Best Kitchen Knife Sets in Australia 2026: 7 Block Sets

You should hone your knives with a honing steel every few uses - this realigns the edge and keeps them cutting well between sharpenings. Actual sharpening (removing metal to create a new edge) should be done every 6-12 months depending on how often you cook. You can use a whetstone at home or take them to a professional knife sharpener. Most kitchen supply shops in Australia offer sharpening services for around $5-10 per knife.

German knives (like Wusthof and Victorinox) tend to be heavier, thicker, and made from softer steel. They're durable, easy to sharpen, and good for rocking cuts. Japanese knives (like Global) are typically lighter, thinner, and made from harder steel. They hold a sharper edge for longer but can be more prone to chipping. German knives suit a more robust cooking style, while Japanese knives excel at precision cutting and fine slicing.

No - hand wash your good knives, always. Dishwashers expose blades to harsh detergents, high temperatures, and jostling against other items, all of which can dull edges, damage handles, and cause corrosion over time. A quick wash with warm soapy water, immediate rinse, and a dry with a tea towel takes 30 seconds and will keep your knives in top condition for years longer.

You can absolutely buy individual knives, and some chefs prefer this approach - building a collection of exactly the blades they want. However, a block set usually offers better value per knife and ensures you have a cohesive set with matching handles and a storage solution. If budget is tight, start with a quality chef's knife (20cm), a paring knife, and a bread knife - those three will handle 90% of kitchen tasks.

Furi knives are designed in Australia (Sydney specifically) but manufactured overseas using Japanese stainless steel. The brand was created by Australians to address common complaints about traditional knife designs, resulting in their distinctive reverse-wedge handle shape and ergonomic grip. They're a genuinely Australian brand in design philosophy and are widely used in professional Australian kitchens.

Forged means the blade was hammered into shape from one piece of steel rather than cut from a sheet. In practice that gives you a bolster (the thick collar between blade and handle), a full tang running the length of the handle, and more weight through the heel - which most people find steadier for hard chopping. It also costs more to manufacture, which is a large part of the price gap between sets. It is worth paying for if you do a lot of heavy prep and want a knife that will take decades of sharpening. If you mostly slice and the knife lives in a drawer, a well-made stamped blade is the better value.

They are solid mid-range sets, but the branding trips people up. Zwilling is the premium line made in Solingen, Germany; the sets sold simply as 'Henckels' (historically J.A. Henckels International) are the value line, usually stamped rather than forged and often made outside Germany. The Henckels Solution 7-piece in this ranking is that value line - German stainless steel, stamped blades, hardwood block and shears, and it holds 4.2 stars across a large Amazon AU review pool. Good buying at its price; just don't pay Zwilling money expecting Zwilling construction.

A block set is cheaper per knife and gives you matching, stored, edge-protected blades on day one. Buying individually costs more per knife but you only pay for blades you use, and you can put the money into two excellent knives instead of seven adequate ones. The honest rule: if you are starting from nothing, a block set is the better first purchase. If you already own a chef's knife you like, buy the two or three gaps individually and skip the block.

Almost every set here is stainless steel, but 'stainless' is not the same as 'dishwasher safe' - the makers of the forged sets specifically advise against it. Dishwasher detergent is abrasive and alkaline, and the heat and knocking against the rack roll the edge and can pit the steel. Wooden and composite handles suffer worst. Every set in this ranking is safer hand-washed and dried immediately, regardless of what the listing says.