Ina Garten Revealed We’ve Been Storing Our Knives Wrong—Here’s How To Preserve the Blades

When Ina Garten offers kitchen tips, we listen. And we were all ears when the beloved chef, author, and entrepreneur told us we’ve been storing our kitchen knives all wrong.

Fans may have noticed that Garten always stores her knives in her knife block with the blades facing upward, rather than downward, as most of us do. Her reason, she explained in a recent Instagram reel, is simple—and brilliant.

“It’s really important to have sharp knives, and I try not to do things that dull them. I choose knife blocks that hold most of the knives sideways,” Garten wrote in the caption. “However, any knives that are held vertically, I have another trick for saving the blade.”

“If you put it in … the usual way, as you put it in, the blade is scraping against the wood, and I don’t think that’s good for the blade,” she continued in the video. “So I put it in upside down, and I think it saves the blade. Does that make sense?”

Gosh, does it ever! And other chefs we’ve spoken to agree: Knives dull surprisingly fast with repeated scraping against wood.

Given how much hangs on a trusty set of blades—keeping hands safe, making prep easier, and meals tastier—we want the right tools in the best shape and at the ready. If you want knives like Garten’s, the very blades she uses are available at Amazon, and they’re on sale right now.

“The most important tool every home cook should have is a great set of knives. Mine are Wüsthof Classic knives,” Garten shared in another Instagram reel. “They’re an investment, but if you take care of them, they’ll last a lifetime.”

Wüsthof Classic 11-Piece Knife Block Set

Wüsthof’s Classic series of knives are forged of high-carbon stainless steel, a top choice of professional chefs for its edge retention and rust resistance. Each Garten-approved blade is triple-riveted for durability with a full-tang design, laser-sharpened edge, and comfortable grip that won’t chip or fade. 

This 11-piece set has all the knives you’ll ever need for preparing star-quality meals in your own kitchen. Those include a 2.75-inch trimming knife, 3.5-inch paring knife, 4.5-inch utility knife, 4.5-inch Asian utility knife, 5-inch serrated utility knife, 6-inch utility knife, 8-inch bread knife, 8-inch chef’s knife, 9-inch honing steel, and come-apart kitchen shears, all housed in a 17-slot acacia-wood block you can proudly display.

If you’ve got a worn-out set you’re ready to shelve—or want to get on Garten’s level with pro-quality blades of your own—snag the Wüsthof Classic knives she swears by while they’re $135 off at Amazon. And remember: Blades up in the block for long-lasting sharpness.

Scroll ahead for more knife block sets Better Homes & Gardens editors recommend, including this budget-friendly set from Martha Stewart’s line and a Sur La Table set with a blade-saving magnetic block.

Cangshan TV2 Series 17-Piece Knife Block Set

Wüsthof Gourmet 23-Piece Block Set

Martha Stewart Lockton Knife Block Set

Sur La Table Kitchen Essentials Knife Set

Global Ikasu 7-Piece Knife Block Set