For this article, we put our review team to work looking at the best-selling kitchen sharpeners out there right now. Whether you’re looking at picking up a knife sharpener for your kitchen or maybe that of a loved one, or you’re just trying to learn a little bit about what makes them different – stick around! We’re going to share our picks for Best Overall, Best Value, and Best Budget knife sharpeners, as well as touch on a few runners-up that might hold unique appeal.
First, let’s take a brief look at what we look for when we review these kitchen sharpening systems. These criteria form a set of standards that help our reviewers decide which products offer the most benefit.
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What to Look For in a Kitchen Knife Sharpener
There are so many options out there for kitchen knife sharpeners, it’s insane! Every one of them boasts to be the best and fastest, leaving your blade with the keenest edge. They even have pictures of knives slicing all sorts of things to prove it. But how can you be sure that you’re getting a good kitchen knife sharpener?
Quick and Efficient
First and foremost, you’re going to want a sharpener that is quick and efficient. You’re likely not some wizened old cartoonish type, with hours to spend honing your blades to perfection. You need a sharpener that you can use to bring your blades back to life with a few quick strokes.
Sharpeners such as these do exist and come in a variety of options. Electric sharpeners may offer the best results, but you’re going to want to avoid cheap knock-offs that will break easily and could misalign and ruin an expensive knife set. If you have invested in quality culinary knives, consider a quality knife sharpener a similar investment in keeping those knives at their optimal function.
Aesthetics
Aesthetics are, of course, important for anything you intend to display prominently on a counter. This may not be the case for everyone, as some may forego the looks of a product they plan on throwing in a drawer. However, modern sharpeners take aesthetic design into consideration and there are some sharp-looking options available.
Generally, most manufacturers will go with a fairly minimalist approach, with black, brushed stainless, and other neutral colors that fit in well with everything. There are other options, such as the inclusion of a bamboo base in one of our reviewed products. Touches like this bring an accent that works well to turn a tool into an artful part of your kitchen’s theme.
Construction Quality
And of course, with so many cheap competitors out there pushing their products, it can be tempting to choose the cheaper of two similar looking products. Even plastics aren’t all created equally, and in the case of electric kitchen sharpeners, one has to consider the quality of the internal components as well.
One of the easiest ways to avoid this pitfall is to stick with reputable brands and buy official products. If someone is selling an electric kitchen sharpener that normally retails for $300 at the low, low price of $29.95 – it is most likely a counterfeit made with inferior internal parts that will ruin your knives and waste your money. Top-shelf kitchen sharpeners are not expensive because of their label, they are expensive because they are built to perform and built to last.
Kitchen Knife Sharpener Reviews
Work Sharp Culinary E5 Kitchen Knife Sharpener with Ceramic Honing Rod
Perfect for seniors or anyone unfamiliar with knife sharpening, the E5 will sharpen your knives at the touch of a button; taking less than 90 seconds to do so. There are three pre-programmed settings that allow you to shape, sharpen, or hone your knives depending on their condition. To conserve energy, the sharpener will automatically turn off at the end of a sharpening cycle.
The E5 also features a built-in vacuum to keep sharpening debris safely contained and off your kitchen counters. This feature allows this kitchen sharpener to work in harmony with the rest of your kitchen, offering seamless utility. This complete kitchen sharpening system also includes a bonus ceramic honing rod, designed to take down wire edges that can result and bring the blade to a keen edge.
This professional-grade kitchen knife sharpener is perfect for the restaurant owner’s commercial kitchen or even as a housewarming gift for newlyweds or new homeowners. Anyone that takes their cooking and culinary tools seriously is going to appreciate the incredible benefit that comes with the award-winning Work Sharp E5 Kitchen Sharpener.
Brod & Taylor Classic Knife Sharpener
More so, the unique and curious design brings a creative flair to any kitchen’s look. With a rugged black nylon base and minimalist mechanical design, this sharpener is likely to start more than a few conversations. Fortunately, it will be easy to demonstrate, as all it takes is laying the blade in the cradle formed by the scissoring whetstones and drawing through a few times.
The professional-level function, modern look, and quality construction of this kitchen sharpener all lead to it being our choice for getting the best value out of your purchase.
3-Stage Knife Sharpener and Cut-Resistant Glove
Made by the Kitchellence company, this handheld sharpener works hard to separate itself from the cheaply-made competition. Featuring three different slots for repairing, sharpening, and honing blades quickly is a step in the right direction, but surprisingly they don’t stop there! Inside each slot is a different abrasive material, each properly-suited for its given task.
The first slot, intended for repairing damaged edges, is made from diamond abrasive to ensure it can rapidly restore the structural edge of the blade. The next slot is used the sharpen, and tungsten carbide stones provide the proper bevel for shaping the edge into a sharpened bevel. The final slot, as you may have deduced, is fitted with a ceramic whetstone for honing and polishing the sharpened edge to keenness. Bringing even more value to the table, this sharpener includes a cut-resistant glove to provide extra safety while sharpening.
If you’re looking for a sharpener that is affordable and provides complete sharpening utility without any money-sponging frills or extras, take a look at this handheld sharpener that demonstrates amazing attention-to-detail in its construction and design.
Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone
This is a Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone; reversible to provide a 1000 grit surface for shaping and sharpening the edge, and a 6000 grit surface for superior honing and polishing. The whetstone itself is dual-layered with each side being of a different color. This makes it easy to tell the difference but also gives it a splash of color that works well with the minimalist bamboo base. There is a layer of black silicon between the stone and the base to ensure it doesn’t slip at all during use.
This Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone makes for a great gift that anyone interested in culinary arts can proudly place beside their cutting board. It is professional-grade, meaning it will hold up to the rigors of a busy commercial kitchen and can provide your home kitchen with a lifetime of benefit.
If you have never used a whetstone sharpening system before there is a great guide here.
Work Sharp Culinary E2 Kitchen Knife Sharpener
This model might not have the pre-programmed options and it may not offer as many specific features. It is, however, still a very high-quality electric sharpener that is built by a leading manufacturer of kitchen sharpeners. It could be argued that they are the leading manufacturer. For a fraction of the price, you get a top-shelf brand sharpening system that will still put a razor’s edge on any knife you draw through it.
It just does it without the frills, bells, whistles, and flair of the more expensive models. Perfect for small restaurants, catering businesses, and other culinary professionals that need frequent sharpening but not a delicate or expensive machine.
Kitchen Knife Sharpeners – Final Thoughts
To conclude, let’s take a quick look at the products our review team picked for Best Overall, Best Value, and Best Budget kitchen knife sharpener. First, we saw the exquisite Work Sharp E5 steal the show and take Best Overall. With pre-programmed options for repairing, sharpening and honing a blade, this kitchen sharpener allows a complete novice to return any blade to its original condition (or better in some cases!).
Second, we chose the award-winning Brod & Taylor Classic Kitchen Sharpener as our winner for Best Value. This unique design showcases the mechanical simplicity in a way that stands out and provokes interest. It makes a great gift. It makes for a valuable addition to your own kitchen. It sharpens knives to a remarkably keen edge, without removing tons of metal. This makes it perfect for anyone that has already invested in a set of quality culinary knives that doesn’t want to risk damaging them in an electric sharpener.
Our last spot was for Best Budget Kitchen Sharpener, and the win went to an incredibly well thought out handheld sharpener by Kitchellence. Featuring three separate slots, each with a material specifically chosen for its intended task, this handheld sharpener surpasses anything else that might look like it. It also includes a cut-resistant glove for additional safety, so if you’re concerned about holding the block while sharpening, they’ve got you covered!
Ultimately, the sharpener you choose needs to work best for you and your kitchen knives. Consider your own kitchen and your own budget. Just remember that with kitchen sharpeners, you quite often do get what you pay for. Make sure your sharpener does its work quickly and efficiently, and that its construction is solid and will last. And remember that your kitchen sharpener need not compromise on aesthetics to deliver all of this, so pick one that blends in with the kitchen it will go in.
We hope this information helped you decide on finding the right kitchen sharpener, and maybe you even went with one of our selections. In any case, stay safe out there, and thank you for reading!
