America’s Test Kitchen – The Best Magnetic Knife Holders (July 2025)

“This handsome knife strip was very easy to install. It came with instructions on the box itself; a QR code, also on the box, let us see a video of the process too. All we had to do was screw a mounting bar into the wall and attach the knife strip over the screws. (We particularly appreciated the built-in spirit levels on the mounting bar, which helped ensure that the bar was perfectly straight.) Better still, the knife strip did a great job of holding all our knives, from the lightest paring knife to the heaviest cleaver. And the mounting bar helped elevate the already-thick knife strip 1.5 inches away from the wall—the highest of any model we’ve tested—so it was easy to grab knives without grazing our knuckles. Like most wood models, this one picked up a few scratches over testing, but it was otherwise solidly built. It was also the tallest strip we’ve tested, measuring 3.5 inches from the top to the bottom of the bar.” – Miye Broomberg

Published on-line July 30th 2025

America’s Test Kitchen Article Overview:

The 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 360KnifeBlock BAR. It’s not cheap, but it is handsome, has good magnet coverage, and is exceptionally easy to attach to a wall. For less than half the price of our winner, the Messermeister 17.75″ Acacia Knife Magnet Bar is our Best Buy. It’s also easy to set up and holds a variety of knives well. But it’s relatively slim, so your knuckles are more likely to graze the wall when you try to pull a knife off.

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.

Link to article – it’s behind a pay wall, which I HIGHLY recommend paying for – the reviews are obviously fantastic but I keep coming back for the recipes, everything ATK produces is top notch and worth paying for.

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/equipment_reviews/1746-magnetic-knife-strips