If you’re a professional chef or serious cook, you’ll often find yourself having to travel to meetings, tastings, working away, or even cooking for friends. And one thing is for sure—you’ll want to bring your tools of the trade with you, including your knives.
But how do you carry all your knives? The knife roll is the answer. It makes it easy for you to safely and securely transport all your knives plus other small kitchen tools.
We have scoured the market for the best knife roll for you. We went through rolls and cases of varying designs, styles, colors, materials, capacities, etc., to find the top-rated rolls and bags that we’ll roll out for you below.
Our best knife bag & knife roll picks:
1. Aaron Leather Goods Leather Knife Roll Storage Bag
Our list begins with this classy, elegant-looking leather knife roll from Aaron Leather Goods. It’s one of the most popular knife cases among executive chefs due to its unparalleled durability and excellent knife holding capabilities.
The roll provides you with up to 10 slots for your kitchen knives with a length of up to 18 inches. It gives you six additional small spaces for carrying any extra chef accessories such as knife sharpener, scissors, paring, and more.
All the roll’s pockets are stretchable and elastic to ensure they firmly and securely store your knives. Once you place your knives in the roll, you can rest assured that you can travel with them anywhere without getting dents, scratches, or even moisture.
You’ll be surprised by the durability that comes with this knife bag! It featured top-quality buff calf leather for the ultimate sturdiness and extended lifespan. The quality stitching plus two secure buckles ensure increased durability.
The roll bag comes with a shoulder strap that you can adjust for comfortable carry. And for the looks, this roll comes in multiple colors to choose from—including walnut, caramel, beige, metal royal blue, peanut.
Highlighted Features:
- Holds knives up to 18” long
- Stores up to 10 kitchen knives
- Handcrafted from top-quality buff calf leather
- High-quality stitching for added durability
- Elastic, stretchable knife pockets
- Features an adjustable shoulder strap
2. Hersent Chef’s Knife Roll Bag
Next up, we have this reasonably priced knife roll bag from Hersent. Also rated as the best chef knife case, this roll defines large capacity, lightweight design, and ability to tightly and securely keep all your tools from falling out.
The roll bag holds up to 11 of your kitchen knives plus other accessories such as paring, ceramic, carving, scissors, among others. It will comfortably hold knives as long as 18.8 inches without any problems, plus other chef tools—all in a tight, secure roll.
Another reason why we recommend this bag for professional chefs is its excellent quality. It boasts heavy-duty waxed canvas construction, and the material is 100% cut and puncture-resistant. It won’t nick, scratch, or cause any damage to your knives. Simply put, this is a durable knife bag that will walk with you as you learn, grow, and become a master chef.
Highlighted Features:
- Features 11 knife sleeve holds
- Accommodates knives up to 18.8 inches
- Cut and puncture-resistant knife roll
- Two secure buckles for portability
3. Noble Home & Chef Canvas Chef Knife Bag
If you’re having difficulty figuring out the best chef knife roll to go with, get this knife bag today. Why? Because it keeps chefs in mind, it’ll meet the needs of chefs and culinary students.
The minds behind this knife bag were well aware that a good knife case should withstand the wear and tear that comes with constant use. To prepare it for that, they used 600-Denier, thick polyester canvas which excellent sturdiness and durability. They even went the extra mile and incorporated double stitching on each seam to boost the bag’s strength and integrity.
Remember that the bag presents you with eight slots for your 18-inch long knives plus four additional slots for other tools you might want to carry. The included full-bag zipper and additional cover flap ensure your knife set stays safe in your bag and enjoys extra protection.
The knife case also comes with both the handle and shoulder strap to make it easy to transport to your workplace. As a special BONUS, it offers you a business card or Name Tag identifier holder to distinguish your bag from the rest and provide referrals!
Highlighted Features:
- Up to eight knife slots
- Four extra slots for other accessories
- Keeps knives up to 18” long
- Handle and shoulder for easy carry
- Made of 600 Denier Canvas for maximum longevity
- Padded for extra protection
- It offers a zipper for securing your items
4. ExecuChef Waxed Canvas Knife Roll
This knife roll gives you a convenient way of traveling with your knives without the fear of damaging the blades. It consists of super-thick, waxed canvas, genuine top-grain leather, and brass buckles for maximum durability and resistance to cuts, scratches, and damage.
The well-made carrier has a high carrying capacity with up to 12 slots for full-sized knives (it can carry knives with a length of up to 17 inches). Additionally, it presents you with three small slots where you can hold pens or silverware. There’s also a large zippered compartment for carrying slightly larger culinary tools.
You’ll appreciate that this knife roll comes ergonomically designed to make it easy for you to carry. It has a leather reinforced handle and an adjustable strap that you can place on your right or left shoulder. It makes it the perfect knife carrier for on-the-go chefs.
If you want a professional knife bag to transport your entire chef knife set and essential kitchen utensils, look no further than this knife roll!
Highlighted Features:
- Features 12 full-sized knife slots
- Three smaller spots for extra tools
- Holds knives up to 17-inch long
- Durable top-grain leather construction
- Dimensions: 18″H x 30″L
5. Japanese Tojiro F-359 Canvas Knife Pocket
At first sight, you might doubt this knife pocket. But when you start using it, you’ll realize it’s one of the few cool knife bags you can get for your knives. Tojiro, the famous manufacturer of traditional Japanese blades, designed this simple and minimalistic bag.
It comes in the shape of a canvas roller and will hold up to 5 knives plus several other cooking tools. Though it doesn’t offer much room, this small roll will make an excellent carrier for your few always-in-use knives. It’ll keep them tied up and held together for safe and secure transportation.
Durability is another aspect that makes this knife pocket worth it. The canvas materials give it a sturdy look and feel, enabling it to withstand daily use.
Cleaning knife rolls is usually a challenging job, but not with this one. You can easily clean and sanitize it without any problems. You throw it in the wash with bleach, and that’s it!
Highlighted Features:
- Made in Japan
- Made of sturdy and durable cotton canvas
- Lightweight and ergonomic design
- Features 5 knife slots
- Maximum knife blade length: 24cm
6. Noble Home & Chef Chef’s Knife Roll Bag
If you’re looking for a knife roll that can hold a wide assortment of knives, this bag is for you. It can comfortably fit as many as ten knives of different shapes and a maximum length of 18 inches. Besides, it offers you four slots for tasting spoons and utensils and a large pouch for your meat cleaver, scissors, and other extensive tools.
The bag offers your knives nothing but a safe and secure home when transporting them to any place. The two rigid cover flaps provide extra protection to your knives. Not to forget the strong metal zippers which keep them secure in their slots.
The chef’s knife roll boasts a handle and removable shoulder strap to enable you to carry the bag using your preferred method conveniently.
As for longevity, this bag can withstand years and years of daily use, thanks to the 600 Denier polyester canvas construction. It’s one rigid material that won’t easily give in to cut and puncture. This carrier also features a slot for placing your business card or name tag.
Highlighted Features:
- Can hold up to 15 knives/tools
- Accommodates up to 18-in knives
- Includes handle and shoulder straps
- Tough and durable 600-D canvas
- Two cover flaps and metal zippers for security
- Offers you name card holder
7. Hersent Chef’s Knife Bag
This knife bag comes designed as the ultimate storage solution for all your kitchen knives and utensils at a pocket-friendly cost. It will make an excellent gift for your chef, culinary chef student, and generally any cooking enthusiast in your life.
The trendy knife bag comes from premium 600D waxed canvas material that can withstand regular use and resist cuts and punctures.
It has an excellent knife capacity of up to 17 knives. It will comfortably hold knives with a maximum length of 19 inches. Other than knives, they can also have utensils and knife sharpeners. It even offers you two mesh zippers, suitable for holding a butcher’s knife and other kitchen tools.
The knife roll comes with an easy-carry handle plus a shoulder strap to make it travel-friendly. It means you’ll carry your knives with ease, whether you’re going to work, camping, barbecuing, or culinary school.
With the business card holder, you can quickly write your contact details for referrals and ensure you don’t lose your bag.
Highlighted Features:
- Heavy-duty waxed canvas bag
- Up to 17 pockets for carrying knives
- Accommodates 19-inch knives
- Easy-carry handle & shoulder strap
- Features business card holder
- Reinforced brass zippers
8. Dalstrong Nomad Knife Roll Bag
The Dalstrong Nomad qualifies as the best chef knife bag for professionals who want a nice-looking, easy, and convenient means of transporting their knives and other tools.
The thoughtfully designed bag boasts of the highest quality construction materials. Precisely, it consists of water and dirt repellent, tear-proof, stiff waxed canvas, plus soft Brazilian leather for unprecedented durability.
This bag comes equipped with ten knife slots that house knives as long as 15 inches for carrying your knives. It also gives you an additional three pockets for housing your sharpies, pens, thermometer, and other tools. Even more, it has an interior zipper pocket for holding notebooks, recipes, and other smaller utility tools.
For even more storage, the bag offers you a quick-access exterior pocket where you can out your personal belongings like wallet, cellphone, etc.
The bag is equipped with super-strong buckles to enable you to safely and securely hold all your tools in place. It’s then finished with a removable and adjustable shoulder strap for easy carry.
Highlighted Features:
- Handcrafted from canvas plus premium leather
- Extra-thick buckles for added security
- Comprises ten knife pockets
- Accommodates knives up to 15 inches
- Additional three pockets for extra tools
- Removable, adjustable shoulder strap
9. Chef Sac Chef Knife Bag Folder Case Bag
This ChefSac’s case bag is the perfect solution for carrying that set of chef knives you always want to bring with you when you go to work. It gives you enough room for your essential culinary utensils—including up to 5 knives, honing, and more.
It can easily accommodate knives measuring up to 17 inches long. It even provides you with a mesh pocket where you can carry your sharpening stone, pisces, small kitchenware, smartphone, charger, business card, notepads, and more.
The chef-inspired bag is made from rugged 300D polyester canvas to hold up to years of daily use. It also features high-quality reinforced stitching and heavy-duty zippers to increases its reliability and durability.
Most knife rolls fail when it comes to offering you an easy way to carry them. But this case is an exception. It’s lightweight and has a convenient zip and toss into backpack design. It makes it easy for you to carry to work, culinary school, camping, etc.
Highlighted Features:
- Made of premium 300D polyester canvas
- High-quality reinforced interior double stitching
- It fits knives up to 17 inches long
- Houses 5 chef knives
- Small mesh pocket for carrying extras
- Convenient toss in backpack design
10. Messermeister 8-Pocket Heavy Duty Nylon Knife Roll
Messermeister enjoys its place as principal designer of educational and professional-use knife bags. They produce rolls in a wide array of colors and sizes.
One of the top features that make it the best knife bag for pro chefs and culinary students involves the plenty of storage it offers you. It features eight elasticized, reinforced pockets for comfortably storing knives up to 18 inches. It also provides a culinary tool pocket, a large pocket for more comprehensive tools, three pencil/pen pockets, and up to 4 business card pockets. With all this storage space, you can carry anything you need with you.
Messermeister also designed this knife roll with unrivaled quality. They used water and abrasion-resistant 600D nylon fabric to construct the bag. The interior comes fully lined, and the exterior features added foam padding. And the genuine YKK zippers will help you secure all your knives and tools.
They also included a deluxe shoulder strap with comfort padding in the box to make this knife feel comfortable on your shoulder. It also has sturdy nylon and a comfortable padded handle if you prefer carrying your knife roll by hand.
Highlighted Features:
- 8-pocket knife roll
- Carries up to 18-inch long knives
- Made from tough 600-D nylon
- Deluxe shoulder strap and nylon handles
- Comfort padding for extra protection
How do you put knives in a knife roll?
So you’ve finally received your knife roll. And now the biggest mystery is how to pack your knives and other accessories and carry them to culinary school, work, camping, or barbecuing.
Don’t fret. Putting your knives in your roll is easier than you think.
The first step in using a knife roll is opening or unrolling it to reveal the knife pockets and other compartments.
Next, you’ll need to slide your knives into these pockets. Though rolls come in different designs for putting the knives in their slots, the most common one involves placing the knife with the handle first.
NOTE: You’d want to avoid models that require you to put the blade in first as it might end cutting up the bag material. Or better off, get a case that offers handle-in storage and blade-in compartments.
Once you have all your knives packed nicely in the bag, you can fold and roll your carrier bag. Be sure to employ any buckles and zippers provides to secure the knives for safe transportation.
Things To Check Before Getting One
When looking for the best knife bag for your first time, you don’t want to get lost in the crowded market or end up making the wrong choice.
The basic criteria below will show you how to easily sort out your ideal knife roll from the hundreds of models out there:
Material
The material used to make a roll bag is critical when making a purchase.
Ideally, you want to get a case made from tough and durable material. You want a material that can withstand the regular use of holding your knives with sharp edges. You also want a material that can handle the dirt of your kitchen.
If you have a set of expensive chef knives, we suggest that you show them the respect they deserve by getting them a genuine leather bag with durable stitching. Leather tends to last longer than other materials, plus it keeps your kitchen tools safe, secure, and sharp.
If you only have a few kitchen knives and some extra kitchen accessories you plan to carry, then you might consider getting a durable polyester bag.
Capacity
The number of knives and tools you plan to bring with you will determine the perfect size/capacity of the roll bag to buy.
The more knives and tools you have, the larger the capacity you’ll need. For instance, you can’t get a 6-slot roll and expect it to carry your set of more than ten tools.
We believe that the best knife roll should house each knife in its slot to prevent scratching each other during transit.
If possible, consider getting a roll bag that houses all your kitchen tools. You never know when you’ll need to bring the entire collection with you for outside catering.
Ease of carrying
A knife roll makes it easy for you to take your chef knives around. It should come with a durable handle and shoulder straps to offer you a comfortable bringing it to your workplace or culinary school.
Some models feature either a handle or shoulder strap, but we recommend those that come with both. Make sure the handle and straps are durable. The comfort padding is a plus.
Style
As you have already noted from our top-rated knife rolls list above, different models feature different styles. Some come in a traditional roll, case, backpack or sac, and even toolbox.
Each of these styles comes with its own set of ups and downs. The price points too change from one type to another. Ultimately, we believe the right kind for you will depend on your personal preferences and unique needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do chefs carry their own knives?
Most chefs agree that using their own sets of knives and other cooking tools gives them a sense of pride. They also explain that using a knife that’s not yours can feel uncomfortable and weird. Using other chefs’ knives can be dangerous since you’re not controlling how it’s sharpened, and dull knives can cause injuries. These are some of the reasons why chefs opt to bring their knives.
Q: Why should I get a knife roll?
Firstly, you’d want to put all your knives in the bags—including the chef’s knife, utility knife, several paring knives, etc. Assuming you know your knives, knowing which ones to put in your roll bag should be easy. In addition to knives, you’d want to carry extra items such as peeler, honing steel, measuring spoon set, sharpies/pens, thermometers, and any other essential culinary tool.
Q: How many knives does a knife roll carry?
Different roll bags have varying carrying capacities, ranging from as low as four knives to as many as 20plus knives. The rolls also vary on the length of knives they can hold. It’s essential to check the carrying capabilities of a knife-carrying case before purchasing to ensure it meets your needs.
Q: Do knife bags really keep my knives from getting dull?
It does. Keeping each of your knives separate and secured in its compartment ensures they remain sharp and safe. It’s unlike when you’d throw all the knives together or on each other; they’ll end up crushing on each other, damaging each other, and even the bag you carry them in.
Final Verdict
Whether you’re an amateur or professional chef, or just a cooking enthusiast, transporting your set of knives just went from challenging to easy-peasy. With a knife roll, you can nicely and safely pack all your knives in the provided slots for secure and safe transportation to any place, including work, camping, barbecuing, or culinary school.
Get your best knife roll today from the top 10 rolls we have just rolled out in the above list, and start giving your knives the respect they deserve.