Sharp knives are the most important tools in any kitchen. A good chef’s knife,
slicer (AKA carving knife), santoku, utility or prep, paring, and serrated
bread knife (along with a boning knife, if you frequently debone bone-in meat
or poultry) can help you accomplish any food cutting, slicing or chopping task
faster and more efficiently.
Using only very sharp kitchen knives is extremely important, not just because
they enable you to make faster, easier, more precise cuts but also because
they’re safer. A dull blade that doesn’t slide easily into the food you are
slicing, paring, etc., requires more force and is much more likely to slide
off the food and slice into your finger or hand instead.
Fortunately, with a little effort, it is possible to find good quality kitchen
knives that retain their sharpness well with just simple, routine maintenance.
In this product review, I’ll share the well-made, affordable, super sharp
kitchen and steak knives set I bought last month that also includes a wood
storage block.
True confession: I held onto our 30+-year-old Chicago Cutlery stainless steel
kitchen knives for way too long. I received the set as a gift when I was too
young to know that kitchen knives shouldn't go through the dishwasher
(regardless of "dishwasher safe" marketing claims that benefit manufacturers
and retailers by increasing both short-term and long-term sales, since blades
with ruined edges needs to be replaced more often). The riveted wood handles
had become loose and wobbly thanks to swelling and shrinking during dishwasher
cycles, and the blades had become so nicked and dull that they couldn't hold
an edge even with routine honing and sharpening. This made slicing, dicing,
chopping and cutting slow and laborious and caused more frequent cut fingers.
I don't know why I waited so long to replace them.
Not All High-Carbon Stainless Steel Knives Are Alike
Several years ago, I took advantage of an Amazon Prime Day deal for a kitchen
and steak knife set with sharp blades and molded plastic handles. It also
included kitchen shears and a wood storage block with a built-in blade
sharpener instead of a honing rod (before I knew that frequent sharpening was
a bad idea!).
I explained to my husband that, unlike our previous, beat-up set that had been
through the dishwasher countless times (and had the beat-up, dull edges to
prove it), our new one had high-carbon stainless steel blades that would need
to be hand washed and towel dried thoroughly immediately after use to avoid
rust. John is a wonderful cook who makes dinner on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
nights (I am so blessed!). However, whereas I try to clean as I go when I'm
cooking, he prefers to focus on the food and leave the clean-up until after
dessert. Old habits are hard to break, and despite his best efforts, he often
forgot to wash and dry the new kitchen knives right away. Predictably, the
blades routinely developed light rust spots. Eventually, we gave the set to a
young relative who was moving into his first apartment.
I bought a
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef's Knife (model 45520), the winner of Cook's Illustrated favorite chef's knives under $75, which my
husband and I really enjoy using. It has a molded, ergonomic, thermoplastic
handle for a comfortable grip and sharpens very nicely. Best of all, it can be
hand washed and left to drip dry in our awesome
over-the-sink dish drying rack
without developing rust stains, which makes both of us happy, and cost less
than $40 on Amazon (as of this post's publication date). We love it so much
that I gifted one to my brother when he started teaching himself to cook. It's
still my husband's go-to kitchen knife.
We already owned an excellent handcrafted, serrated bread knife with a
beautiful handle that I had purchased long ago at an upscale art and craft
fair from the man who made it. Between it and our Victorinox Fibrox Pro, we
made do just fine for a year or two. However, while a chef's knife is the
single most useful size, shape and style, it isn't optimal for tasks like
paring, carving, or making precision cuts or paper-thin slices. So, a few
months ago I started looking for a new kitchen knife set that we could use
without having to worry about rust spots developing if they weren't washed and
dried as soon as we finished using them.
My first step was to check out Cook's Illustrated's knife block set reviews.
None of the preconfigured sets they tested met their criteria for top picks.
Instead, they put together two highly recommended sets that buyers could
assemble but purchasing specific, individual kitchen knives and the testers'
favorite knife block. The total cost of these two assemble-your-own "knife
block sets" came to $440 and $224, respectively, well above my target price
range.
Next, since I really wanted the sharpness and more refined edges of
high-carbon stainless steel blades, I decided to look at moderately-priced
high-carbon stainless steel kitchen knife sets with "dishwasher safe"
marketing claims. Even though I would never put mine in the dishwasher, I
reasoned that a set that claimed to be dishwasher safe might be less prone to
rust or corrosion than our previous set.
After copious research and reading products reviews to see what customers
experienced in terms of both performance and ease of maintenance, I found an
affordable set with good reviews on Amazon and decided to buy it.
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My Astercook 15-piece knife set with storage block includes kitchen
shears, an excellent honing rod and six serrated seak knives (one of
which is shown below the honing steel).
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Astercook 15-Piece German High-Carbon Stainless Steel Knife Set with
Storage Block
Our new
Astercook 15-piece German high-carbon stainless steel kitchen knife block
set
has performed admirably since I bought it nearly two months ago. It is
serviceable rather than fancy, which is exactly what we need, and it has not
only the essentials but also several nice-to-have and bonus tools.
The Essentials
A Western-style chef's knife, with its curved tip, is the most versatile and
efficient tool for many tasks, especially those requiring a rocking motion.
It's the one we use most often.
This versatile blade has many uses beyond just slicing bread. We like using it
to cut through fruits that have a thick skin or rind (e.g., pineapple,
watermelon) and delicate foods (e.g., slicing cake horizontally into layers).
The blade is a great length for tasks like peeling, quartering and coring
apples, while the sharp, pointed tip makes hulling strawberries a breeze.
The Nice-to-Haves
This smaller, lighter, sharper Japanese-style chef's knife was designed for
the more precise cuts used to prepare Japanese food and is nearly as versatile
as its Western counterpart. I love it for cutting very thin slices of cucumber
and other vegetables and prefer it to a serrated bread blade (which also
works) for slicing tomatoes cleanly with minimal loss of the interior jelly
and seeds. (Did you know that most of a tomato's flavor is in the "guts,"
i.e., the jelly and seeds?)
The long, straight blade makes this our tool of choice for carving large, even
slices of meat, poultry or fish.
Shorter than the chef's but longer than the paring, we love using this
versatile midsize, mid-weight blade for slicing hard cheese or salami, mincing
parsley, breaking down or deboning poultry and many other tasks.
Bonus Items
- Six serrated steak knives
The 4.5" serrated blades slice effortlessly through cooked meats and stay
sharp longer than blades with straight edges.They definitely add to our
enjoyment of a good steak!
- Honing rod (AKA honing steel)
Like all blades, the ones in this high-carbon stainless steel kitchen knife
set require frequent honing to keep them sharp and prolong the need for
sharpening. The honing rod that comes with this set does a fabulous job and is
far superior to the one from my 30+-year-old set. Just a quick pass or two
lets me restore the edges from somewhat sharp to razor-sharp.
Note: This stainless steel blade honing tool is often referred to as a
"sharpening steel" or "sharpening rod." See "What's the Difference Between
Honing and Sharpening?" (below) to understand why that's a misnomer.
These have so many uses! I find it quicker and easier to use kitchen shears
for things like making a chiffonade of fresh basil leaves (i.e., stacking,
rolling and cutting them into thin strips), snipping fresh chives or scallions
into small pieces, cutting up sticky dried fruits (oil the blades first to
minimize sticking), and trimming excess pie dough, green beans, fat, etc. As a
bonus, this thoughtfully designed pair also has a handy built-in bottle
opener!
Tip: To help keep the blades sharp, reserve these kitchen shears for food use
only and keep a pair of utility scissors in your kitchen drawer for non-food
tasks, such as cutting open bags and boxes or cutting baking parchment paper
to size.
- Acacia wood storage block
The wood knife block is not as well made or nicely finished as the tools it
holds, which was a bit disappointing but definitely not a deal-breaker. The
one we received is darker and has a less attractive wood grain pattern than
those in the Amazon listing photos (but is very similar to the one in the
product video) and the edges around the slots are a bit rough.
That said, it does its job of protecting the knives, kitchen shears and honing
rod when not in use and, as you can see, it looks fine on our kitchen counter.
Excellent Value, Affordable Price
Here are some of the attributes that make this Astercook 15-piece knife set
with storage block my pick for the best affordable, super sharp kitchen and
steak knives set.
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15-piece set includes everything a home cook needs to choose the best
cutting tool for any task
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Comfortable in the hand, with enough clearance under the handles to wrap
your fingers around them
- Forged (vs. stamped), seamless construction
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Extremely sharp, German high-carbon stainless steel blades that hold their
edge well with frequent honing
- Rust-resistant (not rustproof)
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Even though the Amazon product listing claims this set is "dishwasher
safe", that claim (for any knife set, not just this one) is a marketing
gimmick. Believe the Astercook user manual that comes with the set,
which clearly states that blades should never go into the dishwasher.
That said, if you really don't want to wash and dry them by hand,
you can run them through the dishwasher as long as you are willing to
have them sharpened frequently and accept that they will need to be
replaced much sooner than if you care for them properly.
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Lifetime warranty (note that a few Amazon reviewers had difficulty
reaching the manufacturer)
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Impressive value—a full set of six good quality kitchen knives, six
serrated steak knives, a honing steel, a pair of kitchen shears and an
acacia wood knife block, all for less than $40 with free Amazon Prime
shipping (at the time of this post’s publication)
How to Keep Your New Kitchen Knives Sharp
Frequent honing will maintain a blade's sharp edge(s) and prolong the its
useful life, since most can only be re-sharpened a limited number of times.
What's the Difference Between Honing and Sharpening?
Honing realigns and smooths the metal along a blade's existing cutting edge to
restore its sharpness. Since no metal is removed, you can hone a blade as
often as you wish (some people do it either before or after each use) without
damaging the edge, as long as you maintain the correct angle as you are
sliding it across the honing rod. However, honing won't sharpen a dull blade, which is why it's important
to hone frequently to maintain the sharp edge as long as possible.
Sharpening removes metal (with abrasives such as a whetstone, diamond
sharpening block or manual or electric knife sharpener) to create a new
cutting edge. Even with routine maintenance, a blade that gets a lot of use
will dull eventually and will need sharpening. Creating the original cutting
edge and sharpening the blade correctly when it becomes dull requires
precision. For example, different types of blades have cutting edges at
different angles, and some are beveled on both sides while others are beveled
on only one side. A professional knife sharpening service will deliver the
best results at a very reasonable price. However, it's also possible to do a
creditable job yourself if you are willing to invest in a high quality knife
sharpener, such as Cook's Illustrated's top picks, the three-stage
Chef's Choice Trizor 15XV Knife Sharpener
and the more affordable, two-stage
Chef's Choice 315XV Knife Sharpener.
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This attractive, well-appointed set would make a wonderful gift!
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A Thoughtful Gift
This 15-piece set of high-carbon stainless steel kitchen and steak knives,
kitchen shears, honing rod and knife block makes a great gift under $40! Here
are just a few ideas for potential gift recipients:
- Engaged couples or newlyweds
- Cooking enthusiasts
- High school graduates headed to college away from home
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Anyone who is moving into their first apartment or house and needs to outfit
their first kitchen
- A would-be home cook who wants to improve their knife skills
- Grandparents who haven't replaced their kitchen knives in many years
- Anyone with old, dull, or low-quality kitchen knives
- Someone who frequently cuts their fingers while prepping food
I'll bet there's someone on your gift list who would be thrilled to receive this
set as a wedding, engagement, graduation, housewarming or "just because"
present.
Also, if your current tools aren't as comfortable, well-balanced and sharp as
you would like and prepping ingredients takes more time and effort than it
should, consider this affordable, super sharp kitchen and steak knives set as
a gift to yourself. Remember, dull blades are more likely to skip, slip and
accidentally cut you instead of your food. A set that can maintain a very
sharp edge with just routine honing makes food prep not just faster, easier
and more enjoyable but also safer!
The Best Affordable, Super Sharp Kitchen and Steak Knives Set by Margaret Schindel
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