For any home chef, a reliable set of kitchen knives is an indispensable tool, transforming the culinary experience from a chore into a joy. The right knife makes prepping ingredients faster, safer, and more enjoyable. Today, we’re diving deep into the Anolon SureGrip 17-piece knife set, a collection that promises both quality and comfort for everyday kitchen tasks. Crafted from durable Japanese stainless steel and featuring revolutionary SureGrip silicone-enhanced handles, this set stands out for its ergonomic design and aesthetic appeal. In this comprehensive review, we’ll explore every aspect of the Anolon SureGrip knives, detailing their advantages (PROs) and potential drawbacks (CONs) to help you decide if this is the perfect addition to your kitchen arsenal.

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Anolon SureGrip 17-Piece Knife Set: Ergonomics Meets Performance

The Anolon SureGrip 17-piece set is designed to equip any kitchen with the essential tools needed for a wide range of culinary preparations. This thoughtfully curated collection ensures you have the right blade for every task, from intricate slicing to robust chopping. The set includes:

8-Inch Chef’s Knife: The workhorse of any kitchen, perfect for dicing, mincing, and chopping a variety of ingredients.
8-Inch Bread Knife: With its serrated edge, this knife effortlessly slices through crusty breads without tearing the delicate interior.
8-Inch Slicer Knife: Ideal for carving roasts, poultry, and larger cuts of meat with precision and ease.
5-Inch Santoku Knife: A versatile all-purpose knife, inspired by Japanese design, excellent for slicing, dicing, and mincing vegetables, fish, and boneless meats.
5-Inch Utility Knife: A versatile tool for tasks that require more precision than a chef’s knife but are too large for a paring knife, such as slicing sandwiches or trimming smaller cuts of meat.
3-½-Inch Paring Knife: Essential for delicate tasks like peeling fruits and vegetables, mincing garlic, or creating garnishes.
Eight 5-Inch Steak Knives: A full complement of steak knives for entertaining, ensuring each diner has a sharp, comfortable knife for their meal.
Kitchen Shears: A handy multi-purpose tool for opening packages, snipping herbs, or even breaking down poultry.
8-Inch Honing Steel: Crucial for maintaining the edge of your knives by realigning the blade, keeping them sharp between professional sharpenings.
Acacia Wood Knife Block: A stylish and safe storage solution that protects the blades and keeps your knives readily accessible on the countertop.

Our evaluation of this knife set is rooted in extensive, real-world kitchen testing. My mother has been a dedicated user of the first generation of Anolon SureGrip knives for the past three years. This long-term experience has provided invaluable insights into their durability and day-to-day performance, especially as they replaced her decades-old Cutco set. Supplementing this, I’ve personally spent several days using this new, updated model, comparing its enhancements and confirming the enduring qualities that make Anolon SureGrip a compelling choice for home cooks.

Anolon SureGrip Knives: The Unbeatable PROs

Unmatched Comfort and Safety: The SureGrip Handles

The defining feature of the Anolon SureGrip knives, and arguably their greatest strength, lies in their innovative handles. Crafted with Anolon® SureGrip® technology, these silicone-enhanced handles offer an exceptional grip that sets them apart from traditional knife designs. It’s challenging to fully convey the sensation of these handles without experiencing them firsthand – they are neither squishy like a rubber spatula nor rigidly hard like solid plastic. Instead, they provide a firm yet subtly yielding texture that cradles your hand in comfort. This unique tactile quality contributes significantly to both safety and control in a busy kitchen environment.

One of the most common kitchen hazards is using knives with damp hands. While we always strive to keep our hands and tools dry, the reality of cooking often involves constant washing of produce, dishes, and hands. Knives are frequently rinsed and wiped during meal preparation, making it nearly impossible to maintain a completely dry surface at all times. This is where the Anolon SureGrip truly shines. Even with slightly damp hands, the silicone grip provides remarkable traction, drastically reducing the risk of slippage. This enhanced safety feature is a game-changer, especially for those high-pressure moments when you’re preparing a meal for guests or trying to get dinner on the table quickly. Unlike the experience of handling knives in a sterile store environment, the Anolon SureGrip performs exceptionally well in the dynamic, often messy, real-world kitchen.

Beyond safety, the ergonomic design of the handle is another significant advantage. It features a thoughtful “protruding belly” shape that naturally conforms to the contours of your hand, allowing for a more secure and comfortable grip. This design minimizes hand fatigue during extended periods of use, making these knives a pleasure to work with. In contrast, many premium knives, such as my personal favorite Japanese Global knives, feature a one-piece stainless steel construction with dimpled handles for traction. While beautiful and incredibly sharp, they demand extra caution; I often find myself needing a terry cloth towel to ensure my hands and the blade are perfectly dry to prevent any potential slippage. The Anolon SureGrip, therefore, offers a practical advantage in terms of daily usability and peace of mind.

Elegant Design and Kitchen Harmony

Beyond their functionality, the Anolon SureGrip knives possess a distinct aesthetic appeal that can enhance any kitchen decor. I playfully assign them a “gender” because their handles are robust, rounded, and finished with a substantial, polished stainless steel end cap. This end cap not only adds a touch of sophistication but also contributes to the knife’s overall balance, making it feel stable and confident in hand.

The set is elegantly housed in a real-wood Acacia knife block. The block’s gently curved design is a deliberate choice, intended to complement the sleek lines and ergonomic curves of the knife handles themselves. This cohesive design creates a visually harmonious presentation on your countertop. The Anolon SureGrip collection is available in two sophisticated color options: Bronze and Gray. The Bronze, in particular, offers a refreshing departure from the ubiquitous black handles often seen in knife sets, providing a warm and inviting alternative. If your kitchen boasts warm-toned decor or features Anolon’s Advanced Bronze Cookware Set, these knives will integrate seamlessly, creating a beautifully coordinated culinary workspace.

Comprehensive Value for the Home Cook

The 17-piece Anolon SureGrip set offers exceptional value, providing a complete range of essential knives and accessories that cater to nearly every kitchen task. For home cooks looking to upgrade their existing collection or establish a new one, this set eliminates the need to purchase individual knives, which can often be more expensive and less coordinated. The inclusion of eight steak knives makes it an ideal choice for families or those who frequently entertain, ensuring a consistent and pleasant dining experience for everyone at the table. When considering the quality of Japanese stainless steel, the innovative SureGrip handles, and the comprehensive assortment of tools, the Anolon SureGrip set represents a smart investment for daily culinary adventures.

Anolon SureGrip Knives: Points to Consider (CONs)

The Impact of a Full Bolster

One design element that merits consideration for some users is the presence of a full bolster. A full bolster is the thick metal piece that forms the transition between the knife blade and the handle. While bolsters can add strength and act as a finger guard, a full bolster can sometimes hinder advanced cutting techniques. Many experienced chefs and culinary enthusiasts prefer to utilize a “pinch grip,” where the thumb and forefinger pinch the blade just in front of the bolster to achieve superior control and precision during cutting. With a full bolster, this grip can be more challenging or less comfortable to achieve, potentially limiting the user’s ability to execute certain cuts with optimal dexterity. For casual home cooks, this might not be a significant issue, but for those with more developed knife skills, it’s a factor worth noting.

Understanding the Blade Material: Japanese 420J2 Steel

While Anolon prominently advertises “Japanese Stainless Steel,” detailed specifications regarding the blade material were not readily available on their website. After directly contacting the company, we confirmed the specific details: the blades are made from Japanese 420J2 steel with a Rockwell Hardness of 50 +/-2 HRC.

According to experts like those at Knife Up, the 420J2 stainless steel is a popular choice for many knife manufacturers, particularly for general-purpose cutlery. It’s characterized by its medium carbon content, which strikes a balance between strength and flexibility. A key advantage of 420J2 steel is its excellent corrosion resistance, performing well in salt-free atmospheres, most industrial environments, and against many common chemicals and household cleaners. Furthermore, it boasts superior durability compared to some of the 440-grade steels.

However, it’s important to understand the implications of this steel type and its Rockwell Hardness. At 50 +/-2 HRC, 420J2 is considered a relatively softer steel compared to the harder alloys found in premium, professional-grade knives (which often range from 58-62+ HRC). The benefit of a softer steel is that it is remarkably easy to sharpen, making maintenance more accessible for the average home cook. The drawback, however, is that it will not hold an edge for as long as harder steels. This means you will need to hone your knives more frequently and sharpen them more often to maintain optimal performance. For everyday kitchen use, this characteristic is perfectly adequate, but it requires a commitment to regular maintenance to keep the blades at their best.

It’s also worth noting that Anolon is primarily renowned for its exceptional cookware and bakeware lines, not specifically for specialized cutlery, unlike dedicated knife manufacturers such as Henckels or Wüsthof. While their culinary tools, like my favorite Anolon everyday wok, are top-tier, this distinction might influence expectations regarding cutting-edge performance compared to brands exclusively focused on blades.

Maintaining Sharpness: Honing vs. Sharpening and Real-World Experience

The longevity of a knife’s sharpness is a critical concern for any user. In Mom’s three years of daily use with the original Anolon set, she primarily relied on the included honing steel. It wasn’t until we both moved to Las Vegas, making a professional sharpening service or my electric sharpener readily accessible, that her knives received a true sharpening. This highlights an important distinction:

Honing: This process merely realigns the microscopic edge of the blade, which can bend over time with use. It doesn’t remove metal but rather straightens the existing edge, restoring much of its cutting ability.
Sharpening: This involves grinding away a small amount of metal from the blade to create a new, fresh edge. It is essential when honing no longer achieves the desired sharpness.

As expected, her Chef’s knife, being the most frequently used tool in the set, had become noticeably dull over three years of regular honing without true sharpening. However, after a thorough sharpening with my electric knife sharpener, it was restored to a like-new condition. The paring knife also benefited significantly from sharpening. Interestingly, the other knives in the set, used less frequently, had maintained their edges relatively well with just honing, underscoring that usage frequency directly impacts sharpening needs.

Based on this experience, I strongly recommend investing in a good knife sharpener. For those on a budget, a simple manual pull-through sharpener, such as the Chef’sChoice AngleSelect Manual Sharpener, is an excellent and affordable option to keep your blades keen. If sharp knives are a high priority and your budget allows, I wholeheartedly endorse an electric sharpener like the Chef’sChoice AngleSelect Electric Sharpener. This model is particularly versatile, capable of sharpening both Asian-style (15-degree) and European-style (20-degree) knives, making it a valuable tool for a diverse knife collection. Alternatively, for those who prefer professional results without the DIY effort, local sharpening services offer an economical solution, typically for just a few dollars per blade, ensuring your knives are meticulously maintained.

Who Will Love the Anolon SureGrip Knives?

The Anolon SureGrip 17-piece knife set is particularly well-suited for a specific demographic of home cooks, thanks to its thoughtful design and emphasis on comfort and safety:

Individuals with Hand Discomfort or Arthritis: The thicker, ergonomic SureGrip handles are a game-changer for those who experience weaker hands, chronic pain, or arthritis. The larger circumference means less strain on the hand to achieve a secure grip, making extended periods of chopping and slicing far more comfortable. My mother’s positive experience with these knives, particularly in managing her chronic thumb pain, is a testament to this benefit. They allowed her to continue her passion for cooking despite her challenges. (She’s currently trying a different set after finger surgery, which I’ll share details about soon!)
Beginner and Intermediate Home Cooks: If you’re new to cooking or looking to upgrade from a basic set, the Anolon SureGrip offers a comprehensive collection with an emphasis on safety. The non-slip handles provide confidence, reducing the intimidation factor often associated with sharp knives.
Those Prioritizing Safety in a Busy Kitchen: For anyone who finds themselves frequently working with damp hands or in a fast-paced kitchen environment, the enhanced grip offers invaluable peace of mind, significantly lowering the risk of accidents.
Admirers of Kitchen Aesthetics: The elegant design, robust handles, and beautiful Acacia wood block make this set a stylish addition to any kitchen countertop, especially for those who appreciate cohesive kitchen decor.

Conversely, this set might not be the ideal choice for everyone. Individuals with exceptionally small hands might find the handles a bit too bulky for their comfort. Similarly, professional chefs or purists who demand ultra-hard, razor-thin blades that hold an edge for exceptionally long periods without frequent honing might lean towards more specialized, higher-carbon steel knives. However, for the vast majority of home cooks, the Anolon SureGrip strikes an excellent balance of comfort, safety, and performance.

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Anolon SureGrip 17-Piece Knife Set Giveaway

Stay tuned for exciting opportunities to win an Anolon SureGrip 17-piece knife set! We often run giveaways for our valued readers, so keep an eye on our announcements for your chance to bring this exceptional knife collection into your own kitchen. Good luck!