Knife storage can be a challenge for many home cooks. Since I last wrote about knife blocks and wall racks back in February 2014, a number of additional designs have caught my eye.

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The Index with Knives from Joseph Joseph allows the knives to be stored along with the chopping boards, all in a compact form. Since knives and cutting boards are used together, storing them together makes sense. However, many experienced cooks will already have their own favorite knives, so a product that comes with knives as the Index does (with one knife for use with each block) may not be appealing to those end users.

Also, a knife storage solution like this requires that the end user also like the cutting boards, and some purchasers have complained about the small size of the boards and the way they slide around on the countertop.

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The Saddle knife block from Kai is another way to store a cutting board or two along with the knives. The Saddle uses leather over magnetized aluminum. It comes with a gorgeous cutting board—again, something the end users may not need, but perhaps a cutting board is something they will be less attached to than a set of knives. However, this won't work well for the cook who regularly uses many different boards for different items such as raw meat, fish, vegetables and cooked foods.

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Nickey Kehoe sells this brass knife block with a cherry wood top. The basic design (if not the materials and styling) is similar to many other knife blocks except that the top is detachable, which would allow for easy cleaning.

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The Stonehenge knife block from Kai holds 10 knives on its magnetized surfaces; the base is slate. Purchasers note that it has "a firm grip on both sides even when there are two larger knives back to back." And that slate base ensures the block stays steady.

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The LockBlock from Joseph Joseph is designed for cooks with small children. Knives are held in place with a locking mechanism; removing them requires pressing a release mechanism that most children under 5 will not be able to use. The locking mechanism has a smooth rubber surface so it won't damage the knives. 

The only problem: Some purchasers said that their knives (or some of their knives) did not get properly gripped and slid right out. It's not clear if these end users got a defective product or if the design requires a certain size knife to work properly. Those who bought another version of the LockBlock, which comes with a set of knives, had no such complaints.

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Wall-mounted knife racks are another common design, but the MagMates knife pods from Bisbell allow the cook to store just two knives—a nice solution for a cook with limited space who uses just a couple knives most of the time. And for those with more space, more pods can be purchased as needed.

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The AMOD-DOMA design studio has another twist on off-the-counter knife storage, using magnetic vinyl for its MAG stickers. These could be useful for renters who aren't allowed to drill holes in the walls—or any end users who value super-simple installation. However, because these stickers are totally flat, they won't work on normal walls; they need a place (such as the edge of a cabinet) where the handles have room to hang. 

The stickers are sold in packs of three, each one a different size. That might mean the purchasers will wind up with some stickers they don't use, as they buy enough packs to get the sizes they need. 

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The Camco Knife Safe mounts on the inside of a cabinet door with double-sided foam tape and screws. It's promoted as a product for RVs, but it could be handy in other small kitchens, too.

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Knife racks can also be incorporated into backsplash rail systems; Häfele has done just that with its knife block for the Propri railing system.