Which Knife Is for What? 7 Knives, One Dinner

October 22, 2026•4 min read

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Diagsh sent me this knife set to review.

Seven knives on a block look great. But most of us grab the same one every night and leave the rest hanging there.

So here's the cheat sheet. What each knife in the Diagsh 7-piece set is, what it's for, and one dinner that puts every single one to work.

See the Diagsh 7-Piece Knife Set on Amazon →

Kitchen knives hanging on a magnetic holder

What's in the set

Seven knives and a magnetic wooden block. The block holds the knives on both sides, so they stay where you can see them.

1. Chef's knife (8 inch)

Use it for: everyday chopping. Onions, peppers, herbs, garlic. If you only grab one knife on a busy night, it's this one.

2. Santoku knife (7 inch)

Use it for: fast, even slices of vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, celery, cucumbers. The flatter edge makes quick work of a pile of produce.

3. Bread knife (8 inch)

Use it for: crusty bread, sourdough, bagels and soft tomatoes. The serrated edge saws through without squishing.

4. Slicer knife (7.5 inch)

Use it for: cooked meat. Roast chicken, ham, pot roast, brisket. Long and thin, so you get clean, even slices.

5. Boning knife (6 inch)

Use it for: raw meat. Trimming fat, cutting around bones, breaking down chicken. It's narrow, so it gets into the tight spots.

6. Utility knife (5 inch)

Use it for: the in-between jobs. Slicing a block of cheese, halving a lemon, cutting a sandwich. Too small for the chef's knife, too big for the paring knife.

7. Paring knife (3.5 inch)

Use it for: small, close work. Peeling and coring apples, mincing a garlic clove, hulling strawberries, trimming little peppers.

Sliced vegetables and meat on a cutting board

The one-dinner test: Farmhouse Roast Chicken Dinner

Roast chicken and vegetables, garlic sourdough toast, and a crunchy apple-cheddar slaw. Every knife in the block has a job. The knife for each step is in bold.

Serves: 4 to 6 | Prep: 30 min | Cook: about 45 min

Ingredients

Chicken and vegetables

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 large yellow onion
4 carrots
1 1/2 lb small potatoes
6 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary or thyme
3 Tbsp olive oil, plus salt and pepper
1 lemon

Garlic sourdough toast

1 loaf crusty sourdough
3 Tbsp soft butter
Garlic from above

Apple-cheddar slaw

2 crisp apples
4 oz block of sharp cheddar
3 cups shredded cabbage (bagged is fine)
3 Tbsp mayo or plain yogurt, 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp honey

Steps

Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a large sheet pan.
Boning knife: trim the extra skin and fat from the chicken thighs. Pat all the chicken dry and season well with salt and pepper.
Chef's knife: cut the onion into wedges. Chop the rosemary or thyme.
Santoku: slice the carrots into thick coins. Halve the potatoes.
Paring knife: peel all 6 garlic cloves. Leave 4 whole for the pan. Mince 2 for the toast.
Utility knife: halve the lemon.
Roast: toss the vegetables, whole garlic and herbs with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on the pan. Nestle the chicken on top, skin side up, with the lemon halves. Roast 35 to 45 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
Paring knife: while it roasts, core the apples.
Santoku: slice the cored apples into thin matchsticks.
Utility knife: cut the cheddar into small cubes or thin strips.
Mix the slaw: whisk the mayo, vinegar and honey. Toss with the cabbage, apples and cheddar. Chill until dinner.
Bread knife: slice the sourdough about 3/4 inch thick. Mix the butter with the minced garlic, spread it on the bread and toast it on the oven rack for the last 5 minutes.
Rest the chicken for 10 minutes. Squeeze the roasted lemon over the pan.
Slicer: carve the breast meat off the bone and slice it across the grain. Serve with the thighs, vegetables, toast and slaw.