The best way to keep your knives is in a wood block with horizontal slots. Why horizontal? Pulling your knife in and out of a vertical slot actually drags the knife along the slot and dulls it. Crazy, right?! Not everyone likes a block or has space for it, so here’s the best to worst:

I found this wood block for $1 second-hand! Horizontal slots…perfect!

1. Wood block (horizontal slots)

• Unless you buy a really fancy one, the steak knife slots are usually going to be vertical; I’d only recommend splurging if you have really fancy steak knives!

2. In-drawer wood 3. In-drawer plastic 4. There’s these crazy new ones out that have thin plastic rods in lieu of slots, so your knife can go anywhere in the block! 5. Magnet 6. Throw them in the drawer loosely and make a game out of grabbing them without looking 😛

If you have to use a magnet, there’s a way to save your knives some injuries (and yourself!). Place the spine on the magnet first, then lay the knife down on its side gently. Remove it in the opposite manner. This will avoid scratching the metal body of the knife and dragging the blade across the magnet and dulling it.