To ask if any knives actually last...

[ReadySteadyTwins]

Looking for some help please. With kitchen knives.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but my knives all go blunt, and get rusty coloured spots.

DM is going to get me a nice knife set for my birthday, and wanted to know what people have, and really rate, for around the £300 mark.

I keep mine in a drawer (knife blocks creep me out) and apparently this is blunting them? Does it really affect that much that they are in a drawer, or is it marginal?

I don't like the global knives, or anything with holes in/all metal. I like a classic look, or opulent look, with a proper handle.

I cook from scratch most days, and they need to be dishwasher safe. Does such a set exist?

Victorinox was recommended on here as someone had been recommended them by their butcher. I've had mine for several years and they are still very good

Henckels Zwilling. They are wonderful, I've had a couple of them 30 years.

Wusthof
Don't put them in the dishwasher
Sharpen regularly
Don't use a glass chopping board
Magnetic knife block

We've got globals.

Only have 4 different knives but they are amazing and we don't really use anything else. Had them about 5-6 years now

Gosh, I've never thought to sharpened any of my knives and I've had them nearly 20 years now! I use them every day, but I do always wash by hand.

You really need to go to a decent cook shop and actually try the knives, in your hand.
I really thought I wanted Henckles, but I tried them and tried the Robert Welch and tried a lot more too, and ended up with the Robert Welch. All the cookshop ladies then said they used them too.

And advised a proper knife holder, no dishwasher and wooden chopping board.

I have a set of Joseph Joseph knives. I don't keep them in a block but they all have their own sheath so can be kept safely in a drawer.
I also hand wash them.

I agree with @Gladioli23 re Richardson's Sabatier knives.
Had know idea how bad my old knives were until I got these.
Quick sharpen every now and again.

I just buy cheap and keep them sharp

Never put them in the dishwasher and never in a drawer

Quality of steel will determine how well they hold an edge, and if they're cheap you'll spend a bit more time sharpening

Good knives don't like the dishwasher unfortunately. We have ours on a magnetic wall mounted strip

You need a decent sharpener.
We’ve got a chef’s choice for asian blades which we use with wushof which after 20 years are still razor sharp (in that you could shave your legs with them!)

With a sharper though you need to make sure it sharpens at the right angle. A sabatier or European is typically 20 degree. Wusthoff and other high end and Japanese knives are typically 15 degrees.

My Global knives have been going in the dishwasher for 20 years and they’re fine! I must have been lucky.

The drawer block is a definite.

The problem with the knife block/magnetic strip/anything on display (humour me) is watching too many horror films, and knowing I have an instant visible array of knives for a pal of Michael Myers to easily grab. Whereas in the many kitchen drawers, a confronted intruder is more likely to find the teaspoons first. Daft I know, but it really gives me chills.

And I am going to put them in the dishwasher. With the best intentions, the hand washing will last all of a week. Too many young children, not enough time. Dishwasher is on 2 or 3 times a day as it is. So anyone who can testify their knives are still going strong with regular dishwashing, I want to hear from

My Wusthof carving set only ever goes through the dishwasher, and he's....ok.....

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel

My Global knives have been going in the dishwasher for 20 years and they’re fine! I must have been lucky.

Are they all metal handles though?

I've bought a Robert Welch set and love them.

Though I did nearly lose a finger while I was getting used to them.

I keep my good knives on a magnetic rack.

I'm very, VERY precious about them - I only ever use a wooden chopping block, they're washed by hand after every use and put away, and properly sharpened 2/3 times a year, using several grades of whetstone.

If you're looking for really nice new knives, may I recommend these by the Savernake Knife Company?

Pricey, but superb.

And I am going to put them in the dishwasher. With the best intentions, the hand washing will last all of a week.

But, you know... rinse under hot tap, dry, put away. It's really no more faff that putting them in the dishwasher.

@BoodleBug51

I've bought a Robert Welch set and love them.

Though I did nearly lose a finger while I was getting used to them.

These look "bent" if you know what I mean? How does it compare using a curvy knife as opposed to a straight edged one?

Keeping them on a magnetic rack isn't really very good for the edges either, the metal ones anyway

I've seen a wooden one with a magnet inside which seemed better

You can wash any knife you want, however you want, but it makes a difference to edge retention, if you're happy with a bit more sharpening then crack on, it's not gonna make them fall apart if they're a full metal construction

I have a knife block one from Wilko, it's still as good as it was on day 1 6 years ago - agree with regular sharpening and hand washing. I use mine multiple times a day and cook daily too.

I'd really advise against putting your knives in the dishwasher. The dishwasher will keep your knives hot and wet for a long time and the jets and detergent are very abrasive and will damage the blade. I know people on here say they do and their knives are still sharp, but judging by some of the 'sharp' knives my friends use, I have some doubts. It takes a minute to wash and dry a knife.

A couple of points is firstly, do you need a set? Most people only use two or three knives from a set, so you might be able to get better knives by buying fewer, single knives. And secondly, see if you can try them out yourself first. Just because a knife is expensive and suits someone else, it doesn't mean you will like it. I'd also look into getting a way to maintain and sharpen your knives. No knife will hold a good edge without care. I'd get a honing steel to maintain the edge (I use it every couple of days) and a whetstone to sharpen every six months.

I really like the weight and shape of them, they sit very naturally in the hand. But i did buy one first to see how I got on with it rather than buying a complete set. Once I realised how nice they were to use, I then went on and bought 5 more and a book case style block.

@OneTC

Keeping them on a magnetic rack isn't really very good for the edges either, the metal ones anyway

I've seen a wooden one with a magnet inside which seemed better

You can wash any knife you want, however you want, but it makes a difference to edge retention, if you're happy with a bit more sharpening then crack on, it's not gonna make them fall apart if they're a full metal construction

If we're getting to 'angels dancing on the head of pin' stuff here, then yes, you're right, magnetic racks aren't ideal.

The absolute gold standard would be to wash your knives immediately after every use, then wrap them in a double layer of linen cloth and store them away from other knives.

However, the OP is fairly clear that they're not going to put this amount of time into it, so, you know, it's the least worst option.

Just had to look at my make. It's zwilling j a Henkels. Had them about 20 yrs. Fantastic knives stayed sharp as I've sharpened them regularly. They are in a block which I hate but was told to!

I use Yaxell & Henkles and still going strong after 10 years of use. I try to sharpen them once a week and keep them in a block. Guilty of dishwashing them though which hasn't been kind to the handles :(