If You Own These Types Of Knives, They Won't Work With A Magnetic Knife Holder

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A magnetic knife holder might seem like the perfect way to store your knives — it gives you easy access to all your knives, will fit knives of any size, and can be installed right above your workspace. But this handy kitchen solution isn't without its drawbacks, the main one being that it isn't actually suitable for all types of knives. More specifically, if you own ceramic, copper, or aluminum knives, they won't successfully stick to the magnetic trip.  

Ceramic knives, which are great for resisting rust and stains, don't contain any metal — so they won't actually be of any use with a magnetic knife strip. More surprisingly, despite being made from metal, copper and aluminum knives are aren't magnetic. Aluminum is considered weakly magnetic, so the hold with the agent will not be strong enough to support your knives, while copper knives will actually be physically repelled by the knife strip's magnet.

That's not to say that your magnetic knife strip will go to waste if you're making the change to ceramic, copper, or aluminum knives. Using jars with metal lids, you can repurpose it into a magnetic spice rack, or simply use it to store other metal items such as scissors, whisks, or tongs. Additionally, there are many other ways to store your ceramic, copper, and aluminum knives that don't involve magnets. 

If you don't have the right type of knives for a magnetic knife holder, there are plenty of other ways that you can store them — each with advantages and disadvantages. For example, the classic wooden knife block is a ubiquitous sight on many kitchen counters, but they should only be used to store the exact knife set they were made for. Putting knives into slots that don't fit is a sure-fire way to dull the blades, so unless your non-magnetic knives came with one, knife blocks are better off avoided. 

For expensive chef knives, professionals prefer leather knife roll bags, which can be useful for storing non-magnetic knives. They protect the blades from dulling as well as keep them out of reach from children, but they do mean giving up on easy access. For both flexibility and ease of use, an in-drawer knife holder may be ideal. Models like the SpaceAid knife drawer organizer fit knives of all sizes and are made with linings that protect the blades.

If you don't have enough knives to justify an in-drawer block, or you simply don't have the space for one, avoid the risk of storing loose knives in a drawer. Invest in a set of knife edge guards or try the clever knife storage hack of making your own from paper towel tubes.