Kilne is a Canadian company that aims to create high-quality kitchen knives at good value. We were able to test their complete Knife set previously and were really impressed. This time, we got our hands on Kilne’s steak knife set and we’re excited to see if they matched their knife set counterparts.
Simple, High-Quality Steak Knife Set
Kilne Steak Knife Set
The Kilne steak knife set is a 6-piece set that comes with 2 magnetic acacia wood blocks for storage. The simple design is constructed out of high quality materials that will last a long time. During our tests, we were impressed with the performance, feel, and quality of the knives. The full tang design felt sturdy and balanced during use.Check PricePros
- Simple and high-quality design
- The blades are incredibly sharp and have deep serrations that grip and cut through foods easily
- Magnetic knife blocks are included
- No gimmick marketing or cheesy ad-campaigns—straightforward transparency
Cons
- The asking price is higher than other steak knife sets you’d find. But the quality is higher as well
Scoring
Sharp, Simple, and High-Quality Steak Knife Set
-
Design - 96%
96%
-
Performance - 98%
98%
-
Quality - 98%
98%
-
Usability - 98%
98%
-
Value - 95%
95%
Summary
Kilne’s 6-piece steak knife set is impressive. It includes six 5” steak knives constructed of German steel and Polyoxymethylene handles, all with a full tang design. The knives sport a modern aesthetic that focuses on a high-quality build that will last over a long period of time. The knives come with 2 acacia wood blocks for storing the knives that are also magnetic, allowing them to be stored in a wide variety of locations. Overall, I was impressed with the knives during our tests. They performed well, cutting through steak easily, due to their extreme sharpness and deep serrated edge. I also tested on chicken, fruits, vegetables, cheese, bread, and other foods, none of which posed any issue for Kilne. Kilne’s steak knives and their accompanying blocks look and feel high quality. They would be a great option if you are looking for a high-quality knife set that doesn’t break the bank.
Knife Performance
To test the performance of the Kilne Steak knives, we prepared some steaks to see how well they could cut through the meat.
The knives worked really well, cutting through the steak easily. The Kilne Steak knives have deeper serrations that allow them to bite into the steak with ease, and give the blade a good grip on the food you are cutting into.
The length of the Kilne knives is similar to other steak knives I have used in the past. However, the quality of these knives stood out over the rest.
They were extremely sharp and cut through the meat we had prepared smoothly and quickly. While they are designed for steaks, the cutting performance on other foods was equally as good. We used the knives on chicken, fruit, cheese, vegetables, bread, and other foods.
While the serrations aren’t perfect for every food, they are still massively better than almost any other knife I’ve used to date. The steak knives are a good allrounder. They are good for steak of course, but also good as just a general kitchen knife.
Overall, I was really impressed with the Kilne Steak knife set, especially when compared to the cheaper steak knives I normally use.
Kilne Desgin
The Kilne Steak Knife Set is a 6-piece set of 6 steak knives that also comes with 2 magnetic knife blocks. These blocks are made of acacia wood and are sturdy enough to stand on their own, or have magnets inside to attach to the side of a magnetic surface.
The design is simple, yet high performance. The blocks are small enough to fit in a variety of places, or attach to various magnetic surfaces, including the original Kilne knife set block.
“The knives have a full tang, which means the metal extends from the tip of the blade to the full length of the handle.”
Cheaper knives are not full tang, and for that reason, they tend to break where the blade meets the handle.
For the last several years I’ve had a modestly priced Kitchenaid knife set in my kitchen. However, within the last 18 months I have broken 3 of the 6 steak knives. All 3 of them snapped along the blade, just above the handle. This type of break can occur when the knives aren’t as well built and aren’t full tang.
As with their other knife sets, Kilne uses full tang in their steak knives, so you don’t have to worry about it breaking like cheaper alternatives would.
The blades themselves have a serrated edge like you would expect out of any quality steak knife. This allows the blade to grip onto whatever you are cutting with it. While having “steak” in the name implies they are used for meat, these steak knives can be used on a variety of foods to the same effect.
What’s in the box?
As this is a steak knife set, there isn’t variety in the type of knives you’ll get in the box.
Here is everything that comes in the box:
- 6 steak knives with 5” blades
- 2 magnetic acacia knife blocks
What are the knives made of?
Kline knives are made with high grade X50CrMoV15 German steel with a Polyoxymethylene (POM) handle. Just like with the 6-piece set of Kline Knives we reviewed, these materials lead to a higher quality knife.
What is German steel?
German steel is an advanced composition and makeup that creates a higher-quality metal.
But not all “German steel” means that it was made in Germany. In fact, the name “German steel” could also mean the steel matches the formula or makeup of traditional German steel.
Kline doesn’t specify where their steel is sourced from, however the knives themselves are assembled in China.
The steel looks great and performed well during all of our cooking, cutting, and eating tests. The steel on the steak knives seems to be the same stuff that Kilne uses for their full knife set. We’ve been testing that knife set for most of the last year and been impressed with the performance.
I like the Kilne full knife set so much I’ve stopped using basically all of my other knives.
What is Polyoxymethylene?
Polyoxymethylene is an engineered thermoplastic that is used in precision parts because of the high stiffness it provides, as well as low friction and excellent dimensional stability.
Basically it is just a really fancy plastic. Kline uses this POM to create an ergonomic grip for their steak knives to help make sure the knife doesn’t slip out of your hand while using it.
Usability
Using the Kilne steak knives was as simple as any other knife on the market. Kilne isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel when it comes to cooking accessories. They aim to make high-quality pieces that work exactly as intended, and Kilne succeeded.
The knives were solid, well balanced, and most importantly, very sharp. The blades easily cut through the steak we tested them on.
As an added bonus, the knife blocks the set comes with are straightforward and can be set up in a variety of locations because of the magnets inside. The blocks can stand on their own, or be attached to any magnetic surface.
If you have the larger Kilne knife set you can attach the steak knife blocks onto the side for a single block look.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Cleaning and maintaining these steak knives is simple. The knives are machine washer safe, but Kilne recommends you wash them by hand if possible.
For most of the last year I’ve been hand washing the original Kilne knives. Most of the time it takes about 30 seconds with a just a little soap and water to get them clean.
With extended use of the knives you may need to sharpen them, however this should only be necessary after months of daily use. Kilne offers their own sharpening steel, but any sharpening device should work just fine.
Are the Kilne Steak Knives Good Value?
I think the knives are a good value, however, the price is a bit steep, especially if you are thinking in terms of cost “per knife”. But this set is high-quality and will last for a long time, especially with proper care.
While the initial investment may be higher than your average steak knife set, Kilne’s steak knives are built to last and shouldn’t need to be replaced as often.
Plus the addition of the accompanying magnetic knife blocks adds to the value of the set as a whole.
Overall, I would consider these knives good value if you are looking for a high-quality set that won’t need to be replaced any time soon.
Kilne Specifiactions
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Kilne |
| Description | Steak Knife Set |
| Model | “The Steak Knife Set” |
| Pieces | 6-piece set |
| Included Blades | 6 5″ steak knives |
| Included Blocks | Yes; 2 magnetic acacia wood |
| Dishwasher Safe | Yes; recommended to hand wash |
| Returns | Varies by retailer |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
| Price | Check Price |
Should you buy the Kilne Steak Knives?
Just like our tests with Kilne’s knife set, I was really impressed with their steak knives. They have a simple design that feels good to hold when cutting through food.
I would recommend the Kilne steak knives if you are looking for a steak knife set with the following features:
- Simple set: Kilne doesn’t use gimmicks or features to try to sell its products. Instead, they focus on making a few different knife sets, and they make them extremely well.
- Built to last: The quality of the steak knives stands out above other steak knives I have used. The full tang design gives the knives a solid feel that won’t break at the common weak points of other knives, and the materials used mean the knives should last a long time, especially with proper maintenance.
- Magnetic knife block included: Including a knife block is an added bonus, especially when the blocks look as good as Kilne’s. The acacia wood construction gives them a sleek and modern look. These blocks are solid enough to stand on their own, or fit in a drawer, but Kilne included the magnets in the blocks as well. This allows them to hang on any magnetic surface, giving you more locations you can store the knives.