CHEF KNIFE SETS

Of all the tools you need for cooking, the kitchen knife is perhaps the most important. There's hardly a dish that doesn't require slicing or dicing. Every kitchen should have several essential knives specialized for different tasks, from a versatile chef's knife for everyday chopping and a paring knife for small-scale mincing, peeling, and trimming, to more specialized tools like the fish fillet knife and meat cleaver.

The best knife sets get you all your essential knives at once with a sleek, safe, and functional place to store them. Perfect for a beginner cook, newlyweds, or anyone who needs a kitchen refresh, a good knife set includes several basic blades, often at a significant discount over buying the knives one by one. In our never-ending quest to find the best kitchen tools, we've tested 49 of the best knife sets, evaluating each one's sharpness, design, and overall value. Here are our top picks.