Slotted, Universal or Magnetic: The Best Knife Block

In a restaurant kitchen, knives usually live on magnetic rails or in a roll, not loose in a drawer where the edges knock together and someone reaches in blind. At home the counter block does the same job: it keeps the edge off other metal, keeps the knife you need within reach of the cutting board, and keeps the tips away from small hands. Buying the block separately, rather than the one that came with a set, lets you fit it to the knives you actually use.

There are three kinds of countertop block worth knowing: slotted wooden blocks, universal blocks that take any knife in any order, and magnetic blocks that hold blades on their faces. This guide compares nine of them from 360 Knife Block, Schmidt Brothers, Made In, Wüsthof, Zwilling, Shun and KITCHENDAO, using the specifications each maker or listing states and the published findings of America’s Test Kitchen, which we cite.

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Quick verdict: which knife block to buy

Below, the five standouts side by side, then all nine blocks in full.

Five knife blocks compared

Our five standout picks, one for each kind of kitchen, with the specifications each maker or listing states. All nine are reviewed in full below.

Product images from Amazon. Capacities and blade lengths are as stated by each maker, listing or named retailer; check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best knife block

These nine blocks cover the three countertop types: magnetic blocks that hold any knife on their faces, slotted wooden blocks sized for a set, and a universal slotted block for mixed knives. All are sold empty. If you would rather keep the counter clear and store knives in a drawer, see our guide to the best knife block drawer; if you are still deciding between a block and a wall strip, read knife block vs magnet.

Slotted, universal or magnetic: the three kinds of block

Slotted wooden blocks are the familiar kind: a slot for each knife, sized for a set. They are stable, inexpensive for what they hold and keep each blade separate. Their weakness is the slot itself, which you cannot clean inside, and which only fits the blade widths it was cut for.

Universal blocks take any knife in any slot. Some use parallel wooden slats, like the KITCHENDAO; others use a bundle of plastic rods or bristles. America’s Test Kitchen tested universal blocks and found the non-magnetic ones less durable: “Plastic bristles shed and bent out of shape, plastic folds got nicked easily, and wooden grids chipped with extended use.” It did not recommend the bristle blocks it tested, from Bodum and Kapoosh, citing bristles that bent and nicked and nooks that made the blocks hard to wash. That is why no bristle block made this list.

Magnetic blocks hold blades on the face of the block. ATK’s testers “had a distinct preference for magnetic blocks”, which hold knives more firmly and keep blades from scraping each other, and they preferred models with evenly distributed magnets so knives could go anywhere. They are easier to wipe clean, but they cost more and need some weight or grip to stay stable when you pull a heavy knife off.

How to choose a knife block for your counter

1. Count the knives you actually use

Many cooks reach for the same three to five knives every day. Buy a block sized for those, with a little room to grow, rather than one with twenty slots that sit empty. Our guide to the best knife set covers which knives belong in a working kit.

2. Measure your longest blade

Check the longest knife you own, usually a chef’s knife or bread knife, against the block’s stated maximum. Where a maker does not state one, compare the blade to the block’s height.

3. Measure the space under your cabinets

Upper cabinets typically sit about 18 inches above the counter, according to 360 Knife Block. Add the block’s height to your longest blade to make sure you can lift the knife out; Schmidt Brothers suggests at least 6 inches of clearance above its Downtown block.

4. Stability

America’s Test Kitchen found that heavier blocks sat more securely and were less prone to tipping, and that non-slip bases helped. If you have a heavy cleaver or chef’s knife, avoid very light blocks.

5. Cleaning

Slots cannot be cleaned inside, so always put knives away clean and completely dry. Magnetic faces wipe down; bristle inserts can be pulled out and washed but, in ATK’s testing, bent and shed.

How we chose these nine knife blocks

We started from what a working kitchen wants from knife storage: blades kept apart so edges stay sharp, the right knife within reach of the cutting board, stable footing when you pull a heavy knife out, and a surface that can be kept clean. We then narrowed the field to countertop blocks sold empty on Amazon in the United States and in stock when we checked, from makers who publish their specifications, or with specifications on the brand’s own listing or a named retailer (each review says which). We covered the three types, slotted, universal and magnetic, in sizes from a 3-inch-wide block for four knives to a 19- or 20-slot block. For how the types perform, we used America’s Test Kitchen’s review of universal knife blocks and say so wherever we quote it. We left out the bristle blocks ATK did not recommend, Kapoosh blocks that were out of stock, the 360KnifeBlock Classic and Wüsthof and Zwilling magnetic blocks that were low on stock, in-drawer blocks (covered in their own guide), and listings from sellers with no identifiable maker. We have not used these products ourselves; where we describe how a block performs, we say whose findings those are.

Knife block questions, answered

What is the best knife block for a home kitchen?

A magnetic block suits most home kitchens because it takes any knife and wipes clean. The 360KB from 360 Knife Block is our pick: weighted, rotating, rated for 10-inch blades and recommended by America’s Test Kitchen.

Do knife blocks dull knives?

A knife block does not dull a knife by itself, but dragging the edge along the bottom of a slot can. Slide knives in and out with the spine against the slot rather than the edge, or choose a magnetic block, where the blade sits flat on the face.

Are universal knife blocks worth it?

Magnetic universal blocks are, in America’s Test Kitchen’s testing. Bristle and plastic-rod universal blocks were less durable: the bristles shed and bent, and they were hard to wash by hand.

Which knife block brands are worth buying?

For magnetic blocks, 360 Knife Block, Schmidt Brothers and Made In all had blocks recommended by America’s Test Kitchen. For slotted blocks, Wüsthof, Zwilling and Shun publish their slot sizes, which makes it easy to check your knives will fit.

Is a knife block or a magnetic strip better?

A block keeps knives on the counter and needs no drilling; a wall strip saves counter space. Our comparison of knife block vs magnet goes through edges, cleaning and safety side by side.

Our pick for the counter by the cutting board

Buy The 360KB if you want one block that takes any knife, turns to put the right one in reach and fits under the cabinets. Choose the Schmidt Brothers Downtown for a big collection, the Made In block for a light, compact magnetic option, and the Wüsthof 15-slot or Zwilling block if you prefer a classic slotted block for a full set. For a few Japanese knives, the Shun blocks are sized for them. Whatever you choose, put knives away clean and dry, and keep the block next to the board where you prep.

Want the knives included? See our guide to the best knife block sets.

On a budget? See our guide to the best value knife blocks.

Related guide: Best universal knife block.

A good block protects the edge, but it does not keep it sharp; our guide to the best knife sharpener covers that, and the best chef knife is the one knife every block should hold. And if you would rather someone else did the chopping tonight, see the menu or call to order.