The 3 Best Knife Sets of 2025
Upgrade pick
This customizable option lets you cherry-pick your knife set. We chose the magnetic block and Oliva Elite knives, which look as good as they perform. Building your own set gets you a 20% discount.
If you’re looking for a truly superior knife set, we recommend the customizable Messermeister Build Your Own Block Set. We selected the sculptural Magnetic Knife Block and knives from the Oliva Elite line, plus an Oliva Elite honing steel and kitchen shears. Not only does this option allow you to weed out filler, but you also get a 20% discount when you build your own set of at least five items and use the code BYOB at checkout. Note that kitchen shears are not included in this deal.
Made from high-quality German steel, the forged Messermeister knives were notably sharp in our tests, and like the Wüsthof set, they tackled every type of chopping task we attempted with precision and ease. These knives are an aesthetic standout, too.
The set allows for customization. The Build Your Own Block Set lets you choose a knife block (you have three options, all magnetic) and cutlery from eight Messermeister lines. We selected knives from the Oliva Elite set because they are consistently well reviewed and the most similar design we could find to our previous upgrade pick, a walnut-handled set from Messermeister that the company has discontinued.
In addition to the sleek Magnetic Knife Block, we picked a 3.5-inch paring knife, a 6-inch utility knife, an 8-inch chef’s knife, a 9-inch bread knife, an 8-inch carving knife, a 10-inch honing steel. Customization allowed us to choose the most useful items, with the bonus of a 20% discount over buying them individually. We also chose a set of kitchen shears, though they do not count toward the five pieces needed to qualify for the BYOB discount.
Each piece performed with precision and ease. In our tests, the chef’s knife cut through onions easily, and a nice curve to its blade allowed for an easy rocking motion when we chopped. The paring knife was lightweight and the perfect size for intricate tasks such as peeling or mincing shallots.
The bread knife was one of the sharpest serrated blades we tested, and at 9 inches, it was also the longest. It provided excellent precision and effortlessly cut paper-thin slices of rustic bread.
The shears are the sharpest and the most versatile. In our experience, Messermeister’s razor-sharp shears exhibited the least resistance when gliding through parchment paper. The handles offer the bonus of being ambidextrous, comfortable for lefties and righties to use.
These shears are also multitaskers: According to the manufacturer, they can serve as a nutcracker, a bottle opener, and a screwdriver (though we didn’t test them in those capacities).
The knives are gorgeous. The beautifully crafted ergonomic olive-wood handles provide a firm grip, are a pleasure to hold, and take the set to the next level aesthetically. Though olive wood requires some extra maintenance, as it requires periodic oiling to keep the finish, we think it’s worth the effort. We’re confident that this set’s exceptional knives will last for years to come.
The knife block is the best looking of the batch. Made from sturdy acacia wood, the arc-shaped magnetic block takes up minimal space and is easy to move around. All of the pieces we chose fit on it comfortably (the block can easily accommodate 10 knives). The flat surface makes it simple to clean and less susceptible to bacteria growth than slotted knife sets. Plus, the visibility of the knives allows you to avoid having to guess which one you’re pulling.
These knives have a limited lifetime guarantee; if you encounter problems, contact Messermeister for returns or replacements.
