Ina Garten Has A Better Way To Store Your Knives

Knives are a vital necessity in any chef or home cook's arsenal. But not just any knives will do; first and foremost, they must be sharp. This not only results in more even and accurate food cuts, but it has everything to do with safety.

Ironically, the sharper the knife, the safer it is. Dull knives can easily slip away from whatever veggie, meat, or crusty bread you're slicing, and cut you instead — I'm living proof of this phenomenon. And when it comes to keeping your knives sharp, even the way you store them should be paid attention to (which includes ).



Ina Garten shared on that she was questioned about the unusual way she stores her knives to keep them sharp — but her reasoning makes a lot of sense. Like many, Garten keeps her knives secured in a countertop knife block. However, she puts them in place upside down.

In other words, when they're inserted, the blades are on top and they don't rest on the hard wood of the block. Even with the sharpest blades, any friction on the sharpened side will wear it down — it's why you when cooking. As you can imagine, pulling out your knives from a knife block and resting them blade-side down every day can easily take a toll on their sharpness — which is why Garten's way is, arguably, better.

Knife storage comes in several forms Keeping your knives stored in a knife block is certainly a tidy and convenient way to keep your knives accessible, but it's not the only form of knife storage. Some people argue that knife blocks have a number of issues, including the way they can harbor bacteria, as well as taking up vital counter space. But, honestly, if Ina Garten is still using one, then it's perfectly acceptable (so long as those blades are upside down).

Still, if you're looking outside the block, so to speak, there are plenty of other options to explore. Magnetic strips that attach to the wall are a showy way to keep your knives in place. Powerful magnets adhere to your steel blades and keep them locked in until you reach out and grab one.

You can use it for your own selection of different knives, rather than being restricted by the size of the slots in a wooden block. Magnetic knife racks are similar, except these are designed to sit on your counter. They look a bit like a countertop cookbook holder, but stand straight up instead of at an angle.

You'll want to keep both of these out of reach of little hands, however. This is just one of many Drawer knife organizers keep your blades in place while resting in pull-out drawers. Some of the best ones include cork dividers, which cushion each blade and protect them from dulling.

Finally, for chefs or anyone who transports their own cooking tools, there are knife carrying bags and knife rolls. Knives are placed in individual pockets inside and the whole bag folds up, making it easy to carry. Recommended.