When it comes to routine chores, we hardly sharpen knives until necessary. Proper maintenance is the key to ensuring your blades deliver unparalleled cutting performance and a safer experience.
However, the wrong knife sharpener can be counterproductive. But with hundreds of models out there, choosing a good one can be a daunting and overwhelming task.
Luckily, we’ve sifted through a slew of options – and expertly handpicked the top 9 best electric knife sharpeners. Plus, our buying guide includes key factors and FAQs to guarantee you make the right call.
Table of Contents
Top 9 Best Electric Knife Sharpeners Consumer Reports Reviews for 2023
#1. Chef’sChoice Trizor XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener
Taking the lead is the Chef’sChoice Trizor XV – and for good reasons. This model comes from one of the industry-leading brands. Its construction and performance have enabled this sharpener to find its way into many home and commercial kitchens.
It’s not all talk; this electric model features a 3-stage sharpening process to allow you to sharpen, create bevels, smooth, and polish the blade. The first two slots feature a solid diamond abrasive to get the blade ultra-sharp, and the last slot is plated with material for polishing and smoothing.
More so, these stages feature a flexible angle guide to take out the guesswork when trying to sharpen your kitchen knives with the right angle. Another thing to love about the Chef’sChoice Trizor XV is the knife converter, which increases its utility. This unit sharpens both 15-degree and 20-degree knives to a 15-degree edge. With this design, you sharpen just about any knife.
Unlike other options out there, the Chef’sChoice Trizor XV operates quietly and comes with a simple On/Off switch. Above all, this high-end model is backed by a three-year manufacturer warranty, which shows a high level of confidence in this sharpener.
Things We Like:
- Equipped with ultra-sharp 15-degree XV technology
- Three-year limited warranty
- Sharpens all types of knives
- Easy to use and noise-free
- Flexible Angel Guide
Things We Dislike:
- It might not be the best option for sharpening delicate kitchen knives
#2. Chef’s Choice 15 Trizor XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener
The Chef’s Choice 15 Trizor XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener features 100% diamond abrasives, as well as advanced stropping stages, which makes it an ideal choice for serrated, sharp edge, and straight blades.
It is equipped with flexible spring guides for precise control and automatic adjustment of the sharpening angle. Plus, it has a simple ON / OFF switch. It has a three-stage sharpening system to optimize versatility to offer users the perfect edge.
Let’s talk about the sharpening stages. The first and second sharpening systems are enamelled with diamond abrasives for honing, while the last stage features an abrasive system to polish the knife and extend its life span.
Furthermore, this unit combines 15-degree XV technology and sturdy material to deliver a flawlessly sharp razor edge. It provides users with a fast sharpening action that takes less than 60 seconds and 10 seconds for the first sharpening and resharpening respectively.
Things We Like:
- Features a three-year warranty
- Sharpens and hones serrated and straight edge knives
- Easy to use
- Fast sharpening action
Things We Dislike:
- With 4.7 pounds weight, this model is quite heavy.
#3. Chef’s Choice 130 Professional Electric Knife Sharpening Station
Another spot, another electric sharpening station from the Chef’s Choice. The Chef’s Choice 130 is handsomely designed and fabricated from a high-impact engineering polymer. This unit is designed for safe use and has rubber feet for the secure working surface.
This sharpener works well without sharpening liquids or oil. This compact tool can stay at your counter for quick re-sharpening of your knives. Like our top choice, it has three sharpening stages. The first stage has a 100% diamond abrasive rotating conical disks to sharpen the entire edge of your sports, Asian-style, household, and pocket knives.
The second stage comes with ultra-hardened miniature steel and a precision angle guide to allow users to maintain a consistent razor-sharp edge. The last stage features a flexible abrasive disk system to offer a microscopically smooth, ultra-sharp fine edge. The third stage comes in handy for polishing and maintaining your knives edges.
Things We Like:
- Professional steeling, sharpening or stropping
- 3-Stage sharpening process
- Sharpens both serrated knives and straight edge
- Built-in precision angle guides
Things We Dislike:
- A bit overpriced
#4. Chef’s Choice AngleSelect Hone Electric Knife Sharpener
For outstanding sharpening performance and durability, you want to settle for Chef’s Choice AngleSelect Hone Electric Knife Sharpener. This model is incredibly versatile since it can sharpen both 15-degree and 20-degrees angles.
Although newer knives feature 15-degrees bevels, this gadget comes in handy for sharpening your granny’s old 20-degree edge Western-style knives. The Chef’s Choice AngleSelect Hone Electric Knife Sharpener comes with three slots for a 2-stage sharpening process. You can sharpen to 15 degrees with the first pair, and the second pair delivers a 20-degrees bevel. The last slot allows you to run your knives through for a smooth and well-polished blade.
With this design, you can’t run your blades through all the slots, but it delivers impressive versatility. While this gadget only offers a two-stage sharpening process despite coming with three slots, it delivers sharp edges for better cutting efficiency. The 1520 is a reliable option to restore your new or old knives’ blunt edges.
That’s not all: this sharpener is equipped with a magnet to trap the metal shavings within the housing for a mess-free sharpening experience. Talking about the housing, it’s made of plastic and houses a sturdy 125W motor to ensure it restores your knife’s edges with the least effort.
Things We Like:
- Removable magnet to collect the metal shavings
- Powerful motor for easy sharpening
- Flexible edge bevel option
- Three-year warranty
Things We Dislike:
- Only two sharpening stages
#5. LINKYO Electric Knife, Kitchen Knives Sharpening System
The LINKYO Electric Knife, Kitchen Knives Sharpening System is the way to go, if you need a small, affordable sharpening device. Considering its size, it’s reasonable that it comes with two sharpening stages. Both slots feature diamond abrasive for coarse sharpening and fine polishing.
This model comes with suction cup feet to keep the device stable and in place. This budget option is compact and feels sturdy. While it delivers amazing sharpness, this knife sharpener can be a bit challenging to handle and control.
As you draw your knives, the device does not feel firm. Plus, it’s a bit noisier than most products on this list. Another drawback is the LINKYO Electric Kitchen Knives Sharpening System comes with no direction and instructions on how to sharpen your knives with this system. This means you have to figure out how many times you’ve to draw your knives through each slot.
Most importantly, the LINKYO Electric Kitchen Knives Sharpening System is built for straight-edge blades only. Hence, it’s not ideal to use for sharpening serrated blades or scissors.
Things We Like:
- Easy to clean
- Compact and portable design
- Two-stage sharpening stages
- Convenient On/Off
Things We Dislike:
- No guide on how to sharpen your knives for the best result with this product
#6. Chef’sChoice Black Universal Electric Sharpener
Unlike most products with white plastic housing, the Black Universal Electric Sharpener from Chef’sChoice features a brushed stainless steel housing. This guarantees a sturdy feel and impressive durability.
What’s more? The Chef’s Choice Electric Knife Sharpener is designed to sharpen American, Asain, or European knives. It only delivers a 15-degree edge – a perfect balance of edge retention and sharpness. Also, you can use this device to sharpen older knives with 20 degrees edges for a 15-degree bevel.
Furthermore, it is equipped with precision angle guides to take out the guesswork and promote a fool-proof sharpening experience. This electric model has three sharpening stages – the first two for coarse sharpening (diamond abrasive), and the last is an ultra-fine stropping stage for smoothing and polishing.
Moving on, this machine has a heavy-duty 125W motor to ensure users sharpen even the dullest blade with the least effort. If at any point this unit fails, you are protected for three years.
Things We Like:
- Stainless steel construction
- Three years manufacturer warranty
- Precision Angle Guides
- Three electric sharpening stages
Things We Dislike:
- You can’t get a 20-degree bevel edge with this model
#7. Narcissus Knife Sharpener
Last on the list is the Narcissus Knife Sharpener with a heavy-duty 90W motor for sharpening stainless steel knives except for serrated or ceramic versions. This best electric knife sharpener rocks a red and black color that makes it a treat to the eye.
This unit brings professional performance to your home and kitchen. It sharpens your blunt blade at a 15-degree angle, which offers better edge retention and unbeatable sharpness. The Narcissus Knife Sharpener gets the job done in a couple of seconds.
Like most portable options on our list, this beautiful model has two sharpening stages – Crude and Fine. The crude stage gets the knives sharp as quickly as possible while the other stages smoothen and polish the blade for a burr-free edge.
Even better, this system offers incredible functionality. It has a scissors slot, knife sharpening slot, and a side slotted screwdriver slot. Its unique design assures users of good value for money. Also, it’s backed by a 24 months after-sale service to protect your investment.
Things We Like:
- Easy to use
- Stunning design and robust construction
- Two-stage sharpening system
- Good value for money
Things We Dislike:
- Poor quality design
#8. Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener Ken Onion Edition
There are couples of well-rounded knife sharpeners, which makes the decision process a lot trickier. The Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener Ken Onion Edition offers a lot of features at a fraction of the price.
For those new to knives and tools, this model is an ideal choice to tackle outdoor knives, kitchen knives and other tools. The Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener comes with one-speed option and guides for an angled cut. Keep in mind that it might not be suitable for sharpening 15-degree Asian blades.
On the flip, this unit comes with nine premium, flexible abrasive belts in three grit levels. For sharpening dull blades or thicker tools, the coarse belt is your goto; while the medium is ideal for your kitchen knives, and fine for honing or sharpening serrated blades.
Also, this unit might be challenging to use at first for people who are already used to sharpening with manual handheld sharpeners and rods. Also, it would be best if you were careful when sharpening with this model to prevent scratching or damaging your blade, despite coming with a guide.
Therefore, it’s important to start with your cheap knives until you have mastered the process. Even then, it would help if you didn’t use the coarse belt for thin blades. It’s best for sharpening severely damaged, very dull and thick blades. This means your normal kitchen knives should only experience this abrasive level twice a year.
What’s more? The Work Sharp is a reputable brand in the space, which offers sharpeners that ensure your knives are razor-sharp edges after honing and sharpening.
Things We Like:
- Features angle guides
- Offers razor-sharp edges
- Includes three sets of rings
- Affordable price point
Things We Dislike:
- Expect learning curve
- Tend to scratch blade
#9. Presto 08810 Professional Electric Knife Sharpener
The Presto 08810 Professional Electric Knife Sharpener features an easy 3-stage sharpening system to deliver outstanding results anytime, anywhere. This model is meant to sharpen sport and kitchen knives, including santoku knives.
It comes with an adjusts guide to deliver maximum sharpening angle based on your blade thickness. This means you can sharpen your standard kitchen knives and chef’s knives with medium, thick for your hunting knives, and thin for paring and fillet knives.
This electric knife sharpener is made out of high quality German stainless steel for durable and long-lasting use. This fully forged construction delivers a seamless and durable transition from the sharpener blade to the handle.
Furthermore, Presto 08810 Professional Electric Knife Sharpener sport a professional, sation bladed to deliver precise cutting experience and long-lasting sharpness.
Things We Like:
- Fully forged construction
- Offers razor-sharp edge
- Blade guides to eliminate guesswork
- Easy 3-stage sharpening system
Things We Dislike:
- Tend to leave rough surfaces
Types of Knife Sharpeners
Electric Knife Sharpener
This type of knife sharpener provides users with maximum convenience when it comes to sharpening your tools. All you probably will have to do is pull your knife blade through the machine’s guide slot. The sharpener features a sharpening agent (stone) and motor for an automated process.
The best electric knife sharpener will come with several guide slots to offer from fine to coarse sharpening and handling a wide range of blade handles.
Pull-Through Machine
This Manual of pull-through sharpener is an ideal choice for people looking to sharpen their kitchen knives. As the name implies, users will have to pull the blade through the sharpener which has a sharpening agent inside the guide slot.
Sharpening Kit
Another type of knife sharpener is the sharpening kit and a favourite for a lot of users. This kit comes with multiple parts for an incredible razor-sharp result. It allows users to sharpen their knives at any angle while working from coarse to fine sharpening.
With this sharpening kit, you should expect a learning curve. However, it offers the perfect blade with maximum manual control, which makes it a good pick for both honing and sharpening.
Stone
With a whetstone or a sharpening stone, you can drag the knife’s blade across the stone’s rough surface. These stones consist of various materials like ceramic stones, water stones, oil stones, and diamond stones.
The diamond stone features tiny diamond fragments. But you still have to apply the right amount of pressure and sharpen the blade at the ideal angle since this option lacks a guide slot. This means the whole process is entirely a manual process. On the bright side, stones sharpened a wide range of tools including chisels and scissors.
In Addition
Not all types of knife sharpeners are suitable for sharpening and honing your serrated knife blade. If you want to purchase an electric or pull-through knife sharpener, you need to consider options with a serrated setting. Else, the blade will likely lose its serration as you sharpen over time.
#Video: Which Knife Sharpener is Best? Let’s find out!
Things to Consider When Shopping for the Best Electric Knife Sharpener
Among the major factors to bear in mind when trying to pin down the right electric knife sharpener are safety, angle guides, and sharpening wheel materials. Let’s check out everything you need to know about these systems before splurging on one.
Sharpening Wheel
The sharpening wheels are usually made of stone, metal, ceramic, or diamond particles. The wheel helps refine your knife’s blade edge bevel by grinding away and polishing the blunt edge of the blade.
Ceramic knife sharpeners have a more accurate grain measurement for precise sharpening. This synthetic material can be made with a wide range of materials, which means different performance depending on the manufacturer.
On the other hand, wheels with diamond particles embedded on the sharpening surface are more durable but thin.
Number of Sharpening Stages
Maintaining the blade of your knife involves two processes – sharpening and honing. Sharpening grinds the blunt material on the blade’s edge aways while honing polishes or resharpens the edge. The grit of the sharpening wheel needed depends on how dull the edge is.
However, polishing and honing the blade requires a finer wheel. Hence, the best electric knife sharpener should have multiple slots for different grit options from coarse to fine. This way, you can sharpen any of your blades to perfection with the least effort possible.
In addition, the right sharpening material for you depends on the material your kitchen knives are made with. For instance, stainless steel cutlery can be sharpened with different methods and materials, unlike ceramic counterparts. You don’t want to ignore this when trying to pin down the best electric knife sharpener for you.
Angle Guides
The angle guide plays a vital role in sharpening your knives. The sharpening guide ensures the wheels grind off the blade at the right angle. If you grind at the wrong angle, it might damage the blade edge and cause it to lose its cutting efficiency.
Some electric sharpeners come with guides to ensure you don’t have to struggle to sharpen the blade at the proper angle for the most refined possible level. Kitchen knives’ blades are usually angled at anywhere between 17 – 22 degrees. Therefore, you want to ensure the sharpener is suitable for your kitchen cutlery’s sharpening angles before settling for an electric knife sharpener.
Safety
Electric knife sharpeners are easy to use, and they are the safest knife-sharpening method – provided you stick to the manufacturer’s instructions. This product features a heavy-duty motor to power the superhard material that grinds against the blade, which can spell trouble if not done right.
Generally, electric knife sharpens are not designed to sharpen serrated blades, garden tools, screw drives, or scissors. However, there are models designed with these functionalities. Also, it would be best if you didn’t expose these machines to lubricants or water to prevent electric shock.
Power & Wattage
While most household appliances tend to be energy-consuming, the electric sharpeners consume less since the process takes less than 60 seconds. Besides, we’ve enlisted only electric machines that are energy efficient.
# Video: The Best Tools for Keeping Your Knives in Tip-Top Shape featuring Nick DiGiovanni | Gear Heads
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I hone my blade?
It’s best to polish the blade every 2 – 4 uses for better edge retention and cutting performance.
Are electric sharpeners bad for kitchen knives?
Misuse of these devices can damage your expensive kitchen knives. Therefore, it’s essential to consider your knife’s angle, construction materials, and manufacturer’s recommendations.
Can the sharpening wheels get dull?
The wheels feature a sharpening material that loses its effectiveness with every use. Once it no longer serves its purpose, you replace the sharpening wheels.
Conclusion
Every chef needs good knives to handle different kitchen tasks, from cutting to chopping to make a sumptuous meal. But an electric knife sharpener comes in handy when the knives turn dull and become increasingly difficult to carry these tasks.
Hence, we’ve reviewed the top 9 best electric knife sharpeners and how to make informed decisions. Nonetheless, we are confident that any models on this list will offer good value for money.
Leave a Reply