Best Knife Sharpeners
Any good chef knows that a sharp knife is a safe knife. The same is true for hunting, fishing, and everyday carry. The best tools are typically the ones that are properly cared for. These allow you to safely and effectively tackle the job at hand. In the knife world, German and Japanese steel knives are known for their superior strength, sharpness, and performance. But at the end of the day, even the lowest-quality steels–when properly sharpened–can perform just as well. So, whether you're slicing paper-thin tomatoes, boning a whole chicken, fileting a freshly-caught fish, skinning a deer, or simply cleaning up around the house, a good knife sharpener is as important as the blade itself. We decided to put a few knife sharpeners to the test and found a few front-runners. Check them out here.
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Most Versatile
Priority Chef Knife Sharpener for Straight and Serrated Knives
Safe, Versatile, and Easy to Use
With the power to revive dull old blades and retain the cutting edge of both straight and serrated knives, this two-stage sharpening tool from Priority Chef is compact, ergonomic, and user-friendly.
What We Liked
If you’re looking for a simple alternative to fancy sharping machines and stones or having to send your blades away to be professionally maintained, look no further than the Priority Chef Knife Sharpener. It’s small enough to keep in your utensil drawer but packs a serious punch with its two-stage sharpening system. The two slots use wheeled mechanisms that work to safely and efficiently sharpen both straight and serrated blades, meaning this tool can work for virtually any knife you own. The diamond-coated coarse wheel helps restore the blade’s natural V-shape by shaving away blunted steel, while the fine ceramic wheel works to polish your blade to its factory sharpness and smoothness. Get it here.
Most Compact
KitchenIQ 50009 Edge Grip 2-Stage Knife Sharpener
Space-Saving Knife Sharpener
This pocket-sized knife sharpener from KitchenIQ features carbide blades and ceramic rods that work to restore dull and damaged blades and provide quick touch-ups to already sharpened knives.
What We Liked
Despite its compact size, this KitchenIQ Knife Sharpener packs a lot of blade-saving technology into a small package. It uses a two-stage system of carbide blades and ceramic rods to restore, hone, and polish both straight edge and serrated blades of any size. The base of the unit employs the use of KitchenIQ’s patented Edge Grip system, wherein the sharpener can grip the edge of your countertop to help prevent the tips of your knives from dragging or hitting the surface. Buy it now.
Best Set
Kitchellence 2-in-1 Kitchen Knife Accessories
3-Stage Sharpener and Glove Set
This Kitchellence set provides sharpening versatility and user safety with its three-stage sharpening tool and cut-resistant glove.
What We Liked
If sharpening your knives has ever made you nervous at the thought of cutting yourself, this set from Kitchellence will help alleviate your worries, thanks to its included level-5 cut-resistant glove that you wear both while you sharpen and for any knife-related job. The sharpener itself is made out of sturdy ABS plastic with a non-slip rubber base and ergonomic handle that can be used left or right handed. It features three levels of sharpening: a diamond rod for sharpening ceramic blades and straightening damaged metal blades, a tungsten steel blade for course sharpening and restoring a blade’s V-shape, and a ceramic rod for final fine sharpening and polishing. Buy it here.
Most Professional
Chef’s Choice 15 Trizor XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener
Three-Stage Electric Sharpening System
With a single power switch, this three-stage electric sharpener from Chef’s Choice has the power to fully-restore even the dullest and most blunt blades to premium sharpness in less than a minute, as well as re-sharpen knifes in as little as 10 seconds.
What We Liked
The Chef’s Edge 15 Trizor XV EdgeSelect sharpener is designed to convert the 20-degree edge of a traditional household knife into a much sharper 15-degree edge. The smaller the edge, the easier the knife is to control and less effort is required to cut. It does this using 100 percent diamond abrasives in stages one and two and a flexible abrasive system in stage three for final polishing. It works for both straight edge and serrated blades and can sharpen most blades in about 10 seconds. Get it now.