Best buys · Every day

The best pocket knife worth buying

Our pick is the Victorinox Swiss Army knife. Below: why, what actually matters when buying one, what to get for less, the step up, and whether today's price is a good one.

The pocket knife

Victorinox Swiss Army knife

Legal to carry in more places than most knives, useful every single day, and it will still work when your children inherit it.

Buy it for
Everyone, from the office to the campsite.
Skip it if
You need a real blade for outdoor work. Look at a fixed-blade knife.

What actually matters when buying a pocket knife

  1. Local carry laws. Blade length and locking blades are regulated differently everywhere; a small non-locking knife is legal in the most places.
  2. The tools you will actually use: a blade, scissors and a screwdriver cover most days.
  3. Size. Too many tools and it stops being pocketable.
  4. Proper steel and a maker who will stand behind it.

Either side of the pick