Having a great knife is one thing, having a whole set of great knives can make you feel like a culinary god!
Different knives serve different purposes, so it makes sense to fill your kitchen with at least the main styles of kitchen knives. Getting an all in one knife set is a great way to fill your kitchen quickly with the knives you need. They also usually come in a storage unit, typically a knife block. These can not only look great on your kitchen countertop but they are also a safe place to store your knives, away from any risk of the blade edge getting chipped or damaged which can happen if you just throw your knives into a cutlery drawer.
There is another benefit too. Getting a kitchen knife set can be significantly cheaper than buying the knives individually, especially if you’re after a quality product.
That’s why I’ve put together this list. I’m going to show you a range of top quality kitchen knife sets from great manufacturers. Some of these knife producers will sell a single chef’s knife for $80 – $150, but all the sets I’m going to show you offer a whole array of knives, extra accessories and a storage block for under $200 whilst maintaining the same high quality.
I’m going to show a range of different sizes and designs across 9 knife sets, so hopefully, there should be something for everyone.
My personal recommendation would be the J.A. Henckels 20 piece knife set. It’s J.A. Henckels are one of the biggest names in the kitchen knife world and this huge set offers fantastic value for money, using a quality German steel (X50CrMoV15) these knives are built for comfort and durability and deliver on both.
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You can take a look at the J.A. Henckels 20 piece knife set on Amazon here (opens new tab).
The best knife sets under $200
Here is my full list of knife set recommendations under $200. I think every knife set on this list would make a great choice and each is made using quality materials.
I’ve ranked them in price order rather than giving them any kind of score as I think that the knife set you choose should be down to your personal taste for design and the range of knives you think you’ll use in the kitchen.
| Name | Price | Check current price |
| TUO 8 piece knife set | $190 – $200 | Link to Amazon |
| J.A. Henckels 20 piece knife set | $190 – $200 | Link to Amazon |
| Victorinox 14 piece knife set | $190 – $200 | Link to Amazon |
| Wüsthof 7 piece knife set | $180 – $200 | Link to Amazon |
| Kai Wasabi 8 piece knife set | $170 – $180 | Link to Amazon |
| Kurschmann 15 piece knife set | $150 – $160 | Link to Amazon |
| Mercer Culinary Genesis 6 piece knife set | $130 – $150 | Link to Amazon |
| J.A. Henckels 15 piece knife set | $110 – $130 | Link to Amazon |
| Styled Settings 6 piece knife set | $100 – $120 | Link to Amazon |
I’ve provided a direct link to the product on Amazon and I’d always recommend taking a quick look at the price via this link for any of the knife sets you like the look of. It’s not unusual that knife sets will be on a discounted offer so even you might just find a bargain.
TUO 8 piece knife set
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TUO 8 piece knife set Review Table
| Country of manufacture | China |
| Steel type | X50CrMoV15 (German steel that’s ideal for durability) |
| Rockwell hardness | 57 |
| Handle material | Pakkawood |
| Pros | Incredible design and durable materials |
This is a stunning knife set and very unique. It’s just under $200 but personally I think it looks like it could be worth a lot more. TUO makes a range of Japanese inspired knives and it’s great to see them opting for a uniquely designed knife block too.
The knives are Japanese in style but they use german steel. Specifically, these knives are made using a german stainless steel which has the catchy name X50CrMov15. This is steel often used to manufacture quality kitchen knives, more commonly of the western style rather than Japanese.
The reason it is used so often is that it’s a great mixture of durability and strength, common in german knife steel. I think this is a great choice of steel for a knife set as, although many Japanese steels are very hard, they can also be a little brittle and not as rust resistant as their German counterparts. This is fine for a single knife or two as you can ensure you take proper care of it, but for a whole set of knives, I think using the more durable german steel makes a lot of sense.
The knives are classic Japanese is style; including a Santoku and cleaver. It’s quite rare to get a cleaver in a knife set, especially for under $200, so that’s a great addition. The handles are rounded and use pakka wood, a wood often used for knife handles due to its durability and beautiful natural look and feel.
The knives sit in a lovely bamboo knife block, finished off with a Japanese inscription. The knife block shows off the blades of the knife which I think is a fantastic idea, especially for such beautifully designed knives.
It’s a high-quality knife set built to a Japanese style but keeping durability firmly in mind. It’s my personal favorite knife set on this list.
J.A. Henckels 20 piece knife set
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J.A. Henckels 20 piece knife set Review Table
| Country of manufacture | Spain |
| Steel type | X50CrMoV15 (German steel that’s ideal for durability) |
| Rockwell hardness | 56 |
| Handle material | Thermoplastic |
| Pros | Classic design using durable materials |
Now it’s time for something of a more classic western style. This huge 20 piece knife set by Zwilling J.A. Henckels ensures that you’ll never be without the knife you need. The knife block has also got a couple of great additional features as well.
The knives use X50CrMoV15 steel to offer both rust and corrosion resistance as well as increased hardness and durability. The knives have no bolsters as the blades are made from stamped steel, generally considered as slightly lower quality than forged steel which gives more strength.
However; I think it’s a compromise worth taking to have such a large selection of J.A. Henckels knives for under $200, as they do have a reputation for high quality. The knives have black wooden handles with a classic triple-rivet to improve strength.
The knife block itself is made from stained ash wood and has a beautiful dark and deep color. The top of the block is cover in stainless steel and it has the great feature of labeling each knife slot with the correct knife, such a simple little solution for a problem I’m sure anyone who has used a knife block in the past has had (it also helps you remember which knife is missing when one does go astray!).
The knife block is labeled as having an inbuilt sharpener for each knife which sharpens them once they are placed back into the block. This is slightly misleading in my opinion as the knives are actually being honed, not sharpened. But pretty much every knife manufacturer labels knife honers as knife sharpeners.
Funnily enough the fact that the block hones the knives is actually far more useful than sharpening them if your knife was truly sharpened after each use then the blade would be ground away in no time! If you’re not sure about the difference between honing and sharpening a knife and the tools involved I wrote an article on it you should check out here.
It’s a huge set of knives in an attractive and useful knife block from a great knife producer.
Victorinox 14 piece knife set
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Victorinox 14 piece knife set Review Table
| Country of manufacture | Switzerland |
| Steel type | X50CrMoV15 (German steel that’s ideal for durability) |
| Rockwell hardness | 56 |
| Handle material | TPE (Thermoplastic) |
| Pros | Super lightweight knives |
Victorinox has a fantastic history of making top quality blades. It’s a company in Switzerland which started back in 1884 making swiss army knives, so they know a thing or two about blades and I’m really happy to feature them in this list of recommendations.
They use X50CrMoV15 steel for these knives. The blades are stamped and not forged, usually forged is seen as better quality as it provides more strength to the knife, whilst I do agree that forged knives are preferable, this is a quality knife manufacturer and the actual steel used is of high quality, so there is still good value in these knives and for general home use the stamped steel will be fine.
The nylon Fibrox handles are simple and designed with ergonomics in mind. As a result, they are comfortable and the properties of the material used to give them great non-slip quality.
The knife block is a dark walnut wooden block and has an attractive elegance. The block has also been designed with a little ledge on the back where you’re able to place your phone, iPad or cookbook so you can read it hands-free whilst you’re cooking which is a very nice idea.
I do like Victorinox as a brand, I think they focus on using high-quality steel and as such, they produce some great knives for quite reasonable prices. If you’re getting high quality there is often a little compromise and in this set, it’s the fact that the steel is not forged and the handles are made from synthetic material. Having said that, a 14 piece Victorinox knife set for under $200 is an absolute bargain in my book.
Wüsthof Gourmet 7 piece knife set
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Wüsthof Gourmet 7 piece knife set Review Table
| Country of manufacture | Germany |
| Steel type | X50CrMoV15 (German steel that’s ideal for durability) |
| Rockwell hardness | 56 |
| Handle material | POM (Thermoplastic) |
| Pros | Lightweight and durable |
I had to get a Wüsthof knife set on this list. They are the kings of german style knives and I think anyone would find it hard to be disappointed with a Wüsthof knife. This set is not different, classic and simple in style, using quality materials.
It’s Wüsthof, so you know they’re going to use a high-quality, stainless steel. Like Victorinox however, they have had to find a way to make a knife set for under $200 and to do it they have gone down the stamped steel route instead of forged. I can accept this because I know the steel is going to be of high quality.
The stamped steel stretches the whole length of the handles to give additional strength to the knives. The handle is designed in a classic style and triple-riveted, rounded at the edges for increased comfort. The handle is black in color and made using a thermoplastic commonly used by Wüsthof, it makes the handle extremely resistant to water and temperature changes and makes it extremely durable.
The selection of knives is a lot smaller than some of the sets on this list but it is very well considered, covering most of the needs you would have in the kitchen. The knife block is made from cherry wood and has a beautiful red tinge to the color.
This is a very professional looking set of knives from one of the world’s best producers of western style knives. The only drawback may be the stamped steel as opposed to forged but the actual steel used is of great quality and I promise the knives will be razor-sharp. A Wüsthof knife set for under $200 is without a doubt one of the best ‘bang for your buck’ items on this list.
Kai Wasabi 8 piece knife set
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Kai Wasabi 8 piece knife set Review Table
| Country of manufacture | Knives are made in Japan. Block and sharpening steel made in China |
| Steel type | 6A/1K6 (Japanese steel that’s ideal for durability) |
| Rockwell hardness | 56 |
| Handle material | Polypropylene |
| Pros | Lightweight and amazing Japanese design |
This is another Japanese-influenced entry on this list and it is a beauty. Unlike the first entry, this Kai Wasabi 8 piece set does use Japanese steel instead of german steel.
The steel used is a stainless steel called 6A/1K6. It’s good-quality steel and it’s Japanese, which means it’s going to be hard! The harder a steel is the sharper it can be, knives with a smaller blade angle are sharper, whilst western knives tend to be at around a 20-degree angle, these Kai Wasabi knives have a 16-degree cutting edge so you may well find that you have never used a knife as sharp as these ones before.
The set includes a typical range of great Japanese styles such as a Nakiri and Gyuto. The handles are a classic Japanese style as well, with a tapered cylindrical shape. A thermoplastic polymer has been used to make the handles meaning they are extremely durable and resistant to water and temperature changes. They also have a non-slip quality making controlling the knives easier.
The set also comes with a honing steel (they actually call it a honing steel rather than a sharpening steel, FINALLY!) which is a great addition. If you don’t really know what honing is then I’d highly recommend you take a quick look at my article on how to hone a knife here.
The knives come is a suitably Japanese bamboo block which would be a great addition to any modern kitchen.
This is a truly Japanese knife set, using Japanese steel and design to make traditional Japanese knives. It’s not often you find true Japanese knives at a good price so to get all of this for under $200 is a real steal.
Kurschmann 15 piece knife set
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Kurschmann 15 piece knife set Review Table
| Country of manufacture | China |
| Steel type | X50CrMoV15 (German steel that’s ideal for durability) |
| Rockwell hardness | 56 |
| Handle material | ABS (Thermoplastic) |
| Pros | Modern design and comfortable |
Kurschmann is another manufacturer which only uses quality materials when producing their kitchen knives. This 15 piece kitchen knife set blends those quality materials together with a unique and stylish design.
All these knives are made using a high carbon German stainless steel which is called X50CrMoV15. It’s steel commonly used in kitchen knife production as it has great qualities of rust and corrosion resistance increasing its durability along with good strength due to the high carbon content.
The knives are made using forged steel so they all have full bolsters and a full tang into the handle, giving them plenty of strength. The handles are made from a thermoplastic polymer ABS which makes them very resistant to water and temperature changes, again increasing the overall durability of the knives as well as giving off a stylish and modern appearance with the white color of the handles.
This knife set also includes a handy honing rod that you’ll want to use to hone your knives every three or so uses (except the bread knife, that doesn’t need to be honed very often). The knives are stored upright in a very attractive acacia timber block. I do like this upright style in knife blocks and from a practical viewpoint, it also saves you vital countertop space in the kitchen.
This is a refreshingly designed kitchen knife set with a great array of different knives. It has a unique style, both with the white-handled modern knives and the upright wooden storage block. It’s a lovely knife set and I think it would be a great choice for any home.
Mercer Culinary Genesis 6 piece knife set
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Mercer Culinary Genesis 6 piece knife set Review Table
| Country of manufacture | Taiwan |
| Steel type | X50CrMoV15 (German steel that’s ideal for durability) |
| Rockwell hardness | 56 |
| Handle material | Santoprene (thermoplastic) |
| Pros | Modern design and comfortable |
Mercer produces a wide range of classically influenced knives and they always produce good quality at a relatively low price point.
They actually have a few variations of this uniquely designed knife set but I’ve chosen this one in particular because I think it looks great and would actually help to save a little space in the kitchen (oh, and it’s under $200!).
The knives are made using a quality German stainless steel. It’s that one again, X50CrMoV15, I’ve mentioned it a few times in this article already and there’s a good reason why. This steel is often used in quality kitchen knife manufacturers because it’s got great rust and corrosion resistance as well as being hard due to the high carbon content.
The knives in this set are all classic western in style. There are no extras here, just 5 great knives and a storage unit. Each knife is made with forged steel and has a full bolster and full tang.
The handles are simple and ergonomic but I think the design works really well. The handle material is made from a thermoplastic called Santoprene which means it’s extremely resistant to water and temperature changes, making these knives very durable, it also gives a useful non-slip quality to the handle and is very comfortable.
The storage ‘block’ is unique. It’s not really a block but rather a steel structure with tempered glass sides allowing you to rest the knives vertically in a straight row. I think it looks fantastic and having a straight thin block like this lets you push it to the rear of your kitchen countertop, out of the way of the actual work surface.
It’s a unique design, and as always with Mercer the knives are quality.
J.A. Henckels 15 piece knife set
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J.A. Henckels 15 piece knife set Review Table
| Country of manufacture | Spain |
| Steel type | X50CrMoV15 (German steel that’s ideal for durability) |
| Rockwell hardness | 56 |
| Handle material | Thermoplastic |
| Pros | Classic design using durable materials |
This is the second J.A. Henckels knife set on this list and it really is being offered at a great price.
This 15 piece knife set is made using a stamped steel for the blade. This is generally not considered to be as good as forged steel knives which usually have more strength, but the quality of steel used is good and for general home use stamped knives are perfectly suitable.
Being a stamped blade there is no bolster on these knives, the handles are made from a polymer and are black in color. They are resistant to water and changes in temperate to increase the durability of the knife. This is a large knife set including a good array of knife styles along with a honing rod which is a very useful tool if you don’t already have one, I would recommend honing most knives after every three uses, although serrated knives, like bread knives, don’t need to be honed this often.
The knives sit in a classic lightly colored wooden block and the overall impression of the set is a classic and professional look.
J.A. Henckels is one of the world’s top brands when it comes to western style kitchen knives and to get a 15 piece knife set at way under $200 is quite the bargain in my mind. There is a little compromise in that the blades are made from stamped steel and not forged but the materials used for the knife set are still top quality.
Styled Settings copper 6 piece knife set
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Styled Settings copper 6 piece knife set Review Table
| Country of manufacture | China |
| Steel type | X50CrMoV15 (German steel that’s ideal for durability) |
| Rockwell hardness | 56 |
| Handle material | Thermoplastic |
| Pros | Classic design using durable materials |
I wanted the lowest priced item on this list to be something a bit special, something different which will really grab the attention of anyone who enters your kitchen. I think this 6 piece knife set by Styled Settings does just that with its unique copper trim style.
The knives are made from good quality stainless steel for increased durability. They are forged steel and each knife has a full bolster and full tang in the handle. The bolster has a copper (rose gold) finish, as do the rivets on the triple-riveted handle. The black handles are made from pakkawood which is a great wood often used to make quality kitchen knife handles due to their durability. The black and copper contrast fantastically and really make all the knives stand out.
The storage block is equally as stylish. The top of the black block has a copper finish with the knives sitting upright in the block. It’s a powerful piece of design when all the knives are sitting in the block and it looks great.
It’s something a bit different but the knives themselves are made using quality materials and are classically designed, this knife block is certainly not style over substance and it’s available for what I think is a really low price.
