start doing more complicated and complex cooking that contains more precise cutting, mincing, peeling or coring vegetables, you better go with a 4-5 piece knife set including a Chef Knife (or Santoku Knife), pairing and/or utility knife, bread knife, or even a boning knife and kitchen shears.

If you aren’t cooking regularly and just cook here and there, you could also invest in one single good quality but affordable kitchen knife for under 50 dollars, I covered in detail in my previous guide.

What is a good set of kitchen knives?

Not only the best kitchen knife set under 100 Dollars, but every good kitchen knife set should include at least the following 3 types of knives:

  • A Chef Knife or Santoku Knife, as your main knife for most cutting use cases
  • A smaller paring or utility knife for more precise cutting, peeling fruits, mincing herbs or just slicing smaller ingredients.
  • A bread knife with a 9-Inches and serrated blade is perfect for cutting bread or cake layers.

What you want, in all terms, is a sharp knife that is precise and thus safe to work with. Most kitchen knife sets under 100$ not only include the knives themselves but also a way to store and sharpen them.

This is why lots of knife sets come in a knife block set including a wooden or plastic knife block. Another tool that is often included in a good set of kitchen knives is a knife sharpener for basic sharpening. What’s also included in many knife sets is some kitchen cutlery like a steak knife (normally a few of them).

Below you’ll find my selection for the best kitchen knife set under 100 $ in 2024 and a summary of what’s all included in those kitchen sets.

The different types and most used types of Kitchen Knives

Although there is one particular knife that you might use for 90% of the cutting work, there is a type of knife that works best for different kinds of purposes. Following, you’ll learn which knife type works best and offers the best value for different types of cutting and slicing needs.

The Chef Knife

Chef Cutting Vegetables

When thinking about one knife that covers most purposes in a kitchen, it might be the Chef’s Knife. So If you had to choose a single kitchen knife instead of a set of knives, you best go with a Chef’s knife, and you’ll find the best 7 Chef Knives under 50$ in 2024 in my detailed buying guide.

  • Versatility
    A chef’s knife handles a variety of cutting tasks, including dicing, slicing, chopping, and mincing. Its design allows it to perform well on vegetables, fruits, meats, and herbs.
  • Blade Length
    The most common length is an 8-inch chef’s knife, however, chef knives typically range from 8 to 10 inches, the blade length is suitable for both small and large cutting tasks, making it a go-to knife for almost any kitchen job.
  • Durability
    A Chef’s Knife is also quite durable as it is thicker and heavier compared to a Santoku Knife or smaller types of knives. It is designed to cut through both, softer but also harder ingredients or even thinner bones. Thus the Blade normally stays sharper for longer when treated the right way.

The chef’s knife is the cornerstone of any kitchen due to its exceptional balance, versatility and efficiency. It does the job for a wide range of culinary tasks, from chopping and slicing to dicing and mincing, making it indispensable. If you had to choose just one knife for your kitchen, the chef’s knife is the most practical and efficient option.

Either a Chef’s Knife or a Santoku Knife (which is covered down below) should be included in a kitchen knife set!

The Santoku Knife

Close-up of a Sharp Knife

The Santoku Knife is the Japanese version of a western Chef’s Knife. Compared to the Chef’s Knife, this knife has a rather flat blade instead of a slightly curved one. Regarding this fact, the Santoku is better suited for the chopping-cutting technique with an up-and-down movement, for mincing or dicing.

On the other hand, the Chef’s knife is ideal for slicing or rock chopping, where the tip of the knife stays on the cutting board.

A Japanese Santoku is normally about 6-7 Inches long and thus slightly shorter than a Chef’s knife. This makes a Santoku a great all-in-one knife for most purposes as it is lighter and therefore sometimes more comfortable for longer cutting work.

The Santoku knife’s design is particularly beneficial in kitchens where space is limited, as it can handle multiple tasks without needing a variety of specialized knives.

The Bread Knife

Delicious sourdough bread on table

Whether you need to cut a large loaf of bread, baguettes, bagels or even cake layers, the bread knife is the knife to choose from. The bread knife is a serrated knife, which means it is designed to be used in a back-and-forth sawing motion.

The serrated blade helps to cut/saw through a hard crust without crushing it. A serrated blade is also beneficial when slicing ingredients or vegetables with tough skin but a soft inner, like tomatoes. Thus, this type of blade will prevent bread or soft vegetables from being mashed and squeezed together.

This makes the bread knife, apart from its name, a great kitchen allrounder for many different cutting and slicing needs.

The Paring Knife

Chopped onion and knife on table

A paring knife is a smaller, short-bladed knife, usually with a blade length of about 2.5 to 4 inches. It is designed for more delicate cuts and precise tasks that require better control. A paring knife might be the right choice for the following use cases:

  • Peeling: Ideal for peeling fruits and vegetables.
  • Trimming: Perfect for trimming and removing seeds or stems.
  • Detail Work: Great for detailed tasks like deveining shrimp or creating garnishes.
  • Cutting Small Items: Suitable for cutting small fruits and vegetables or for tasks that require more precision than a larger knife can offer.

This makes the paring knife the best choice for any precision tasks or working with small ingredients. Also, the paring knife is especially the right choice for peeling or when no cutting/slicing is involved, therefore offering more control as It is a shorter blade.

The Utility Knife

Black and Gray Knife With Box

The Utility Knife is a great allrounder that bridges the purpose between a large chef’s knife or Santoku and a small paring knife.

A Utility knife typically has a blade length of about 4 to 7 inches and is more versatile than a paring knife but less specialized. It is a great choice for the following use cases:

  • Slicing: Good for slicing smaller items like sandwiches, cheeses, and fruits.
  • Chopping: Suitable for chopping medium-sized vegetables and other items that do not require the length of a chef’s knife.
  • General Use: Acts as a general-purpose knife for tasks that are too large for a paring knife but too small for a chef’s knife.

Compared to the pairing knife, the Utility knife serves you for a broader range of tasks, but it is less suited for detail work. So when thinking about these two knives, you should go with the one (or choose the right kitchen knife set) that better suits your cooking needs.

Either a paring Knife or Utility knife is included most of the time in a good kitchen knife set under 100 Dollars.

The boning Knife

boning knife

The boning knife is a more specialized kind of knife that comes in handy when cutting out (boning out) bones from larger chunks of meat. Thus, if you are a vegetarian or vegan, this might be a type of knife you could skip.

However, if you’re a meat lover who does a lot of BBQ and prepares larger pieces of meat, this knife might be a great addition to a kitchen knife set.

Kitchen Shears

Kitchen Shears are probably the most underrated tool in a kitchen knife set. In my opinion, this is unjustified, as kitchen shears offer a lot of versatile use cases in a kitchen just to mention a few:

  • Cutting Poultry: Ideal for cutting through chicken bones and joints
  • Snipping Herbs: Great for quickly and precisely cutting herbs without bruising them.
  • Opening Packages: Handy for opening food packaging, bags, and even vacuum-sealed items. If you ever put a bag of olives or similar onto the cutting board to open it with a knife and therefore the juice ran onto the board, you might understand what I mean.
  • Trimming Vegetables: Useful for trimming and cutting vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, and asparagus.
  • Butterflying Shrimp: Efficient for deveining and butterflying shrimp.
  • Slicing Pizza: Kitchen Shears can be used to cut through pizza slices cleanly and easily.
  • Cutting Dough: Handy for cutting pastry or dough, providing clean cuts without sticking.

Best Kitchen Knife Set Under 100 Dollars in 2024

Below you’ll find what I consider the best 5 kitchen knife sets under 100$. This selection is based on my own opinion and my own experience with some of these knives and the long-term use of different types of kitchen knives for the daily work in the kitchen.

As we’re speaking about budget kitchen knife sets under 100 $, almost all of the sets might be a bit more susceptible to rust. However, if you follow the tips and steps in Knife maintenance I mentioned above, you’ll get a pretty quality and sharp set of kitchen knives here.

HENCKELS 12-piece Knife Block set for the Experienced Home Cook

Zwilling J.A. Henckels is a famous German-based knife manufacturer. They sell their premium knife series under the name of “Zwilling” and the more affordable and versatile Kitchen Knives under the name of “Henckels”. As a leading Brand in terms of Kitchen Knives, Zwilling is well known for their super sturdy, rather slightly heavier but durable and sharp knives.

The knives from this series offer a rather thick handle that will give you a secure grip for all cutting purposes. The bolster of the knife will prevent your fingers from getting underneath the blade.

Equip your kitchen with this comprehensive 12-piece knife block set, designed to handle all your culinary tasks with ease. Here’s what it includes:

  • 8-Inch Chef’s Knife: The all-rounder for chopping herbs, dicing onions, and just about any kitchen task.
  • 8-Inch Bread Knife: Perfect for slicing through crusty loaves of sourdough without crushing the soft interior.
  • 7-Inch Hollow Edge Santoku: Ideal for mincing garlic and other precise cuts, with Granton edges to prevent food from sticking.
  • 3-Inch Paring Knife: Perfect for delicate tasks like peeling and trimming.
  • 6 x 4.5-Inch Steak Knives: Ready for your next steak night, ensuring every slice is smooth and precise.
  • Sharpening Steel: Keep your blades razor-sharp and ready for action.
  • Hardwood Block: A handsome addition to your countertop that keeps your knives organized and within easy reach.

These knives are crafted from durable, high-quality stainless steel with a single-piece, stamped blade construction, making them lighter and easier to manoeuvre than forged knives. The full tang design provides maximum balance and control, while the traditional triple-rivet handles are ergonomically curved for comfort. The stainless-steel endcap adds a touch of elegance to your kitchen setup.

Regarding the pieces that are included in this set, the sturdiness of the knives, the use of carbon stainless steel and the sharpness, this set for me is the overall winner for the best kitchen knife set under 100 Dollars.

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The Henckels 12 Piece Knife set includes the following Knives & Tools:

  • 3-inch paring knife
  • 7-inch hollow edge Santoku knife
  • 8-inch bread knife
  • 8-inch Chef’s Knife
  • 4.5-inch steak knife set, 6-piece
  • 9-inch professional honing steel
  • hardwood knife block

Key Specifications of the Henckels 12-Piece Set

Weight8.2 pounds / 3.7
Warrantylifetime
Manufacturing CountryChina
Blade MaterialCarbon Stainless Steel
Pieces Included12
Dimensions10 x 4.5 x 14.5 inches
Construction TypeStamped
Handle MaterialPlastic
Dishwasher SafeYes, Handwash recommended

Pro’s

  • Wide range of kitchen knives including a sharpener and a knife block
  • Sharp and sturdy knives from a well-known Brand in the Game

Con’s

  • There are no Kitchen Shears in the Set
  • More susceptible to rust (wash and dry by hand directly after use)

Cuisinart 15-Piece C77SS-15P Graphix Collection

best kitchen knife set under 100$ - Cuisinart 15-piece

Upgrade your kitchen with the Cuisinart Graphix Collection 15-Piece Cutlery Block Set. Featuring textured handles for a comfortable grip and sharp, fine blades, this set offers effortless efficiency and style.

This knife set from the American manufacturer Cuisinart is not only the largest Set in my range but also one of the best looking in my opinion. The Set includes all the important knives you might need in a home kitchen. What they also include, what the other sets don’t offer, are a long 8-inch slicing knife and a rounded bird’s beak paring knife.

So if you’re looking for a stylish Kitchen Knife Set under 100 $ that offers great sharpness and the largest range of knives included, this might be the right choice for you!

Set Includes:

  • 8-Inch Chef Knife: Your go-to for chopping, slicing, and dicing.
  • 8-Inch Slicing Knife: Perfect for carving roasts and slicing meats.
  • 7-Inch Santoku Knife: Great for chopping, slicing, and mincing, with granton edges to keep food from sticking.
  • 5.5-Inch Serrated Utility Knife: Ideal for cutting through tough-skinned fruits and vegetables.
  • 3.5-Inch Paring Knife: Perfect for precision tasks like peeling and trimming.
  • 2.75-Inch Bird’s Beak Paring Knife: Excellent for intricate cuts and garnishing.
  • Six 4.5-Inch Steak Knives: Ensure every bite of your steak is effortless and enjoyable.
  • 8-Inch Sharpening Steel: Keep your blades sharp and ready for any task.
  • All-Purpose Household Shears: Versatile and handy for a variety of kitchen tasks.
  • Wooden Block: Stylish and practical storage that keeps your knives organized and easily accessible.

With the Graphix Collection, enjoy the combination of sleek design, comfortable handling, and precision cutting in every piece. This 15-piece set is designed to meet all your culinary needs with ease and efficiency.

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Key Specifications of Cuisinart 15-Piece Knife Set

Weight 8.6 pounds / 3.9 kg
Warrantylifetime
Manufacturing CountryChina
Blade MaterialStainless Steel
Pieces Included15
Dimensions6 x 11 x 14.75 inches
Construction TypeCoated
Handle MaterialStainless Steel
Dishwasher SafeNo

Pro’s

  • Great Looking kitchen knife set
  • Best value including a sharpening tool, kitchen shears and also a knife block
  • easy to handwash

Con’s

  • It might not be the sharpest out of the box compared to the others
  • Not the sturdiest knife block (knives might be a bit loose)

Victorinox 5-Piece Swiss Classic Kitchen Knife Set

best kitchen knife set under 100 $ - Victorinox 5-piece Set

The Swiss Brand Victorinox is another big player in the Knife industry, not only when it comes to their famous Swiss Army knives, but also quality, super sharp and durable Kitchen Knives.

Their Fibrox 8 Chef’s knife, which I already covered in my Chef’s Knives Guide, is one of the most sold and used kitchen knives around the world in many home kitchens. And with their 5-piece Set, you can expect a similar quality and durability.

This 5-piece Set doesn’t include a knife block and fewer knives than the other knife sets in this article. Therefore you’ll get the most important 5 knives you might need for all your cooking needs in a super sharp and durable quality Victorinox is known for. This makes this one of the best kitchen knife set under 100 Dollars in 2024.

With the softer steel used for their blades, these knives are less prone to chipping but need more frequent sharpening.

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Key Specifications of the Victorinox Swiss Classic Set

Weight8.8 pounds / 4 kg
Warrantylifetime
Manufacturing CountrySwitzerland
Blade MaterialStainless Steel
Pieces Included5
Dimensionsno knife block
Construction TypeForged
Handle MaterialStainless Steel
Dishwasher SafeYes

Pro’s

  • More forgiving and less prone to chipping
  • Less prone to rusting (but I recommend handwashing anyway)
  • Sharp out of the box
  • They offer a good grip and are rather light (great when using them for several hours)

Con’s

  • They may need more frequent sharpening
  • Not the biggest Set (but you’ll have the most important knives included)

HENCKELS 7-Piece Dynamic Razor-Sharp Knife Set

Best kitchen knife set under 100$ - Henckels 7-piece Set

Get your kitchen fully equipped with the Henckels Dynamic 7-Piece Knife Block Set. This essential collection provides all the knives you need for everyday kitchen tasks, housed in a compact, handsome wood block.

If you’re looking for a sturdy range of the most important kitchen knives used in a home kitchen and don’t need the additional steak cutlery offered in the larger Henckels 12-Piece Set, this might a good fit for you. You’ll still get the durable, sharp quality knives Zwilling J.A. Henckels is known for, but in a reduced, more compact format.

Set Includes:

  • 4-Inch Paring Knife: Perfect for smaller tasks like peeling and precision cutting.
  • 5-Inch Serrated Utility Knife: Ideal for slicing through tough-skinned fruits and vegetables.
  • 6-Inch Utility Knife: Versatile for a variety of medium-sized cutting jobs.
  • 8-Inch Bread Knife: Effortlessly slice through crusty loaves and bread.
  • 8-Inch Chef’s Knife: Your go-to knife for slicing, dicing, and chopping.
  • Kitchen Shears: Handy for cutting herbs, opening packages, and more.
  • 6-Slot Hardwood Block: Keeps your knives organized and within easy reach.
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Key Specifications of the Henckels 7-Piece Dynamic Knife Set

Weight5.8 pounds / 2.6 kg
Warrantylifetime
Manufacturing CountryIndia
Blade MaterialStainless Steel
Pieces Included7
Dimensions16.5 x 9 x 5.5 inches
Construction TypeStamped
Handle MaterialStainless Steel / Wood
Dishwasher SafeYes

Pro’s

  • Wooden Knife Block & Kitchen Shears
  • Sturdy, rather heavy and good quality knives for the price
  • Smaller format (takes less space)

Con’s

  • No steak cutlery included (but not a con if you don’t need them anyway)
  • More susceptible to rust (wash and dry by hand directly after use)
  • Maybe not the sharpest out of the box (sharpen frequently)

KEEMAKE 6-Piece Kitchen Knife Set

KEEMAKE-6-Piece-Kitchen-Knife-Set

This set is a matching Set for any meat lover, as it also includes a boning knife. If you don’t need a wooden knife block and already have a place to store your knives securely, you’ll get a sturdy and great quality range of kitchen knives here.

Enhance your culinary experience with this 6-piece kitchen knife set, forged from high-quality German imported high-carbon stainless steel (1.4116) for long-lasting functionality and exceptional performance.

Set Includes:

  • 8-Inch Chef Knife: The all-purpose knife for chopping, slicing, and dicing.
  • 8-Inch Carving Knife: Perfect for slicing meats and roasts.
  • 8-Inch Bread Knife: Effortlessly cuts through crusty loaves.
  • 5.5-Inch Boning Knife: Ideal for deboning meat and poultry.
  • 5-Inch Santoku Knife: Great for precision tasks like mincing, slicing, and dicing.
  • 3.5-Inch Paring Knife: Perfect for peeling and intricate cutting tasks.
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Multi-Functional Knife Set Without Block

This versatile set covers all your kitchen cutting tasks, from mincing and slicing to dicing fruits, meat, fish, and vegetables. It’s the perfect professional knife set for your daily cooking needs, offering precision, durability, and ergonomic comfort.

Equip your kitchen with these premium knives and experience the perfect balance of sharpness, comfort, and durability in every cut.

Key Specifications of the Keemake 6-Piece Kitchen Knife Set

Weight
Warrantylifetime
Manufacturing CountryChina
Blade MaterialHigh Carbon Stainless Steel
Pieces Included6
Dimensionsno knife block
Construction TypeForged
Handle MaterialAcrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
Dishwasher SafeYes

Pro’s

  • Including both a boning as well as a slicing knife. Good choice for Meat and Fish lovers
  • Made out of forged high-carbon stainless steel, pretty sturdy and sharp

Con’s

  • No kitchen shears & steak cutlery included (not a con when not needing them anyway)
  • No knife block included

Different Blade Materials

Another thing to consider when shopping for a kitchen knife set is the blade material. These are the four most common blade materials used for kitchen knives:

  • Stainless Steel
  • Carbon Stainless Steel
  • Ceramic
  • Damascus Steel

The main difference between these blade materials is the softness/hardness of the steel. A blade’s hardness is measured in HRC (Rockwell Hardness) with the higher the number, the harder the steel. Regular Stainless Steel blades are normally the softest of these three blade materials. A softer blade is more forgiving when it comes to chipping, which makes it a great choice for beginners.

Therefore, softer steel requires more regular sharpening. On the other hand, a harder knife with carbon stainless steel or Damascus steel (which is the hardest), usually gives you a sharper knife. A harder knife requires less sharpening but is more vulnerable to chipping.

A ceramic knife is usually pretty sharp out of the box but therefore more difficult to resharpen and thus not the best option when it comes to longevity.

How to care for your kitchen knife set

When it comes to maintenance and care of your beloved kitchen knives, there are a few things to consider. Below are a few tips of mine from my own experiences using professional kitchen knives almost every day for the last 18 years.

Cleaning and care for kitchen knives

Cleaning your kitchen knife after using it is a no-brainer, but there are often a few mistakes made. Here’s a little step-by-step cleaning guide for your knives:

  1. Rinse
    The best is to directly rinse the knife after each use, so there is no food sticking and drying on the blade, which will then make cleaning more difficult afterwards.
  2. Handwash Only
    I suggest washing your knives by hand only. Most quality Kitchen Knives, especially the ones with wooden handles, are not allowed to be put in a dishwasher anyway. In a dishwasher, the knife is exposed to the washing process for a longer period and therefore to a lot of detergent and salt. You better wash your Knives by hand using a regular soft sponge and mild soap. What you shouldn’t use is a rough sponge or steel wool as these might scratch your blade.
  3. Rinse off the Soap
    Be sure to rinse off any soap before drying the knife.
  4. Drying
    Best, immediately dry your knives just after washing them, so the steel is not in contact with water for a long period. This will prevent the blades from rusting, which is usually more the case with harder steels like carbon stainless steel or Damascus steel.

Storage Options for Kitchen Knife Sets

A lot of times people make the mistake of just putting their sharp and good-quality kitchen knives loose in a drawer with other tools. This might cause the blades to come in contact with other tools and therefore the blade will lose its sharpness.

Always put your knives into a knife block, onto a magnetic strip or into a knife sleeve so the blade will not come in contact with some other tools.

Sharpening your kitchen knives

As mentioned above, a softer steel not only requires more regular sharpening, but a softer blade is therefore also easier to sharpen. Stainless Steel and Carbon Stainless Steel Blades can be sharpened using the sharpening steel, which is included in some sets.

When you get yourself a set of kitchen knives made out of Damascus steel, you better also get yourself a basic but good quality sharpening stone, as these blades require a more detailed and precise sharpening. Therefore you’ll end up with an extremely sharp knife if you do the sharpening right. Also, the harder steel then needs less frequent sharpening.

FAQ’s for the best kitchen knife set under 100$

What are the top 3 knives

The top 3 knives in a kitchen knife set are usually a chef’s knife or Santoku knife, a paring knife or a utility knife for smaller cutting needs so as a bread knife.

What material stays sharp the longest?

The harder the Steel of the knife, the longer it stays sharp, This is why a carbon stainless steel or a Damascus steel stays sharp for longer than a regular stainless steel or a ceramic knife.

What knives should every kitchen have?

The most useful knives every kitchen should have are a Chef’s Knife or Santoku knife for most use cases, a bread knife as well as a paring knife for the smaller parts.

More Guides on Cooking Equipment

Check out these other Articles and Guides on cooking equipment and basic kitchen tools:

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