Testing Kids Kitchen Knives
Note: prices and product info may have changed since the original post publication date in July 2019.
I’ve been wanting to test out some different kid-friendly kitchen knives with my kids. We have loved the Curious Chef knives for a long time now and I will still recommend them without a doubt. BUT my son was starting to want something sharper that didn’t feel as much like a safety knife. And I felt like it was time to scour the market for some options. Both my kids and myself tested and compared FOUR different kids kitchen knives that were very highly rated on Amazon. Honestly, we liked all of them, but in different ways. Here is our super casual review of the following children’s kitchen knives. We rated all four knives on price, blade sharpness, and overall effectiveness.
Note: this post contains affiliate links
FOUR KIDS KNIVES
- Curious Chef Knife Set
- Kuhn Rikon Knives & Snippers
- Opinel Knife, Peeler & Child Safety Guard
- Beginner’s Chef Knife by Made for Me
Kids’ Faves:
Since kids are the best critics on this topic, I listened to their feedback. My 3 yo daughter likes the Curious Chef Knives best. She felt like they fit her hand well. And she was nervous to use the others, given their sharper blades. My 5 yo son’s winner is the Beginner’s Chef Knife by Made for Me. Opinel’s Knife came in at a very close 2nd, but he liked the serrated blade on the Made for Me knife more. So, basically my daughter’s focus was safety and my son’s focus was blade sharpness. Lol.
My Fave:
The Opinel knife set is definitely my favorite of the four, for reasons that wouldn’t be as obvious to my kids. Here’s why…
1. Curious Chef Knife Set
Overview:
These Curious Chef knives have small handles (for tiny hands), grippies on the handles, and not-too-sharp blades. The knives are easy to hold for little kids (recommended for ages 5+). The set comes with three knives (small, medium, and large). So, several kids could use the knife set at once. They are dishwasher safe and less likely to scratch surfaces, due to being made of nylon. The set can be purchased in green/white and orange/white.
Price: Cheapest, at ~ $9
Blade Sharpness: Dullest
Overall Effectiveness: I feel totally comfortable letting my kids go crazy on some produce with these knives without feeling I need to hover and worry. They are super safe. And these knives really are the best introduction-to-cooking knives for really little ones. That being said, they aren’t very sharp. BUT they are sharper than you’d expect.
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2. Kuhn Rikon Knives and Snippers
Overview:
This is a set of 2 knives (one serrated, one straight blade) and snippers. They have cute animal faces and the snippers come with a nice cover. They are the perfect size for small hands and kids are drawn to the design, for sure. You can buy the set in a couple different colors, and it’s designed for kids 3+. Kuhn Rikon is a Swiss company.
Price: Mid-range, at ~$30
Blade Sharpness: Sharper than Curious Chef knives, but still not very sharp
Overall Effectiveness: These knives are super cute…so, kids get more excited to use them. The cool thing about the set is that you get three different types of functionality: one serrated and one straight blade (for different types of cutting) and snippers. In that sense, it’s a great introductory set for kids. The blades are not super sharp but sharp enough that you need to be more vigilant with your kids while they prep food. I would honestly buy this set just for the snippers. They are perfect for little hands and cut very well.
3. Opinel Knife, Peeler and Child Safety Guard
Overview:
This Opinel set includes a knife, peeler and kids safety guard. The knife and peeler have finger holes for kids to safely learn how to position their hands when using kitchen tools. The blades are made of stainless steel and the handles are made with very durable beech wood. Dishwasher safe. This set is designed for kids 7+. Opinel is a French company.
Price: Most expensive, at ~ $50
Blade Sharpness: Satisfactory, cuts pretty well
Overall Effectiveness: This is MY FAVORITE of the four. Here’s why! First, the set comes with a finger safety guard and a finger hole in the knife. So, kids can cut things like adults do; the guard helps them understand proper, safe finger placement for the hand that’s using the knife and the hand that’s holding the food. Second, this company makes high quality non-kid products. So, I trust their take on kids’ versions. Third, the Opinel company focuses on sustainability. The beech wood comes primarily from sustainably managed French forests.
4. Beginner’s Chef Knife by Made for Me
Overview:
This Beginner’s Chef Knife is suggested for grade school aged children and older. It has a stainless steel micro-serrated blade, comes with a blade sheath, and is available in two different colors. The handle is ergonomic, really easy to hold, and is supposedly usable for lefties and righties. The maker recommends hand washing the knife (no dishwasher).
Price: Mid range, at ~ $26
Blade Sharpness: Sharpest and cuts the best, mostly due to serrated edge
Overall Effectiveness: This knife cuts through everything the best. The serrated knife makes it easy. However (and this is important), due to the serrated edge, this is not appropriate for very young kids. A hand wound from a serrated edge is likely to be much worse than from a straight edge. I would only trust kids using this if they’ve mastered more safety-oriented knives first. That being said, the blade is micro-serrated, which eases grade-school-aged kids into cutting with sharper blades in a great, intentional way. And the blade sheath is great for safely storing the tool.
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We’d love to hear from you! What’s your favorite brand of kid-knife and what do you like about it? Send your feedback to info@platein28.com
