Cutting with a sharp knife is very satisfying and easy, but picking the right sharpener isn’t. As a beginner, you cannot just pick one that comes first and looks good. What matters is the knife sharpening system, quality, and longevity of the sharpener. To make sure you pick the ideal sharpener, there is a lot you will have to consider while purchasing one.
If you have never purchased a sharpener before, then this guide is going to help you greatly. We have come up with the 10 best knife sharpeners for beginners. With high-quality sharpening, good-looking, and long-lasting performance, these 10 knife sharpeners offer all of these.
Editor’s Recommendation: Top 5 Knife Sharpeners for Beginners from the list.
10 Best Knife Sharpeners for Beginners
Presto EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener
If a manual knife sharpener tries you, then you might be interested in this Presto 0 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener since it comes at an affordable price and it is an electric sharpener as well. Doesn’t matter how dull the blade is or how newbie are you in knife sharpening, draw that on its slots, it will start shining in the very next few moments.
It is super easy to use, don’t get intimidated by the two-stage. The 1st stage will grind the edges and will sharpen is, and the 2nd stage will do the honing and polishing. This electric sharpener is suitable for all kinds of kitchen knives or other medium-thickness blades. Thicker blades wouldn’t fit in the slot and serrated blades are not suitable for this machine. If you try a serrated blade, the machine will damage the blade instead of sharpening it.
The design of this sharpening machine is good, will suit any kitchen countertop. And if we talk about durability, it is durable. Electric sharpeners are for only to sit in one place unless you drop them or they encounter any other accident, they last really long.
The Pros
- Super easy to use.
- 2-stage sharpening process.
- Affordable price.
- Looks classy.
- Best for kitchen knives.
The Con
- Features low grit, so they are only for kitchen knives.
Chef’s Choice 15 Trizor XV EdgeSelect Electric Knife Sharpener
Chef’s Choice Trizor XD Edge Select combines the durability and strength of the Trizor edge. It has ultra-sharp technology that is flawless and ideal for quick knife sharpening. It can convert traditional 20-degree factory edges of your ordinary house knives into knives that are high-performance Trizor edges.
It comes with patented and advanced flexible spring guides to control the accuracy of the angle you’re sharpening.
The 3-stage edge selection that comes with this device promotes optimum versatility when it comes to providing the perfect edge for your knives whenever it’s sharpened. The 1st stage creates micro-groves on the edge’s both sides. It gives the facets of the knife more bite. In the 2nd stage, the finer diamond abrasives shape the second level of the edge. The 3rd stage polishes the micro-grooves and also sharpens serrated knives.
It also has an advanced stropping stage and diamonds that are best for sharpening serrated or straight blades. We can deduce that this device is a breakthrough in the world of quality knife sharpeners.
Pros:
- It can sharpen your dull knives.
- The 15-degree angled edge provides maximum performance.
Cons:
- You need patience when it comes to reading the instructions.
KNIFEPLANET Knife Sharpening Stone Set
This one is a set of two sharpening stones that does wonder in sharpening blades. Revive even the bluntest blade with this very KNIFEPLANET Knife Sharpening Stone Set. The way these stones sharpen knives so that knives become versatile for cutting, chopping, dicing, slicing, mincing effortlessly. As we mentioned before, it is a set of two stones. Each stone comes with two different grits, so 2 stones come with 4 grits. The grits are 400/1000, and 3000/8000.
For raising the bar using 400/1000 gritstone and for polishing and perfecting the blade use the 3000/4000 gritstone. Since these are stones and when sharping you will have to put little pressure on the blade which will be transferred to the stone. And that can cause slippage of the stone. But fortunately, the manufacturer has taken care of that, they provide a bamboo base that is durable and completely slip-resistant.
One problem that happens with all the sharpening stones is when used for a while the stone becomes uneven and that makes sharpening blades further inconvenient. But with this set, the manufacturer has included a flattening stone as well which will keep the sharpening stone flat. Not only that but there is also a book that comes in the set where you can learn all the effective knife sharpening techniques. So definitely it is the best sharpening stone for beginners.
The Pros
- The set includes 2 stones.
- 4 different grits.
- Slip-resistant base.
- Makes the blade extremely sharp.
- Comes with a flattening stone.
The Con
- Wears off pretty fast.
Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone Knife Sharpening Stone.
Coming to the Sharp Pebble Premium sharpening stone which can literally sharpen any knife. Be it cleaver, kitchen, chef, paring, steak, bbq, santoku, Japanese, sushi, pocket, hunting, scissor, blade, chisel, or ax, this very stone will sharp everything pretty well. It is a double-sided stone and uses water to sharpen the blade, no need to spend money on oils.
It is a professional-grade sharpening stone and lasts really long. The stone comes with a silicone base that is made of bamboo but doesn’t slip at all, so you will be able to sharpen the blade conveniently. The sharpening angle is mandatory but in a manual sharpener maintaining the angle is hard. But that is not the case with this sharpening stone since it comes with an angle guide.
The stone looks good, it wouldn’t give a sore eye if placed in the kitchen. However, one thing that is kind of the downside of this sharping stone is the size. It is shorter and narrower than the standard stone sizes but that doesn’t harm the sharping quality in any way. But it surely makes sharping a little inconvenient and time-consuming.
Apart from the issue, this Sharp Pebble Premium whetstone knife sharpening stone would be a great catch for a beginner who is looking for a fairly priced manual sharpener.
The Pros
- Extremely durable and long-lasting.
- Delivers great blade sharpening.
- Suitable for almost every blade.
- Looks good.
- Slip-resistant bamboo base.
The Con
- Little shorter and narrower than the standard size.
Sharp Pebble Premium Sharpening Stone
This is a Japanese grit whetstone that comes with 2 different grits, 3000/8000. The stone is 1-inch thick and comes with a bamboo base which is also of the same thickness. The bamboo base is completely slip-resistant, so when you will be sharping the blade the stone will slip at all, as a result, you will be able to complete the sharping process conveniently. The stone looks nice; the color is beautiful so it wouldn’t look bad on the countertop.
Uneven stone surface is very common but doesn’t worry; this stone comes with flattening stone as well which will keep the surface flat and easy to use. Some stone requires expensive oil for sharpening but not this one. Just use water, no need to spend on expensive oils. This stone sharps blade extremely well, you can revive the dullest blade to a professional one with this very stone.
As you know it comes it two grits, and with them, you can sharpen any kind of blade you want. Hunting, pocket, chopping, kitchen, pairing, clever knife, or even axe, all can be sharpened with this very stone. However, this stone falls behind when it comes to polishing the edges, but it works great in sharpening.
The Pros
- 3000/8000 grit.
- Slip-resistant bamboo base.
- Comes with a flattening stone.
- Easy to use.
- Sharps all kinds of blades.
The Con
- Doesn’t polish well.
Linkyo Electric Sharpener
Linkyo electric sharpener comes with an automatic blade positioning that guides or holds the knife in an ideal position. What keeps the sharpener in its place is the sharpener’s heavy-duty non-slip suction cup feet. Thus, it sharpens like a professional for your comfort and advantage.
It also has a 2-stage sharpening. The 1st stage sharpens and rejuvenates the edge and reshapes the angles. The 2nd stage finishes the process by honing and polishing the knife’s blades.
The clean-up of the sharpened knife is relatively easy. It has a mess-free receptacle with plugs that are easy-to-remove which catch the filings and metal shards. Its built-in Stop feature helps to prevent blade damages by stalling the sharpener if downward pressure is applied.
Pros:
- It achieves the razor sharpness
- Easier to use
- Cuts through vegetables with a slight pressure
- Good for quick blade honing
Cons:
- Not pleasant to listen to
- Not suitable for long-term blade maintenance
Presto 08810 Professional Electric Knife Sharpener
Using this device is an easy and fast way to sharpen sporting and kitchen knives. If you have Santoku knives, you can sharpen them with this sharpener too. It comes with an adjustable blade selector that provides the best sharpening angles. You can select the thick for sharpening hunting knives, medium for kitchen knives, and think selection for light blades like paring and fillet knives.
For professional use at home, its 3 stage sharpening system is made for your convenience. The 1st stage of the process involves the Sapphire coarse-grinding wheel for the creation of a proper angle. The 2nd stage is continuing the sharpening with Sapphirite medium grinding-wheel which gives the knife’s edge with precision. The final stage polishes the blade using the extra fine-grit ceramic wheel.
Pros:
- Can transform a cheap paring knife into a sharp one.
- The interchangeable blade guides will give you the best sharpening angles.
- It almost makes no noise while you run a knife in it.
- No guess sharpening.
Cons:
- The guide might be too wide for others.
Shenzhen Knives Electric Diamond Knife Sharpener
Electric diamond knife sharpener comes with two settings: the coarse #600 grit and fine #800 grit which is designed to sharpen stainless steel knives and ceramic knives professionally. It features universal knife guide slots and a diamond grinding stone to sharpen and hone the knife’s edges.
The diamond wheel in this device is the key to consistently sharpening the blades of the knives from the handle to its tip. For more convenience on your part, the diamond wheel cartridge is removable for easy cleaning.
Pros:
- The sharpener’s universal guide slots can accommodate V-edge ceramic knives and stainless steel kitchen knives.
- The sharpener hones the knives into an elegant edge.
- It offers consistent high-powered sharpening.
Cons:
- It will be messy afterward, so prepare for the clean-up.
Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener Ken Onion Edition
The Work Sharp Ken Onion Sharpener is designed to make your sharpening experience a quick and easy one. It comes with a heavy-duty variable speed motor, a fully adjustable precision sharpening guide, and premium flexible abrasive belts. You can sharpen hunting knives, pocket knives, fishing knives, and kitchen knives.
To select your desired angle, you can just turn the adjustment knob. No set-up time, no tools required. The guide is removable just in case you want to sharpen lawn mower blades, weeders and shovels, axes, and others.
Pros:
- It comes with flexible belts to put a long-lasting and strong convex edges.
- The optional blade grinding attachments allows you to create custom bevels, knife profiles, and edge finishes.
- The specialty belts enable you to sharpen ceramic knives.
Cons:
- The left grind might shoot debris so if you want to observe, wear eye protection.
Chef’sChoice 316 Diamond Knife Sharpener
Getting started with the Chef’s choice 316 diamond knife sharpener, this one is specially designed to sharpen mostly Asian style 15-degree angle knife blades. This is an electric knife sharpener and comes with two stages. The first stage hones and sharpens the blade with diamond abrasive and the 2nd stage polishes the edge, which is also done with 100% diamond abrasive. In both stages, the blade will sharpen only on one side at a time. So you will have to draw the blade twice for both sides to sharpen.
This machine comes with high precision elastomeric angle guides that keep the angle absolutely perfect, eliminating all the guesswork. You can use both straight edge and fine edge blades with this knife sharpener. It can even restore a dull knife and can give it professional-level sharpness. Using the machine is very convenient, you just have to turn the machine on and draw the blades onto the slot, and wait for a while.
Features rubber feet so it is slip-resistant, and wouldn’t move when sharpening the blade. The overall construction of this machine is pretty durable, and should last long enough to satisfy any user. Plus, it looks good on the countertops as well. You will get properly sharpened knives with this very machine but you might not get that quick. This machine works a little slowly, but that shouldn’t be an issue as long as it sharps the blades well. That’s why it could be the best knife sharpener for beginners.
The Pros
- Highly durable machine.
- Easy to a sharp knife.
- Two-stage sharpening process.
- Slip-resistant feet.
- Great sharpening.
The Con
- Not the fasten sharpening machine.
How To Choose The Best Knife Sharpener?
As we have mentioned at the beginning, there are a bunch of things that you need to consider when choosing a knife sharpener. And in this very section, we are going to walk you through all those factors that will ensure you don’t pick any but the best sharpener.
So without further ado, let’s walkthrough. When it comes down to knife sharpening or sharpeners, there are few terms that you need to be familiar with. Here are them.
Bevel: This is also called Grind. It is basically the blade edge shape, they come in different shapes and that also matters when you are picking a knife sharpener, we will dive into that after a while.
Edge: It is the bottom part of the knife or blade. The sharp part is used for cutting.
Grit: Sharpening stones come with abrasive material which does the sharpening. And how rough or harsh the material is that is measured in grit. The lower the grit, the harsher the stone is, and hence the better sharpening you will get.
Honing: Many people misunderstand this, honing doesn’t mean sharpening. It means maintaining a blade that is already sharp.
Spine: It is the top part of the blade, the opposite of the sharped part.
Swarf: These are the remaining metal particles after a sharpening session.
What Are The Types Of Knife Sharpeners?
There are different types of blade sharpeners, and you will need to choose one that will be convenient and in some cases suitable for your blade. Below we have mentioned 5 types of knife sharpeners that work great and explained them broadly as well so that you can understand better and decide which one is designed for you!
Electric Sharpener
This one is the most popular sharpener type, they are found in almost every restaurant, and home. As the name implies, they are electric-powered and very easy to work with. There are mostly three stages of the sharpening process, the first one prepares the blade for sharpening, the second one sharpens the blade, and the last stage does hone with a fine-grit sharpening stone.
The electric sharpener comes with stones that spin, and when the blade is drawn to the designed slot, the blade comes in contact with the spinning stone, and that’s how you get first and fine sharpening from the electric sharpener. Since the sharpening angle also matters a lot, some electric sharpener comes with a different angle guide so that you can sharpen the blade at the right angle.
Handheld Manual Sharpener
Using a handheld sharpener is simple, and they come with only one slot most of the time. Some come with two slots. However, the perk of owning a handheld manual sharpener is, they are extremely portable. If you are a chef who travels to different places, this would be a great catch for you. Very lightweight and compact size. Plus, the way it is designed, holding it is also very convenient. And the best one is, it comes in an affordable price range.
The using process is, hold the blade with your non-dominant hand and then with the dominant hand draw the sharpener on the blade edge. Or if you want you can draw the blade onto the sharpener slot. But the first one is effective and convenient. Sharps knives properly, don’t worry about that.
Sharpening stone
It is another extremely common sharpening method, stones are a traditional way of sharping the blade. It is the best sharpening kit. But maintaining the accurate angle when sharping the knife on the stone is a little tough. Sharpening stones are made in 3 materials Aluminum oxide, Silicone, and Novaculite. And based on those materials sharpening stones are divided into 3 types. There are 3 different kinds of sharpening stones.
- Arkansas.
- Crystolon.
- Indian.
Arkansas sharpening stones are natural, they are not made but found. Where the other two Crystolon and India are manufactured. If we talk about the grit, Arkansas stone comes in fine to coarse. But India stones come in only fine grit, and Crystolon is good for preparation sharpening. There are some other stones which are mixed with diamond abrasive and they give incredible sharping.
Sharpening Steel
Though the name is sharpening steel it doesn’t do much of sharpening. The steel is for honing the blades that are already sharp. The main reason for using sharpening steel is to maintain sharpness. After every use of the blade honing it will keep the sharpness intact. That being said, sharpening steels do the minor sharpening.
Serrated Blade Sharpener
You cannot sharpen serrated blades with a regular blade sharpener, that is because of the shape of the serrated knives. If you even try sharpening this blade with a manual or electric regular knife sharpener, that will damage the serrated blade. So if you are to sharpen a serrated blade, make sure to choose a sharpener that suits serrated blades. You will find plenty of them in the market, the price might be a little high since they are not very common.
What are theTypes of Bevel?
There are different types of bevels. If must know what the bevel or grind is, it the sharp edge of the blade. However, there are different types of bevel shapes, different shapes serve a different cutting purpose. We have mentioned some most common bevel shapes which are worth knowing.
- Chisel.
- Convex.
- Double.
- Flat.
- Hollow.
- Sabre.
The Angle Of The Blade While Sharpening
As discussed before, the blade angle plays a big role when it comes down to sharpening a blade. You need to know at which angle the blade was sharpened before. And for greater efficiency and effectiveness, you will want to sharpen the knife at the same angle. Most of the time the manufacturer labels the suitable angle on the knife packaging but sometimes people need to find that out on their own.
Blades are mostly sharpened at a 12 to 35-degree angle. A 20-degree angle is most common in kitchen knives, though some manufacturers make kitchen knives at a 15-degree angle. The bigger the angle, the more durable the knife is. But that doesn’t mean you will only choose big angle knives before small-angle knives are extremely sharp. And in terms of sharpness, they are better than big angle knives.
Have a look at which angle serves what purpose best.
30 – 35 degree: Cleavers or other chopping knife blades are sharpened at this angle. When chopping good force is applied to the knife, and if the angle is smaller then there is a high chance that the blade edge wouldn’t last long. So for 30 to 35 degree works great since that provides the blade with good strength and durability
20 – 30 degrees: Hunting knives are sharpened in 20 – 30-degree angles because those knives need to be both sharp and durable. Not only hunting but most outdoor knife blades are also sharpened at this angle. They offer good sharpness and good durability too.
18 – 25 degrees: Kitchen knives are always sharpened at this angler. So it keeps a balance between sharpness and the strength of the blade. Though kitchen knives don’t get through much abuse so that as long as they remain and sharp and you do the honing on regular basis, they serve you well for long period.
12 – 18 degree: Knives that need to be extremely sharp such as paring or fillet knife, are sharpened at this angle. They are incredibly sharp since they are sharpened at a very small angle, so they are not much durable as well.
Benefits Of Buying The Knife Sharpener
1. Easy Cooking
As a cook or a mom who enjoys cooking for their children, it is very annoying when you can’t cut the meat, fruits, and vegetables in easy ways. The reason why is that, the knife they have at home is not sharp enough. So, if you want to make your cooking easy to do, you need a knife sharpener. The cooking process will become enjoyable because you don’t have to spend a lot of time cutting everything with the ugly knife.
2. Saving Money
We are now living in a practical world, and we always want to find ways on how to save our money. To achieve this, we can get a knife sharpener in which you can sharpen a knife anytime in your kitchen that needs some sharpening. So, instead of repeatedly buying expensive knives, you can use the old ones by sharpening them with an electric knife sharpener. If you want a long-term saving, you might need to invest in devices like this.
3. Less Time Cooking
The speed and time of cooking depend on the kind of recipe you cook, and the time you spend on preparing the ingredients. If you’re still wondering, an electric knife sharpener saves your time because you can quickly sharpen your ugly knife with it. Thus, speeding the process of cutting is one of the biggest advantages you will have. You can quickly cut the things you want to cut. It will be your best knife sharpener ever.
How Beginners Should Sharpen the Knife?
Well, there are different ways of sharpening a knife. Don’t worry if you are a beginner, there are ways which are very simple. Use an electric sharpener. There would two or three slots and it is a process, you will have to draw the blade in each slot respectively. Put the blade into the slot and wait for a while, then move to the second and then the third.
The second one is most crucial because most of the time that is what does the blade sharpening, the first one prepares the blade and the last one hones the blade. You can even use a handheld manual sharpener, which is also very easy to use.
What Should I Look For in a Knife Sharpener?
There are a bunch of things that you need to pay attention to, and only then you can end up spending your money on the ideal knife sharpener. Consider the following factors,
Sharpener type, Blade suitability, Sharping quality, Durability, Safety, Angled slot.
Can a Knife Sharpener be Used for Scissors?
No, not all knife sharpeners can be used on scissors. But you can use manual ones, such as stone or handheld sharpener. Though it isn’t appropriate, if the sharpening angle doesn’t match, the scissor blade will lose its effectiveness.
What Knife Sharpening Stone is the Best?
Oil stones. They are traditional and work incredibly in sharpening blades. They are natural but some are manufactured as well. Made of Novaculite which is also known as Arkansas stone. They come in synthetic materials as well. They also come in fine to coarse grit, so they are highly useful.
How Does a Knife Sharpener Work?
Different knife sharpeners work differently. For example, in manual sharpeners, if we talk about stone, you will have to rub on side of the blade at the proper angle to make the blade sharp. If we talk about the handheld models, that to you will either have to draw the sharpener onto the blade, or the blade onto the sharpener, and then rub. But electric sharpeners are very simple and very convenient to use. They offer good sharpening as well.
They come with stones that spin. And once you turn the sharpener on and draw the blade onto the slot, the spinning stone sharpens the blade properly. The more you keep the blade on the slot keeping the machine on, the sharper the blade gets.
Conclusion
If you have never purchased or used a sharpener before, the list fits you properly. These are the 10 best knife sharpeners for beginners, a lot of users are using these and so far everything is pretty happy with the performances. Hope you find the ideal for you. Stay tuned with cookingispassio.com. Happy cooking!
I Eat and Review Products.
Joshua is one of the best product reviewers. He reviews products in such a way a lawyer asks a question to an accused. You can find him doing machinery work in his little lab. His dad was a machinist in Toronto. Probably Joshua gets his affection for the gadgets from his dad. Joshua’s mother was a home cook. She made him really tasty food. Joshua once said in an interview, ” I probably fall in love with cooking when i was just 12 years old.”