7 Best Knife Sharpener – Which One is Best for You?

Last Updated on October 14, 2021 by Boniface Muriuki

Having the best knife sharpener in your kitchen is the surest way of reducing your cook time and enjoying every minute of it.

You’ll need your best knife sets to slice, dice, slice, and undertake other instrumental kitchen activities. As such, you cannot afford to have a blunt and dysfunctional knife set in your kitchen! 

Odd enough, the best knife sharpeners are rare in the average kitchen. Many cooks think that sharpening a knife should be a one-time event or a reserve for professional chefs.  

This is misleading!

Just like executive chefs sharpen their knives daily, part-time cooks should regularly sharpen theirs to derive the ease of working with a well-maintained knife.

Even better, you don’t need to dig deeper into your pocket to get the best knife sharpener. Just a few bucks and you have a tool that can keep your chef’s edge as sharp as new.

You might be familiar with the sharpening rod and the sharpening stone. This article will review the best knife sharpeners that will make the knife sharpening process easier.

Best Knife Sharpeners – Comparison

Image	Name	Features
	Work Sharp WSKTS-W-Best Knife Sharpening System	-Comes with premium abrasive belts to meet all your sharpening needs: Coarse (P80), Medium (P220) and Fine (6000). Abrasive belts won't burn or damage blade steel during sharpening. -Kitchen Knife guide sharpens blades to a 40° angle – Outdoor Knife Guide sharpens to a 50° angle -1-year warranty – warranty only valid for North American 110v power source applications. Use of power converters for 220V not recommended. Can be run with 12V power inverter (min. 150 watt) from car, truck, RV, boat, etc.
	Chef’s Sharpener CS-TO1 3 Stage	-solid ABS and stainless steel smartly combined -kitchen knife sharpener is super straightforward and easy to use, even for first-timers -LIFETIME WARRANTY & HASSLE-FREE REFUND
	Sharp Pebble Premium	- comes with Silicone base for holding the stone inside Non Slip Bamboo base, this setup will ensure the stone is FIXED IN ONE PLACE while sharpening -Knife sharpener stone uses WATER for sharpening , so no need of expensive sharpening/honing oils and NO MESS while sharpening & it can be easily cleaned using water
	Utopia Kitchen 10 Inch Steel	-The steel rod is made of carbon steel and plated with nickel-chrome; the fine surface of the steel rod prevents the cutting edge from damage when sharpening -Easy to use, right or left-handed, with an ergonomic handle that fits all hands; slip-resistant rubber bottom means your sharpener is easy to handle and stays in place during use -Quick, safe, and easy to use
	Chef'sChoice 0213000 2100 Replacement Knife Sharpening Module	-Chef'sChoice 0213000 2100 Replacement Knife Sharpening Module  -Easy to clean

Best Knife Sharpener- Description

The best kitchen sharpener is a tool designed to cleanly file or hone the cutting edges on the steel blades of knives and other equipment with cutting edges.

Available as electric or hand-held, the best knife sharpeners may be as simple as round sharpening stone, or as multi-featured machines with multiple sharpening stones.

The different types of knife sharpeners include hand-held sharpening machines such as small countertop sharpeners, whetstones, and electric models available as commercial or home sharpeners.

7 Best Knife Sharpeners

1. Work Sharp WSKTS-W-Best Knife Sharpening System

Work sharp electric knife sharpener is a unique knife sharpener as it can sharpens a range of knives like outdoor knives, kitchen knives, and a variety of other tools that may need sharpening.

The knife sharpener includes only a one-speed option and guides for various angles, but it doesn’t come with a guide for 15-degree Asian knives.

Additionally, the work sharp electric sharpener comes packaged with nine belts in three grit levels. The medium belt works for normal kitchen knives, the coarse belt is for dull blades or thicker tools, and the fine belt is for sharpening serrated blades.

While the knife sharpener may come with guides to help you get exact angles, it’s still easy to scuff your blades, or you may spoil your edge especially when you use the coarse belt. As such, you must exercise extreme caution throughout the sharpening process. 

Since the work sharp electric knife sharpener comes with three belts, its best to use the coarse belt only for thick, very dull, or badly damaged blades. Avoid sharpening your delicate (and rarely used) knives more than twice a year as this may damage them.

Many end users have acknowledged, you will become obsessed with the acuteness and will start yearning for more opportunities to use the knife sharpener.

Pros

• The knife sharpener is packaged with 3 sets of rings 
• It’s cost-effective
• The knife sharpener has angle guides
• Reforms razor-sharp edges

Cons

• The work sharp knife sharpener may scratch your blade
• No guide for Asian knives

2. Chef’s Sharpener CS-TO1 3 Stage

The Chef’s knife sharpener comes in three stages of honing, sharpening, and repairing. It is a handheld device offers a fast yet durable fix for your knife without digging deep into your pocket.

The knife sharpener is one of the strongest and well-constructed sharpeners in the market. 

 It is made up of ABS plastic, stainless steel covers at both the sharpening slots and the base for durability and ease of cleaning.

The CS-TO1 3 comes packaged with three sharpening stages: medium, coarse, and fine.

In the coarse stage, the diamond dust rods straighten the knife-edge if it was bent and remove some of the burrs. The medium stage furthers de-burrs the edge with tungsten carbide abrasives. And in the final stage, the knife is polished with ceramic rods.

The chef’s sharpener comes with rubber patches under the base. The patches are non-sticky thus helps to keep the sharpener in one place and prevent accidents while sharpening your knives.

If you’re looking for a knife sharpener with both substance and style, then the chef’s sharpener is your to-go-to device.

Pros

• The knife sharpener is long-lasting
• It’s effective at both honing and sharpening
• Easy to clean
• The chef’s sharpener is solid and offers stability
• It’s cost-effective

Cons

• The knife sharpener is not suitable for severally damaged knives

3. Sharp Pebble Premium

The sharp pebble premium kit is a contemporary take on the classic stone with two grit levels, a guide book for new users, and an angle guide.

The sharp pebble stone knife sharpener comes packaged with a double stone and an awesome base to help in the stability of the sharpener.

The sharp pebble whetstone is a combination of two Waterstones. The white side has a 6000-grain density for finer honing and finishing while the blue part has a grain density of 1000 for sharpening dull blades.

Always bear in mind that the 1000 grit whetstone is a bit coarse and thus you shouldn’t use it more often. The sharpening should only be done every four to six months. Honing with the fine side, nevertheless, can be done much often.

The knife sharpener comes with two components each with a unique purpose. The upper silicone component grips the stone to give it extra stability. While the base is a solid and durable block of bamboo with a slip-resistant layer on the underside. Both parts are easy to clean up.

Although the sharp pebble premium has lots of quality features it comes with its flaws as well. Some users complain that it leaves scratches and marks on your knife.

Pros

• The knife sharpener has balanced duo grits
• E-book guide included
• Offers good customer service
• Set includes everything you need

Cons

• The hardness of guide is high and may scratch you knives

4. Utopia Kitchen 10 Inch Steel 

The utopia kitchen is one of the best honing devices. Its rod does a good job and it’s cost-effective.

The utopia kitchen steel comes in two lengths: 10 inches and 12 inches. Made of carbon steel and plated with a thick layer of nickel-chrome.

The honing steel feels solid and weighs (11.4 ounces). It comes with a solid plastic handle with a “bolster” that helps in balancing part of the weight of the metal, thus providing easement during the honing process. 

The bolster also helps with safety, as it protects your hands from slipping down while gripping the rod in a vertical direction.

The utopia knife sharpener is more of a honing tool. The sharpening steel doesn’t create a new edge on your knife. You still have to give your knife proper sharpening with other knife sharpeners every six to 12 months.

The knife sharpener comes with a large ring at the end of the handle which allows you to hang it on a rack or hook on it on the wall.

It’s important to note that after cleaning the device, you should always season it with a touch of cooking oil to prevent rust.

Pros

• the utopia knife sharpener is effective in keeping knife-edge
• It’s constructed with durable materials that are easy to clean
• The knife sharpener is affordable
• It’s well balanced

Cons

• The device is not dishwasher safe
• Doesn’t sharpen knives

5. Chef’sChoice 0213000 2100 Replacement Knife Sharpening Module 

Chef’sChoice Knife sharpener electric sharpener may not be very common in the market. But the compact sharpener comes with features that are unique than other high priced alternatives.

The electric knife sharpener is lightweight and can sharpen screwdrivers and scissors in addition to knives.

It has a small footprint and can fit on the smallest countertop. The electric knife sharpener weighs only 1.32 pounds. To balance the lack of weight, there are suction cups at the base to increase the stability of the knife sharpener.

The electric sharpener comes with unique features that are rare in other hand-held sharpeners.

The knife sharpener comes with four slots for sharpening and honing your kitchen knives. It also has a slot for shears and scissors, and one for screwdrivers.

The little electric sharpener uses electricity via a retractable cord on its underside, and it heats up rather fast. It’s not advisable to sharpen several knives at a go as this may damage the device.

Pros

• Lightweight, portable (1.32 pounds)
• The electric knife sharpener sharpens, hones knives, scissors and screwdrivers.
• Charges batteries (NiCad /lithium)
• Retractable cord

Cons 

• Could be loud on the operation

6. Lansky Deluxe 5-Stone Sharpening

The Lansky kit is one of the best manual knife sharpening system but might not be everyone’s favorite.

The Lansky kit comes packaged in a neat box, with other tools, five stones of different colors, and grits, making it look like a play kit.

The kit features a knife clamp and rods, which allows you to sharpen your knives to several angles with satisfying accuracy. 

The kit can handle any type of kitchen knife; butcher knife, chef’s knives, and also outdoor or hunting knives. 

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It is also packaged with a small bottle of honing oil that helps in lubrication this enhances the durability of the kit.

Although the kit may handle other knives, the guide rods of the knife sharpener won’t be useful on Asian knives. This is because the smallest angle of the kit is 17 degrees, whereas the Asian knives usually come with edges of 13 to 15 degrees.

Pros 

• The knife sharpener does both honing and sharpening
• Easy and fun to use
• Works for various knife types and edge angles
• The kit is cost-effective

Cons

• No guides for Asian knives

7. Kitchen IQ 2 Stage Knife Sharpener

If you’re not so much interested in sustaining a perfect edge on your knife, and instead want a cost-effective, suitable alternative, then kitchen IQ 2 stage knife might be ideal for you. 

This knife sharpener does not fully revive an old, blunt blade. But the manual sharpener can help keep up a better edge than usual, with just a few passes through the sharpening tracks each day.

The kitchen IQ 2 stage knife sharpener also comes with two tracks: a coarse sharpener for setting the edge, and a fine sharpener for finishing it.

Although the manual sharpener may not be as effective as other knife sharpeners. The kitchen IQ as compared to other dense, non-electric products always stands out. 

Pros

• It’s affordable
• It helps to keep up a better edge than usual with just a few passes through the sharpening tracks
• The kitchen IQ comes with two tracks: a coarse sharpener and a fine sharpener

Cons

• The manual sharpener is not thorough in sharpening in that it does not fully revive your blade

Best Knife Sharpener- Buying Guide

If you want to purchase the best knife sharpener, you must be careful to analyze all its properties. This will help you to get that which will meet all your requirements more effortlessly.

In this buying guide section, we’ll evaluate everything that you need to consider when shopping around for the best knife sharpener.

Best Knife Sharpeners – Different Types

When buying your best knife sharpener, you’ll realize that they come in different shapes with varying functionalities and application methods.

Overall, there are 4 major types of knife sharpeners, including:

• Sharpening Steels

These are used to hone your knives and achieve perfect edges. They are made of diamond, steel, or ceramic – with the diamond one being heavier and more durable.

Also, the rods come in different shapes, including rounded and oval ones. While rounded ones are more common and easier to use, you should feel free to select your ideal tool since they are equally effective.

• Sharpening Stones

These are versatile sharpeners that you can use to sharpen your knives, scissors, and razor blades! They are also known as Whetstones and are highly effective in sharpening dull knives.

• Manual Sharpeners

These are sharpeners that do not require electrical power to operate maximally. Due to this feature, this is the best knife sharpener for travelers and outdoor activities. They are also relatively cheaper when compared to their electrical counterparts.

•  Electric Sharpeners 

While these sharpeners are highly effective, they can be limiting since they are not designed to allow portability. As such, you should not get them if you need more control over your best knife sharpener.

Factors to Consider when Buying the Best Knife Sharpener

• Noise Levels

Noise during your sharpening may not be a real concern to most people, but it might be a real issue for others. Some of the best knife sharpeners are significantly louder than others.

The chef’s choice knife sharpener may be a good choice for customers who prefer silence during their sharpening. It is slightly quiet than presto sharpeners.

• Ease of Cleaning

Another factor to put into consideration when purchasing your best knife sharpener is how clean your sharpener is.

In a kitchen setup, cleanliness is a priority. When you’re choosing the best knife sharpener you should consider the chef’s choice trizor. With this knife sharpener, you won’t have to sweat the steel fillings that sprinkle out of some knife sharpeners.

• Ability to Sharpen Different Knives

When choosing your best knife sharpener you should consider whether the knife sharpener can handle different types of devices.

The chef’s choice again takes the lead because they offer flexibility. For instance, the presto three stage a brand of chef’s choice can adjust its slots to guide different blades more effectively.

• Materials of Construction

The materials a sharpener uses as abrasives can separate the best knife sharpeners from the rest of the pack. Diamond is the hardest and most durable, making it arguably the best.

Polished ceramic, tungsten carbide, and sapphire are a bit less tough, and also less expensive.

Best Knife Sharpener- What are The Benefits?

• Sharpening is Quick and Easy

It’s neither time consuming nor strenuous to sharpen a knife. It’s usually easy and convenient to sharpen your knife than to take it to a knife sharpening shop for a few dollars.

Depending on where you live, this might involve mailing your knives and having to wait long before they are returned. No need to experience this hassle when you can own the best knife sharpener and hone/sharpen your knife at your convenience. 

• Learning to Sharpen Your Knives Gives You More Control

When you sharpen the knives yourself, you can always control the sharpening angle to suit how you use a particular knife.

By doing self sharpening at home, you may choose to put a broad 45- degree level on the sides of a sturdy chef’s knife for a durable, stout knife that will be well suited to chopping.

Best Knife sharpener- Bottom Line

Are you searching for the best knife sharpener? It’s probable that you’ve always believed that buying your best knife sharpener will break your bank, right?

Well, this article is meant to prove you wrong! Our listing includes a variety of manually operated sharpeners in different designs, electric machines, and sharpening stones.

Some of the best knife sharpeners are high-priced, others are cost-effective. Some are easy to use, others have a stiff learning curve, requiring order, patience, or skill. But overall, we found most of the sharpeners fairly easy to use and effective.

After reviewing different knife sharpeners, it’s evident that transforming a knife from dull to sharp is much easier than you have ever imagined.

So rest assured, somewhere among the different reviews of the best knife sharpeners listed in the article, you’ll most definitely find a sharpener that’s best suited for you.