Knife Hire

Event organisers, independent caterers, and venue managers planning formal dinners or corporate banquets require specific cutlery for every course. Booking your knives hire through Expo Hire gives you commercial-grade tableware ready for immediate placement. We clean and polish every individual knife before dispatch. You manage your event schedule without washing cutlery on site.

Stainless Steel and Silver Knives Hire

Expo Hire stocks two distinct finishes. Your choice dictates the table aesthetic and formality. Polished stainless steel knives deliver durability and a contemporary appearance. They fit large banquets, busy outdoor catering, and events demanding hard-wearing tableware. The stainless steel finish maintains its lustre across multiple courses. Clients often select silver plate for weddings, VIP events, and fine dining demanding a classic table presentation. The plating creates a distinct shine. We hand-polish these knives before packing them.

Individual Knives for Every Course

Your menu dictates the exact cutlery you need for each diner. We supply dinner, dessert, steak, fish, and butter options.

• Dinner Knives: Standard for the main course. These represent the largest knives in a place setting. For example, our popular Bead Pattern dinner knife measures 23.5cm, offering a comfortable grip for main dishes.
• Dessert Knives: Guests rely on these for starters or puddings. They measure smaller than dinner knives. Diners handle them for lighter courses like pastries, fruits, or cheese.
• Steak Knives: A serrated edge defines these knives. They cut meat courses such as steak, lamb, or poultry. Their sharp blade helps guests cut tougher meats.
• Fish Knives: Fish knives feature a distinct paddle-shaped blade. They separate fish flesh from bones. Diners handle delicate fish dishes using this specific shape.
• Butter Knives: Small, non-serrated knives sit on the side plate. Guests pick them up for spreading butter or pâté onto bread rolls. Their blunt edge spreads butter without mess.

Plan your order by counting the number of courses. A two-course meal needs one dinner knife and one dessert knife per guest. More elaborate menus involving fish or steak require adding the appropriate specialised knife for each diner. You should also account for any extra knives for serving dishes or as buffer stock. Pair your cutlery with matching crockery hire and glassware hire to complete your table settings.

Every order includes our "Send It Back Dirty" service. You return all crockery, glassware, and cutlery unwashed. We handle the cleaning at our Birmingham depot. We also include a free Minor Damage Waiver on every order, covering accidental breakages without extra charges. You pay no security deposit when reserving your knives hire online. Our system calculates delivery from £40 ex-VAT based on road distance from our 11 regional depots. Live vehicle tracking and SMS ETAs keep you updated on delivery day. Prices and live stock levels display directly on the site. Select your hire dates to check availability and confirm your order online.

No security deposit

Expo Hire does not charge a security deposit. A free minor damage waiver covers minor damage and loss. Excessive or negligent damage is charged at 10 times the hire price. Full details in our terms and conditions.

Delivery and collection

Use the carriage calculator to find your nearest branch and get an accurate delivery quote. At checkout we show an itemised delivery cost before you confirm the order.

On the day, track your driver in real time on our order tracking page, or use the link in the automated text we send.

Advance deposit

For orders over £1,000, you can confirm a booking with a 25% deposit and pay the balance up to 28 days before delivery. The checkout offers this automatically. Full details in our terms and conditions.