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I Finally Replaced My Knife Block and Got Half My Counter Back
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items If your kitchen counter looks like a game of Tetris and that bulky knife block is hogging prime real estate next to the coffee maker, this is the list I wish I had six months ago. Built for anyone cooking in a small to mid-size kitchen who's tired of...
Sections
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Magnetic Knife Racks That Actually Hold Everything
Counter Organizers for the Space You Just Freed Up
Knife Sets Worth Displaying on a Magnetic Rack
Wall Mounting Tools That Make Installation Painless
Small Kitchen Upgrades That Pair Well With a Clean Counter
Magnetic Knife Racks That Actually Hold Everything
My old knife block held six knives and took up a square foot of counter. The day I mounted a magnetic strip and tossed that block in the donation pile, I literally just stood there staring at all the empty space.
Grab this if you have a mix of heavy chef's knives and lighter paring knives. Held my 10-inch Victorinox without budging. Mounted it in about 15 minutes with basic screws and a level.
GORILLA GRIP Magnetic Knife Holder, 304 Stainless Steel
Switch to this one if you want something that blends into a stainless backsplash. My sister thought it was part of the kitchen when she visited. Holds about 8 knives comfortably without crowding.
Modern Innovations Stainless Steel Magnetic Knife Holder
Use this for a rental-friendly option since it comes with adhesive strips too. My roommate didn't want drill holes and it's been holding strong on tile for four months now.
Zulay 11.75" Seamless Maple Wood Magnetic Knife Holder
Perfect for anyone who wants to spend under $15 and still get a solid hold. I tested it with my heaviest cleaver and it didn't slide at all. Looks way more expensive than it is.
Ouddy 16 Inch Magnetic Knife Holder
Snag this if stainless steel feels too industrial for your kitchen. The walnut finish made my whole wall look intentional. Works great next to open shelving or cutting board displays.
Arria Home Handmade Walnut Wood Magnetic Knife
For the person who owns nice knives and wants the rack to match. The acacia wood is thick and the magnets are strong enough for a full set. Mounted mine above the stove and it gets compliments constantly.
Customer reviews for Magnetic Knife Block Double Sided
Counter Organizers for the Space You Just Freed Up
Once that knife block was gone, I had this beautiful empty rectangle of counter. Here's what I put there instead, and every single one of these earns its spot daily.
Toss this where your knife block used to sit. Suddenly I could see every spice without digging through a cabinet. For anyone who's accidentally bought cumin three times because it was hiding in the back.
Copco Non-Skid 3-Tier Spice Pantry Cabinet Storage
Keep this on the counter or inside a cabinet to wrangle all those lids that used to just lean against each other. My pot lid avalanche era is officially over.
SimpleHouseware 2PK Kitchen Cabinet Pan and Pot Lid
Pair this with your new knife rack setup. It's slim enough to sit right by the stove without eating up space. Holds tongs, spatulas, and a whisk without turning into a junk drawer on the counter.
OXO Good Grips Compact Utensil Organizer
Try this if you want to move your everyday utensils into a drawer instead of on the counter. The angled slots actually fit in shallow drawers, which was my whole problem before.
Joseph Joseph DrawerStore Compact Cutlery Organizer
For anyone whose junk drawer is a tangled mess of peelers and can openers. Dropped this in and suddenly I could find my bottle opener on the first try. Costs less than a fast food meal.
madesmart Classic 6 Compartment Silverware Tray
Use the freed counter space for a small row of these with flour, sugar, and rice. Looks clean and keeps everything fresh. My old bag-clip system was embarrassing in comparison.
Rubbermaid Brilliance Pantry 16.0-Cup Container
Knife Sets Worth Displaying on a Magnetic Rack
Hanging knives on a wall means everyone sees them. That ratty mismatched set I had looked rough. I upgraded a few key knives and the whole kitchen wall went from messy to intentional.
Grab this if you're starting from scratch and want three knives that cover 90% of cooking tasks. The chef's knife alone replaced four knives I was rotating through. They look sharp on a magnetic bar too.
Henckels International Solution 3-pc Starter Knife Set
Perfect for someone who wants a pop of color on the wall instead of all silver. Each knife has a different color so you're not using the chicken knife on vegetables. My kids actually remember which is which now.
Cuisinart, Kitchen Knife Set, 12-Piece
Try these if you hate sharpening. The built-in sheaths sharpen as you pull the knife out, which honestly feels like cheating. Display them on the rack without the sheaths for a cleaner look.
Farberware 14-Piece Forged Triple Rivet Knife Set
Swap your dull knives for these and you'll wonder why you waited. I diced an onion in about 30 seconds flat the first time. They're what culinary school students use, which says something.
Victorinox Swiss Classic 2 Piece Paring Knife Set Straight
Snag a set for the wall if you grill regularly. These sit flat against a magnetic strip and look restaurant-quality. Stopped using butter knives on steak and never looked back.
KitchenAid Gourmet 4-Piece Forged Steak Knife Set
For anyone who wants the full lineup without spending $200. Came with everything from a bread knife to kitchen shears. Ditched the included block and hung them all on two magnetic strips.
McCook MC29 Knife Sets, 15 Pieces German Stainless
Wall Mounting Tools That Make Installation Painless
I stared at my magnetic rack for two weeks before actually mounting it because I was nervous about drilling into tile. These tools made the whole thing take less time than watching a sitcom episode.
Use this even if you've never drilled anything before. It's lightweight enough that my wrist didn't get tired, and the battery lasted through mounting three racks and two shelves. Paid for itself the first weekend.
BLACK+DECKER 20V Cordless Drill/Driver
Grab these if you're drilling into anything harder than drywall. I hit a stud on my first attempt and the bit went right through. Cheap bits would have snapped and I'd still be standing there.
Dewalt DW1354 14PC TITANIUM PP DRILL BIT SET W/1/2
Try this for renters or anyone with a landlord who checks for holes. Held a lighter magnetic strip on my kitchen tile for months. Just make sure the surface is clean and dry before pressing.
Gorilla, Mounting Tape, Heavy Duty, 60" Black Weatherproof
Keep this in your junk drawer permanently. Nothing looks worse than a crooked knife rack. I eyeballed my first attempt and had to redo the whole thing. This cost $5 and saved me an hour.
Hyper Tough, 12" 4-Vial Magnetic Edge Torpedo Level
For the person whose walls are all drywall with no studs where you need them. These anchors held my fully loaded knife rack without any wobble. Way better than the tiny screws that came in the box.
Maxopro Heavy Duty Drywall Anchors and Screws Kit
Pair a few of these together for lightweight racks if you absolutely cannot drill. They held my small walnut rack for three months before I finally committed to screws. Good for testing placement first.
Command Picture & Frame Hanging Strips, Large (24 Pair)
Small Kitchen Upgrades That Pair Well With a Clean Counter
Once I cleared the knife block, I caught the decluttering bug. Started noticing every other thing on my counter that didn't need to be there. These five swaps finished the job.
Toss this over your sink cabinet door for sponges and dish soap. Two things off the counter in ten seconds, no tools needed. For anyone whose sink area always looks wet and cluttered.
Simple Houseware Over Cabinet Door Organizer
Swap your giant drying rack for this compact one. It holds a meal's worth of dishes and barely takes up any room. I dry everything right after washing now instead of letting it pile up.
Clorox® KeptClean 2-in-1 Dish Mat & Drying Rack
Keep fruit off the counter and in the fridge without it going bad in two days. My bananas and strawberries lasted almost twice as long. Worth it if you're tired of throwing away mushy produce every week.
(2 pack) Progressive PKS-900 Prepworks Large Produce
This thing is the size of a softball and stores in a cabinet easily. Replaced my giant waffle iron that lived on the counter permanently. Sunday mornings are still happening, just with 80% less clutter.
Classic Mini Waffles - Dash
Get a wall-mounted or under-cabinet version and reclaim that six inches of counter. Sounds small but in a tiny kitchen it's the difference between having room to chop and not. Installed mine under the cabinet in five minutes.
OXO International Oxo Good Grips Counter Top Towel
Stick this inside a cabinet door to hold foil, plastic wrap, and sandwich bags. All three boxes used to lean against each other on my counter looking sloppy. Now they're hidden and I can actually find them.
mDesign Plastic Adhesive Wall Mount Kitchen Organizer