The 3 Best Steak Knife Sets of 2025
Top pick
Modern, attractive, and incredibly sharp, these knives are easy to use and offer exceptional value.
Material’s The Table Knives were our clear winner. No other knives came close to matching their performance, price, quality, and looks, not to mention their included storage block.
The extremely sharp blades cut tough steaks with ease, and the slightly grippy handles are safe and make it easy to maneuver around bones. The knives weigh around 62 grams each, which is a nice midpoint between our hefty runner-up pick from Messermeister and our lighter budget pick.
They’re super sharp. All testers were impressed by the knives’ sheer sharpness. Right out of the box, they sliced easily through tough pork chops without any sawing. The knife’s tip is also quite acute, which is useful for initiating trickier cuts through cartilage or around bone.
They’re easy to clean. The knives’ composite handles are durable and stain resistant. And unlike most wooden handles, they’re easy to clean and don’t absorb water or oils. You could even put the Material knives in the dishwasher in a pinch—though we wouldn’t recommend doing this regularly, since the dishwasher will cause their blades to dull faster.
The handles are practical and comfortable. They have a slight grip that adds comfort and safety. The top edge of the blade is rounded, which is gentler on your pointer finger if you tend to press it into the top of the knife as you slice.
The knives also have a narrow bolster (the metal cuff connecting the blade to the handle). This adds space between the sharp blade and your fingers, which can prevent accidents.
They’re easy to sharpen. The bolster doesn’t extend down the heel of the blade (as it would on a full-bolster knife), so it doesn’t get in the way if you want to sharpen the knives with an electric knife sharpener.
They’re nicely weighted. The Material knives fall between the hefty Messermeister knives and the flimsier Victorinox Swiss Modern Steak Knives (our budget pick) in weight, offering a nice midpoint that most of our testers deemed ideal.
Chic storage is included. Our pick was the only set we tested that comes with a storage block. The sleek, compact maple wood block can stand upright on a counter or lay flat in a drawer, protecting the blades so they stay sharp longer.
They’re full tang. The knives are made with a single piece of steel that extends from blade tip to handle end. This adds strength (a practical concern), balance, and a bit of heft (though not too much). Full-tang knives are usually pricier than this set.
The Table Knives come in five modern color options. You can choose from three solid color sets and two multicolor sets, so you can find the right aesthetic for your tablescape.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
Availability could be a concern. We’ve found that with newer direct-order brands like Material (as opposed to long-established brands like Messermeister), stock can be unpredictable. But if these aren’t available, the Messermeister Avanta set below is a great backup choice that performs well at a similar price. Or, if you’re more keen on the modern look, our budget pick will still give you all the practical functionality, if not the style points.
You may not need the knife block. Though we love that these knives come with their own dedicated block, it could become clutter if you already have a block with empty slots for steak knives at home.
Colored knives aren’t for everyone. If you’re strictly looking for a traditional wood- or black-handle knife set, you won’t find that among Material’s color options. That being said, the beige color may work for you.
