Buying guide for Best Oster knife sets
Chopped, diced, or julienned: no matter how you slice it, you need a set of quality kitchen knives. Having the right tools improves your cooking experience, which is why investing in a set of Oster knives will put you on track toward pleasurable food preparation.
Buying individual knives can be a time-consuming, expensive task. Oster takes this responsibility off your plate and does the hard work for you. Their knife sets are designed to cover all your cutting needs, from slicing steaks to carving turkey. Basic sets come with three or four versatile knives, whereas deluxe sets have over a dozen pieces, including the rubberwood block for storage. Some consumers even opt to buy more than one set of Oster knives to build a collection that accommodates all their hosting and serving needs.
When the choices aren’t cut and dried, we’re here to make your decisions easier. We sort out all the options and variables in our comprehensive buying guide to help you choose the best set of Oster knives for your needs.
Types of Oster knife sets
Small sets
These Oster knife sets typically come with two to eight knives. Instead of covering all cutting needs like deluxe sets, these focus on essential duties. You can also find quite a few high-quality sets in this range.
One of Oster’s top-selling small sets includes a chef’s knife, utility knife, paring knife, and bonus vegetable peeler. While it only has four pieces, it covers a wide range of cutting and food preparation needs. Other popular sets include strictly steak knives, as well as combo sets featuring chef and utility knives.
Deluxe sets
Oster has a series of deluxe sets, which include either 14 or 22 pieces. The most common choice is the 14-piece set, as it’s a versatile set that includes both food preparation and cutlery knives. These include a chef’s knife, santoku knife, bread knife, utility knife, paring knife, sharpener, scissors, rubberwood block, and six steak knives.
The 22-piece sets, on the other hand, have additional specialty knives or steak knives. These may include a cleaver, a boning knife, a bird’s beak paring knife, more than one size of chef’s knives, or as many as eight steak knives. The combinations of knives vary considerably, so be sure to compare 22-piece sets carefully.
Common pieces in Oster knife sets
Chef’s knife: Oster sets usually include 8-inch or 6.5-inch chef’s knives. These are used for slicing, dicing, and chopping, so they get plenty of use on a regular basis.
Utility knife: Oster’s utility knives usually have 5-inch blades. Because of their serrated blade, these knives are ideal for slicing produce, especially items with thick skins.
Paring knife: Oster makes paring knives in a variety of sizes, though the most common ones are 3.5 inches. These are used for cutting and peeling smaller fruits and vegetables. Bird’s beak paring knives, which curve inward at the top, are around 3 inches long. They’re used to navigate the cutting and peeling of round or oddly shaped produce.
Santoku knife: Santoku knives by Oster are approximately 6.5 inches long. They resemble chef’s knives, though their shape is slightly different. Many Santoku knives feature a row of depressions, which is helpful when slicing vegetables finely as it prevents them from sticking to the blade.
Bread knife: These knives are typically the longest knife in a set at 8 to 10 inches. As their name implies, their toothy, serrated blade is used to slice into bread.
Sharpener: Oster knife sets often come with their own sharpener. These have heavy handles and feature a long, cylindrical solid metal piece. Mastering sharpening technique is just as challenging and important as any other knife activity so take time to practice this skill. Pro tip: practice on your old knives until you get the hang of it.
Scissors: Oster knife sets that include kitchen scissors are a real value, as these nifty accessories chop leafy vegetables and herbs. Many styles can be taken apart into two pieces for easy cleaning.
Electric knife: Some Oster sets come with electric knives, which are mostly used for carving turkey or cutting meat. These have to be plugged in for operation, so you’ll need to set up your cutting station somewhere close to an outlet.
Features
Colors
There is a modest variety of colors available when it comes to Oster knives. Their plastic-handle sets have the greatest color selection, and can be purchased in black, red, turquoise, brown, and ivory. Sets with wood handles have a few choices of finishes, though Oster mostly sticks to medium and dark finishes.
Materials
- Stainless steel: The most common material for Oster knives is stainless steel, which is also rustproof. Some Oster sets are completely stainless steel, including the handle.
- Ceramic: Top-of-the-line Oster knives have ceramic blades, which stay sharper far longer than stainless steel blades. Ceramic blades also require less frequent sharpening, so they’re considered a low-maintenance option.
- Plastic: The majority of Oster knife handles are made of dense, food-grade plastic. They are available in a number of ergonomic styles as well as colors. Oster knives sets with plastic handles are generally more affordable than wood or stainless steel alternatives.
- Wood: Some Oster knives have wood handles, namely walnut. This throwback style is popular among knife traditionalists, who appreciate the grainy grip of wood. The wood gets rougher with wear, however, making this handle style an acquired taste for some.
Accessories
Knife sharpener: Keep your Oster knives in tip-top slicing shape with a knife sharpener.
Cutting board: Make sure you have a quality cutting surface when using your Oster knife set.
Oster knife set prices
Oster knife sets cost between $15 and $70, so they’re certainly budget-friendly in all price brackets.
Inexpensive
Below $30 you’ll find plastic-handled 14-piece sets as well as some four-piece sets. These are generally modest-quality knives that work best for beginner cooks.
Mid-range
For $30 to $50 you’ll find 14-piece sets with better construction and materials. These knife sets are typically manufactured with walnut, ceramic, or stainless steel handles.
Expensive
At the high end, closer to $70, Oster knife sets will typically be deluxe sets with 8 to 12 steak knives. In this price range there are also some high-quality four- and six-piece sets with select knives made of stainless steel or ceramic.
Tips
- Assess your needs. Before landing on a deluxe set of Oster knives, determine whether you’ll use all of them. If you only need a couple knives from a 14-piece set, it may be more cost-effective to purchase them individually if you won’t use the rest.
- Buy a set in a bright color. Kitchens are typically equipped with knives in black, white, or silver. But if you want to shake things up, introduce a fun pop of color with a set of Oster knives with brightly colored handles.
- Choose a budget-friendly set for budding chefs. Kids and teens who are interested in cooking need their own knife sets. It’s an inexpensive way to give them ownership of their kitchen experience and make sure they learn how to use knives properly before they graduate to more advanced and expensive knives.
- Maintain your knives. Even if you choose a small, inexpensive set, you should take care of your knives. A clean, sharp knife is both safer and better for preparing food.
FAQ
Q. How do I wash my Oster knives?
A. It’s recommended to wash and dry all knives by hand. They must be thoroughly dried before returning them to their block or sheath, as lingering water can cause damage them or harbor bacteria. There are some sets that are listed as dishwasher safe, but Oster recommends hand washing as the preferred cleaning method.
Q. How long will Oster knives last?
A. It depends on the quality of construction and the materials. Those made of ceramic and stainless steel last the longest, whereas those with riveted handles made with wood and plastic tend to have shorter lifespans. To get the most out of your Oster knife set, it’s important to properly maintain them with sharpening and cleaning. Drying wet knives also extends their lifespan, as it fights the unsightly rust stains that can mar some metal blades.
Q. Can I sharpen knives myself, or should I take them to a professional sharpener?
A. Many Oster knife sets come with their own sharpening steel, so you’re certainly able to do it on your own. With that said, if you don’t sharpen with proper technique, you could permanently damage or dull the blade. Professional sharpeners, on the other hand, have top-quality sharpening instruments. They’re also experienced in sharpening different types of blades and will know how to tailor their sharpening technique for each knife.
