Straight to the Point

The Misen 7-Piece Knife Set is a great size and price for most cooks. It's got five useful blades, plus a pair of kitchen shears and a ceramic honing rod.

My first knife set was part of the standard-issued equipment from my culinary school. Many of the knives in it were completely foreign to me, but I quickly learned the difference between a boning knife and a bird’s beak parer . Fast forward to today, I still have a few pieces from that kit, but I've also filled out my knife roll with blades I've impulse-bought or received as gifts over the years.

Not everyone builds their knife collection one blade at a time. For many, a well-curated knife set is a smart and affordable starting point. Not all sets are created equal, though. Some are overly expensive or bloated with unnecessary pieces you’ll never touch, but the best knife sets strike the perfect balance of function, value, and performance.…