The 4 Best Knife Rolls of 2024, Tested & Reviewed

A knife roll is commonly the purview of cooks (*cough* who need to showcase their custom-made Gyuto at work *cough* ) or culinary college students toting knives to class. However I exploit my knife roll in a way more plebian—and sensible—means: to convey my sharp knives with me the place boring knives await, whether or not it’s at my in-laws or an Airbnb. Nobody needs to cook dinner dinner with a boring blade…belief me, I’ve tried. Enter the knife roll: the secure, safe (and fewer harmful than simply tossing them in your suitcase) means of packing up your knives.

I examined 11 of them to seek out ones which can be a cinch to fill, wrap, and tote, and received’t have you ever worrying about knives slipping out or poking by means of the material. 

The Winners, at a Look

If you happen to’re in search of sturdiness, numerous knife slots, and a deal with and shoulder strap, this knife roll has all of it. It additionally consists of varied zippered pockets and different small slots for different kitchen requirements (like a Sharpie—iykyk). 

Just like the ChefSac, this can be a heavy-duty roll replete with pockets, slots, and durable straps to carry all of it collectively. 

The Greatest Extra Inexpensive Knife Roll

Slim, easy, and rugged, this no-frills knife roll retains knives safe. Its deal with and strap made it straightforward to tote. 

The Greatest Compact Knife Roll

This knife roll has 4 storage slots and a compact type, making it nice for tossing right into a backpack or tote bag. 

The Exams

• Knife Match Take a look at: I match as many knives as I might inside every knife roll, noting if it was straightforward to fit them in and if the knife roll packed up simply as soon as full. 
• Carrying Take a look at: I used every knife roll to hold a wide range of knives, noting how snug the deal with or strap(s) have been, and if the knives shifted throughout transport. 
• Sturdiness Take a look at (Winners-Solely): I unzipped and unbuckled varied elements of the knife rolls 20 occasions to examine for sturdiness. 

What We Realized

High quality Craftsmanship and Supplies Have been Necessary 

Similar to a high quality merchandise of clothes or backpack, a well-made knife roll will final you longer. Because you’re shoving sharp knives into this stuff (or, tremendous, perhaps you’re masking them with knife guards like I ought to be doing), the inside materials higher be sturdy. Some knife rolls, just like the Shun, suffered cuts from my knives—not a very good signal by way of longevity. Others, just like the Sunday X Best, had artificial leather-based straps and unfastened stitching. We confirmed this mannequin to Hannah Stamp, a venture engineer and textile specialist at Hasbro Inc., who stated the uneven stitching speaks to poor thread pressure, whereas the artificial leather-based is flimsier and belies a less expensive product. Whereas I am not saying you want a $500 leather-based roll, just like the Tom Beckbe (although it should most likely final a lifetime, or longer), it’s good to have a sturdy canvas or robust polyester one which’ll stand as much as sharp knives and final a very long time. 

Carrying Consolation Was Key 

I actually preferred the thought of the Tilit backpack, which features a entrance pocket for storing your knives (with tons of room for different kitchen necessities, like a stable Y-peeler, cookbook, and even your laptop computer). Nevertheless, the backpack was means too massive, and the straps dug uncomfortably into my neck after I carried it round. As an alternative, I most popular easy-to-use, snug straps and handles, like on the Messermeister and ChefSac, or rolls that have been sufficiently small to toss into a daily backpack, just like the Hardmill knife roll.

The Variety of Knife Slots Was a Private Alternative 

I examined a wide range of knife rolls, the biggest of which might match 18 knives, and the smallest of which match 4. Ultimately, I discovered knife rolls with numerous knife slots have been tough to jam-pack since bigger blades take up more room (particularly for those who use a bigger blade, like a Chinese cleaver). Ultimately, eight knife slots are ideally suited, although for those who’re solely utilizing one or two knives, the petite Hardmill knife roll, which has 4 slots, is a superb selection. Along with slots, some knife roll manufacturers may also word the size of knives you possibly can place in them, and the highest of that vary is normally round 15 to 18 inches

There Wasn’t A Lot of Variation In Look 

This is perhaps a petty criticism, however the knife rolls I examined all form of regarded the identical; numerous brown leather-based and darkish greens, greys, and blues. It might be good to have one thing, I don’t know, slightly extra quirky. I might love extra enjoyable patterns and colourful choices. 

The Standards: What to Search for in a Knife Roll

I preferred sturdy knife rolls—they need to be robust sufficient to face up in opposition to sharp blades and put on and tear over time. They need to even be straightforward to open, shut, and fill with knives; if the fabric is simply too stiff, it’s arduous to slip knives into the slots. That stated, the slots (and roll total) ought to maintain the knives in place; they should not shift or begin to fall out in transit. Lastly, a very good knife roll ought to be straightforward to hold, whether or not with a deal with or shoulder strap.

The Greatest Knife Rolls

What we preferred: Huge, sturdy, and straightforward to stuff with knives, pens, y-peelers, and many others., this can be a severe knife roll for severe cooks. With 13 knife pockets, six utensil slots, and 4 massive pockets (together with a mesh sleeve for stashing your favourite wooden spoon) you might virtually pack up your complete utensil drawer on this factor. It’s additionally tremendous straightforward to tote, and sports activities sturdy leather-based straps for securing it. 

What we didn’t like: There wasn’t a lot to not like about it, aside from it’s massive and perhaps overly capacious for most individuals’s wants. 

Key Specs

• Model: Roll with shoulder strap and carrying deal with
• Supplies: Waxed canvas, leather-based
• Open dimensions: 29 x 31 inches
• Closed dimensions: 19.5 x 9 inches
• Weight (empty): 2 kilos, 11.1 ounces
• What it has: 13 knife pockets, 6 utensil slots, 4 massive pockets
• Care: Wipe with a humid sponge and water, dry

What we preferred: This factor is hard, with stiff canvas and thick leather-based straps that have been surprisingly straightforward to open and cinch tight. It’s additionally full of further pockets for different doodads and even options an particularly massive exterior pocket, which might be good to your telephone and pockets if you wish to hold every part in a single place. The deal with and strap have been massive and comfy.

What we didn’t like: The knife roll contains a cumbersome further zippered pocket on the outside, which caught out fairly a bit. The pointed zipper on it was fairly sharp, and I truly stabbed my palm with it. It’s additionally a pricier decide, at round $150 at time of testing.

Key Specs

• Model: Roll with shoulder strap and carrying deal with
• Supplies: 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 fast entry zip closure rear pocket, one enterprise card pocket, 1 inside zip closure pocket, and three inside utility pockets
• Care: Wipe with a humid sponge and water, dry

The Greatest Inexpensive Knife Roll

What we preferred: Positive, this isn’t a blue waxed canvas knife roll with bridle leather-based straps, but it surely’s sturdy, sensible, and straightforward to tote. I actually preferred the zippered inside half, which ensured knives stayed of their slots, and it was straightforward to suit knife handles into the stretchy pockets, one thing that couldn’t be stated of stiffer canvas choices. 

What we didn’t like: I didn’t love the velcro used to safe the roll when it was folded up. Nevertheless, there’s a zippered sleeve that retains knives inside, which gave me extra peace of thoughts. 

Key Specs

• Model: Roll with shoulder strap and carrying deal with
• Supplies: 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 massive pocket, 3 pencil/pen pockets, and a zippered mesh inside
• Care: Spot clear with a humid towel, dry

The Greatest Compact Knife Roll

What we preferred: If you happen to’re in search of a knife roll to carry a couple of important knives, this one’s obtained you lined. I preferred how slim it was (it match simply into my tote purse), and my knives tucked readily into the slots and stayed there. It’s additionally fabricated from rugged waxed canvas with cotton canvas backing, a sturdy combo. It additionally is available in a wide range of colours, one thing that wasn’t true for a lot of different knife rolls. 

What we didn’t like: There are not any handles, so that is extra of a knife roll that you just’d pack up in a backpack or tote bag. It’s additionally fairly expensive for a petite providing (it was $100 after I examined it). 

Key Specs

• Model: Roll, no strap or deal with
• Supplies: 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 Competitors

• Tom Beckbe Chef’s Knife Roll: I’ve to preface this by saying this can be a attractive, sturdy knife roll that anybody can be fortunate to have; as a result of it’s fabricated from leather-based, it should probably final a lifetime (most likely longer). That stated, it was $500 after I examined it, which isn’t precisely chump change. And whereas it should soften with time, proper off the bat it’s fairly massive; carrying it, I felt like an architect strolling round with a type of massive tubes they hold their blueprints in. 
• Tilit Chef Backpack: I actually needed to love this backpack, because it’s an awesome thought, particularly for folk who work within the restaurant trade and commute to work. However it was simply means too massive, and the straps have been stiff and uncomfortable and chafed my neck. 
• Hudson Durable Goods 8 Pocket Knife Roll: This knife roll had its deserves: it is fabricated from sturdy canvas and had numerous knife slots, however the skimpy string used to safe it didn’t really feel sturdy sufficient. It was additionally arduous to fold when stuffed with knives and ended up massive and hulking. Because it doesn’t have a deal with or straps, you’d need to discover a method to match it right into a backpack, which is perhaps tough.
• Wusthof Roll Knife Storage: This was a good providing that regarded eerily much like the Messermeister knife roll—save for one factor: the inside lining. Whereas the Messermeister’s supplies proved to be sturdy in opposition to unintended knife blade scrapes, this knife roll’s cloth sliced and frayed. 
• Boldric Cotton Canvas DD Hook Tie Chef Knife Bag: I preferred the sturdy however pliable materials of this roll and the way glossy it regarded when rolled up. Nevertheless, the strap, which requires threading by means of two steel loops, wasn’t as safe because the extra belt-like ones on different fashions, and knives shifted round a bit throughout carrying. 
• Sunday X Best Premium Chef Knife Bag: Whereas this bag was fabricated from sturdy canvas, the stitching was unfastened in some spots and the straps have been fabricated from flimsy feeling fake leather-based. Knives shifted slightly bit throughout carrying. 
• Shun Knife Roll: Just like 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 enthusiastic about knives!) to tote their cutlery. 

What number of knives can you slot in a knife roll?

It will depend on the knife roll! We examined knife rolls that match between 4 and 13 knives, although it will depend on the dimensions of your knives—for instance, the blade of a Chinese cleaver will take up more room than a conventional 8-inch chef’s knife. 

Why We’re the Consultants

• Grace Kelly is Severe Eats’ affiliate commerce editor and has been reviewing gear and elements right here for almost two years.
• She’s labored as a bartender and as a prep cook dinner, and regularly toted her knives together with her.
• For this evaluation, she examined 11 knife rolls by filling them with knives, toting them round, and inspecting their development and sturdiness. She additionally had Hannah Stamp, a venture supervisor and textile specialist at Hasbro, study a couple of of the knife rolls.