Martha Stewart 20-piece Essential Cutlery set Review

The Martha Stewart 20-piece Essential Cutlery set sits at the very top of the Cheapism range, but that doesn't mean it's better quality than our top picks. This set features a 3" paring knife, 5" and 7" santoku knives (like a short, narrow cleaver), 4.5" and 5.5" utility knives, 8" slicer, 6" and 8" chef's knives, 8" bread knife, eight 4.5" steak knives, and kitchen shears. All the blades are full-tang (extending into the handle), non-serrated, and made of stamped stainless steel. There's also a sharpening steel, although its usefulness is questionable given that one Martha Stewart 20-piece Essential Cutlery set review on Macy's notes that the handle broke while a knife was being sharpened.

Indeed, Martha Stewart 20-piece Essential Cutlery reviews on several sites are quite mixed. Another Martha Stewart 20-piece Essential Cutlery review on Macy's stacks the Martha Stewart set against $400 Cutco knives and concludes that the Martha Stewart set is sharper and does a top-notch job cutting through hard foods, like raw vegetables. Likewise, a Martha Stewart 20-piece Essential Cutlery review on Amazon compares this set to a high-end Henckels set and prefers the design and quality of this one. Other Martha Stewart Essential Cutlery reviews on Macy's argue that buying the set is a waste of money because the blades dull and rust easily. Most complaints about these knives, according to Martha Stewart Essential Cutlery reviews on Macy's and Amazon concern rust. In short, these knives definitely require tender loving care, which means hand washing and immediate drying.

Still, this is one attractive and affordable knife set. Martha Stewart Essential Cutlery reviews on Buzzillions gush about the styling of the knives and storage block; several reviews on Macy's mention they love the look of the Martha Stewart-labeled block on their countertop. This set may look like a million dollars, but appearance alone doesn't count for much in a moderately-priced knife set. These knives attract enough negative reviews for shoppers to be skeptical. With plenty of safer bets at cheaper prices, it might be smart to choose something else.