You’ve finally bought a set of knives that you can use for your kitchen, and now, you are heading to the knife holder section to buy something that would help keep your knives organized and safe.
When you get there, you’ve seen two different types of knife holders: knife block and magnetic knife holder.
Both of them are great choices.
It usually depends on your preference, but between the two, there is definitely a better option.
Thus, this knife block vs magnetic knife holder comparison will help you decide which one is a better fit for your needs.
Knife Block vs Magnetic Knife Holder
It is pretty hard to decide which of these two would be a better choice because both of them are great options.
Although knife blocks are considered traditional, it is still a good option for some homeowners.
Here are their differences:
1. Installation
Knife blocks don’t require any installation.
After buying it, the knife block is ready for use, and you can start putting the knives on the slot available.
You only have to look for a place in your kitchen to put it, and it should always be far from the reach of children.
That said, it may not be a good choice if your kitchen is tiny, and other kitchen appliances already occupy all the surfaces.
On the other hand, magnetic knife holders still need to be installed; in fact, there are magnetic knife holders that are too complicated that it would take hours to install.
However, this type of knife holder is pretty flexible since you can install it on the wall.
Even if you don’t have enough space in your kitchen, there will always be a space for this knife holder for you to set it up.
2. Convenience
Knife blocks are pretty convenient to use since you just have to put the knives on the slot available and take one out when you need to use it.
The only possible inconvenience that you can experience with this is when you are cooking.
You need to make sure that the knives are placed in a location near you so that you can just grab the knives as you chop.
Magnetic knife holders are better when it comes to convenience because you can just install this in the wall adjacent to the surface where you usually chop the ingredients.
As such, you can put the knife back to the holder and take it without any efforts.
3. Durability
Both knife blocks and magnetic knife holders are extremely durable.
Even if you accidentally drop them, they won’t get damaged easily.
However, knife blocks are definitely superior when it comes to durability.
They are made from big blocks of material, so even if you chop them with the knife or drop them from the second floor of the building, they won’t get damaged easily.
4. Flexibility
Knife blocks are not as flexible as magnetic knife holders.
One of the known disadvantages of a knife block is its inability to accommodate all types of knives.
The slots on a knife block are fixed, and there is only a size applicable for every slot.
It means that if you have a Japanese knife with a different thickness, size, and shape, it won’t fit perfectly.
The slots have pre-defined sizes, so you will have to buy a specific knife block first and choose a knife based on that if you don’t want to have problems with it.
Magnetic knife holders are definitely the best of the best when it comes to flexibility, as you can use it for almost any kind of knife.
Since this type of knife holder is just a block of wood or stainless steel with a magnet inside, you can just stick the knife on the bar and leave it there.
That said, magnetic knife holders do have their limitations, especially when it comes to the size of the knife.
If you only buy a cheap magnetic knife holder, you can expect that the magnet is not enough to hold bigger and heavier knives.
You have to invest in a more expensive knife holder to handle those.
5. Saving Space
A knife block doesn’t take too much space; you can just reserve a small area on the countertop or anywhere in the kitchen where you can put it.
If you have a crowded kitchen, though, it is not a good idea to buy a knife block since it would take up the necessary space where you can put the other more important kitchen appliances.
Magnetic knife holders can help you save a lot of space in the kitchen.
You can just install it on the wall and start piling up your knives there.
It doesn’t take up any space in your kitchen since you can just place it on the wall.
Likewise, there are magnetic knife holders that you can mount on your refrigerator.
6. Safety
You should always consider safety when choosing a knife holder.
Both the knife block and magnetic knife holder have advantages and disadvantages when it comes to safety.
Knife blocks are safer if you have a lot of children around.
Since you usually place them in a high place, the children won’t be able to access the knives.
Magnetic knife holders are usually more dangerous because the knife bottoms are usually sticking out.
If you are going to use a magnetic knife holder, you have to place it a bit higher so that the children can’t access it.
When it comes to food safety, magnetic knife holders are safer to use because the slots on the knife blocks are the perfect place for molds and other bacteria to grow.
If you are not cleaning your knife correctly, it might even cause food poisoning.
Magnetic knife holders don’t have those kinds of an issue because the knife is exposed and the blade is not hidden.
Conclusion
This knife block vs magnetic knife holder comparison is just a way for you to decide which one would fit your needs.
Even though magnetic knife holders are clearly superior to knife blocks, a lot of people are still using the latter because they are more comfortable with it.
