Buy at AmazonThe best magnetic knife strips give you plenty of room to store knives of all sizes and weights. They’re easy to install and provide enough clearance that you can grab knives without scraping your knuckles against the wall. Our favorite is the Brooklyn Butcher Block Walnut Magnetic Knife Rack, 20 in. It’s not cheap, but it is gorgeous, has great magnet coverage, and is exceptionally easy to attach to a wall. For less than half the price of our winner, the Schmidt Brothers Acacia 18” Magnetic Wall Bar is our Best Buy. It requires a little more work to set up, but is just as much of a pleasure to use as our winner.
Magnetic knife strips hold knives of all shapes and sizes without taking up valuable drawer or counter space. We’ve tested models of different materials, all with a length between 15 and 20 inches, as we’ve found that size to be best for most knife collections.
What to Look For
- Easy Installation: While none of the strips were difficult to install, some were easier than others. Most models must be mounted on a pair of screws, requiring you to measure, level, and do a bit of experimentation to get the distance and depth of the screws just right. We preferred models that required no measuring or fussing and could be leveled and screwed directly into the wall. Once properly installed, all the strips were equally stable.
- Thick Strips: The thicker the knife strip, the farther it stands out once mounted, making it easier to grab knives without grazing your knuckles against the wall. We liked models that were at least ¾ inch thick, and more was better.
- Medium-Strength Magnets, Well Distributed: We preferred models with magnets that were strong enough to securely hold our heaviest knife (our 15-ounce winning meat cleaver) without wobbling but not so strong that removing the knife was a struggle. We also preferred models that distributed those magnets evenly across the surface of the knife strip, providing uniform coverage and allowing us to attach knives anywhere on it.
- Durability: We preferred models that could stand up to long-term use without becoming damaged, though a few scratches or dings were par for the course.
What to Avoid
- Thin Strips: Models with slim profiles kept our knives too close to the wall, making it hard for us to reach in and grab the handles without scraping our knuckles.
- Magnets That Are Too Weak, Too Strong, and/or Poorly Distributed: Weak magnets allowed knives to slip or swing freely when we jostled them or smacked the wall. Strong magnets required us to use far too much force to wrench knives off the strip, making us fear for our safety. And strips that didn’t have consistent magnet coverage left us with unusable real estate, limiting the area we could use to attach knives securely.
The Tests
- Measure each strip
- Install strips using drill, level, and measuring tape
- Evaluate ability to hold winning à la carte knife set
- Evaluate ability to hold Best Buy à la carte knife set
- Evaluate ability to hold Best Buy knife set and withstand 10 thumps to the wall above
- Attach and remove brand-new chef’s knife 100 times, evaluating knife and strip for damage at the conclusion
- Attach and remove cleaver 10 times, evaluating knife and strip for damage at the conclusion
- Use iron filings to reveal size, shape, and location of magnets in each strip
How We Rated
- Clearance: We gave more points to models that provided good clearance between knife handles and the wall, allowing us to easily remove and attach knives.
- Magnets: We awarded more points to models with medium-strength magnets that covered the entire strip.
- Durability: We subtracted points from models that were easily scratched or nicked or that broke apart during extensive testing.
- Ease of Installation: We awarded more points to models that were easy to install.
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