Kapoosh Knife Block (not recommended)

ouch. a seemingly good idea that actually isn't . . .

thanks for saving me the temptation!

I have a 'std' block, came up short on slots, so I took it down the shop and cut a couple extra kerfs in in, the used some scrap rock maple as a 'side car' for my fork, thermometer and paring knives. actually I'm debating getting a custom made or making another myself - no room for my santoku.

You missed an option (if I parsed the "vertical knife rack" thing correctly) -- A knife magnet! I currently don't have a place to put mine in my current apartment, and if you don't have a place to mount something else, you might still have trouble finding a place for the magnet. But it was completely customizable, safe for the knives, and avoided knife block germ concerns. And was super easy to use, clean, etc.

Yes, I did forget to mention a knife magnet (or two or three). Unfortunately, we did consider it and it's always been my number one choice (Tina hasn't always been comfortable with the idea of exposed knife edges - I think she's okay with it now) but the problem we have now is I don't want to mount one in this house and in the new house they're putting in a tile backsplash that I probably don't want to drill into. We also considered knife racks in the drawers, but I don't want to take up a drawer for eight or a dozen knives.

Right now most of my knives are stored in knife bags with edge protectors.

Sorry. I like the Kapoosh. I have it full of at least a dozen knives, from small gave-away paring to large chef's knives (3). I just keep sticking them in and they stay put. Just my opinion.

You might look at knife racks that drop down from below your upper cabinets.

I wonder if you could replace the plastic thing with a couple pounds of rice? You could even get forbidden rice, for the stylish purple look. Anyway, you wouldn't end up with plastic bits in your food (rice bits being preferable, IMHO). You wouldn't ever need to wash the rice. It's cheap, just replace at will. And rice is really good at absorbing water, so I doubt you'd have moisture problems.

I bought a Kapoosh block because I have a variety of large knives (and smaller ones) that wouldn't fit in a conventional block. They all fit into the kapoosh and I love that you can throw it in the dishwasher (top rack). I have never had any problems with plastic bits on my knives and although it may take a little longer to dry we're not talking days. I would happily buy another.

I've had one of these for at least ten years and while it's not the perfect knife block, it does well for the assortment of knives we have which includes two chefs knives, a santoku, and a bread knife, all pretty long.

If you don't load in the long knives with the thickest bolster first, they won't go all the way in. (After everything is loaded in, taking one knife out and returning is generally problem-free.)

If the block is too tight when you put in the knives you run the risk of bending the plastic rods (in addition to slicing as you described)

This happened over time and the bent rods prevented the knives from slipping all the way down. Frustrated, I pulled the block out and pulled out all the bent ones with needle-nosed pliers. Although I wound up with an impressive pile of bent rods, the block didn't look the worse for it.

When I put the block back in I discovered a nifty side benefit...the block was less 'tight' and I was able to fit a couple more knives in.

When I have washed it (not very often and in the dishwasher), I splayed out the plastic rods and it dried just fine. Of course when you push the block back in, the rods go where they're supposed to.

So if you can't return the one you have, try pulling out random rods and see if it doesn't work better. I do agree, though, that it's far from perfect.

I have a magnetic knife block which sits on my kitchen counter, like this one http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=761252&CCAID=FROOGLE761252. While the knife edges are technically exposed, they are held so closely against the wood that I think I would have a really difficult time cutting myself by accident. I really like mine. It also seems much more sanitary than the old block I had which eventually accumulated crud in the slots.

My MIL is a bit of a QVC junkie and bought us a knife set a few years that has been surprisingly useful, but did not get the knife block. Turns out the block to hold the full set is more expensive than the knives since it goes from garnish knife up to a cleaver. This knife block made those knives usable for us, and I didn't have to store them in the box they came in. It has a few downsides (the cleaver's blade sticks out a bit) but all in all we love it.

Although I did not know that was it's name.

I have a few large (12") chef's knives, a sankotu, a cleaver, a sharpening steel (a very long, marquise (pointed oval) shape), fillet, bread knives in mine. I never had plastic flakes. I bought mine at Harbor Freight for $20. Got 3 more for my father and brothers. It works great for the odd assortment of odd shaped knives we have. We do a lot of butchering, utilizing curved, rubber handled boning knives which never fit traditional knife blocks. They all find homes now! Even the scissors. No prob!

BTW, why would you want to wash the block? Mine is clean. I never put dirty knives in it.

You could probably use the shell that came with it and craft you own custom block insert from cut pieces of wood.

I use Knife-Safe blade covers so I can put my knives into my regular cutlery drawer:
http://www.kidsmartliving.com/knifkitknifc.html

I also have a kapoosh, and I also love it. I keep a steel, two large chefs' knives, a medium santoku, a small chopper, and two paring knives, with no problem. Keeping the thing clean doesn't seem to be much of a problem, but then I'm pretty aggressive about cleaning my knives.

We used to have a magnetic bar on the wall, but the current place we live just didn't have room (poor us... too many cabinets!). The Kapoosh is a great solution for mismatched sets. And, frankly, there really is no other if you're restricted to a knife block for whatever reason.

I got the Kapoosh and it has solved my storage problems, I had 3 knife blocks taking up my entire counter top to hold about 10 knives. I put them all in the Kapoosh and my woes were over. I have seen the plastic flakes on the knives, however when I cook I always have a kitchen towel nearby or over my shoulder so it doesn't take too much effort to wipe the knife before using it, its almost one motion of taking out the knife wiping it and using it. I do agree that it took a long time to dry (2-3 days) when I washed it but it wasn't so bad for the space issues it fixed.

Micheal,

I made a knife rack that is similar to the Kapoosh Knife Block, but I think works much better. The secret - use skewers instead of the plastic insert. Just go buy a lot of skewers (you can measure to find the right size) and use them in place of the plastic insert. The skewers will not be held together at the bottom and will let the knives go in a little deeper, plus the wood doesn't leave a residue on the knives.

-Eric S.

Washington DC

>>wooden skewers

oh - deviously inventive!

easy to find,
inexpensive,
easy to replace...

sounds like a plan!

Hi!

What about this kind of a knifeblock:

http://www.evasolo.com/products-knifestand.html

I've seen it in a local store, but can't remember what the width of it is (at least more than 5 cm, I think). The material of the insert is plastic in this case also, but not that easily cut off. Plus, if I remember correctly, the insert was in parts, so it was adjustable.


maria

Hey! Wait a minute ...

I think that you didn't stick with that wonderful knife block long enough! I have had mine for at least three years, maybe four. I love it! I agree that the little rods can get tight when you stuff a lot of knives in there, but, at the moment I have 10 individual knives plus a hone stuck in mine and there is room for more. As for cleaning, I haven't felt the need to clean mine yet. But, thanks for the reminder, I will have a look and see if it needs cleaning.

Folks, I say give it a try. I think you will like it.

Chef John of Indiana

In light of all the positive comments, I'm willing to give the Kapoosh another try. How did you solve the problem of blades not going in all the way?

I also have had good luck over the past two years with my kapoosh. I washed it before I used it, which was even mentioned to me by the person who sold it to me. I thought that it might not dry either, but my wife was more afraid of exposed knife magnets and our kids. Suprisingly, it did dry out after one day everywhere I could tell. We have never noticed any black particles and we can fit all our knives in it. The large chef knife does stick out a little bit just like the picture, which is the biggest dissapointment. We use the other knives to surround it and it has been good so far. I mentioned to a friend this year and he bought one as well. He hasn't mentioned any problems over the past several months.

Like a previous poster mentioned, I would replace your plastic rods with bamboo skewers. I have a bamboo utensil holder that I filled with bamboo skewers, and it works great.

I bought my block and promptly filled it up and bought a second with the intention of placing the rest of the knives in it but, I also knit. Yep, I filled it up with knitting needles. It is the perfect instrument for putting needles into a "cataloging" system.

I love it! Have several different types of knifes and they all fit, also scissors. I always put the knifes away clean and dry. Never had a problem with it in the 3 years I have had it.

This plastic filled knife block sounds like a bad idea to me. I am surprised you bought one... I guess everyone has different ideas about how to solve problems.

I am leaning towards getting a magnetic knife rack, after seeing them in use on various cooking shows - handy, safe, dry, and non-dulling as long as the blade is handled correctly (the sharp side of the blade must be the last side down and first side lifted off, or damage is possible). While blocks are handy and nice looking, and may be slightly better as far as keeping dust off the blades, my own problem is that I also use a selection of knifes that didn't come in a set with a matching block, and thought I could probably build a customized block without too much trouble, like I said I am leaning towards a magnetic strip.

However, if I DID want a block to fit the knives I use, and likewise I would recommend you to consider this option:

Find someone in your area who enjoys wood-working as a hobby (net forum, the bulletin board at your local starbucks, etc) and offer to barter a custom-catered family dinner for a custom-built knife block - then you could exercise you hobby/talent in exchange for someone else with the appropriate skill, and avoid paying $100/hr for a professional. And once such a relationship is established, in the future you might be able to obtain neat stuff like custom cutting boards, cheap or even free cedar planks cut to size for baking fish, etc..

The only problem I had with the holder was the wood casing separated along the right side. Never had the flecking problem. And I fail to see how ``air flow'' makes any difference to a knife. I have about 9 or 10 knives in the holder. It seems ludicrous to stop at only two or three knives. They don't need to be jammed in all the way.

I LOVE my Kapoosh! Yes, you have to modify the plastic rods to solve problem of fitting a full load in. I did--it's simple. I cut a few rows from the outside perimeter right at the base, using sturdy kitchen scissors. Guess what, it worked like a charm, and now my Kapoosh is packed as full as the handles of the knives will allow. As for cleaning, I occasionally remove the rod unit, turn it upside down, and shake and brush the tops of the rods. I have washed it once in the 3 or 4 yrs I've had it, but usually the above procedure combined with rinsing the upper part w/ 5% dilute bleach solution while upside down is fine. That way the whole thing need not get wet if you're in a hurry, and it dries quickly. The bottom doesn't get dirty anyway, putting clean knives in! I like it so much I have given 2 as gifts. (And I'm pretty picky about quality) Nuff said..Works 4 me! Mary ;)

As another poster commented, you can duplicate this system on the cheap with Bamboo skewers. For my setup, I bought a three-bottle wine carrier from World Market. It is made of solid wood, with metal hardware and has been stained and distressed to give it a rustic look that goes well in my kitchen. The top is hinged and I use it to prop up the carrier at a convenient angle. If you look for one that got a little too banged up on the sale rack you can often find one (as I did) for up to 70% off.

For the skewers, you can find them sold in bulk online for very cheap. If you're using the wine carrier, you will probably need to go with 12" skewers, but measure first to be certain.

One of the reported problems with this plastic model were familiar to me with the skewers as well. However, rather than black plastic bits, I occasionally get short Bamboo threads. Also, when you pull a knife out, a skewer or two might partially come out with it. They can be a little prickly when you push them back in. I've not considered cleaning, but I would strongly suggest that you not attempt to put the skewers in your dishwasher. Still, my knives are clean before I store them and in three years I've not yet had problems with dust.

One advantage of the skewers is that you can pull a few out if they're packed too tightly to fit more knives.

I ran out of room in my knife set block and needed more room for myother knives. I bought the kapoosh thinking I could put unlimited knives -wrong. Same thing as other people, I could only fit 1 knife in all the way. All of my santoku, carving and chef knives are sticking out about 2-3 inches. Not very safe if you're rushing to grab a knife. I think the product display was for inserting 50 plastic knives...

I don't have any problem of my Kapoosh knife. I love it.

:huh: I've had mine for a while, and I've had no problems. I got a large red one and it has two sections - one for longer knives and one for shorter ones. Let the rods air dry for 24-48 hours each time you wash it. How often are you going to wash it anyway - you're only putting clean knives in it. I don't really see the problem - and it sure beats having the knives stuff in a drawer because they won't fit in the traditional knife block.

A knife magnet is great, if you have beautiful knives to display - but if you have a bunch of odd pieces that you want to keep, but not display, I think the kapoosh is ideal.

I REALLY like the idea of using rice, wooden skewers, etc. to replace the plastic rods---if the need should arise over time. I wonder if you could get enough rice or skewers to create a dense enough environment to keep the knives from moving around because of gravity, too little friction, etc. (I suppose that's the reason the individual Kapoosh rods have such a small diameter).

At the risk of stating the obvious, one thing I've done since I started cooking was place all my knives upside down in the conventional knife block. This has two obvious benefits: it prevents the knife edge dulling from repeated contact with the wood block, and it protects the knife block from unsightly grooves caused by sliding the knives in and out.

Obviously, this can be done with the Kapoosh, but the knives can also be placed on their side, if you wish. The upside-down placement should help prevent getting the little bits of plastic on the knife which may have been sliced off, and will protect the knife edge as well. Great site!

The wooden skewers knife block is called Schaschlik Knife Block by Martin Robitsch
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/09/schaschlik_knif_1.php
You can DIY http://lifehacker.com/5441608/build-a-diy-schaschlik-knife-block-on-the-cheap
HTH in finding it.

I am very happy with mine, a useful product with a silly name. I used to have a magnetic holder on the wall which worked...OK, but occasionally I wasn't careful enough replacing a knife and it would fall off onto the counter. Now our backsplash is tiled and the Kapoosh is a good solution for me.

We have bought three and think they are the best knife solution we've ever had. Our friends think so too. Anyone who wants to sell there one please get in touch. We would love to buy another one for our son.

I have one of the large two compartment models, and I am very happy with it. One thing that did occur to me: are the people having trouble inserting the knifes spine down or edge down? Spine down is what I have always done (so that gravity is forcing the broad spine into the rods and not the sharp edge) and I haven't had any issues with black flecks or warped tines, even with my most sharpened knives.

Maybe I have just spent too much time around katanas, but that is what made sense to me.

I, too, love the Kapoosh. I've had it for about 4 or 5 years now and (I hate how this makes me sound) but I've never washed it. I put clean knives in so why would I expect them to come out dirty? And I agree w/the reader above -- what's the difference if there's air around the knives? I never got plastic flecks either. I can't even imagine washing the rods in the dishwasher or otherwise -- how would you ever get them back in the base? Yikes! My only issue is the butcher block wood split open so now it's being held together with several large rubber bands (tried using wood glue but that didn't work). So I need another one. Went on the Internet to search for "knife blocks" not remembering the name as being Kapoosh and happily, I found this blog! Now I have to find where they sell it as I got it as a gift.

Claudia, you should be able to purchase them from Bed Bath and Beyond. In the store, you can use a 20% off coupon (in the mail - if you don't have one, your neighbors probably do). Online, it's currently $30.

On August 20, 2009 at 07:21 PM, Michael Chu said...
In light of all the positive comments, I'm willing to give the Kapoosh another try. How did you solve the problem of blades not going in all the way?


Well, its been a year. What do you think about the Kapoosh?

Mike

It has been a year, hasn't it. Guess I need to pick one up the next time I go to Bed Bath & Beyond!

I was all set to purchase this knife block. Your review is so thorough it saved me from making yet another mistake buying a kitchen gadget that seems ideal but isn't.

Well, I was hesitant to buy this after the review... but I love mine! I really wanted to have a separate block for my good knives that did not quite fit in my old wood block. It is especially convenient when you are a renter and unable to drill holes into the walls, otherwise I would prefer a magnetic rack to free up counter space. A custom block is not in my budget.
Extra long or large knives, such as a cleaver, are not going to fit very well, but my 8'' chef, paring knife, 5'' santoku, and a bread knife are doing just fine together. Not all knives fit into it 'to the hilt,' but very little of the sharp edge is exposed, so it is still safe and better for the knife than an ill-fitting wood block. I cannot fit much else in there, though it is an option to modify and snip out some rods to accommodate more. I have not had any plastic bits on my knives either. And no, I would never want to clean this! So, I never store my kitchen tools until they are completely clean and dry. That being said, I would be careful not to store this near a stove top where grease could settle on it, nor a sink with water splatter.

I bought the 650 as soon as I saw it in Bed, Bath and beyond. I have used it and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the wood split (on all four sides) and I was unable to use the knife stand. My husband found a plastic square container and fit the guts of the knife holder into it and now I am using the kapoosh again. My grandchildren colored the plastic contained and it is an asset to my kitchen. :)

I am a proud owner of a Kapoosh... & 2 other knife blocks. FIRST=the wooden knife blocks need to have the blades facing UP as not to dull them with the wood..(in-&-out) & absolutely YES ceramic knives can get dull as well as the steel ones. Being a masterchef/headchef @ Showboat casino, magnetic holder are NOT what you want for knife safety/cleanliness/sharpness...IN A HOUSE....plus you can skewer the background wall (if you arent careful setting or removing them...let alone dropping them behind equipment or cutting yourself) NOW...SECONDLY= I am NOT recommending the Kapoosh FOR COMMERCIAL USE...this is a given. BUT, in the real world of your home, it is GREAT!! Yes you can put all different knives & cutlery...etc,etc in it...BUT the main thing is...everyone has great knives that are "sacred" to them...from family loved ones no longer here, or handed down, or even recently bought & cant live without. The PROBLEM is ..they arent part of a set. If you want a safe, clean, easy, readily available, simple storage solution...without getting bamboo splinters or the actual skewers jabbed into their fingers...or like one previous comment..."just get some kid from in a woodshop class to make you a knife block"... (anyone know one or can get any kid to do something that they were asked???).... yea... in the REAL world....the Kapoosh will handle all your REAL good knives (not just the sample plastic ones as stated earlier)... I even have 2 prong forks in it & no issues. Also if you happen to have a knife that is supposedly "too long" for the Kapoosh...do you REALLY wanna hang it out in the open, on a magnet full blade exposed...to grab (Oh thats right you sheath every knife before you put it up so it will be safe & clean for the next use!!) No... just put it in the Kapoosh plastic pegs & be happy... it may stick up an inch or maybe even 2... but it is mostly "guarded" ...which is what you want in the kitchen ...right simplistic convenience & safety.... Now that I am done venting as a chef...& I can say I have seen my share of knife droppage by others as well as myself ...by not paying attention or being in a rush ...while using magnetic holders at work (counter space is a premium at work) ..so we have an area AWAY from the food prep immediate area...over a large solid cutting/chopping block for knives. The knives get washed repeatedly daily & the older good steel knives get "touched up" too.... but never put away without washing them or drying them... that is a must. Even before any knives get used they get rinsed clean & dried (which is what any sane person should do with their knives & food) [You'd hope a surgeon uses clean & sterile things for surgery right?..or does he just cut something & throw the knife/scalpel back on the surgery tool cart for next time???]. If you made the comment about or thought that the Kapoosh holds "junk" inside & is dirty or full of bacteria....I would LOVE to see what you do with your knives & how you use them. The Kapoosh is safe & sanitary ....make sure you wash & dry ANY knife after ANY usage prior to storage. If you dont ... I dont want you working in my kitchen. As far as washing the Kapoosh..... twice.... I have washed it 2x's in the dishwasher.....WITH NO ISSUES.. it dried just fine..after a few hours [7] (upside down, tap the rods a few times then slightly spread the plastic rods on a clean towel or cutting block...DO NOT let it go through the drying cycle in the dishwasher.. it will take longer to dry) & thats it.... no bacteria grow where there are clean knives & no moisture...PLUS no air circulation needed. As far as the rice thing....ask any chinese restaurant... the only thing that goes in rice is pencils for ordering & vegetables, etc, while cooking... knives are NOT put into rice at their places... Enough rambling (too long already) & bashing... Kapoosh = get it...!!!! You wont be sorry!!!

I bought the Kapoosh with high hopes but I found the same problems the original poster did. Knives don't all fit, knives don't go all the way down, pieces of plastic get sliced off by my sharp knives and come back up with the knives (also leaving half-length rods in the box so that while it LOOKS like it's not totally jammed full at the top it really is at the bottom). I thought about removing some of the rods with needle-nosed pliers to make it looser-packed but couldn't get the darned thing out of the wooden holder no matter what I tried. This will be the first item in my next garage sale. Am thinking of the Messermeister quarter round magnetic knife block, does anyone have any experience with that? I have limited counter space, limited wall space, and Plan D after the magnetic knife block is a do-it-yourself system in my knife drawer using wine-bottle corks.

I've had my Kapoosh for probably 5 years or more & it has worked great. I don't have expensive knives. I have mismatched sets that no normal knife block would accommodate for all of them & I don't have adequate drawer space & wasn't comfortable with a magnetic knife holder at the time. The Kapoosh holds lots of knives for me & I've never had any black plastic flecks on the knives. I am surprised by the people who have had these problems. Maybe your specific Kapoosh had a couple too many plastic rods or maybe your knives are made differently than mine. I've taken the plastic rods out with no problem, so maybe there's a few duds. I definitely recommend the product. I've given it as a gift. If you have a dud I'd exchange it & make sure it wasn't the specific unit you got. The only problem I've had is that I wish the space between my counter & upper cabinet was taller because when pulling a large knife out I have to scoot the Kapoosh out from under the cabinet to make room to get the knife out, but that's probably the result of our cabinet installer hanging the upper cabinets too low!

I just returned a second Kapoosh. I should be clear about the black plastic flecks - they were not there before I inserted the knife. First knife was okay, but putting the second knife in there (it was already quite tightly compacted) shaved off plastic from the rods. Every subsequent blade removal and insertion shaves off additional plastic from the rods.

My Kapoosh just exploded. I was trying to stuff a bread knife in there and the whole wood block snapped on two sides. my Kapoosh is kaput. I do not recommend.

I just purchased a Kapoosh but how do you clean it in the dishwasher?

I removed both the upper & lower set of rods but they are very dense clumps. Will the water & detergent really get deep inside to clean?

I've never heard so much whining about a product that solves the storage of knives! Black flakes on the blade? No airflow? What? I've been using mine for a couple three years and it is great. I always put the knives away dry and if you angle them in there is no exposed blade (or a minimal amount ). I also have my 5 inch cleaver in there as well!

Just wish I could find a replacement filler should this one wear out.

As it was suggested earlier you can also use skewers instead of the plastik rods. they are easy to replace once they get dirty. There is a German designed model named 900 skewers from side by side. They use beech skewers. Seen at: http://www.thedesigngiftshop.com/products/SIDE-BY-SIDE-%7C-Knife-block-%7C-900-SKEWERS.html
The later definately looks better!

I gave up on knife blocks altogether. I picked up a magnetized strip from IKEA, that holds all 10 of my kitchen knives, from chefs knives to paring knives. Blades don't touch, it's clean, and it takes no counter space since it's mounted on the wall.

My Kapoosh knife-block fell apart this morning. (The smaller block seperated from the large one). Although I thought it was a great idea at the time of purchase, it tended to fall over with the weight of knives.

Does anyone know where to get a replacement plastic block for a model 650? I have had this knife block for more than 5 years and have had many of the plastic rods bend over restricting use in that area of the block. I have trimmed (pulled) out most of the defective rods, but think a replacement part is in order to restore the whole storage area. I post this question because I can not locate any of my original paperwork.

their web site:

http://www.kapoosh.com/kapooshhome.html

has a contact phone

As a followup to my post yesterday, I contacted the Kapoosh factory service rep (Taylor at 800.821.7849) and asked about obtaining a new plastic rod block for my Kapoosh 650. She informed me that there is NO replacement available from them (ARY, Inc. is the OEM). She went on to describe how to trim (pull) out the bent rods and told me this is the only fix short of buying a new block. So, if you think you will be able to get a replacement plastic rod block from the factory, rethink that, you really can't -- there is NO factory support. I'm not sure why she is the Kapoosh rep in that case. In any event, I will be looking into a magnetic strip in the future. From the comments here they seem to be the "old standby".

somewhere in this thread (I think) there was the suggestion of using wooden skewers - might need replacing more often but they are pretty cheap.

Not recommended? I beg to differ. So one-quarter inch of blade on an 8-inch knife is exposed? Oh how dangerous! Look before you grab ANY knife held by whatever type of holder. No airflow because the bottom is solid? There's hardly any airflow with a solid wood block either. Bits of plastic on the blade when removed require a quick rinse? I always rinse any knife blade before using however it has been stored. A very nit-picky review leads to a "not recommended"? Hardly!

We've had our block for a few years and have really jammed in the knives. Finally the sides came apart. Since the guts are fine, I like the suggestion of finding a new container for holding them. Hope we can find one! This is the only thing that worked for all the knives we had.

I bought two of the replacement side caddys and filled them with popcorn (unpopped). It works great to hold the small to medium knives. And takes up very little space on the counter or island.

I have had this knife block for years and love it. I probably keep about a dozen knives in it. With that many knives, they don't go down all the way, but that doesn't matter - I just need a place to hold them where they won't get dull, and where they all fit. I'm only going to grab the handle to pull it out anyway, so if the blade isn't fully in the block it's irrelevant. This knife block does that job well, much better than the wooden knife blocks with a fixed number of slots (not enough) and specific sizes (never the ones I need).

I have a Kapoosh also and am happy with it. However I wanted to make a comment about magnetic knife holders. I am a Veterinarian and have had to suture at least one cat who somehow managed to knock owners knives from the holder and make a rather large wound on his side. We surgically repaired and he is fine. I so use a magnetic holder for non-sharp items, but my Kapoosh holds my mismatched and favorite really sharp items.
Yes, I know...what was the cat doing on the counter. They do stuff they are not supposed to when you aren't looking or not there, just like children

i also have a kapoosh and had the same problem. i can only fit about 3 knives in it. after that, it is so tight that they stick out halfway. i bought it many years ago, so maybe they have revised the design. it is a genius idea, however, our knives (8 inches max) would not go all the way down. they look just like the photo above. about 1/4 of an inch sticking out, so when you place another knife in it you run the risk of cutting yourself. also, black flecks of plastic everywhere. then finally, after about a few months of use, the wooden casing split at the corner. we even tried taking the insert out and removing some of the black plastic inserts, using wood glue and nailing it back. no luck. when we tried to put the black insert back in, the other two corners split!

great idea, but needs some tweaking.

I have two kapoosh knife blocks, one for each house. I'm an engineer (PE) and I love them. Where else can you find another knife block that is flexible to accept multiple different-sized knives as your arsenal of cutlery evolves and expands. I agree it's not perfect, but for the cheap price of the kapoosh, there is nothing better. "My 8-in. knives stick up out of the kapoosh 0.25 in." Don't be such a cry baby! They still fit fine and don't fall out. Also, if you don't like your knives touching the black plastic, remove the plastic insert and fill the void with rice or dried beans. Problem solved.

I've had a Kapoosh for about two years. I got the metal-cased, two-level unit, which nicely houses long and short knives separately. Initially worked great, but after a while some of the rods started bending, and now it is difficult to get knives into it unless I find a "virgin" spot. I loved it at first, because I could fit my motley knives all into it, but now it is not practical.

I'll keep it short and sweet. We got a large version of the Kapoosh knife block and had high hopes -- an initial sense of optimism. We did encounter plastic bits, but weren't stressing about it. But then we started having more trouble getting knives into position. There was increasingly more resistance to getting the knives in. Thinking that plastic was being sliced off and remaining in the block to clog up the works rather than coming out (as some had), I disassembled the block. What I found is that many plastic strands were bent over inside, physically tying up the core.

Side effects aside, a knife block that i can't get knives into is an unmitigated failure.

:) THIS IS AN AMAZING IDEA I AM INTO DESIGNING MY KNIFE BLOCK FOR MY ENGINEERING PROJECT AND I WOULD LIKE SOME IDEAS FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS IN DESIGNING I AM OPEN TO IDEAS AND I WILL ALSO COMMENT.
THANK YOU

Bucket of sand.

I have had mine for about 9 years. I love it...more than my husband does, but sine it is I who uses the knives most often, I have the final say. Yes, we both have been frustrated when the knives don't go in as far as they once did and sometimes fall out. We have combed and thinned the rods twice in 9 years...and probably will again, in another few years. I don't have a spot in my kitchen for a knife magnet so this is a great alternative. We have had no trouble flecks or pieces. I say...get one...enjoy it...care for it as needed...washing and thinning...and enjoy it again...repeat as necessary.

I have found that cutting them out isn't the best solution, unless you cut them at the very base of the unit, and if yours looked like mine, there was at least 50 or so rods that were a twisted mess, and trying to get into the bottom and figure out which one is the problematic one, then finding something strong enough to cut it out (after an hour and at least cutting 50 times, your hands get very tired) ..those tend to scrunch up even more, and then you really cannot get the knives to stay put. I finally took the whole thing apart--which was a difficult chore in and of itself, and grabbed a pair of long curved needle nose pliers and started pulling out the ones that were really irreparable-twisted around one another, squished up at the bottom like a wire twist tie, etc...just yanked them out like a bad splinter and with a little tugging, they came loose. it also allowed me to "straighten" for lack of a better word, some of the rods that were salvagable and had just been caught and bent a little bit from the others that twisted around them. It took a while, a full sunday afternoon, but it was back to 95% by the time I got it all put together...and the knives went in easier, as their weren't as many rods to have scrunch up. HOWEVER, I have had to do this twice in 4 years of ownership. I have also found that you should absolutely never ever EVER place a serrated knife in there, as this is the primary cause of the rods twisting up-the serrated blades catch on the rods and as you push the knife down, it drags the rods down with them.
Now, as far as steak knives, that have a short serration, I have learned to put them in upside down at an angle ( Start upside down at a slight angle, push the knife in slowly downward and pull toward you as it goes in, like slicing a piece of cake) so the serration doesn't catch on the rods. When you remove them for use, pull out as if you are avoiding having the serration catch on the rods. You are unable to obtain a replacement block from Kapoosh...which is not a good selling point for Kapoosh. I purchased the stainless steel model,with it tilted at an angle and two separate slots for short and longer knives...and both have issues. This at the time was the most expensive one, and its very frustrating that their customer service level accepts NO RESPONSIBILITY and simply says "oh well. try taking it back to the store you got it at and see if they will accept a damaged used return, a year later". I had considered going to bamboo rods myself but for the time being, I store short knives in there, thus avoiding an accidental cut, which has happened on more than one occasion, and bought a small wood block for my other longer knives to just avoid the problem. I bought this when it first came out and was REALLY pricey...had I been able to see a review or two, I never would have wasted my money. NOT WORTH THE TIME, EFFORT, OR THE PRICE. DON'T WAST YOUR $$. Buy two wood blocks instead, or a magnetic strip

Trying to read the above without paragraph breaks was vexing, to say the least, but it gave me an idea.

I've always avoided magnetic strip holders because many of my knives are carbon steel and I don't want risk the rust between magnet and knife.

BUT -- What if I stapled a terrycloth towel over the magnetic strip and then used it?

I currently dry them immediately after use and put them in a drawer where I know even the residual water will evaporate.

check the pix - many magnetic racks have two 'rails' - i.e. not a 'full surface contact' with the knife.

methinks unlikely rust would form under a thin rail - probably dry pretty quick.

I'm a blockhead . . .

I'm just curious about how the plastic rods treat your knife blades. They don't dull the blades at all?

note: I do not own this gadget

plastics generally do not damage knives - the most significant exception is ultra-thin edged high cost Japanese knives used on softer plastics. inadvertent twisting-while-cutting can result in chipping the blade.

you'll see comments about fine slivers of plastic accumulating - having been shaved off the rods by a sharp knife.

the concept is sound - there a a few catches tho. that it does not accommodate (some) 8 inch knives can be limiting.

the 'rods all bent up & tangled' is more serious - especially as early on the manufacturer did not offer replacement rods. no clue if that is still true.

I have the oval, angled two-compartment (large knives, steak knives) Rondelle in silver. I can get the smaller compartment's rods out but the larger compartment's rods won't come out. I have tugged at the rods, tried to pry apart the collar, etc., and they won't budge.

The reason for washing: we live close to a main traffic feeder street, in an area very close to farms and cottonwood trees (in Colorado). The rods get dusty and dirty, and even though we don't keep the block near the stove, the "grease" from combustion engines gets on the rods and attracts dust and dirt. Yes, we put our knives in clean and dry. It's the environment. I wish people would ask, rather than condemn....

have had mine for more than ten years. or it seems like it.

keep 8 or nine knives in it (including paring knives) without problems. have honing steel laid on top of it, as well as a ceramic sharpening rod (hangs on upper side of it, parallel to the knives.

I put my knives in with the edges toward the center, less chance of sharp edge cutting you as you grab a knife. agree all knives do not go in all the way, so there are exposed edges. but in the center of the block.

agree that rods get bent, seems to be more common when putting knives in with blunt leading edges (santoku, nakiri, e.g.), but thinning those out makes more room for knives, so i don't mind that much.

i seem to have a habit of light honing before each use, then wipe with dishcloth, so a little dust or rod bits doesn't bother me.

overall, I like it, works for me.

I received a similar knife block under the Bodum brand name as a gift and was immediately horrified by the concept - exactly the hygiene issues you describe.

It was very expensive and, unfortunately, I could not return it.

However, I have found a great use for it: It's the screwdriver holder on my workbench!

In fact, it's amazing, because the plastic "stalks" clean the gunk out of the crevices on my Philips screwdrivers every time I put them away.