There isn’t a piece of kitchen equipment that benefits more from proper storage than knives. That’s why a knife strip is the first thing I buy for the kitchen of any home I move into, and urge friends to install one if they haven’t already.
Yep, I’d sooner live without a microwave or air fryer — OK, maybe not my precious air fryer — than this indispensable piece of kitchen infrastructure. Best of all, a good magnetic strip to hang your best knives rarely costs more than $30.
I’m a culinary-school trained non-chef, but even chef chefs recommend this invaluable tool: “I first tried a magnetic strip in my home kitchen a few years ago and I’m hooked,” says Melissa Araujo, Chef/Owner of Alma Café in New Orleans.
You’re probably wondering what’s so great about knife strips compared to other forms of kitchen blade storage. Here are three big reasons, personal and chef-approved, to add an affordable magnetic knife strip to your home.
1. A magnetic knife strip is a major space saver
The more you can get up on your walls, the more space you’ll have on the counter and in drawers and cupboards.
All of the many reasons to own a magnetic knife strip are great reasons, so it’s hard to know where to lead off, but as someone who has usually been at a loss for meaningful counter space in urban apartments, I’m going to go with this one. Freeing up space that would otherwise be occupied by a knife block, or in a silverware drawer, is perhaps the number one reason for home cooks to consider a magnetic knife strip.
Read more: These Kitchen Organizers Will Give You Miles of Extra Counter Space
Space-saving is also a motivating factor in professional kitchens. “I even started using them in my restaurants,” says Araujo. “Plus they look cool, and you can see all your knives at the same time so it’s easy to know which one to pull,” she says.
2. They keep knives sharper for longer
A knife strip won’t dull your blades the way some storage types do.
Whether you’ve got new knives, or freshly sharpened knives, storing them on a magnetic knife strip has myriad benefits in the staying sharp department. (If your knives behave more like bludgeons than blades, first things first, get them sharpened.)
First, the knife strip prevents your knives from knocking around in a utensil drawer, which can lead to dulling over time. Wooden knife blocks are okay for this purpose, but they still create a little more wear and tear than simply mounting them al fresco does. And, as Araujo’s point above, you’re not constantly pulling them in and out of the block in a guessing game of which-knife-went-where several times a day.
Read more: Want to Completely Ruin Your Kitchen Knives? Here’s How
For me, there’s also another element to keeping knives sharp that is enabled by the knife strip. The honing steel isn’t a sharpener, per se, but its function is to help preserve the sharpness. Even as someone who was trained to use it, I have a very out-of-sight-out-of-mind relationship with this tool, but with the magnetic strip, the honing steel is very much in sight all of the time, which means I’m more likely to employ it.
3. A strip is more sanitary than a knife block
Knife blocks can grow mold in the slots and are difficult to clean, making magnetic knife strips a more sanitary storage option.
Are you concerned about places in your kitchen where bacteria may be hiding? Your magnetic strip is not one. But your knife block…?
“Knife blocks trap moisture in the slots,” says Araujo, which can cause microorganisms like mold spores and bacteria to thrive. (She would know, in a humid place like New Orleans. What’s the dew point in your neighborhood right now?) Even if you put your knives away without fully drying them first — don’t do this, but if you do — at least the magnetic strip gives them some air circulation. This helps not only with keeping things sanitary, but also with keeping things sharp.
Best practices for using a magnetic knife strip
Always put the knives spine-down on your strip so you don’t chip the edges.
If you’re now convinced of the superiority of the magnetic knife strip, there are a few things to consider.
Get a good one: “Spend the money,” advises Araujo. “Cheap ones aren’t strong, especially if you have solid, high-quality, heavy-duty knives.” Fortunately, there’s only so high the price can go here, and if you’ve dropped some real coin for your professional-grade knives, the magnetic strip will be a very small investment toward keeping them in good condition.
Some magnetic knife strips we like:
The most straightforward magnetic strip look: I’ve owned this $20 metal holder several times over. It has tens of thousands of positive Amazon ratings, comes in six different sizes, and maxes out around $35 for a 24-inch strip.
I swear by this $20 knife strip from Amazon.
Another good option is this $20 model with a dual-strip look and hooks for hanging other kitchen tools for a comprehensive storage solution.
There are magnetic strips that hold more than just knives.
An Amazon best seller, this $21 magnetic strip has a wood finish to suit a particular aesthetic, if that’s a reason why you’re hesitant to give up a wooden knife block.
Wooden strips are also less likely to ding your cutlery should you accidentally set a knife on it blade first. CNET’s Home and Kitchen Editor David Watsky uses this one.
This simple wooden knife strip is good for three to four blades.
Mount it correctly: If your knife collection is small, you may be able to get away with the double-stick tape mounting that is included with some magnetic strips, but the much safer bet is to go the hardware route to make sure it is flush against the wall. I had a pro drill into the tile backsplash in my current kitchen in order to accommodate the knife strip. It looks sharp and is extremely secure. (Having your knives clatter to the ground because of an inappropriately installed strip isn’t exactly enabling all of the benefits of owning one.)
Store your knives appropriately: “ALWAYS put the knives spine-down so you don’t chip the edges,” advises Araujo. When pulling a knife off of the strip, it’s also important to tilt the blade away from the strip, rather than slide it off, to help preserve its sharpness.
