A knife is an important tool in the kitchen. You can’t make any meal without a sharp knife to prep your ingredients. Even better, having a high quality set of knives will make your cooking even easier.
The sharper the knife, the more safe and convenient it is to use. Unfortunately though, all that dicing and cutting is going to wear out a knife’s sharpness unless you make it a habit to sharpen it with a knife sharpener.
Blade sharpening is essentially two processes: the sharpening and the honing. The first stage uses a coarse abrasive to grind down the blade’s edge into a sharp bevel cut. But this process also results in the formation of microscopic bits of steel along its edge. That’s where the second stage comes in; using a fine abrasive, these micro bits of steel are removed, resulting in a straight cutting edge.
That’s why the average knife sharpener has two guide slots. The first one sharpens the dull edge while the second one polishes and hones the blade. A good sharpener will maintain and fix the blade edge and prolong the knives’ lifespan.
There are many types of sharpeners in the market today, but finding the right one for you will be a matter of personal preference. You can go manual or use an electric sharpener for more convenience. If you want to go old school, you can use a whetstone instead. Professional knife sharpeners, however, use a high-end sharpening kit that requires skill and expertise to use.
I prefer a manual sharpener myself not only because they’re cheaper than the electric ones, but because it gives me more control over the sharpening process and doesn’t take off too much steel from the blade. It also works best for most kitchen knives.
In fact, excluding the motor, a manual sharpener is no less different than an electric one in terms of features and performance. Both types now have models that allow you to adjust the blade's angle, which is useful when sharpening different types of knives. Both also have versions that have multiple sharpening slots that are used for coarse to fine sharpening.
In this post, I am featuring the best of the manual knife sharpeners on Amazon. These tools cost no more than $20 dollars, are easy to use and most of all, perform really well in keeping your knives as sharp as the day they were first made in the factory. Here are my top 5 picks.
While you're at it, why not consider other important tools for your kitchen, like an electric skillet or even an air fryer toaster oven? After all, the tools you use have a large impact on your food.
The Best Knife Sharpeners
- 2-in-1 Kitchen Knife Accessories: 3-Stage Knife Sharpener
- Mueller Original Premium Knife Sharpener (4-Stage)
- SHARPAL 191H Pocket Kitchen Chef Knife Scissors Sharpener
- PriorityChef Knife Sharpener for Straight and Serrated Knives (2-stage)
- Gorilla Grip Original Premium Knife Sharpener
1. 2-in-1 Kitchen Knife Accessories: 3-Stage Knife Sharpener
This tool has a 3-slot sharpening system that gives your old knife the full workout so that it’s as sharp as new. It uses a diamond rod to sharpen the edge, tungsten steel to reform it, and a ceramic rod to hone it.
The first slot repairs and straightens the blade’s edge. Then the second slot sharpens it to restore it to its V-shape. The final slot fine-tunes the blade so that it becomes polished and clean.
The knife sharpener is easy to use; just pull the knife gently through each slot a few times. One user recommends making 10 passes for very dull blades in the first slot and only 4 to 5 passes on the second and third slots.
The tool has an ergonomic handle made from ABS plastic and a non-slip base to give you more control while sharpening the blade. It also comes with a cut-resistant glove to make it safer for your hands. Right- or left-handed users will find this a convenient and helpful tool to sharpen knives quickly.
Pros
- Can be used for ceramic knives
- Longer handle for greater grip and control
Cons
- Not for Japanese or Asian style knives (Shun knives)
- Not for sharpening scissors or serrated knives
2. Mueller Original Premium Knife Sharpener (4-Stage)
This tool uses 100% fine diamond abrasives to restore a blade’s sharpness. It has a slot for scissors and kitchen sears which is why it’s marketed as a 4-stage sharpening system.
When sharpening kitchen scissors, use the scissors in the first slot before going through the rest of the slots. For knives, go directly to the second slot and proceed onwards to the rest. Like all multi-slot blade sharpeners, these slots sharpen, reshape and hone the blade’s edge so that it becomes good as new.
This tool is ideal for right-handed and left-handed users. It comes with an ergonomic handle and an anti-slip base for greater control and precision.
One note about the tool: this product carries a legitimate license from Mueller Austria which means it’s designed with the brand’s trademark high quality but it’s manufactured in China.
Pros
- Good for sharpening kitchen shears and folding knives
- Good for ceramic and carbon knives
Cons
- Not for serrated knives
3. SHARPAL Pocket Kitchen Chef Knife Scissors Sharpener
This tool sharpens straight and serrated knives. It also has a 3-stage sharpening process that uses coarse carbide to sharpen the blade, a ceramic blade to hone and polish its edge, and a tungsten carbide blade for quickly sharpening scissors.
All of the slots come with a preset optimal sharpening angle for easy and quick blade sharpening. The carbide and ceramic abrasives have also been tested 10,000 times for durability. The manufacturer recommends the ceramic blade slot exclusively for use in sharpening serrated knives.
The knife sharpener is small and portable. It also comes with a strong suction base that’s twice as stronger as other brands. Just put it on a smooth and flat surface and press its black switch to turn the suction on.
Field-tested to a high standard, this product comes with a 3-year warranty.
Pros
- Also good for outdoor and serrated knives
- Can sharpen left and right-handed scissors
Cons
- Not for ceramic and single beveled edge knives
- Not for sewing scissors
4. Priority Chef Knife Sharpener for Straight and Serrated Knives (2-Stage)
This is a 2-stage sharpening tool for straight and serrated knives. It uses diamond and ceramic abrasives to sharpen and hone dull blades.
This tool is best used for multi-purpose knives. Its sharpening wheels have been engineered to a specific angle so that the blade become symmetrically chiseled. This reduces the number of times that the blades will need to be sharpened.
Another key feature is its ceramic honing wheel which is able to sharpen and polish serrated knives. This sharpener uses a 17 degree angle when sharpening blades.
It’s easy and safe to use. The manufacturer recommends pulling the blade through ten times per slot. The knife sharpener is also equipped with an ergonomic handle and a non-slip cushion at its bottom to keep it steady.
Pros
- Works well for ultra-thin knife blades
- Users report great after-sales service
Cons
- Takes a while for left-handed users to use it properly
- Not for scissors
5. Gorilla Grip Original Premium Knife Sharpener
This stylishly designed 3-stage knife sharpener comes in 3 colors. It polishes, sharpens, and repairs dull blade easily and quickly.
It uses a ceramic rod to keep blades polished, tungsten steel to remove burrs, and a diamond rod to straighten damaged edges. It’s also constructed from solid TP rubber for greater durability. Its handle is ergonomically designed with an easy soft grip. It is also equipped with a rubber base that is slip-resistant for added safety.
Pros
- The ceramic slot will work for ceramic blades
- Best for old kitchen knives that need to be resharpened
Cons
- Not for serrated blades or scissors
Buyers Guide to Buying the Best Knife Sharpeners
Versatility
Not all sharpeners will work for all kinds of blades. Some will not sharpen serrated knives, and some cannot be used on shears or scissors.
The best ones are those that can work on straight edge, serrated knives, and shears. These usually have multiple slots that allow you to progress through the different sharpening stages depending on the type of blade.
Figure out which of your knives you use the most and pick the best sharpener for their needs.
Time
If speed is important for you when sharpening knives, then pick a sharpener that requires the least amount of passes of the blade in its slots. The product description usually contains the manufacturer’s recommendations on how many times a blade should be pulled through a slot. The shortest I’ve found when researching for this list is 5 times per slot.
Number of Slots
In general, the more slots the better it is for your blade. That’s because these will allow you to perfect the sharpening and honing of your blade. Sure, the process may take longer than a two-slot sharpener but your knives will last longer and be better for it.
Safety Features
Look for design features that prioritize safety. Things like an ergonomic handle will allow you to grip the tool comfortably and an anti-slip base will keep it secure and grounded on the flat surface.
Abrasive Material
Sharpeners generally have a metal and ceramic carbide that sharpens and hones the blades. Some multi-slot sharpeners will add a diamond carbide into the mix. Among these 3, the diamond rod is the most efficient in removing metal irregularities. Having this feature in your model will allow you to fine-tune the sharpness of your blades
Warranty
The standard warranty is 1 year, but some brands will have 3 years or even a lifetime warranty. When picking a brand, look for the one with the best after-sales service so that you won’t have any problems with your warranty claim issues if you happen to have bought a dud.
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