Stop Storing Knives Loose in Your Drawer—This $36 Cork-Lined Box Keeps Mine Nice and Sharp

It’s true: I literally own dozens of knives. Call it a hazard of my profession (as a gear tester), but when the opportunity to buy (or be gifted, to be totally honest) a beautiful blade presents itself, I have a hard time turning it down. 

You’d be absolutely shocked to know, then, that I have quite a few knife storage options as well. Magnetic knife strips, 360 Knife Blocks (gasp! I know—we’re anti-knife blocks, but these open-side knife blocks are a different breed, though they do still gobble up some countertop space) and cork-lined boxes. 

Today, we’ll focus on the latter: because while you might not have a suitable wall for a magnetic knife strip or the space for a knife block, you likely have a drawer to stash blades in. The box, from Knifedock, has long been a Serious Eats recommendation. As senior culinary director Daniel Gritzer describes it, “The cork protects the blade, and the dividers are thin enough to allow for maximum flexibility in terms of the number, size, and type of knives you pack into it.” 

The box can accommodate knives up to 12 inches in length, and I usually have a chef’s knife or two, a petty knife, and a couple of spare paring knives housed in it. For the non-knife collector, it’ll fit the essentials. And while I can’t speak for all kitchen drawers, the Knifedock’s slim, rectangular shape easily fits in every one in my kitchen. 

Knife Dock In-Drawer Knife Storage

$48 at Amazon $30 at Sur La Table $40 at The Container Store

Key Specs

• Materials: Bamboo, cork composite
• Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Dimensions: 15 x 6 x 2.5 inches
• Price at time of publish: $36

FAQs

Can you store knives in a drawer? 

Yes, you can store knives in a drawer, but they should never be unprotected. Instead, opt for blade covers or a cork-lined box, like the one described above.