Tasty Knife Set: What You Get and Whether It's Worth It
The Tasty knife set comes from the BuzzFeed-owned Tasty brand, which launched a line of kitchen products through a licensing deal with Target. If you've seen the colorful sets in stores or online and want to know whether they perform as well as they look, here's an honest breakdown.
Tasty knife sets are genuinely decent for beginner cooks and casual home kitchens. They're not competing with Wusthof or Global, but they're also not pretending to. They're affordable, attractive, and functional enough for everyday cooking tasks.
What the Tasty Knife Set Includes
The standard Tasty knife set comes in a few configurations, but the most common setup includes:
- 8-inch chef's knife
- 8-inch bread knife
- 5-inch santoku knife
- 5-inch utility knife
- 3.5-inch paring knife
- Kitchen shears
- Knife block (typically in a bold color like red or black)
Some versions include steak knives or additional pieces. The block is usually the visual centerpiece, with a distinctive design that looks good on a counter.
The knives themselves have stainless steel blades and ergonomic handles designed to match the overall aesthetic. Handle colors vary by set, with options including black, red, and multicolor variants.
Build Quality
The blades are stamped stainless steel, not forged. This is standard for knives in this price range and isn't a dealbreaker for a home cook. The steel is a generic food-grade stainless alloy that holds an edge adequately for normal prep work.
Handles are synthetic (typically polypropylene or ABS plastic), which is fine for grip and easy to clean. The riveted handle construction on most models feels solid, though not as substantial as the triple-rivet handles on premium knives.
How Tasty Knives Perform
For everyday home cooking, Tasty knives work well. Chopping vegetables, slicing bread, trimming boneless chicken, and dicing herbs are all tasks these knives handle without issue. The blades arrive reasonably sharp from the factory and will hold that sharpness through several months of moderate home use.
The chef's knife is the most-used piece in any set, and the Tasty 8-inch performs adequately. It's slightly lighter than German knives and has less belly curve than a traditional Western chef's knife, giving it a feel somewhere between European and Japanese styles. Some cooks like this for fast chopping, others find it less comfortable for rocking cuts.
Where the Limitations Show
After several months of regular use, you'll notice edge degradation faster than with more expensive knives. This is expected at this price point. A pull-through sharpener or honing steel extends the useful life significantly, and Tasty doesn't discourage this.
The bread knife's serration pattern is average. It handles soft sandwich bread well but can struggle with very crusty artisan loaves without applying more pressure than feels natural.
Tasty Knives vs. Other Budget Sets
At around $40-60 for a full block set, Tasty competes directly with Amazon Basics, Cuisinart Advantage, and similar entry-level sets. Within that group, Tasty holds its own on aesthetics but is roughly equivalent in performance.
If you're spending $50-60, the Cuisinart Advantage 12-piece or the J.A. Henckels Statement series offer comparable blade performance. The Henckels sets have slightly better steel composition and are from a brand with more cutlery-focused heritage.
For a complete comparison of sets in this price range and up, our best knife set guide covers what you actually get at each budget level and where it makes sense to spend more.
If you're trying to find the best-reviewed sets with verified performance ratings, our best rated knife sets roundup pulls together options that have earned strong user feedback across thousands of reviews.
Who the Tasty Knife Set Is Right For
Tasty sets work particularly well as:
First apartment or first kitchen setup: Someone setting up their first kitchen who needs a complete block set at a reasonable price. The color options are actually useful here, making it easier to choose something that fits the kitchen's style.
Gift for a new cook: The presentation is good and the included variety gives someone new to cooking what they need without overwhelming them with specialty knives.
College or dorm kitchen: Affordable enough that losing or damaging a piece isn't a major setback.
They're not ideal for serious home cooks who prep daily, work with tough proteins, or want knives that will still perform well in 10 years without professional maintenance.
The Color Block Question
One of Tasty's selling points is the aesthetic. The knife blocks come in distinctive colors and the handles are designed to match. This is a legitimate consideration if your kitchen setup matters to you, and there's nothing wrong with prioritizing appearance when performance across comparable sets is roughly equal.
That said, don't pay a premium over a better-performing set purely for the color. The Tasty sets are priced reasonably, so this usually isn't an issue, but watch for pricing variations depending on the retailer.
Caring for Tasty Knives
Tasty recommends hand washing, which is the right advice for any knife. Dishwashers dull blades faster due to abrasive detergents and high heat. A quick rinse and hand dry after use is all it takes.
Use a honing steel regularly. Even a cheap pull-through sharpener will extend the useful life of Tasty blades significantly compared to letting them dull naturally over time.
Store in the included block rather than loose in a drawer. Drawer storage causes micro-chips from blades contacting each other, which accelerates dulling.
FAQ
Are Tasty knife sets available at Target? Yes. Target has been the primary retail channel for the Tasty brand. They're also available on Amazon and through Target's website.
Are Tasty knives full tang? Most Tasty knife models use partial-tang construction, where the blade extends partway into the handle rather than all the way through. This is common at this price point. It's functional but doesn't match the durability of full-tang construction in premium knives.
How do Tasty knives compare to Cuisinart? Performance is roughly equivalent. Cuisinart has a slightly longer track record in kitchen products and is sold through more specialty kitchen channels, which some buyers prefer. Tasty wins on visual design for cooks who prioritize counter aesthetics.
Can Tasty knives be sharpened? Yes. A basic whetstone, honing steel, or pull-through sharpener works. The steel isn't hard enough to require special sharpening tools.
The Bottom Line
Tasty knife sets deliver solid entry-level performance in a package that looks better than most alternatives at the same price. If you're setting up a new kitchen, buying a first apartment setup, or gifting a beginning cook, this is a reasonable choice.
For serious cooks, put the same budget toward a single quality chef's knife from Victorinox or J.A. Henckels and you'll get better performance where it actually matters. But as a complete block set for everyday use, Tasty does the job.