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Anolon SureGrip 17-Piece Knife Set Review: Unmatched Comfort and Kitchen Performance

A high-quality knife set is the cornerstone of any functional kitchen, transforming daunting meal preparation into an enjoyable culinary experience. The Anolon SureGrip 17-piece knife set stands out in a crowded market, offering a blend of robust Japanese stainless steel blades, innovative SureGrip handles, and a striking aesthetic design. This comprehensive review delves into the features, benefits, and practical considerations of this popular kitchen tool, providing insights from years of real-world use to help you decide if it’s the perfect fit for your home.

From the moment you hold an Anolon SureGrip knife, its unique design promises comfort and control. Crafted with precision and an understanding of daily kitchen demands, this set aims to elevate your cooking, making it safer and more efficient. We’ve put this set through its paces, drawing on both a three-year intensive review of the first-generation model and recent hands-on experience with the updated version, to give you an unbiased perspective on its performance and longevity. Discover why the Anolon SureGrip knife set is gaining popularity among home cooks seeking reliability and ergonomic design.

What’s Included in the Anolon SureGrip 17-Piece Knife Set?

The Anolon SureGrip 17-piece knife set is thoughtfully curated to equip your kitchen with all the essential tools for a wide range of culinary tasks. Each piece is designed for specific functions, ensuring you have the right blade for every cut. The set includes:

8-Inch Chef Knife: The versatile workhorse of any kitchen, essential for chopping, slicing, dicing, and mincing a variety of ingredients. Its broad, curved blade allows for a rocking motion, making it indispensable for daily meal preparation and a staple for any aspiring or experienced cook.
8-Inch Bread Knife: Featuring a robust serrated edge, this knife glides effortlessly through crusty loaves, delicate pastries, and even soft-skinned fruits like tomatoes without crushing them, ensuring clean, precise cuts every time.
8-Inch Slicer Knife: With its long, thin blade, this knife is perfect for carving large roasts, poultry, and larger cuts of meat with long, even strokes, ensuring beautifully presented, uniform slices for your guests.
5-Inch Santoku Knife: A Japanese-style knife known for its versatility in chopping, slicing, and dicing. Its flatter blade profile and sheep’s foot tip make it excellent for precise, downward cutting motions, a favorite for vegetable preparation.
5-Inch Utility Knife: A versatile mid-sized knife, excellent for tasks too large for a paring knife but too small for a chef’s knife. It excels at slicing sandwiches, trimming vegetables, or cutting through larger fruits.
3-½-Inch Paring Knife: Essential for intricate tasks like peeling, coring fruits and vegetables, mincing garlic, or creating delicate garnishes with exceptional precision and control.
Eight 5-Inch Steak Knives: Designed for table use, these sharp knives effortlessly cut through cooked meats, enhancing the dining experience for you and your guests with their comfortable grip and efficient blade.
Kitchen Shears: A truly multi-purpose tool for various kitchen tasks, from snipping herbs and opening stubborn packages to trimming poultry or breaking down smaller bones. Their robust design makes them a practical addition to any kitchen.
8-Inch Honing Steel: Crucial for maintaining the edge of your knives by realigning the microscopic steel particles that comprise the blade. Regular honing ensures your knives stay sharp and perform optimally between professional sharpenings.
Acacia Wood Knife Block: A stylish and functional storage solution that not only protects the sharp blades from damage but also keeps your entire knife collection safely and conveniently organized on your countertop, adding a touch of natural elegance to your kitchen decor.

This comprehensive collection provides a solid foundation for any home cook, offering specialized tools for virtually every cutting need while keeping your kitchen organized and visually appealing.

Anolon SureGrip Knives: The Outstanding PROs

Experience Unparalleled Comfort and Safety with SureGrip Handles

The standout feature of the Anolon SureGrip knives is undeniably their handles, crafted with Anolon’s proprietary SureGrip® technology. These silicone-enhanced handles offer an exceptional level of comfort and security that truly sets them apart from conventional knife handles. It’s challenging to fully convey the tactile sensation – they are not overly soft or squishy like a rubber spatula, but possess a firm yet subtly yielding texture that conforms naturally to your hand. This unique composition translates into a significantly safer and more comfortable cutting experience, especially during prolonged periods of use.

In a busy kitchen environment, hands often become damp from washing produce, rinsing dishes, or simply from the steam and humidity of cooking. While traditional kitchen wisdom often advises against using cutlery with wet hands, the reality of everyday cooking often makes this difficult to achieve consistently. The Anolon SureGrip handles excel precisely in these real-world scenarios. Even when your hands are slightly damp, the SureGrip material provides a remarkably secure hold, drastically reducing the risk of slippage. This enhanced grip fosters greater confidence and control, making tasks like quickly chopping vegetables or carving a roast feel much safer and less strenuous, mitigating potential accidents.

Beyond their superior non-slip properties, the ergonomic design of the handles further contributes to their outstanding comfort. They feature a distinct “protruding belly” shape, which naturally nests in the palm, promoting a more natural and relaxed grip. This thoughtful design helps to minimize hand fatigue and strain, making the Anolon SureGrip set an excellent choice for individuals who spend considerable time in the kitchen, or those who may experience discomfort with slimmer, less ergonomic handles. The reduced strain means you can enjoy cooking for longer without discomfort.

To put this into perspective, consider the contrast with some high-end, all-stainless-steel knives, such as my beloved Japanese Global Knives. While incredibly sharp and well-balanced, their dimpled stainless steel handles, while designed for traction, still demand extra caution in damp conditions. I often find myself constantly reaching for a terry cloth towel to ensure both my hands and the knife are perfectly dry, a meticulous and sometimes interrupting step that the Anolon SureGrip handles largely mitigate, allowing for a more fluid and less interrupted cooking process. This focus on practical safety makes the Anolon SureGrip a fantastic choice for the bustling home kitchen.

Aesthetic Appeal: A Handsome and Cohesive Addition to Any Kitchen

Beyond their practical benefits, the Anolon SureGrip knife set boasts a design that is both robust and refined, adding a touch of modern elegance to your culinary space. The handles are notably thick and rounded, culminating in a heavy, polished stainless steel end cap. This not only adds a touch of contemporary flair but also contributes significantly to the knife’s overall balance, ensuring it feels substantial and well-constructed in hand, which is crucial for comfortable and effective use.

Complementing the contemporary knife design is the gently curved Acacia wood knife block. Acacia wood is celebrated for its exceptional durability and rich, attractive grain patterns, providing a beautiful and natural contrast to the sleek steel and silicone of the knives. This real-wood block is not just a functional storage solution; it’s a countertop showpiece that elevates the aesthetic of your entire kitchen, embodying both utility and style.

Adding to its visual versatility, the set is available in both Bronze and Gray handle colors. The Bronze option offers a refreshing alternative to the ubiquitous black handles often found on knife sets, providing a warm and inviting feel that can seamlessly blend with various kitchen décors. If your kitchen decor features warm tones or earthy elements, the Bronze set would look particularly beautiful on your counter space. Moreover, the updated design of these knives is meticulously crafted to perfectly complement Anolon’s popular Advanced Bronze Cookware Set, allowing for a cohesive and sophisticated kitchen aesthetic across your essential tools, creating a truly unified look.

Anolon SureGrip Knives: Considerations and CONs

While the Anolon SureGrip set offers many advantages, it’s important to consider aspects that might not suit every user or culinary style. A balanced review includes a frank discussion of potential drawbacks, ensuring you make an informed decision.

The Impact of Full Bolsters on Grip and Precision

One design element that may be a point of contention for experienced cooks is the presence of full bolsters. A bolster is the thick metal collar located between the knife blade and the handle. While bolsters can add strength, balance, and act as a finger guard, a “full bolster” extends all the way to the heel of the blade, covering the entire width of the knife. In my experience, and for many who adhere to classical knife techniques, full bolsters can complicate the execution of a proper “pinch grip.”

The pinch grip is a fundamental technique where you grip the blade itself (not just the handle) between your thumb and forefinger, just in front of the bolster. This grip provides superior control and leverage, enabling more precise and efficient cutting motions, crucial for delicate tasks or high-volume prep work. With a full bolster, the thumb and forefinger are often forced further back onto the handle, away from the blade’s edge, which can reduce the precision and control typically afforded by a traditional pinch grip. While this might not be a significant issue for casual home cooks, those accustomed to professional cutting techniques or seeking maximum blade control might find it requires an adjustment or adaptation of their grip. This is an important consideration for anyone prioritizing fine knife work.

Understanding the Blade: Japanese 420J2 Stainless Steel Characteristics

The Anolon website provides limited specific information regarding the blade material, simply stating “Japanese Stainless Steel.” To offer a more detailed insight into the blade’s performance and maintenance requirements, I reached out to the company and obtained the following specifications:

Steel Type: Japanese 420J2 steel
Rockwell Hardness: 50 +/-2 HRC

For those unfamiliar with knife metallurgy, these specifications offer valuable context. According to Knife Up, The Knife News Magazine, “The 420J2 stainless steel is a popular choice for knife manufacturers. 420J2 stainless steel contains medium quality carbon content. It has good corrosion resistance in salt-free atmospheres and in most industrial environments. It is resistant to many chemicals and household cleaners; and, it is also a more durable steel compared to the 440 grades.”

In practical terms, 420J2 steel is typically an inexpensive, medium-quality stainless steel often used for general-purpose knives. Its primary strengths lie in its excellent corrosion resistance and remarkable ease of sharpening. This means you won’t have to worry excessively about rust or stains, and when the blade eventually dulls, it can be brought back to a keen edge relatively easily, even with basic sharpening tools. This makes it a very user-friendly steel for home cooks. However, its “medium quality carbon content” and softer Rockwell Hardness of 50 +/-2 HRC indicate that it will not hold an edge for as long as harder, higher-carbon steels typically found in premium cutlery from specialized brands. This implies that the Anolon SureGrip knives will require more frequent honing and sharpening to maintain optimal performance and a consistently sharp edge for demanding tasks.

It’s also worth noting that Anolon is primarily renowned for its exceptional cookware and bakeware – indeed, they produce one of my favorite everyday woks. While they certainly apply their quality standards to their cutlery line, their core expertise isn’t solely in high-performance knife manufacturing, a distinction often held by specialized knife brands like Henckels or Wüsthof. This doesn’t detract from the Anolon SureGrip set’s overall value, but it sets appropriate expectations regarding blade performance relative to those highly specialized brands, offering a solid performance for everyday home cooking needs rather than professional-grade demands.

Maintaining Sharpness: The Essential Distinction Between Honing and Sharpening

A common misconception among home cooks is the fundamental difference between honing and sharpening. Understanding these two crucial processes is key to properly maintaining your knives and ensuring they perform at their best. Our long-term review provided significant insights into the Anolon SureGrip set’s edge retention and the importance of correct maintenance.

For three years, my Mom, the primary user of the first-generation Anolon SureGrip set, relied solely on the included honing steel to maintain her knives. It’s vital to understand that honing a knife does not remove metal from the blade. Instead, it straightens and realigns the microscopic edge of the blade that tends to curl, bend, or become misaligned over time with regular use. This temporary fix can make a dull knife *feel* sharper by correcting its alignment, improving its cutting ability, but it doesn’t create a new cutting surface or restore a truly dull edge.

It wasn’t until we were able to truly sharpen the knives with my electric knife sharpener that they were truly restored to their original cutting prowess. Sharpening, unlike honing, involves grinding away a small amount of metal from the blade to create a completely new, fresh, and razor-sharp edge. As expected, her Chef’s knife, the most frequently used blade in the set, had become quite dull over three years of daily use with only honing. However, after proper sharpening, it performed like new, gliding through ingredients with ease. The paring knife also benefited significantly from a full sharpening. Interestingly, other knives in the set, used less frequently, had maintained a more acceptable level of sharpness, underscoring the direct impact of use frequency on edge retention and the need for periodic sharpening.

Recommendations for Knife Sharpeners and Care:

Given the softer nature of 420J2 steel, regular sharpening is more important for the Anolon SureGrip set than it might be for knives made from harder steels. Here are a few options to keep your blades in top condition:

Budget-Friendly Manual Sharpener: For those on a tight budget or just starting with knife maintenance, a simple manual pull-through sharpener, like this one, is a practical and effective solution. While it requires a bit of technique to use correctly, it can bring a decent edge back to your knives and is a significant improvement over a dull blade.
Premium Electric Sharpener: If sharp knives are a top priority and you have the budget, an electric sharpener offers superior results with minimal effort and greater consistency. I highly recommend the Chef’s Choice Angle Select electric sharpener. This versatile device is capable of sharpening both Asian-style and European-style knives, providing precise and consistent edges every time, making it a valuable long-term investment for your kitchen.
Professional Sharpening: Don’t overlook the option of professional knife sharpening services. For just a few dollars per blade, a skilled sharpener can restore your knives to factory-level sharpness. This is an excellent choice for periodic maintenance, especially if you’re uncomfortable sharpening them yourself or want to ensure the best possible edge.

Regardless of your chosen method, establishing a routine for sharpening and honing, combined with proper care such as hand-washing and immediate drying, will ensure your Anolon SureGrip knives remain safe, efficient, and a joy to use for many years to come.

Who Is the Anolon SureGrip Knife Set Perfect For?

The Anolon SureGrip 17-piece knife set, with its distinctive features, caters to a specific demographic of home cooks, making it an excellent choice for many while perhaps less ideal for others. Understanding its target audience helps in determining if it’s the right fit for your kitchen needs.

Ideal for Comfort and Safety-Conscious Cooks, Especially Those with Hand Discomfort

This knife set truly shines for individuals who prioritize comfort and safety in the kitchen, especially those with certain physical considerations. The thicker, rounded SureGrip handles require less clenching and provide a more substantial, secure grip. This makes them exceptionally beneficial for people with weaker hands, chronic hand pain, or arthritic conditions. My Mom’s experience perfectly illustrates this; having suffered from chronic pain issues in her right thumb, these knives significantly helped her continue her passion for cooking without discomfort. The ergonomic design truly makes a difference in reducing strain during extended meal preparation, allowing for longer, more enjoyable cooking sessions. If you find traditional, thin-handled knives uncomfortable or difficult to control, the Anolon SureGrip could be a genuine game-changer for your culinary endeavors.

Furthermore, their non-slip properties enhance kitchen safety for everyone. The peace of mind that comes from knowing your knife won’t slip, even with damp hands, is invaluable, making it a great set for general home use where safety is paramount. Beginners or less experienced cooks will also appreciate the added security these handles provide, fostering confidence in the kitchen.

Considerations for Other User Types

While superb for its target audience, the Anolon SureGrip set might not be the optimal choice for everyone. If you have particularly petite hands, you might find the thicker handles a bit cumbersome. While designed for comfort and grip, their substantial size could reduce dexterity for those with smaller hand dimensions, potentially leading to discomfort rather than relief. Similarly, professional chefs or avid home cooks who demand extremely hard steel for prolonged edge retention, or who prefer ultra-thin blades for intricate work and a very specific pinch grip, might gravitate towards specialized cutlery brands known for those attributes. However, for the vast majority of home cooks seeking a reliable, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing knife set that prioritizes safety and ease of use above all else, the Anolon SureGrip 17-piece set presents a compelling and highly recommended option.

Final Thoughts on the Anolon SureGrip 17-Piece Knife Set

In conclusion, the Anolon SureGrip 17-piece knife set offers a thoughtful balance of comfort, safety, and everyday performance for the home kitchen. Its innovative SureGrip handles provide an exceptional non-slip experience, significantly enhancing user safety and reducing hand fatigue, making it particularly beneficial for individuals with hand discomfort or arthritis. The handsome acacia wood block and the choice of modern handle colors ensure that this set is not only functional but also a stylish and cohesive addition to any countertop, elevating your kitchen’s aesthetic.

While the 420J2 Japanese stainless steel blades require more frequent honing and sharpening compared to harder steels, their ease of maintenance and excellent corrosion resistance make them practical for daily use without demanding overly specialized care. This set embodies Anolon’s commitment to quality kitchenware, extending their reputation beyond cookware to provide reliable and comfortable cutlery that meets the needs of the modern home cook.

For those seeking a comprehensive, user-friendly knife set that prioritizes a secure and comfortable grip, without venturing into the realm of ultra-premium, high-maintenance blades, the Anolon SureGrip is an outstanding choice. It represents a smart investment for enhancing your kitchen’s capabilities and making your daily cooking routines more enjoyable and safer. Consider your personal needs for comfort, grip, and blade maintenance, and you’ll find the Anolon SureGrip 17-piece set to be a strong contender for your next essential kitchen upgrade.

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