Best knife blocks & storage products according to redditors

Yet another +1 for this knife, and definitely listen to /u/Butthole__Pleasures - these knives are ludicrously sharp. You will cut yourself straight to the bone if you aren't careful. I suggest getting a blade protector so you can keep it sharp.

Key things:

• don't use a glass cutting board
  
• don't scrape the blade sideways across the cutting board to move whatever you were cutting
  
• don't let it scrape around against things - other silverware in the drawer (hence the blade protector), laying around in the sink, etc.
  
• don't try sawing through bones with it
  
• when you're done, wash/dry it right away and put it in the protector - don't put it in the dishwasher.
  
  I've had this knife for about 4 years and it's still ridiculously sharp, the only thing I've used is the little ceramic rabbit ear things.

Let me introduce you to the Kapoosh. It's brilliant. http://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-650-Holder-Woodgrain-Finish/dp/B000Q4I9LM?SubscriptionId=05H7QHFD0R7KY27X0R82&tag=kitchen-knife-review-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000Q4I9LM

Victorinox Fibrox, you can get a decent three piece set cheaply, includes 8 inch Chef's, 8 inch carving, and 5 inch utility knife:
http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Cutlery-3-Piece-Fibrox-Handles/dp/B0016O8PGA/

Then you probably need a steel: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MD9IL2/

And then you probably need a benchstone to keep it sharp:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MDB4C8/

And for an in drawer knife block: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002RL9CZ4/

Also, get yourself a good wooden cutting board. Plastic, metal, and composites dull blades quickly.

Disclosure: I own everything here, and I'm completely happy with them.

Alright, how about a kitchen knife with a case. It makes for a portable cooking knife that you can take camping or wherever. I love to cook and this has definitely increased my enjoyment of cooking. Add a solid oak cutting board (just have your local lumber supply cut and sand a chunk of oak for you) and you're golden.

At this point, I'd only really recommend Shun and Global, in that order. I started with Wustoff, and they did me alright, but I just don't like how their steel holds up, and really, I find the traditional European handle/bolster/spine to be really uncomfortable. Both Global and Shun make wonderful products, but I find the handles on Globes to be too skinny. Plus, as a super-mega-bonus, Shun allows you to return your knives back to them for the entire lifetime of the knife for sharpening, for free (you pay shipping to them, that's it.) It's painless and relatively fast.

They also have a much shallower angle on the edge, which I LOVE, though some people (usually those who are set on Wustoff/Henkles) only like a deeper edge. But goddamn they cut like butter. The only problem with the shallower edge is that you definitely don't want to A) use an electric sharpener on them (the edge is asymmetrical and the commercial ones out there don't have the proper angle) which is alright as they sharpen for you for free at the factory, and B) definitely DO NOT use a magnet hanger with these things. You'll bend the edge. If you go to Bed Bath and Beyond, you'll see it. They hang them all on those damn magnets and it ruins the blade. Get a nice block, or just get a Kapoosh (I have one and it works).

Look, if you want to completely flip his lid, this is all that any home chef really needs (IMO):

Shun 7" Santoku, hollow ground. This is my goto knife in the kitchen and it can do just about everything. I use it on 80% of what I do. When I upgraded from the standard Safeway $11 chef's knife to the Wustoff is was an amazing, night-and-day transition. The heavens opened up and I saw the light (and more importantly, what a sharp knife could do for you). When I bought this 7", it was exactly the same transition, only higher up. The balance, sharpness and quality of this knife over the Wustoff was what I had been looking for and it was every bit worth the money. Someone here mentioned that everyone needs a 10". This is overkill. It's like cutting onions with a samurai sword. While it looks cool, all the extra effort you need to exert for those extra 3 inches just fatigues the wrist and arm, which is not something you want when prepping a lot. 7" FTW.

Every chef needs a 7". Whether it's a european chef's knife or a santoku is up to the chef, though you'll notice that santoku's keep getting more and more popular every year. I think there's a reason for this.

So, too, does every chef need a good paring knife. They go hand in hand and you cannot do without one or the other. My 7" handles 80% of the work load, my paring knife handles 15%.

Shun also makes a wonderful 4" paring knife That's not very expensive. This thing will get in and get out, work in all the small spaces it needs to and do it with deft and ease. It's light, doesn't have much mass, and again, Shun's steel is wonderful (in my eyes).

The last 5% is for a good cleaver. Don't be fooled by big money in this category-- the cheap ones are the best. You don't need super knives here, they're for doing the hearty, down and dirty, bone-breaking work, and the nice steels wont hold up to this work. This is the greatest cleaver ever in the history of mankind. I have the No. 3. It is quite possibly the best $11 I've spent in the kitchen. I'd gone through about 5 cleavers before I found this one, all of them failed to hold up. This knife holds it's edge forever (seriously-- in the 5 years I've had it, I've only sharpened it once), it's got the heft you want in a cleaver and it's ridiculously comfortable to hold. I would suggest this with everything I have.

So there you have it. I firmly hold, and you will find others to agree, that all you need in the kitchen is a really good 7", a good paring knife and a quality, cheap cleaver. That's it. All those $600 sets with every kind of knife you could imagine are nonsense. I got a nice $150 boning knife as a wedding present and I've used it all of twice in two and a half years. Same with my carving knife. You just don't need them. They're totally nice when the need arises, but about 95% of the work in the kitchen can be accomplished by those three tools.

Take it as you will, and I wish you many fine meals prepared by him!

I love cooking, and cook 4-5 nights a week. I couldn't really organize my kitchen the way I wanted it for a long time, because I lived with roommates for the past 11 years. They didn't take good care of things, and were really bad at washing dishes. When they all finally moved out last August, I went to work.

• First off, I got rid of every cup, glass, plate, knife, piece of silverware, pot, and pan that didn't belong to a set. Since it's just me, the 5 plates I had was more than enough. I did wind up buying a $5 set of glasses from Walmart, just so they match.
  
  
• I actually gave all of my silverware to my roommates when they moved out, so I did wind up buying a set of heavy gauge silverware. I also gave them all the miss-matched pots and pans. That still left me with 3 pots and 2 non stick pans. I went ahead and added a cast iron pan to the mix, and that's about all I use, now, except for eggs.
  
  
• I got rid of my knife block, and replaced it with one of these that goes in a drawer. Most of the knives were missing or broken. I kept the crappy bread knife, and got rid of the rest. I bought a nice chef knife, paring knife, and filet knife. That organizer also holds my steak knifes.
  
  
• I got rid of everything on the counters, except my microwave and cutting board. I have my cutting board by the sink, so I use that to set dry dishes on, instead of a rack. Just put them away when I am done washing. Toaster, Pizza Pizzazz, toaster oven, coffee machine, utensil holder, spice rack, and electric can opener - all gone. I just picked a few basic utensils (spatula, spoon, slotted spoon, whisk, and brush) to keep in the drawer with the silverware. I bought a small, and held can opener. The spices got moved to a cabinet. If I ever need to toast bread, I can do that in the broiler or oven. Same with pizza.
  
  
• On the subject of spices - I eliminated salt and pepper shakers. Not I just buy the disposable ones that come with a mill (grinder) attached to the top. When they are empty - no washing or refilling - just throw them away. That also eliminates the need to have a bigger container of each from which to fill them. Freshly ground pepper and sea salt tastes better, too.
  
  
• I got rid of all my plastic containers, except the one size that fits good in my lunchbox. They are the semi-disposable ones by Rubbermaid, so when I get low, I just buy more, and add them to the stack. Before, the cabinet was packed full of miss matched ones.
  
  
• I eliminated my junk drawer. I have a toolbox for inside the house, and anything that didn't belong in that, got moved (and organized) into the garage. About half of the stuff in there got thrown out. That drawer actually became my knife drawer.
  
  Then I just went through all the drawers and cabinets, and got rid of anything that I didn't use frequently. There was a lot of stuff like that. It's been almost a year since the last of them moved out, and I still have a lot of other decluttering to do. I cook about 4-5 nights a week, though, so the kitchen was my first priority.
  
  One thing that really helped me, but might not jive with the mindset of decluttering, is paper plates, cups, and silverware. Part of the cabinet space that I gained from getting rid of miss-matched plastic storage containers went to disposables. I really only use the plastic silverware for work lunches, but the paper plates and plastic cups really help me stay organized and lazy.
  
  Oh, one last thing - I cook all my lunches for the week on Sunday or Monday night, so the only meals I cook during the week are for my dinner. Less cleanup.

I have this thing - Kapoosh

It is basically a block with a billion little plastic rods in it. Your knives slip between the plastic rod things and stay in place. Works like a charm. I have 8 knives ranging from Chef's knife to paring knife in it currently.

Honestly, depending on the person, the job, and how much stuff they actually carry back and forth with them, knife rolls can be very personal things to shop for. You may find a nice roll that holds 12 knives, then they may end up taking a lot of smaller tools that don't fit in the knife spots. You may find a roll that has a zippered area for smaller tools, only to discover that they only take 6 knives and a peeler to work with them, and have no need for a zippered pouch.

You could go with an ultra-basic model, and it could be fine; it's utilitarian, and gets the job done. In my school, most people ended up going with a bag like this, because it had a pocketed area for smaller tools like thermometers, pens, bandaids, and other things. I still have mine somewhere in the basement, and it's a good bag. Personally, I usually take a lot of stuff to work with me, and I wanted a larger bag to be able to hold everything, so I started looking at bags like this, which are massive, and have 4 areas to hold all sorts of things. A week after I started looking at them online, I actually got lucky enough to find one in a thrift store for $3, so I couldn't pass that up.

For myself, because the tools I take to work varies, based on the menu cycle we may be in, or the work I expect to possibly need to do, and because some of the things I take a little too bulky for a regular knife roll, I prefer not to use an actual knife roll. I've switched over to using something like a small duffle bag, and it works just fine for me.

What I might suggest is to see if you have a restaurant supply store near you, or some place that sells cutlery that has a large selection of chef's knives, because those places might have knife rolls. If it's possible that you find a local place that has a few different types/styles of knife rolls, maybe you could take him there, and ask him to pick his own knife roll, since he knows what he would plan to put in it.

Any of the ones that I've linked to would be a half way decent starter knife pouch (except for maybe the huge one), and over time, he'll most likely upgrade to something else.

Something else that you might want to seriously consider, if he doesn't already have something like this, is maybe getting him a set of blade guards to go with the knife bag. It'll help protect the knife edges, and his fingers, while they're still in the bag.

Whatever you settle on, good luck.

They don't cost THAT much money, we're talking $20-30.

There's even ones like this $20 knife block that slots into a drawer.

I think that would be a great set. Just, I would trade out that sharpening steel with this.

Also, your bread knife, doesn't matter what brand really, it is just a bread knife. I would go with something that will fit the look of what you are already getting, but that is just my own opinion.

Also, add a few plastic blade sleeves. If you do not plan on having your blades out in the open, it will allow you to store it in a drawer without damaging the blade. It will also make it easier if you ever move, since you can just put the knife in the plastic sleeve, and not worry about it getting damaged, or flying loose. This is the one that I have, and it works really well.

I would also add a slicer knife, if you think you will use it, like this. It is amazing for slicing steak, chicken, brisket, ribs, and so on. I use my chef's knife to do it, but if you have a chance to get a knife that you can use JUST for that, go for it. Slicing cooked protein will dull a knife faster than cutting raw protein(in most cases.)

I assume your link was meant to go here: https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Forschner-BladeSafe-8-Inch-10-InchKnife/dp/B000MF47B6

Even if you got a knife roll, you probably still want to have something covering your knife and that sheath is going to fit well. It's also only like $7.

If you really want to get a block set then try the Victorinox 7 piece set. But honestly building your own is better.

• Get a universal block like this or this. Avoid wooden blocks, they may look nice but sooner or later unseen crud is going to build up. The Polymer blocks can be taken apart and the insides cleaned out.
  
  
• Victorinox 8 in Chef's Knife best bang for your buck ~$35
  
  
• Mercer Bread 10 in Bread Knife ~$17
  
  
• Victorinox Paring Knife ~ $9. Wusthof is supposed to be better but I'm not spending $40 for a paring knife.
  
  
• Kitchen shears depends on what you are going to do. Light duty shears get a Victorinox Classic ~$14. You'll be able to do all kitchen tasks and occasionally break down a chicken. If you plan to break down chickens more than occasionally then get a Shun Kitchen Shears ~$70. If you plan to break down chickens often then get dedicated heavy duty chicken shears (can't help you with that) and a Victorinox for the light stuff.
  
  
• Get a sharpener. If you're willing to learn how to sharpen get a Spyderco Sharpmaker and a cut resistant glove, if not get a Chef's Choice 4643. The Chef's Choice is a poor 2nd choice I urge you to get a Spyderco, but DO NOT forget the cut resistant glove. Most people after they get good at sharpening become less paranoid about cutting themselves and that's when they cut themselves.
  
  
• Get a honing steel any will do but I like the Wustof 9 in it's magnetic so it'll pick up any metal dust even though I always wipe my knife on a damp towel. Honing and sharpening do two different things. You should hone often, sharpen rarely.
  
  Here is something from r/ATKgear if you want another opinion.
  
  

I can't recommend under $20, but this strip at $35 has been great. I currently have 4 knives on it, probably room for at least 1 or 2 more.

https://www.amazon.com/Storage-Display-Cabinet-Drawers-KC01-BLA/dp/B00H2WMUIY

Sounds like a vnox fibrox is for you. You could get both the 8" and 10" and knife cases around your budget. That leaves you room to get a whetstone if you don't already have it.

case:
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Forschner-BladeSafe-8-Inch-10-InchKnife/dp/B000MF47B6

Here is my process. After washing, wipe dry with a soft cloth then prop against my dish rack for a while until 100% dry. I then use my wooden magnetic knife block for storage:

https://i.imgur.com/8kwlfLV.jpg

I made this knife block, but you can buy similar ones online:

https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Functionality-Organizer-Securely-Organized/dp/B01JLCHFTQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1543361012&sr=8-4&keywords=wooden+magnetic+knife+block

I also occasionally wipe on some mineral oil, maybe every couple months.

Personally I am a fond of the classic and have always used Messermeister Padded Knife Roll.

Dont get one that closes with velcro straps, it makes it really hard to get weird shaped thing in the bag and close it. Straps are only long enough to go around a few knives laying flat ontop of each other. I used this bag. Inside I had everything, even this scale, plus my shirt and apron rolled up in the middle, butane torch, sometimes my mandolin, and any other odd thing.. I used a carabiner to hook the two hand loops together worked better than the velcro. Now working as a butcher i just throw my scabbard into my chrome messenger bag and call it a day. So glad i dont need all that shit anymore.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000Q4I9LM

I got one of these as a house warming gift. Cleans easy and looks nice. I've got a ton of random knives, so this works well for that too.

First of all, never buy a matching set of knives. Instead, buy a generic knife storage block, and fill it out as you need it. I have this one from Amazon and like it a lot.

For chef's knives, I'm really happy with the Kiwi knives I got from the Wok Shop. They're certainly no Henkels or Wusthof, but they're absolutely fantastic for the price. They see daily use in my kitchen, right alongside my $100 Global santoku. Get a real whetstone (like this) and learn how to use it, and you can get a really nice edge on them too.

I use this thing and absolutely love it. It will hold a lot of knives. Hell, I can even fit my Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet in the bottom drawer.

That is awesome!

I might be inclined to add a magnetic strip in the lid to hold a paring knife, barspoon, zester, etc.

Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Inch-Magnetic-Knife-Tool/dp/B000CRDDBE/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1397597312&sr=1-3

You can buy a knife block separately, or a magnetic wall-mounted knife holder, or if you do store them in a drawer, get a set of these guys

Pro tip: you can still buy on amazon.com! It's 35 USD after standard shipping to Canada (Waterloo). There's also a few options on amazon.ca that are around the same price with prime (mercer and good coking)

I bought an expensive Wusthof knife block set and they are pretty nice. However after getting a relatively inexpensive Victorinox Fibrox chefs knife I fell in love. They are really high quality knifes for a fraction of the price for name brands. Also the handles are perfect, non slip, thick, perfect curves

I mostly use a large chefs knife or santuko, a smaller utility knife and a bread knife.

Heres a great starter set:

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-4-Piece-Knife-Fibrox-Handles/dp/B004IEBTZ4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1419115643&sr=8-2&keywords=victorinox+fibrox

Buy a block and add knifes as you get some more money.

http://www.amazon.com/Cook-Home-Bamboo-Knife-Storage/dp/B00DHH0LRA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419115939&sr=8-1&keywords=knife+block

https://www.amazon.com/Boker-30402-Magnetic-Knife-Makassar/dp/B00286VJ3Q


I have used one of these for years and love it.

I got this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-650-Holder-Woodgrain-Finish/dp/B000Q4I9LM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334300494&sr=8-1

It works awesome!

> drawer

Why not a magnetic strip or a knife block? I have a sweet knife block that I'm pretty into.

Somebody on Cookit had mentioned using a Kapoosh.

http://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-650-Holder-Woodgrain-Finish/dp/B000Q4I9LM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1289066668&sr=8-3-fkmr0

It looks pretty sweet if you ask me and gives you a more flexible knife block.

I got some pretty good baking swag this year.

First up was a Kopykake. I will be making disgusting amounts of cookies over the next year putting this thing to the test.

A KitchenAid Architect was shocked to see it was the full set as these are stupid expensive.

Possibly my favorite gift for kitchen stuff this year was DrawerDecor which has finally made my drawers a non clusterfuck.

Steel prep table similar to this but not this model. Got it before Christmas but was told it was an early xmas gift.

Wire Shelving similar to this, but again not this model. Its 4' wide and each shelf can take 600. It freed up SO much room for me. I highly recommend more shelving for any of you guys/gals who have the room for it.

18" Magnetic Knife Strip, again more stuff out of shelves, off of counter tops etc.

Glass mixing bowls

Last but certainly not least, I finally got this cookie sheet from chicago metallic. Such a nice piece.


Now I think it is worth noting that I bake for a living, and that most people don't actually want a prep table or a 3' tall projector in their kitchen but damnit I love it! :)

The main theme for this xmas seems to be helping me get my kitchen to the OCD level needed in a professional kitchen. Not sure the missus loves the strict flow of kitchen as much as I do but man, it feels good and looks great.

I don't have any available wall for a mag strip so ended up getting this block.

It doesn't take up very much room and looks great.

Hows this one? anyone know? https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Cutlery-BladeSafe-8-Inch-10-Inch/dp/B000MF47B6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1484363561&sr=8-6&keywords=knife+guard

You can do both with a block made for a drawer. The one I use is like this, and it’s a great compromise. The knives aren’t loose in the drawer, and it’s easier to clean than a countertop block by using a can of compressed air.

United Cutlery UC1338 Pocket Knife Storage Case, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CZBFHE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_OktjDb1TYMY6H

You can buy or make one with a flexible rod design to accommodate any knife size: http://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-Knife-Block-Light-Woodgrain/dp/B000Q4I9LM

If you are just looking for something functional, get one of those magnetic knife holders, http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Inch-Magnetic-Knife-Tool/dp/B000CRDDBE/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1408387515&sr=1-1.

If you are looking for style, I agree the "Bamboo Skewer Knife Block" is an awesome idea. I made one a couple of years ago and I really like it!

i love my backpack! that said, i got through culinary school on something like this, and once i started to expand my kit a bit, i got one of these, which i also love. the second is a bit bulky, though. best for carrying everything you need, like if you're doing some offsite catering or something like that.

edit: my backpack is what i use everyday now, though.

When a knife is pulled towards the magnet, the magnet is also pulled towards the knife. I don't think that command strips will be able to hold the rack when it is being repeatedly tugged away from the wall.

You could look at magnetic holders of this type.

And why is drilling not an option? Going through a seam is super easy (that's what I did), and with a proper drill bit it's not that hard to drill through tile either.

That's where I'm leaning so far. Unless my parents have extra knives sitting in the basement that they want to get rid of, I'll probably end up getting this, this, this, this, this, and a couple of these.

Have you seen this kind of knife block: https://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-Knife-Block-Light-Woodgrain/dp/B000Q4I9LM There's also this kind that has a longer and a shorter compartment: https://www.containerstore.com/s/kitchen/countertop/kapoosh-hardwood-knife-block/12d?productId=10030947

It doesn't have slots, but flexible rods that fit a lot of knives of different sizes and shapes. The downside is that it can get messy, but it might be a good choice if you don't have a lot of space because it can hold a lot of knives.

edit: I just found this site that shows more interesting ways to store knives: https://www.core77.com/posts/26446/designing-for-knife-storage-part-2-beyond-knife-blocks-and-wall-racks-26446 I like the under-cabinet knife block. That may be a good solution for your space problem.

See my other posts in this thread, but to sum it up: Shun knives are considered a joke by serious cooks.

The 600$ Shun is trying to charge students for that selection of knives is a rip off. No one needs more than 2-3 knives for at least the first couple years of their career, which will be spent doing basic prep and line cooking. You won’t be doing any butchering or specialized work till further on anyways.

And when you do, do your research and buy them piece by piece. At that point you’ll be working with and learning from more experienced chefs who will be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

Here’s a suggestion to get you started:

8” Chefs knife

Paring knife

Bread knife

Ceramic Honing Rod

knife roll

peeler

All of this can be had for around a 1/3 of the price Shun charging and I guarantee you these tools will serve you way better.

It’s actually a knife case I bought and I just use it for my tools. Here’s the link to it

United Cutlery UC1338 Pocket Knife Storage Case, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CZBFHE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_4e92CbJ37ZNDV

They're awesome, you can get a BladeSafe, if you're going to be keeping it anywhere other than a magnetic strip it's a good idea to protect the edge.

You can buy (or DIY) a magnetic knife block. We used to put our strip above the sink, but that's not an option in our current apartment, so we got this. There's an even fancier one I'm eyeballing for the future.

When I gifted a chefs knife to my wifes mother, we didn't know where they would keep it, so we also gave her this

You don't need anything super expensive, just something made with decent steel that will hold an edge. Maybe 30 bucks tops. Get a knife case like this to protect the edge. If you are using a whetstone you can sharpen your knife down to a narrow angle that will require less in between sharpening (Japanese style). A wider angled edge can just be kept with a honing steel between uses.

Is it bad in any other way than if you remover/replace the knives incorrectly? I'd been told that as long at you start with the back of the knife and roll forward to replace (and roll out to the spine to remove) it's ok. Are there other dangers? Or is it still bad for them with the way I described? I'm not slamming them up or anything, very gentle... but I bought my first two nice knives and want to take care of them... I'm using this type of holder. Is this wrong?

http://www.amazon.com/Messermeister-8-Pocket-Padded-Knife-Black/dp/B00AZVL4RM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449608518&sr=8-1&keywords=messermeister+knife+roll

I use one of these. Fits everything, been through some shit in the last 2 years and has held up nicely. Should fit in a backback, and if not comes with a handy shoulder strap.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00286VJ3Q?psc=1

Magnetic knife block:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00286VJ3Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

> I need to see about getting covers for my main chef knife. Always worried about slicing my hand open in that cabinet.

Get something like this. Your knives will last longer and you won't risk injury. It also makes the drawer look much nicer!

I got this one about a year ago, and it has worked well enough. Came with 3m tape to stick it to the wall, and is magnetic enough that knives stick to it well. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016ISHAC8/

I decided that I'd procrastinated long enough and finally took the plunge and bought a decent chef's knife. First impressions are WOW... this thing is an absolute pleasure to cut with. But now I need to get a decent cutting board, wood preferably, one that will be kind to my new knife.

Edit, as a summation from all the advice here, and my size needs, I decided on this Ironwood Gourmet Acacia Wood Square End Grain Chef's Board. My kitchen is very tiny, or I would have gotten the larger one.

In accordance with NotYourMothersDildo's suggestions I'm also getting one of these J.A. Henckels Twin Four Star 10-Inch Honing Steel

As for a place to put them, I'm grabbing one of these MIU 3527 15-Inch Stainless-Steel Magnetic Knife Bar Holder and just because I need a paring knife too, I'm getting one of these Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Four Star 4-Inch High-Carbon Stainless-Steel Paring Knives

Thank you all for your advice :-) I'll wait another hour or two incase I get better suggestions, but these are all the items in my cart at the moment....well not 'all' but the ones pertaining to this thread.

No, Amazon. They sell it at Lowe's and home depot too but for twice the price.

Well, as for storage, you could always invest in a cheap knife case like this. Obviously not amazing quality or anything, but since it sounds like you just store most of your knives, it would be a way to keep them dust free and out of the way of the chilluns.

As for cleaning, I just try to pay attention to when it looks like the knife has been gathering too much dirt/dust/lint/etc. and then clean it out with a rag or cloth. If it's really dirty I'll tear it down, wipe down all the pieces, oil the metal parts, and then reassemble, but honestly that doesn't have to happen that often when you can just use a rag to wipe in the crevices.

I like to use mineral oil for my knives, which so far has done a great job of keeping them rust free. However it sounds like you already oil, and honestly just cleaning your knives after use like you said you also do should do the trick, so other than that just pay attention to how you use it and wipe it down afterwards and you should be good.

You can attach it to the wall if you want. I wanted something a little more mobile. Its really sturdy so I would say, since you are renting, don't attach it to the wall.

The knife holder was the most exciting new addition to my apartment! The thing is awesome! Here's the link

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006IVY7E/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i01

I am totally against this type of block. Even if the little rods are removable, they are just unhygienic. I tried two versions, because it seemed like such a great idea. Don't like traditional woodblocks either.

I hunted and hunted and finally found The Kuhn Knife Block.

• clear, so you can see the knives (unlike the rod bundle in the comment above, or traditional knife block)
  
  
• can accommodate various sizes – mine has my steel (sharpener), and scissors, along with a large selection of knives
  
  
• can be completely taken apart and washed–no nooks or crannies for germs

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-45520-Frustration-Packaging/dp/B008M5U1C2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485262932&sr=8-1&keywords=victronix+knives+8

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UASOA8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Functionality-Organizer-Securely-Organized/dp/B01JLCHFTQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485262984&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=magnetic+knife+strip&psc=1

Send remainder to me

Was it for aesthetic reasons? They don't all look industrial. I have one that just looks like a strip of wood. There's also magnetic blocks, perhaps one of those would be a good compromise.

Edit: Note that I have not tried either of the products I linked above and I just noticed that several reviews of the block say that the magnets are too weak to hold the knives safely. I still think it's a good concept if it's acceptable to your SO, but it's probably worth looking into other brands.

probably this and i dunno... just thought it looked cool, and i think at some point i was looking at knives for it.

Having researched this recently, I don't think there is a truly perfect way to store knifes – even the methods that seem good have their pros and cons.

Drawer inserts are okay, but they can dull the knife because you tend to slide the blade against the bottom when inserting or removing knives.

Keeping your knives in blade guards in a drawer keeps the knives safe and sharp, but they're not very easy to get to and it's not very space-efficient.

Traditional wooden knife blocks are a bad option. They can dull your knives and moisture can get trapped inside. Some people like these new knife blocks that have tons of plastic bits in them, but I tried a Bodum one and it was tough to put the knives back in.

In my old apartment, I kept my knives on a magnetic strip and it worked great, but did leave a tiny bit of cosmetic damage on the sides of the knives. Not a big deal for me as they stayed sharp and were easy to get to. But then I moved to a new apartment where there was no wall space for a magnetic strip.

Now, I use this knife block, which looks a bit odd but works great. Easy to get the knives in and out, they stay nice and sharp, and it doesn't take up too much space on the counter.

Bottom line, you just have to figure out which of these pros and cons you care about and then treat your knife well when it's not in storage, i.e.: wash it promptly after using, dry it promptly after washing, and hone or sharpen it regularly.

https://www.amazon.com/United-Cutlery-UC1338-Pocket-Storage/dp/B001CZBFHE/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1466501653&sr=1-1&keywords=United+Cutlery+UC1338+Pocket+Knife+Storage+Case%2C+Large yoooooooooo

I have this - I like it quite a bit. Each drawer holds probably 10-12 maybe more.

https://www.amazon.com/Storage-Display-Cabinet-Drawers-KC01-BLA/dp/B00H2WMUIY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1465520638&sr=8-5&keywords=knife+display+case

futz

knife holder!

There are a lot of different options that suit different people. If you want a knife that can handle a little more abuse, dulls much more quickly, but can be honed regularly to maintain sharpness, German knives might suit you better (Wusthof, Messermeister, etc). If you don't mind the minor maintenance of a carbon steel knife that can hold the best edge for the longest amount of time between sharpenings, a carbon steel Japanese knife will suit you well. Personally, I don't think you need much more than a 240mm gyuto and a petty to handle pretty much every kitchen task. If you have room in your kitchen, I'd get a magnetic knife holder rather than a new knife block. Here's what I'd get if I was starting fresh, and I'd use the victorinox as a beater knife. https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Functionality-Organizer-Securely-Organized/dp/B01JLCHFTQ/ref=sr_1_10?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1511804033&sr=1-10&keywords=magnetic+knife+strip http://www.knivesandstones.com/tanaka-blue-2-kurouchi-gyuto-240mm-with-custom-octagonal-ebony-handle/ http://www.knivesandstones.com/shinko-seilan-petty-135mm-ku-aogami-super-by-shiro-kamo/

Get a blade safe, they are only like $7 and gives you the security of being able to carry it in a pocket without fear of imminent castration.

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-47302-Cutlery-BladeSafe-6-Inch/dp/B0000CFBB6

I personally love my Macs, ive got an 8 year old 8 inch thats been my daily workhorse for the past 4 years, and a 7 1/4in that i picked up for $60 to replace it. I prefer the smaller knife for precision work, and the handling on it is spectacular in my opinion. Well worth the money, i think. I have a Shun elite 8in, and i find that the weight of it can get fairly annoying after a while, which is why i love the light weight of my Macs.
As for the filet knife, ive had both the victorinox and the henkels equivalent (yellow handled one), and found that after a few butchery jobs, the blades really went out quickly. I ended getting a global after using a co workers for a while, and have been really impressed with how well it handles, as well as how long it holds an edge for. I picked up the 6 1/4 inch flexible for about $70, and its been great.
For sharpening stones, id start out with a Messermeister 400/1000 double sided stone. At $20, it fits the budget for a first stone, and its what i teach a lot of my cooks on.
As for a knife roll, Messermeister is definitely a good brand to go with, but id reccomend getting more than 5 pockets. When i was starting out, i grabbed a 8 pocket shun bag because it was the only one the shop had at the time, and i was amazed at how fast i was able to fill it up. I keep more than knives in the pockets; microplane, peeler, thermopen, steel, oyster knife, etc. Just something to consider.
Here are the links to my reccomendations, if you feel like checking them out:
Mac 7 1/4in
http://www.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-Series-Chefs-4-Inch/dp/B000N5BUWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405661045&sr=8-1&keywords=mac+knife
Global Filet 6 1/4in
http://www.amazon.com/Global-G-21-Flexible-Boning-Knife/dp/B00005OL41/ref=pd_sim_k_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0XMAX8VN0AQVN18NZWYB
Messermeister Stone:
http://www.amazon.com/Messermeister-Two-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-1000/dp/B003JV3TEQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1405660753&sr=1-1&keywords=messermeister+sharpening+stone
No name 13 pocket bag:
http://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Hard-Tri-Fold-Knife-Bag/dp/B004BN1C5E/ref=lp_13840871_1_20?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1405660955&sr=1-20

All in, thatll set you back about $190, which isnt too bad for what i think are the beginnings of a good kit.

> i know that i could possibly just take any ol chef knife from home and pack it safely, but im thinking of like some sort of all purpose pocket knife or something along those lines.

Could you speak a bit more about a couple things? 1) What sounds appealing about a pocket knife version? 2) What sounds unappealing about carrying around a chef knife from home?

Does a chef knife from home seem too big? Do not want to pack your more expensive knives? Are you afraid of your packing failing and cutting things up in your bag? Does a folding knife just appeal to you? Or a smaller packable knife?

And in general, suggesting a knife is still wrought with personal preferences. Do you know how to sharpen? Do you like harder steels? What handle shapes do you like?

When I was stuck in a hotel for a couple months, I really appreciated bringing my 8 in chef knife. I packed it in a knife guard that clip around it. I've travelled tons and those cases have served me well.

For me, I wouldn't like using a folding knife for any extended period of time bc they would necessarily be back heavy and they tend to use meh steels (or super expensive otherwise).

So, tell me more about what you want/need.

I also have a Henckles Classic and it fits this guard perfectly. No scuffing at all.

I'm not a fan of magnetized holders because they magnetize the blade, and that in turn causes swarf to stick to the apex while sharpening. But if you don't mind that it is a fine choice.

I prefer something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Included-Pointing-Sharpener-Noble-Organizer/dp/B01DG45HOU

All is not lost. When I lived in a tiny apartment and legitimately couldn't fit a knife block and a cutting board on my counter at the same time, I got a few of these snap-on edge guards to protect my knives while they lived in a drawer. It's not pretty or elegant, but it gets the job done and you aren't reduced to sawing helplessly at food with useless knives.

stick 'em to your fridge.

Applause

That's so exciting!!!

I think every home needs one of these of some sort.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016ISHAC8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_JqTRBbQSD8WBK

One 8" and one 10" Vicrotionix chefs knife with a knife organizer like this:

https://smile.amazon.com/Drawer-without-Organizer-Shenzhen-Knives/dp/B00GJ44VW4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1497566901&sr=8-3&keywords=knife+organizer

This is a very cheap and convenient design too It all depends on how portable you need though.

https://www.amazon.com/Messermeister-8-Pocket-Padded-Knife-Black/dp/B00AZVL4RM?ref_=bl_dp_s_web_2596458011 For the money it is not a bad roll.

I’ve had the kapoosh knife block for almost 10 yrs and it’s awesome

I have the same box, from Amazon.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Storage-Display-Holder-Cabinet-drawers/dp/B00H2WMUIY

I don't disagree with the majority of your views, but in a small kitchen knives in a drawer are a must - it also doesn't mean you're mistreating them: http://www.amazon.com/Totally-Bamboo-20-2091-In-Drawer-Knife/dp/B002RL9CZ4

I found them on amazon...super cheap:
https://www.amazon.com/United-Cutlery-UC1338-Pocket-Storage/dp/B001CZBFHE/ref=lp_13840871_1_20?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1496250965&sr=1-20

They are good knives. OP, this might help you to get to know the difference between stamped knives and forged knives. Stamped are always cheaper. Fibrox like many other low end chef knives are stamped.

link

The Fibrox knives are great and a strong benefit of them is that they are lightweight which is helpful when cutting for long periods of time. They are what I use at home and they hold an edge for awhile if you aren't using them every day. The ones we used in a professional kitchen get dull pretty quickly if used constantly.

Also for anyone who gets these knives I highly recommend this case as the blade is well protected and the knife will stay razor sharp and not get damaged. Also you can throw the knife in a drawer without worrying about cutting yourself when digging through the drawer.

My friends have this really cool magnet system to store their knives on the wall, it looks really cool and it's really efficient. There are also these nice storage compartments that when on their side, can double as a shelf.

Knife magnet

Shelf

Try something like this
or this

LPT get one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-Knife-Block-Light-Woodgrain/dp/B000Q4I9LM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1480783879&sr=8-3&keywords=Kapoosh+Universal+Knife+Block

The knives are held in place by friction on the sides of the blade and you can put in whatever knives you wish.

Actually I've got one of these

It's very convenient and I don't think it would have any effect on the blade. It also looks kinda funny.

I said mag block - which they make - but what I really meant/have is a mag strip, like this.

Generally, I would avoid the strips in this style where a bunch of individual magnets are embedded in a block. Those you have to aim the knife so it sits on a magnet vs the true strips where the entire surface will hold onto a knife.

I keep my EDCs in a bin or next to my other EDC items on a shelf. For my "nice" knives I use this: http://www.amazon.com/United-Cutlery-Large-Pocket-Storage/dp/B001CZBFHE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1380984227&sr=8-5&keywords=knife+storage

I agree with what everyone else said on getting rid of stuff because you do have a good amount of cabinet space. Then get more efficient and clever about how you use the cabinet space you do have. For one I would move the racks you have on the counter into the cabinets so you can store things underneath them and create more space. Someone else mentioned a tiered plate holder. I have one of those and it works great!

Finding ways to use vertical space has done wonders for my small kitchen. For the spices you could mount a rack like this one on the side of the cabinet to free up counter space: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002ES1SRU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_co3SCbN770XC2
I purchased a magnetic knife rack that hangs on the wall because I only have two drawers in my kitchen I needed for other things: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016ISHAC8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Vz3SCb4EVBRP6
I've even seen people do pegboards, with adjustable hooks for hanging pots, pans and utensils: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CP5VN0E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EB3SCbTNZBQZP

I would definitely get a small dish drying rack that fits into one side of the sink and get those dishes off the counter. It will look much neater. The stuff on top of the fridge would look more tidy in a basket/crate. I'd get two command hooks and hang those potholders on the wall right above the stove. I also use command hooks to hang pot lids on the inside of my cabinets. I'd also move the cutting boards off the counter and down below facing sideways so you can pull them out easily. Cutting boards are great for low deep spaces.

A general rule of thumb is that a bunch of smaller items will tend to look more cluttered than a few big items. So if you need to keep something on the counter make it the bigger appliances.

I need this pretty badly because we keep getting gifted knives and our drawer is becoming deadly! Chuck Finley, go Angels!

I just ordered a second one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000CFBB6?th=1&psc=1

Thanks again for all your help, everyone. I talked with her some more and she mentioned that she's actually much more comfortable with santoku knives than chef's knives (and neither of us are professional cooks so the possible slight loss of versatility shouldn't be too much a problem), so I ended up going with this Victorinox santoku, blade guard, and a Wusthof paring knife. Aaaaand looking at the order I realized I forgot to get a sharpener god damn it. Although some people have been saying sharpener bad, honer good. So, for someone who enjoys cooking but is an absurdly busy grad student, who likes caring for materials to be simple as possible, is there any consensus on what the best intersection is between quality, cost, and simplicity?

I use one of these and it is very nice, I would second this recommendation.

This is the one I have: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002RL9CZ4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have this one. It fits in my backpack pretty well. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AZVL8P0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00

Here