The best home cook is only as efficient as their staple kitchen knife. Whether it's a do-it-all chef's knife, a stunning santoku blade, or a reliable serrated bread knife, these essential pieces serve as cornerstones in any kitchen—and we've tested and reviewed the very best.

Slicing a cucumber on a cutting board with vegetables nearby
I Asked Pro Bladesmiths the Best Way to Keep Kitchen Knives Sharp — These Are the Sharpeners They Recommend
Sliced bread with butter spread using a knife a butter knife in focus displaying its function
This $10 Butter Knife Spreads Cold Butter Without Tearing Your Toast — Shoppers Say It Works ‘Like a Dream’
Hands cutting dried figs on a wooden board with a paring knife
The Japanese Paring Knife I’ve Used for Years Is on Limited-Time Sale, and It’s Bound to Sell Out
A kitchen knife next to sliced pumpkin on a wooden cutting board
Shoppers Aren’t Looking Back After Switching to the Wüsthof Santoku Knife That’s at Its Lowest Price in a Year
Person slicing a cucumber with a knife on a wooden cutting board with vegetables on the table
I Asked Bladesmiths How to Sharpen Kitchen Knives — They Both Said These Are the Best Sharpeners for Upkeep
A person dices scallions with the Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
Don’t Waste Good Money on Bad Blades — These Budget-Friendly Knives Cut Like a Dream and Won’t Break the Bank
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef’s Knife on a cutting board with sliced onion
I Asked Chefs to Recommend the Best Kitchen Knives for the Money — Here’s the Brand Most Swear By
Three chef knives arranged on a wooden cutting board with sliced fruits bread and avocado nearby
This Shun Look-Alike Delivers High-End Japanese Damascus Steel at Half the Price of Luxury Brands
Hand using a Misen knife to peel a lemon illustrating its sharp edge for precision cutting
Misen Is Discontinuing Many of Its Best Kitchen Knives — Grab Them for 50% Off Before They’re Gone Forever
The Mac Knife Hollow Edge Santoku Knife is used to dice a sweet potato
I Asked a Bladesmith About the Worst Thing You Could Do to Your Kitchen Knives — and What He Recommends Instead
Person holding different sized organic tomatoes in kitchen
Shoppers Say This $16 Tool Is the ‘Only Way’ to Slice a Tomato Without All the ‘Mushiness’ and Mess
A chefs knife on a kitchen counter with chopped vegetables around it
Amazon Slashed Prices on 15 Top-Rated Kitchen Knives — Shop Sharp Blades From Shun, Global, Zwilling, and Henckels
Martha Stewart attends the gala screening of "Brunello: and person cutting an onion
Martha Stewart Says These Are the Only 3 Kinds of Knives You Need in Your Kitchen
A person slices bread with the Henckels Premium Quality 15-Piece Knife Set bread knife
Henckels, Wüsthof, and Zwilling Knives Are Discounted at Amazon — Save Up to 71% Before Deals Disappear
A hand slicing cucumbers with a Japanese santoku knife on a wooden cutting board
Amazon’s Top-Selling Japanese Santoku Knife Is Currently 62% Off
Anthony Bourdain next to a knife on a cutting board
This Tool Earned a Permanent Spot in Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen, and It’s More Affordable Than You’d Think
A person chops a shallot with the Shun Premier 4 Inch Paring Knife
We Found Amazon’s Best Prime Day Knife Deals, Including Shun, Zwilling, and a 14-Piece Set for $20
A paring knife on a cutting board with sliced strawberries nearby
I’ve Been Testing Knives for Years — These Are My Favorite Chef’s Knives, Steak Knives, and More, From $15
Closeup of hands cutting fresh herbs with a chefs knife on a wooden surface
Amazon's Early Memorial Day Sale Has Japanese Blades and Henckels Knife Sets Under $30
A chef preparing shrimp with a knife on a cutting board
A Sushi Chef of Over a Decade Swears By This Japanese Knife — and It’s on Sale
A set of various knives arranged on a magnetic strip attached to a wall
Wüsthof, Zwilling, and Shun Knives Are on Sale at Amazon’s Big Spring Sale — From $7
A set of Global kitchen knives displayed with some sliced vegetables
A Rare Global Knife Sale Just Hit Williams Sonoma — Including Anthony Bourdain’s Favorite Chef’s Knife
Hands slicing an onion with a chefs knife on a wooden cutting board
These Expert Knife Makers Say This Mistake Will Ruin Your Blades — This Is What They Recommend Instead
A hand using a knife to peel a piece of fruit
Shun, Wüsthof, and Zwilling Knives Are Deeply Discounted at Williams Sonoma, Starting at Just $7
Person using a chef knife to slice an eggplant on a cutting board labeled HexClad
A Miyabi Japanese Knife, a Cuisinart Knife Set, and Henckels Steak Knives Start at $7 This Weekend Only 
Three petty utility knives arranged on a slate surface surrounded by rosemary, a napkin, garlic, and cheese.
The 7 Best Petty Knives, According to My Tests
Three santoku knives on a table with chopped ingredients
The 8 Best Santoku Knives of 2026, According to My Tests
A person slicing a coated piece of meat with a sharp knife on a wooden cutting board garnishing trays are visible nearby
Carve Your Christmas Ham Correctly — This Clever Tool Will Get Your Knives ‘Super Sharp’ in Seconds
A set of kitchen knives in a wooden knife block on a counter
Henckels Knives Are on Sale During Cyber Monday — Save Up to 75% Off Today
Messermeister Avanta 5” Fine Edge 4-Piece Steak Knife Set on checkered napkin next to cutting board of sliced steak
We Found Amazon’s Best Black Friday Knife Deals, Including Shun, Zwilling, and Wüsthof
Anthony Bourdain in 2016 collaged with the Global Chef's Knife on a wood cutting board
Anthony Bourdain Recommended This Chef’s Knife for Decades, and It’s on Sale
Roundup: Early BF Amazon knife deals (30-35 deals)
We Found Henckels, Zwilling, Wüsthof, and More Knives for Up to 60% Off Ahead of Black Friday
A hand peeling an apple with a knife
We Found These Early Black Friday Knife Deals on Amazon — Starting as Low as $8
A set of kitchen knives organized on a magnetic strip mounted on a wall
This Is One of the Worst Mistakes You Can Make With Your Kitchen Knives — Try This Knife Storage Hack Instead
knife deals featuring a displayed kitchen knife and someone slicing scallions with a knife
Save Up to 60% on Shun, Zwilling, Wüsthof, Henckels, and More With Our Top 45 October Prime Day Knife Deals
Anthony Bourdain smiling in a kitchen setting
Anthony Bourdain Said Every Cook Needs Just One Blade — This Is the Knife He Swore By
A highend chefs knife with a red handle and a wide blade displayed upright
I’ve Tested Dozens of Knives, but These High-End Picks Are the Best Investment — With Some on Sale
japanese pairing knife
My Favorite Japanese Paring Knife Just Dropped to Its Lowest Price in 30 Days on Amazon
Target Henckels Knives Sale Tout
These Henckels Knife Sets Stay 'Razor Sharp' for 15+ Years, and They're Up to 70% Off Today
Four cleavers on a cutting board next to a bowl of chopped butternut squash
The 6 Best Cleaver Knives of 2026, According to My Tests
A group of nakiri knives on a cutting board
The 5 Best Nakiri Knives, According to My Tests
Knife block sets group shot of three knife sets with wood blocks
The 10 Best Knife Sets of 2026, According to Our Tests
Three knife sharpeners displayed on a counter
The 5 Best Knife Sharpeners, According to Our Tests
Chef Knives being placed on a black cutting board with food displayed around
The 8 Best Chef’s Knives, According to Our Tests
Mac Knife 8-Inch Hollow Edge Chef's Knife On Cutting Board WIth Vegetables And Molcajete
The 10 Best Japanese Knives for Every Task
An assortment of steak knives and other cutlery with black handles displayed on a countertop
The 8 Best Steak Knife Sets of 2026, According to Our Tests
Hands sharpening a knife on the King Whetstone Starter Set
The 6 Best Whetstones for Sharp Knives at Every Skill Level, According to My Tests
Four butcher knives on a wooden cutting board
The 8 Best Butcher Knives, According to My Tests
Food & Wine's favorite electric knife sharpeners
The 5 Best Electric Knife Sharpeners of 2026, According to Our Tests
Three fish fillet knives
The 6 Best Fish Fillet Knives, According to My Tests