3 better, cleaner ways to store knives than a knife block. Because bacteria, yuck.

I've been looking for ways to store knives safely in my kitchen that will replace my knife block, ever since I've read all the reports about knife blocks requiring about once-a-month cleaning to keep nasty bacteria from growing in those dark, deep knife slots. Eek. To be honest, this mom does not have time to be cleaning out narrow knife block slots as part of my regular routine, in addition to washing knives properly and keeping them sharpened. (This knife sharpener is chef-approved and wonderful, by the way!) That said, I would kind of appreciate knowing that the ways I'm storing my knives are not totally disgusting before I slice up some carrots I'm about to hand to my kids. So I've found some beautiful knife storage solutions, that are hopefully less bacteria-laden than a classic knife block. Some of these ways to store knives even make my kitchen look more like it came out of the pages of a magazine. (Provided you crop out the piles of bills and kid crafts stashed all over my countertops.)

- Updated  for 2024 -

1. Ways to store knives: Hang your knives on a magnetic wall strip

When I think of magnetic knife blocks as ways to store knives, my first thought is a wall-mounted version like this one (shown in use up at top). But the milk-paint finish on this maple and brass wall-mounted knife mount exclusive to Food52 is anything but average. It comes in two sizes, depending on how many knives or other kitchen tools you want to display on your wall. Looking for a super-affordable alternative? The Gorilla Grip Stainless Wall Mount Knife Holder is a top-rated, commercial grade, no-fuss wall mount for knife storage that gets very high marks from consumers -- all for under $15 for the 10" strip. Wow. There are multiple lengths up to a 26" knife holder in the $30 range. Bonus: Get a longer knife rack and you'll have room to store other stainless items like poultry shears, herb scissors, a beautiful stainless bottle opener, and Liz's all-time favorite kitchen gadget, this Microplane zester/grater.

2. Ways to store knives: Hang your knives on a magnetic counter stand

I'm the type who likes to rearrange my kitchen -- and okay, all the rooms of my house -- regularly, so I admit I have a fear of commitment of attaching a knife block to a wall. For people like, me there are ways to store knives that work for us! Take this magnetic stand from Zwilling/Henckels, for example. Clean and simple. Another really beautiful one is this walnut magnetic knife holder spotted at Wayfair. Either sits right on your countertop like a traditional knife block, without any of the gross buildup and hard-to-clean slats. But, of course, go ahead and give this one a quick wipe-down when you're cleaning the kitchen, too.

Related: 7 smart ways to care for knives and store them properly

Alternately, check out this gorgeous wooden countertop knife block handcrafted from Italian Beechwood by a small European family business. It takes up a smaller countertop footprint and allows you to store knives on both sides. We spotted it at the Made-In cookware shop, and wow -- it's hard to go wrong with that many five-star ratings.

Related: 5 foods you should never wash, plus 3 you always should!

3. Ways to store knives: Roll up your knives like a pro chef

Stick with me here: Using a cloth chef's knife roll like this Messermeister chef's knife roll isn't a traditional way to store knives if you're a home cook, but it's the way pro chefs do it. (Hey, we've all seen The Bear by now, right?)  I love it for parents because you can wrap your sharp blades up in one small, portable package, then store them high above the kitchen counter or out of reach in the back of a drawer. Since my three-year-old has figured out how to pull a chair up to the cabinets and climb onto the counter, this is probably the best option for me. Plus, it's super affordable. Yay!