Universal Knife Block

The safety block

A knife block is a storage box, or receptacle, specifically designed to hold knives. Many cutlery sets come with their own block. But if you never bought a cutlery set, choosing instead to buy individual knives as you needed them, the universal knife block is exactly what you need.

What it does

A universal knife block, like the blocks that come with cutlery sets, is a box intended for storing knives. But instead of having individual slots for specific knives, it contains an open form, where knives can be placed side-by-side in any order you'd like.

What it looks like

Knife blocks can be made out a number of materials, but the most popular type is made out of wood. For added safety (particularly when dealing with sharp knives), wood has much greater staying power than plastic.

The inside of the universal knife is what makes it unique. Thousands of moveable, thin plastic rods made out of polyurethane are situated in the body of the block. These ensure the knife will stay in place when it is inserted, and that multiple knives won't come into direct contact with one another.

Why we love it

There are some advantages to the universal knife block, the most obvious being that you don't have to adhere to predetermined slots. Another is that instruments other than knives, like scissors or a meat thermometer, can be inserted as well.

The rods situated inside the block can be removed and are dishwasher safe, too. And last but not least, the block comes in a few different sizes (the large holds up to 20 utensils), with different heights. A large one can hold up to an 8-inch blade, while a smaller one can hold up to a 5-inch blade. Perfect for steak knives.

Where to get one

The universal knife block can be found online and in specialty stores. They cost about $30.

More information on Knife Blocks