Life
3 Electric Sharpeners That Will Keep Your Knives Sharp For Years
A good set of knives is a kitchen essential, but over time, even the best knives tend to get dull. Instead of trying to saw through your food, the best electric knife sharpeners can sharpen your set in less than two minutes. And you don't even have to leave your house.
An electric sharpener can be a big investment, so it's important to take a look at your knife set before you buy. While some sharpeners are made specifically for flat or serrated knives, the best electric sharpeners can handle both with ease. And if you use Japanese-style knives, you'll also want to be sure that whichever option you choose sharpens at the proper degree so you won't ruin your knives.
Another thing to consider is the number of stages featured in each electric sharpener. Most sharpeners feature at least two stages. The first is sharpening, where tiny bits of the blade are ground down to create a new, sharper edge. The second is honing, which gently pushes the edge of the blade back to the center to straighten it. Both are essential, but higher-quality electric sharpeners also feature a third stage, polishing, which can make the surface of your knives feel as soft as butter.
No matter which way you go, choosing the best electric knife sharpener for you can be tough. Here's a round-up of some of the best options out there to help you narrow down your decision.
And, just in case you might be in the market, here are some of the best knife sets under $100.
1The Best Overall: Chef’sChoice 130 Professional Electric Knife Sharpening Station
This all-in-one electric sharpener hits all the right marks. It features tools to sharpen, hone, and polish all your flat and serrated knives, and it does it within minutes. The first slot features a wheel that has actual diamonds threaded throughout to instantly sharpen your set. The second slot features an angle guide and hardened steel to carve a perfect angle into every knife, and the third slot features flexible discs to buff and polish your knives until they gleam. Reviewers agree that this electric sharpener is phenomenal for the majority of their knives, especially for the price.
What fans say: "I have sharp knives again! I am in love with my knives again! Saw this Chefs Choice Professional Sharpening Station 130 on America’s Test Kitchen. [W]ow! I can sharpen my knives with ease."
2The Best Splurge: Wüsthof 3-Stage Electric Knife Sharpener
If you're looking to splurge, this stainless steel electric sharpener can pretty much do it all. It features three slots for each of the three stages, and each slot contains tools to better sharpen and refine your knives. The first slot has a diamond abrasive wheel to sharpen even the dullest knives. The second slot has a finer grit diamond wheel to edge and hone, and the last slot features a flexible disc to polish. Even better? This sharpener works with both serrated and flat knives, and the angle guide can be adjusted to include knives with a 14-degree angle or higher so you can sharpen your Japanese knives, too. Although this sharpener costs a bit more initially, reviewers swear it's saved them money in the long run.
What fans say: "I was considering a professional sharpening when I decided instead to try this sharpener. It restored my junk drawer utility knife back to the set and chef knife is back in the block. Those two knives have a replacement cost of $160, Plus I saved $80 from not getting a professional sharpening. I put the sharpener into storage and will pull it out when I need to. I feel I have the knives and sharpener to last my lifetime. No further money needs to be spent. Well worth the cost."
3The Most Affordable: Chef'sChoice 220 Hybrid Diamond Hone Knife Sharpener
This affordable knife sharpener features both electric and manual modes to sharpen your knives to perfection. The first slot uses electricity to power the diamond-abrasive wheel for sharpening. The second slot features a grittier diamond-abrasive wheel that manually hones your knife as you move it through the slot. Best yet, this little machine works with all types of knives at all degrees. Even the most skeptical reviewers came around on this sharpener after one use.
What fans say: "For the home casual cook that isn't sharpening blades constantly and only needs to fix then maintain good edges this thing is great and at a price I almost passed on because it was so low!! It really does only take a stroke or 2 to touch up the edge and it's easy to do without having to pull it out and plug it in. It's built really solid and easy to use and easy to store."
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