Finding the right kitchen knives is not a one-size-fits-all process. After all, one person's day-to-day cooking activities could widely vary from another's, and that's before we even get into the question of budgets.
That's why I set out to try a few different options on my quest to find the best knife sets out there. After talking to a number of professional chefs about how much we should be spending on kitchen knives, one thing was clear to me: cost is nowhere near as important as maintenance.
The issue of keeping knives in shape can be easily solved by investing in a knife block with a sharpener built in. In my opinion, there are two standout brands that nail this feature: Ninja has the StaySharp (£169.99 from Ninja), and Joseph Joseph has the Elevate (£99 at Joseph Joseph). But which one is best for your kitchen specifically? I tested both against each other to find out.
These knives are so sharp and just excellent for chopping veg and working with meat. I've found sharpening them once every two weeks keeps them in perfect condition, and the ergonomic handle is a huge plus.
This slim-line set is lighter in the hand than the Ninja option and features a fantastic variety of knives, especially with the smaller options. I've been reaching for this set for all small day-to-day cooking jobs, from slicing bagels to prepping veg for soup.
1. Choice of knives
Working out which knives you need specifically for your kitchen is crucial, as well as which knife you are drawn to most from your current collection.
Personally, my most-used knife is a £18 Santoku-style knife from ProCook. I cook mostly vegan meals at home and find it a god-send for slicing through veg.
So when I unboxed both sets, the Joseph Joseph version immediately appealed to me thanks to the included 5.5” Santoku knife. The entire Joseph Joseph set is also made from Japanese stainless steel - that quality shows when you hold each knife in your hand.
All in all, the set features a paring knife, a serrated knife, that Santoku knife, a chef’s knife and a bread knife.
The selection in the Ninja set is similarly impressive, though a little less catered to my personal tastes. Also made from durable forged German stainless steel, the set is complete with a 8” chef knife, 8” bread knife, 8” slicing knife, 5” utility knife and 3.5” paring knife.
Here, the chef's knife and the slicing knife will be invaluable to those with a more meat-based diet and I can attest that the sharpness of these knives is quite something. The quality of both is outstanding for anyone looking to pick up a full collection of kitchen knives in one swoop.
2. Integrated sharpeners
The real USP of both of these sets is the integrated sharpeners within each block. Ninja's is more flashy, with a large slot that you pop a knife into with a lever you pull on the side to keep each blade optimally sharp. It has much more of an impact on the overall look of the block too, which added to the loud Ninja branding, means that this is certainly the set you notice first.
The Joseph Joseph sharpener is somewhat hidden within the design of the knife block. Pull out a small section of the base and you'll unveil a two-stage ceramic sharpener, which is simple to use. All you need to do is safely hold the sharpener steady and glide each knife through the gaps.
While the built-in Ninja sharpener will only fit the size of the brand's knife in the set or smaller, the Joseph Joseph sharpener is a bit more flexible, though it cannot be used with ceramic or serrated knives.
After trying both, I found the performance of each sharpener to be comparable, but the real test will be over time in terms of how shiny-new the knives stay. Ninja claim that this set can withstand 10 years of use by using the sharpener, and Joseph Joseph products are known to be built-to-last, so it'll be the ultimate test, but right now, it's too soon for me to tell who wins this round.
3. Design
If you're design-minded, one of the most crucial things with investing in a knife block is making sure it fits with the rest of your kitchen. This is where I'd say these two sets are most radically different.
The Ninja knife block is big and bulky – it is going to attract attention on your worktop regardless of how you style it. The Joseph Joseph set is a lot quieter in its looks and crucially, can be stored lying down in a cutlery draw. That's not the case with the Ninja block, though if you're lucky enough to have a pantry or a big enough cupboard, it could be stashed away.
The feel and design of the knives themselves is also important. The Ninja knives feel heavier and more premium, while the Joseph Joseph set are colour-coded across the handle.
In terms of ergonomics, the Ninja knives are more comfortable to keep in your hand and use, while the Joseph Joseph set is lighter – perfect for anyone not looking for a heavy knife.
Overall, for me, the Ninja just edges this competition for a few reasons. I cook so regularly that I don't mind having a knife block on show, the knives just feel slightly more premium overall and I prefer the handle style. But the Joseph Joseph set is a close competitor and as the more affordable option will be more appealing to a lot of people.
Either way, with one of these options in your kitchen, you won't have to worry about your knives deteriorating before your eyes. Do you have a preference for your kitchen?
