Go into pretty much any kitchen in the world and you'll find a knife set of some sort. Some kitchens will have fancy sets with 30-50 different types of blade configurations. Other kitchens will have just a small set with only a couple of knives. No matter the quantity, it's a must that there are at least a few pieces of quality cutlery in each kitchen.

An avid cook will often collect knives over a long period of time. Sometimes they have a hodgepodge of different brands and types of blade. These people will buy knives as the need for a new type arrives, and are happy to throw them all in a drawer or small box.

Most people prefer to buy a good knife block set and be done with it. These sets can be huge, and the prices can range anywhere from under $100 to $5000 or more. The ideal set is one that fits the needs of the individual who will be using it and is open to interpretation. It's important that you educate yourself before buying a knife set because there are a bunch of manufacturers.

Finding the right set of knives can take a lot of time and end up costing you extra money if you don't do your research prior to making a purchase. If you purchase a sub-par set, you may find yourself in the market for a new set of knives sooner than you'd like to be. It's entirely possible to spend a good chunk of money on a bad set of knives.

There are expensive sets that are prone to rust or corrosion, and many of the more expensive knife brands have blades that require special care. If you're the type of person who leaves knives lying around in the sink for a day or two, these brands may not be the right brand for your needs. You should know about this before you spend a lot of money on a set of knives.

A quality knife set will include at least a couple different sizes of paring blade so you can choose one to fit your needs. You will also likely want a set that has a bread knife, a cleaver, kitchen shears and quite possibly a good butcher knife. Some sets even include steak knives, which can come in handy if your family consumes a lot of red meat.

Research the manufacturer and be sure to read reviews on the different sets you are interested in. A good site to do this is on Amazon.com. There are a lot of honest reviews on there, which make it easy to choose a set of knives that will match your needs. If a set gets good reviews, it is likely to be a decent set. If there are a lot of complaints, then you may want to move on to a different set of knives.

Acquiring a quality knife set can make things a lot easier for the avid cook in your family. Good blades will slice right through food instead of ripping and tearing like the cheaper blades tend to do. Getting a good set will make things much easier.