The Best Knife Sets Under $100 of 2020

The Best Knife Sets Under $100— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.

You might think it’s impossible to find a quality knife set for under $100. If I’m being honest, I’ve bought single knives that cost more than that! So, how could it be possible to find a budget set that is easy to work with and also won’t break the bank?

Spoiler alert: we not only found one set (our top budget pick is the Cuisinart C77TR-15P Triple Riveted Collection 15-Piece Knife Block Set (available at Amazon for $58.91)) but we actually found a few that would be a worthy addition to your kitchen.

While we can’t speak to the longevity of these sets, it's safe to assume that they may not last as long as higher-priced sets (some of the sets we tested in our full best knife sets roundup cost upwards of $500). But, we can say that these knife sets meet our high standards for performance while also providing a great value in their contents.

Any of these sets would be perfect for your first kitchen or stocking a rental property, and one set, in particular, is a great choice for on-the-go cooking like camping.

Here are the best knife sets under $100 we tested, in order:

  1. Cuisinart C77TR-15P Triple Riveted Collection 15-Piece Knife Block Set
  2. Victorinox Swiss Classic 5-Piece Kitchen Knife Set
  3. Vremi 10 Piece Colorful Knife Set - 5 Kitchen Knives with 5 Knife Sheath Covers
  4. Calphalon 1924554 Classic 6-Piece Knife Block Set with Self-Sharpening Knife Sharpener Block
  5. J.A. Henckels International 35309-000 Statement 12-piece Knife Block Set
  6. AmazonBasics Premium 18-Piece Knife Block Set
Cuisinart
Credit: Reviewed.com/Lindsay D. Mattison
Best Knife Set Under $100
Cuisinart C77TR-15P Triple Riveted Collection 15-Piece Knife Block Set

The Cuisinart C77TR-15P Triple Riveted Collection 15-Piece Knife Block Set is an excellent choice if you’re on a tight budget. The chef’s knife has great balance and a comfortable, nicely shaped handle. It was well suited for a variety of chopping tasks and took down onions with ease. In addition to the full-sized chef’s knife, the set also includes a few bonus knives, including a 5-inch Santoku knife. That smaller, wide-bladed knife always comes in handy for quick-prep items or for those with smaller hands.

We’re impressed that this set bundles so many knives for such a low price. Because it meets our quality standards, we would certainly recommend it for anyone looking for an affordable knife set.

This set includes six knives (an 8-inch chef’s knife, a 5-inch Santoku knife, a 3.5-inch paring knife, an 8-inch serrated bread knife, a 4.5-inch utility knife, and an 8-inch slicing knife) along with a honing steel, kitchen shears, 6 steak knives, and a large, wooden block.

Pros

  • Great value

  • Good design

  • Includes a 5-inch Santoku knife

Cons

  • Knives not as sharp as other sets

How We Tested

The Tester

Hi, I’m Lindsay Mattison, a trained professional chef and a serious knife enthusiast. I worked doubles for months during college to scrape together enough money to buy my first knife set. Then, when I went to culinary school, I did the same thing to buy the recommended knife kit! I know what it feels like to spend your hard-earned cash on a purchase like this and I want you to have all the facts before spending a lot of money on knife sets.

The Tests

We selected top-rated knife sets, at different price points, from most of the major knife manufacturers. Then, we got to work testing the knives to learn how the set performed as a whole. Usually, we test knives on an individual basis, but the pre-made set had to prove overall usability and performance to really provide good value. It was important that each set included the essential knives (which we’ll talk about in a minute) and it got bonus points for adding in usable extras. We also were looking for a set that was easy to store.

The tests were designed with that in mind, evaluating value, performance, and ease of storage. We chopped onions and thinly sliced basil with the chef’s knife, peeled apples and segmented citrus with the paring knives, and sliced bread and sandwiches with the serrated knife. Most of the sets came with a smaller utility knife, so we sliced tomatoes and hard blocks of cheese. If the set included kitchen shears, we tested those as well, cutting cardboard and gliding the blades through parchment paper. Along the way, we assessed the sharpness of each blade, the comfort of the handle, and the weight and length of the knife itself to ultimately determine if the set was worth its price tag.

Things to Know When Buying a Knife Set

Before buying a knife set, ask yourself this question: What kind of knives do you like? You may not know yet, but it's worth exploring before you spend money on a set. For example, I know I have a proclivity towards Japanese-style knives (like Shun and Global) while I know a great number of chefs who prefer German steel (like Wüsthof and Zwilling J.A. Henckels). I even know a chef who only buys inexpensive ceramic knives and replaces them every three months when they get dull. So, it’s impossible for us to know what your personal preference is and we tried to keep that in mind as we ranked and rated. At the same time, there are a few steadfast rules to follow when looking for a knife set.

First of all, it needs to include the three core knives: a chef’s or Santoku knife, a paring knife, and a serrated bread knife. The Shun and Victorinox sets we tested got major points taken off for not including that all-important bread knife. The set should also include a honing steel for keeping your edges sharp and a pair of kitchen shears always come in handy (although, almost half of the sets we tested didn't include shears). If the set comes with a utility knife, that’s good–you may find this smaller knife handy for slicing cheese or small vegetables. I consider boning knives, carving or slicing knives, smaller serrated knives, tourne knives (often called peelers), or steak knives as bonus items.

Finally, you’ll need some way to store these knives. Most sets come with a block, but that may not be important if your kitchen is short on counter-space like mine. In which case, I can’t recommend a space-saving magnetic wall strip enough. Please, whatever you do, don't just throw your knives in a drawer unless they have a plastic cover. They could bang against each other and chip, or worse you might hurt yourself when reaching for one.


Other Knife Sets Under $100 We Tested

Victorinox Swiss Classic Kitchen Knife Set, 5 Pieces

While we wished the higher-rated Victorinox Fibrox Pro set came with a serrated bread knife, we found ourselves yearning for a chef’s knife with this Victorinox Swiss Classic 5-Piece Kitchen Knife Set. Instead of the classic wide-blade chef's knife, this set comes with a long, thinner “carving knife.” While it does perform all the essential functions of a chef’s knife, we like a wider blade for chopping tasks. On the other hand, we were happy with how light these knives were, and they were definitely sharp. You can’t go wrong with the price, either, although we’re not sure why they decided to provide two paring knives–one serrated and one straight-edge blade. It’s also important to keep in mind that this set doesn’t come with a wooden block, so you’ll have to find your own storage solution.

This set includes five knives (a carving knife, a bread knife, a serrated tomato and table knife, a serrated paring knife, and a straight-edge paring knife).

Pros

  • Good value

  • Knives are light weight

Cons

  • Doesn't include a chef's knife

  • Doesn't include a storage block

Vremi 5 Piece Colorful Knife Set

The Vremi 10-piece Colorful Knife Set - 5 Kitchen Knives with 5 Knife Sheath Covers totally looks like a set of ceramic knives, but they’re actually made from stainless steel. They have a comfortable, soft-grip handle and they'll add a splash of color to your life! They’re not the sharpest knives on the block (or, rather, in the block), but they’re not exactly dull, either. Because each knife comes with an individual, hard plastic cover, this would be a great knife set for your camping box or to take on-the-go (any bartenders out there?).

This set includes five knives (a chef’s knife, a paring knife, a serrated bread knife, a utility knife, and a carving knife) with five hard plastic covers.

Pros

  • Comfortable, soft-grip handle

  • Great set for a camping box

Cons

  • Not very sharp

Calphalon 1924554 Classic Self-Sharpening 6-Piece Knife Block Set

As far as beginner knife sets go, you could certainly do worse than the Calphalon 1924554 Classic Self-Sharpening 6-Piece Knife Block Set. For starters, these knives were as sharp as some of the more expensive knife sets, and we love that the block has a built-in sharpener, which is great for beginner cooks—it takes the question mark out of how to use a knife sharpener or honing steel.

This set’s major downfall was the lack of a serrated bread knife (something we think is essential in a good starter set). We also thought the knives were a little on the heavy side, and the chef’s knife has a very long handle, which threw off the balance and made it difficult to use for extended periods of time.

This set includes four knives (an 8-inch chef’s knife, a 5-inch santoku knife, a 6-inch utility knife, and a 3.5-inch paring knife) along with kitchen shears, and a large, wooden block.

Pros

  • Includes self-sharpening block

  • Knives have sharp edges

Cons

  • Doesn't include serrated bread knife

  • Chef's knife handle is too long

Henckels International 35309 Statement 12-pc Knife Block Set

For the price, the J.A. Henckels International 35309-000 Statement 12-Piece Knife Block Set isn’t a terrible deal. The knives themselves are lightweight and sharp enough to tackle every job we threw at them, but the handle design got in the way of making this a stellar set. The handles are a little clunky for our liking, making them awkward to hold.

We also didn’t love the paring knife, which features a wide blade and thick handle, making maneuverability difficult. That said, if you’re looking for a budget knife set that comes with steak knives and you prefer getting a santoku knife instead of a utility knife, this would be a fine starter set for most kitchens.

This set includes four knives (an 8-inch chef’s knife, a 7-inch santoku knife, an 8-inch serrated bread knife, a 3-inch paring knife) along with a honing steel, kitchen shears, six steak knives, and a large, wooden block.

Pros

  • Great budget sets

  • Includes steak knives

Cons

  • No utility knife

  • Awkward handles

AmazonBasics Premium 18-Piece Knife Block Set

You get a startling number of knives for a great price with the AmazonBasics Premium 18-Piece Knife Block Set. That being said, it really isn't my favorite in the group. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of knives you find in the drawers at a vacation rental property. They aren't effortless to use like some of the other sets I tested were, but they certainly get the job done. As a chef, I would go a little crazy using these knives on the regular, but this set would work just fine for someone who doesn't cook very much.

This set includes seven knives (an 8-inch chef’s knife, a 7-inch Santoku knife, a 3.5-inch paring knife, an 8-inch serrated bread knife, a 5.5-inch utility knife, a 6-inch boning knife, and an 8-inch slicing knife) with a honing steel, kitchen shears, eight steak knives, and a large, wooden block.

Pros

  • Good value

Cons

  • Needs too much effort to use regularly

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