No kitchen device requires extra cautious storage than knives — on your security and the security if the blades — and no storage possibility is cooler than fixing them to the wall for all to see. Whereas canvas wraps, wood blocks and drawer organizers all serve this objective, the mighty magnetic knife strip is my clear choose. Knife strips save area, they will not uninteresting these valuable edges (when used correctly), and so they give your kitchen an industrial, skilled look.
A magnetic knife strip is invariably the primary kitchen buy I make in a brand new dwelling. I am a culinary-school-trained nonchef, however even chef cooks suggest this storage device: “I first tried a magnetic strip in my dwelling kitchen a number of years in the past, and I am hooked,” says Melissa Araujo, chef-owner of Alma Café in New Orleans.
A magnetic strip has distinct benefits over some other kind of knife storage.
In case you marvel what’s so nice about knife strips in comparison with different types of kitchen blade storage, listed here are three causes, private and chef-approved, so as to add an reasonably priced magnetic knife strip to your private home.
The perfect half? A high quality magnetic strip on your most interesting blades usually runs below $30.
1. Magnetic knife strips save area
There are such a lot of nice causes to personal a magnetic knife strip, so it is exhausting to know the place to begin. Nonetheless, as somebody who has often been at a loss for significant counter area in city residences, I will go together with this one. Releasing up area that may in any other case be occupied by a knife block or in a silverware drawer is maybe the primary motive for dwelling cooks to contemplate a magnetic knife strip.
Learn extra: These Kitchen Organizers Will Give You Miles of Extra Counter Space
House-saving can also be a motivating consider skilled kitchens. “I even began utilizing them in my eating places,” says Araujo. “Plus, they appear cool, and you may see all of your knives on the similar time, so it is simple to know which one to drag,” she says.
2. They preserve knives sharper for longer
A knife strip will not uninteresting your blades the best way some storage sorts do.
Whether or not you could have new or freshly sharpened knives, storing them on a magnetic knife strip has myriad advantages in staying sharp. (In case your knives behave extra like bludgeons than blades, first issues first, get them sharpened.)
First, the knife strip prevents your knives from knocking round in a utensil drawer, which may result in dulling over time. Picket knife blocks are OK for this objective, however they nonetheless create somewhat extra put on and tear than merely mounting them al fresco does. And, as Araujo’s level above, you are not always pulling them out and in of the block in a guessing recreation of which-knife-went-where a number of occasions a day.
Learn extra: Want to Completely Ruin Your Kitchen Knives? Here’s How
For me, the knife strip additionally allows one other factor to maintain knives sharp. The honing metal is not a sharpener, per se, however its operate is to assist protect the sharpness. Whilst somebody who was educated to make use of it, I’ve a really out-of-sight, out-of-mind relationship with this device, however with the magnetic strip, the honing metal could be very a lot in sight all the time, which suggests I am extra prone to make use of it.
3. A strip is extra sanitary than a knife block
Knife blocks can develop mould within the slots and are tough to wash, making magnetic knife strips a extra sanitary storage possibility.
Are you involved about places in your kitchen where bacteria may be hiding? Your magnetic strip will not be one. However your knife block…?
“Knife blocks lure moisture within the slots,” says Araujo, which may trigger microorganisms like mould spores and micro organism to thrive. (She would know, in a moist place like New Orleans. What is the dew level in your neighborhood proper now?) Even in the event you put your knives away with out totally drying them first — do not do that, however in the event you do — no less than the magnetic strip provides them some air circulation. This helps not solely with retaining issues sanitary, but additionally with retaining issues sharp.
Greatest practices for utilizing a magnetic knife strip
At all times put the knives spine-down in your strip so you do not chip the perimeters.
In case you’re now satisfied of the prevalence of the magnetic knife strip, there are some things to contemplate.
Get one: “Spend the cash,” advises Araujo. Low cost ones aren’t robust, particularly you probably have strong, high-quality, heavy-duty knives.” Happily, the worth can solely go so excessive, and in the event you’ve dropped some actual coin on your professional-grade knives, the magnetic strip will likely be a minimal funding towards retaining them in good situation.
Some magnetic knife strips we like:
Essentially the most easy magnetic strip look: I’ve owned this $20 metal holder a number of occasions over. It has tens of hundreds of optimistic Amazon rankings, is available in six completely different sizes, and maxes out round $35 for a 24-inch strip.
I swear by this $20 knife strip from Amazon.
One other good possibility is this $20 model with a dual-strip look for a complete storage resolution.
There are magnetic strips that maintain extra than simply knives.
An Amazon greatest vendor, this $21 magnetic strip has a wooden end to go well with a selected aesthetic, if that is why you are hesitant to surrender a wood knife block.
Picket strips are additionally much less prone to ding your cutlery in the event you unintentionally set a knife on its blade first. CNET’s Dwelling and Kitchen Editor David Watsky makes use of this one.
This straightforward wood knife strip is appropriate for 3 to 4 blades.
Mount it appropriately: In case your knife assortment is small, you could possibly get away with the double-stick tape mounting that’s included with some magnetic strips, however the a lot safer guess is to go the {hardware} route to verify it’s flush towards the wall. I had a professional drill into the tile backsplash in my kitchen to accommodate the knife strip. It seems to be sharp and is very safe. (Having your knives clatter to the bottom due to an inappropriately put in strip is not precisely enabling all the advantages of proudly owning one.)
Retailer your knives appropriately: “ALWAYS put the knives spine-down so you do not chip the perimeters,” advises Araujo. When pulling a knife off the strip, it is also important to tilt the blade away from the strip, reasonably than slide it off, to assist protect its sharpness.
