The three Best Knife Rolls of 2024, Examined & Reviewed

A knife roll is often the purview of cooks (*cough* who want to showcase their custom-made Gyuto at work *cough* ) or culinary faculty college students toting knives to class. Nevertheless I exploit my knife roll in a far more plebian—and wise—methodology: to convey my sharp knives with me the place uninteresting knives await, whether or not or not it’s at my in-laws or an Airbnb. No one wants to organize dinner dinner with a uninteresting blade…perception me, I’ve tried. Enter the knife roll: the protected, secure (and fewer dangerous than merely tossing them in your suitcase) methodology of packing up your knives.

I examined 11 of them to look out ones which is likely to be a cinch to fill, wrap, and tote, and gained’t have you ever ever worrying about knives slipping out or poking via the fabric.

The Checks

• Knife Match Examine: I match as many knives as I’ll inside each knife roll, noting if it was easy to suit them in and if the knife roll packed up merely as quickly as full.
• Carrying Examine: I used each knife roll to carry a variety of knives, noting how cozy the cope with or strap(s) have been, and if the knives shifted all through transport.
• Sturdiness Examine (Winners-Solely): I unzipped and unbuckled various elements of the knife rolls 20 cases to look at for durability.

What We Realized

Prime quality Craftsmanship and Provides Had been Mandatory

Much like a high quality merchandise of garments or backpack, a well-made knife roll will ultimate you longer. Since you’re shoving sharp knives into these items (or, prime quality, maybe you’re masking them with knife guards like I should be doing), the inside supplies greater be sturdy. Some knife rolls, similar to the Shun, suffered cuts from my knives—not an excellent sign by means of longevity. Others, similar to the Sunday X Best, had synthetic leather-based straps and free stitching. We confirmed this model to Hannah Stamp, a mission engineer and textile specialist at Hasbro Inc., who acknowledged the uneven stitching speaks to poor thread stress, whereas the bogus leather-based is flimsier and belies a inexpensive product. Whereas I’m not saying you need a $500 leather-based roll, similar to the Tom Beckbe (though it’s going to most certainly ultimate a lifetime, or longer), it is good to have a sturdy canvas or highly effective polyester one which’ll stand as a lot as sharp knives and ultimate a really very long time.

Carrying Comfort Was Key

I really most well-liked the idea of the Tilit backpack, which contains a entrance pocket for storing your knives (with tons of room for various kitchen requirements, like a powerful Y-peeler, cookbook, and even your laptop computer laptop). However, the backpack was methodology too massive, and the straps dug uncomfortably into my neck after I carried it spherical. As an alternative, I most popular easy-to-use, cozy straps and handles, like on the Messermeister and ChefSac, or rolls which have been small enough to toss right into a each day backpack, similar to the Hardmill knife roll.

The Number of Knife Slots Was a Non-public Different

I examined a variety of knife rolls, the largest of which can match 18 knives, and the smallest of which match 4. In the long term, I found knife rolls with loads of knife slots have been robust to jam-pack since greater blades take up additional house (notably within the occasion you utilize an even bigger blade, like a Chinese language language cleaver). In the long term, eight knife slots are highest, though within the occasion you’re solely using one or two knives, the petite Hardmill knife roll, which has 4 slots, is an excellent different. Together with slots, some knife roll producers can also observe the dimensions of knives you might place in them, and the very best of that adjust is commonly spherical 15 to 18 inches

There Wasn’t A Lot of Variation In Look

This may very well be a petty criticism, nevertheless the knife rolls I examined all kind of appeared the equivalent; loads of brown leather-based and darkish greens, greys, and blues. It will likely be good to have one factor, I don’t know, a bit of bit additional quirky. I’d love additional pleasant patterns and vibrant decisions.

The Requirements: What to Seek for in a Knife Roll

I most well-liked sturdy knife rolls—they have to be highly effective ample to face up in direction of sharp blades and placed on and tear over time. They should even be easy to open, shut, and fill with knives; if the material is just too stiff, it’s exhausting to slide knives into the slots. That acknowledged, the slots (and roll whole) ought to keep up the knives in place; they need to not shift or start to fall out in transit. Lastly, an excellent knife roll should be easy to carry, whether or not or not with a cope with or shoulder strap.

Our Favorite Knife Rolls

What we most well-liked: Optimistic, this isn’t a blue waxed canvas knife roll with bridle leather-based straps, nevertheless it absolutely’s sturdy, wise, and easy to tote. I really most well-liked the zippered inside half, which ensured knives stayed of their slots, and it was easy to swimsuit knife handles into the stretchy pockets, one factor that couldn’t be acknowledged of stiffer canvas decisions.

What we didn’t like: I didn’t love the velcro used to secure the roll when it was folded up. However, there is a zippered sleeve that retains knives inside, which gave me additional peace of ideas.

Key Specs

• Sort: Roll with shoulder strap and carrying cope with
• Provides: Nylon, padded foam core
• Open dimensions: 17 x 32 inches
• Closed dimensions: 20 x 6 inches
• Weight (empty): 1 pound, 9.3 ounces
• What it has: 8 knife pockets, 4 enterprise card pockets, 1 large pocket, 3 pencil/pen pockets, and a zippered mesh inside
• Care: Spot clear with a moist towel, dry

What we most well-liked: This issue is difficult, with stiff canvas and thick leather-based straps which have been surprisingly easy to open and cinch tight. It’s moreover stuffed with additional pockets for various doodads and even choices an notably large exterior pocket, which can very effectively be good in your cellphone and pockets for those who want to keep each half in a single place. The cope with and strap have been large and comfortable.

What we didn’t like: The knife roll encompasses a cumbersome additional zippered pocket on the skin, which caught out pretty a bit. The pointed zipper on it was pretty sharp, and I actually stabbed my palm with it. It’s moreover a pricier select, at spherical $150 at time of testing.

Key Specs

• Sort: Roll with shoulder strap and carrying cope with
• Provides: Waxed canvas, leather-based
• Open dimensions: 28.5 x 28.25 inches
• Closed dimensions: 16.25 x 7.25 inches
• Weight (empty): 2 kilos, 9.9 ounces
• What it has: 10 knife pockets, 1 quick entry zip closure rear pocket, one enterprise card pocket, 1 inside zip closure pocket, and three inside utility pockets
• Care: Wipe with a moist sponge and water, dry

What we most well-liked: Must you’re in the hunt for a knife roll to hold just some essential knives, this one’s obtained you coated. I most well-liked how slim it was (it match merely into my tote purse), and my knives tucked readily into the slots and stayed there. It’s moreover product of rugged waxed canvas with cotton canvas backing, a sturdy combo. It moreover is accessible in a variety of colors, one factor that wasn’t true for lots of various knife rolls.

What we didn’t like: There are not any handles, so that’s additional of a knife roll that you simply simply’d pack up in a backpack or tote bag. It’s moreover pretty pricey for a petite offering (it was $100 after I examined it).

Key Specs

• Sort: Roll, no strap or cope with
• Provides: Waxed canvas, cotton canvas backing, full-grain bridle leather-based strap
• Open dimensions: 13.5 x 17 inches
• Closed dimensions: 17 x 4.75 inches
• Weight (empty): 10.6 ounces
• What it has: 4 knife pockets, 1 inside zippered pocket
• Care: Spot clear, dry

The Rivals

• ChefSac Waxed Canvas & Leather-based-based Chef Knife Roll Bag: Must you’re in the hunt for sturdiness, loads of knife slots, and a cope with and shoulder strap, this knife roll has all of it. It moreover consists of zippered pockets and small slots for various kitchen necessities (like a Sharpie—iykyk). Whereas this was my prime select, it sadly seems to be discontinued.
• Tom Beckbe Chef’s Knife Roll: I’ve to preface this by saying it’s a enticing, sturdy knife roll that anyone will be lucky to have; on account of it’s product of leather-based, it’s going to probably ultimate a lifetime (most certainly longer). That acknowledged, it was $500 after I examined it, which isn’t exactly chump change. And whereas it’s going to soften with time, correct off the bat it’s pretty large; carrying it, I felt like an architect strolling spherical with a type of large tubes they keep their blueprints in.
• Accounts Chef Backpack: I really wished to like this backpack, as a result of it’s a perfect idea, notably for people who work throughout the restaurant enterprise and commute to work. Nevertheless it was merely methodology too massive, and the straps have been stiff and uncomfortable and chafed my neck.
• Hudson Sturdy Gadgets 8 Pocket Knife Roll: This knife roll had its deserves: it’s product of sturdy canvas and had loads of knife slots, nevertheless the skimpy string used to secure it didn’t actually really feel sturdy ample. It was moreover exhausting to fold when full of knives and ended up massive and hulking. As a result of it doesn’t have a cope with or straps, you’d should uncover a way to match it proper right into a backpack, which may very well be robust.
• Wusthof Roll Knife Storage: This was an trustworthy offering that appeared eerily similar to the Messermeister knife roll—save for one issue: the inside lining. Whereas the Messermeister’s provides proved to be sturdy in direction of unintended knife blade scrapes, this knife roll’s materials sliced and frayed.
• Boldric Cotton Canvas DD Hook Tie Chef Knife Bag: I most well-liked the sturdy nevertheless pliable supplies of this roll and the best way shiny it appeared when rolled up. However, the strap, which requires threading via two metal loops, wasn’t as secure as a result of the additional belt-like ones on totally different fashions, and knives shifted spherical a bit all through carrying.
• Sunday X Best Premium Chef Knife Bag: Whereas this bag was product of sturdy canvas, the stitching was free in some spots and the straps have been product of flimsy feeling pretend leather-based. Knives shifted a bit of bit bit all through carrying.
• Shun Knife Roll: Similar to the Mercer, this knife roll sustained small cuts inside after I slid knives into the slots.

FAQs

What’s a knife roll?

A knife roll is a bag utilized by cooks and cooks (and residential cooks who’re eager about knives!) to tote their cutlery.

What variety of knives can you fit in a knife roll?

It is going to depend upon the knife roll! We examined knife rolls that match between 4 and 13 knives, though it is going to depend upon the size of your knives—as an example, the blade of a Chinese language language cleaver will take up additional house than a regular 8-inch chef’s knife.

Why We’re the Specialists

• Grace Kelly is Extreme Eats’ affiliate editor and has been reviewing gear and elements proper right here for nearly two years.
• She’s labored as a bartender and as a prep put together dinner, and steadily toted her knives collectively along with her.
• For this consider, she examined 11 knife rolls by filling them with knives, toting them spherical, and analyzing their growth and sturdiness. She moreover had Hannah Stamp, a mission supervisor and textile specialist at Hasbro, research just some of the knife rolls.