Storage options

First and foremost, you want to store your knives safely so children cannot reach them. Once you’ve located a safe place to store your knives, you have three storage choices.

The first is a knife block. This usually stays on the kitchen counter, as it puts the knives easily within reach when you’re cooking. Many versions of knife blocks are available. Make sure your block has enough slots for all of your knives. Some blocks conveniently have slots at the bottom for steak knives. One helpful hint: If your knife block has vertical slots, you can place your knives in these slots with the sharp side up. This minor step may help keep your knives sharper for a longer period of time.

The second storage choice is in a drawer. Some knife blocks are designed to go into drawers instead of sitting on your countertop. This is especially helpful if your countertop space is limited, or if you have plenty of drawer space. Another drawer storage option is to place plastic sleeves onto the knife blades to protect your knives and you. This is a good idea if you have just a few knives and very limited storage space. Do not place your knives in a drawer without protective sleeves or a knife block. This will certainly dull your knives quickly, and it will increase your chances of cutting your fingers when you reach into the drawer.

The third choice is magnetic strip holders. These mount on your wall or cabinet. A very strong magnet holds the blade in place, with the handle at the bottom, and the tip facing up. While these are very popular in commercial kitchens, magnetic holders are my least favorite way to store knives at home. A momentary slip can cause a knife to fall. Plus, some magnets require a bit of extra effort to remove a knife. Forcefully moving a knife can easily lead to an accident.