Why There's Simply No Need For Knife Blocks Anymore

Sometimes it can feel like there's just too much of everything available these days. With internet shopping at our fingertips and specialty stores popping up left, right, and center, many of us have found ourselves with cluttered kitchens. Whether or not you really need a cherry pitter, a strawberry topper, and 17 types of pots and pans is up to you, but we can tell you one thing you can most certainly ditch — an old-fashioned knife block.

Knife blocks are storage devices used by manufacturers to safely bundle and ship multiple knives to consumers. They became popular in the 1970s right after the televised cooking revolution, spearheaded by folks like Julia Child, had started to take over America. Advertisements pushed consumers to embrace the holders in both a practical and decorative sense, but nowadays many consider them a marketing ploy and a waste of money.

In fact, there are plenty of chefs out there who believe that knife blocks are one of the worst ways to store knives. This is not just because they take up space on the counter, but because they also come with knives that the average home cook doesn't need. Even worse, they can harbor lingering germs and are notoriously difficult to keep clean.

Most home cooks can get by with just three knives: a chef's knife for general chopping, a paring knife for more precise tasks, and a serrated bread knife. Of course, some might find themselves looking for something between a chef's knife and a paring knife, like a petty knife, and those who often cut through meat and tough vegetables may benefit from owning a cleaver. Japanese knife enthusiasts are also known to invest in an affordable Santoku knife. But overall, knife sets can be a waste of money.

Instead, take a cue from the pros and install a magnetic knife strip. Magnetic strips are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to store knives in home kitchens for a number of reasons. For one thing, they provide easier access, save space, and ensure that blades stay sharp. If knife blocks aren't designed properly, they can dull the edges of your knives, especially if those edges get dragged along the bottoms of the slots.

Magnetic strips are more hygienic, too. A study from NSF International showed that a knife block was one of the top 10 kitchen items with the most bacteria, as food can get trapped in all of those deep slots. If you don't want to install a strip, you can copy Martha Stewart's knife storage tip, which involves utilizing a drawer, or invest in a knife roll. Here's more on the smartest way to store kitchen knives if you're looking for further advice.