Kitchen knives are multipurpose tools that come in variety of sizes and types as determined by its edges, designed for specific use and purpose. A chef’s knife is used in food preparation designed to slice, dice or cut through chunks of meat and they are usually made of stainless steel to resist rusts and corrosions when exposed to various liquid and acetic acid used in cooking.
A butcher knife or cleaver is a large knife that is used to cut thin bones and cartilage, . Therefore,, they are fabricated into tough and thick steel. Other types of knives are paring, fillet knife, boning knife and specialized Asian knives. Commercial kitchens may be using electric knives to slice through bones with ease.
Hence, with its daily usage in food preparation, kitchen knives are most susceptible to damage and dullness. In fact, all knives do become dull, but may not as much as kitchen knives do. When knives become blunt, it affects the speed, efficiency and preparation which become an annoyance especially to chefs who are perfecting food appearance.
Dull knives are also culprit in most cuts and nicks, and, onion tears and needs only the best kitchen knife sharpener to revive its efficiency.There are various types of tools that are ergonomic and economical for sharpening kitchen knives to prolong the lifespan of most kitchen knives. While there are tools that would work for different knife type, there are also sharpening tools that are considered the best kitchen knife sharpener that is especially designed for the appropriate cutting equipment.
1. Manual Sharpener.
Ease of use is a top rated choice for most people as far as kitchen knife sharpening is concerned. Since it had been traditionally used, most people had gotten used in its operation and does not require any complicated buttons, dials of manual exertion of effort in getting the knives into tiptop shape.
Manual sharpeners are best kitchen knife sharpeners because they are versatile and can be used in any knife and blade type without the need for purchasing additional equipment designed for a specific blade, hence, not all sharpeners are a one size fits all. It is also preferred because it is less aggressive and does not remove much metal content of the knives during sharpening but simply refine the dull edges at adjustable angle in just a few swipes.
Manual sharpeners are advantageous for people who are used to simplified steps and without the hassle of buttons, and dials, plus a money saver since it does not require any blade replacement and are usually reasonably priced. They can also be handy, portable and easy to store without taking much counter space.
Most manual sharpeners have two stages of sharpening in which it would first restore the damaged razors, then eliminates burrs for a sharp finish. Kitchen Saviors Knife Sharpener Set – Professional 2 Stage Tungsten Steel and Ceramic Rod Sharpening System ($15.95) has tungsten steel slot for the first stage of sharpening, and ceramic slot for final honing. The tungsten slot on the first stage provides precise sharpening of the dull and damaged edge while the ceramic slots provides the final touch up and polishing for razor sharp edge. It is ideal for most kitchen, pocket, hunting and fishing knives and is preferred by most chefs. It has a suction cup at the base to latch into kitchen counters and ergonomic handle for convenience and safety.
2. Sharpening stones.
Stones are popular sharpening tools in history and had been indispensable in the process of traditional system of sharpening called stoning. Natural stones were used but in time have given way to synthetic stones because of its effectiveness in performance, with the latter’s rarity now considered a collector’s items. Stones may be slower and tedious in performance that would require proper skills in execution, but it is also the least expensive and most versatile as it could be used in variety of blade edges.
There are different types of sharpening stones: oil, ceramic, water stone or whetstones and diamond stones. Oil stone are naturally quarried stones made of Novaculite. It has different grades of coarseness that can produce fine edges on knives, however, it has the slowest cutting rate than the other types of stones and uses oil to generate friction and remove the metal filings which can be messy for any kitchen.
Ceramic stones are considered the replacement for oil stones but this type may not be suitable for all blade types. They need to be soaked prior to use to let the water saturate its content for it to function properly. Water stone or whetstone is most available and often used by knife sharpening service company because of its effectiveness and efficiency.
However, they are relatively soft and have a faster cutting rate but it is also brittle and soft making it susceptible to wear and tear. Diamond stones contain small industrial diamonds that bonded with metal plates making it the hardest stone that could cut through the metals faster and easier. They can be more expensive, but with longer lifespan than the two.
Sharpening stones also has two sharpening stages on its reversible sides for sharpening and honing that is identified by the coarseness or fineness of the face. Premium Knife Sharpening Stone 2 Side Grit 1000/6000 Whetstone ($35.99) is perfect for both home and professional kitchen use. It can be used for any blade and types of knives and considered the best kitchen knife sharpener. It has a bamboo base for added safety and prevents the stone from sliding, and needs only water to remove swarf or metal filings.
3. Electric Sharpener.
Electric sharpener had been going on a debate for long because of its aggressiveness in sharpening that tends to remove ample amount of metals from the knife that would eventually disrupt its facets. The advantage is its speedy and convenient usage that can be used even by novices because of its comprehensive slots and dials. In a fast paced kitchen like in restaurants, this type of sharpeners are important for rush sharpening needs.
It works automatically and can sharpen a knife in a matter of seconds, no sweat, no angle guesswork and no pressure needed. They have different slots that are used alternately for the knife angle during the sharpening and honing stage. Some electric sharpeners also employ manual system that is useful for things like serrated and bread knives that are not suitable in its sharpening slots.
Most sharpeners have adjustable dials that can cater to different thickness of the knives. However, it also cannot cater all types of knives and blades that weren’t suited for it. Kitchen IQ 50142 Pro Ceramic Edge Gourmet Electric Knife and Scissors Sharpener ($69.15) is a complete sharpening service equipment that has both electric and manual features and can be used even for scissors.
It is the first ever electric sharpener to employ extra fine interlocking ceramic wheels for sharper and smoother edge on both sides of the knife but which also ensure that less metal is removed from the cutlery to address the growing concern on misshapen tools. The product’s manual slots are equipped with carbide blades to polish the initial edge and ceramic stone for consistent sharpening. The manual slots can also be used for sharpening serrated knives. This can also be used in sharpening scissors that makes it almost versatile electric sharpener around.
4. Professional Controlled Angle Sharpening System.
This free-hand sharpening system is ideal in maintaining a perfect and consistent angle of the blades. It is considered most traditional and also uses stones with guided rods to achieve the desired angle of the bevel on every knife. This is a complete set of clamps, varying coarseness of stones and guided angle rods to perfectly harness the knife for precise sharpening.
The abrasives can be very aggressive but the handyman can exercise proper control for minimal metal loss in the tool and that is why it demands necessary skill and fastidiousness to achieve the desired sharpness of the edge of the blade. Sharpening stones are the essential element in the set. The coarseness of the stones may not be applicable on some knives, but as a rule, the coarsest one is only used on severely damaged cutlery.
Hence, it removes the damage metal and defines the edges. Medium stones will work with slightly dull knives while the finer ones are the final honing stage that gives the sharp bite for the utensils. It is also used in regular maintenance of knives that are frequently used. The guided angle helps specify the exact degree of inclination of the bevel as required in professional knives and the clamp securely holds the knife in place for accuracy.
Lansky LKUNV Universal Kit ($34.99) is a complete set of stones from extra coarse, coarse, fine and extra fine for a more precise and well-honed blade edges. It also has a clamp and guided rod for proper angular adjustment. To sharpen using the kit, simply adjust the clamp to fit the thickness of the knife using the screws. Insert the knife, edge facing front and refasten the screw to secure it properly. Select the hone and attach the guide rod into the hole making sure it aligns properly and securely. Insert the rod on the designated sharpening angles and start sharpening using sweeping motions on the knife.
5. Controlled Angle Electric Sharpener.
Electric sharpeners has pre-set angle to accommodate knife thickness that’s why if it does not fits the feature, it usually would not work with it. The angle is the bevel found on each side of the blade that is technically the angle the knife is to be held while sharpening. Double bevel has an angle on both sides while single bevel refers to a one-sided blade that is true with some Japanese knives. Kitchen knives commonly has 17 to 22 degrees angle, some Asian knives are set on 15 degrees.
Durable knives ranges from 22 to 30 like in some pocket knives while hatchet and butcher’s knives have over 30. Commonly, sharpeners are only set for common kitchen knives while some others limits to Asian knives only. Such issues are not a big deal when hand-sharpening as there is much control in angling though it might need precision skills. But if fast and convenient sharpening is needed, it is cumbersome and expensive to spend on number of sharpeners that can accommodate the knife’s angle.
Smith’s 50281 Adjustable Edge Pro Electric Knife Sharpener ($146.02) recreated the sharpener that features an adjustable knob to control the knife’s angle for more accurate sharpening. It also has abrasives of diamond and ceramic that works on the blade through its interlocking sharpening wheels that revives even the dullest of the knives because of its powerful sharpening action. The wheels are also adjustable on the knob to adjust the coarse and fine grits. The angles ranges from 10 to 30 degrees, and if the angle of the knives is unknown, the angle adjust knobs has angle recommendations.
6. Pull-through Sharpener.
For oil-free, mess-free, and nick-free sharpening, these sharpeners are used by simply running the notch on top of the dull knife for instant sharpening. It is the most innovative and easy sharpening service tool that would also work for any types of kitchen knives and other blades. In the kitchen, where work is relatively speedy, these sharpeners will always ensure time-efficient sharpening without all the hassles.
It’s simple mechanical application does not require the mess of oil or water during sharpening and could also work best for people who are too lazy and wants things done in a flick of a finger. To people not accustomed to the manual sharpening, or is anxious in using electric ones, this simple tools are of great benefit too. It is fabricated with honing materials and stones that works in the same way as high-end sharpeners at relatively cheaper price. These sharpeners are the example of convenient, efficient, user-friendly and innovative kitchen knife sharpeners.
AccuSharp 001 Knife Sharpener ($7.82) is a diamond-honed tungsten carbide sharpener with angle set at about 21 degrees that allows the user a straight-forward and convenient sharpening experience for the same sharp result. The sharpening blade is located at the front of the handheld device with ergonomic handle and finger guard that fits hands securely to prevent accidental nicks while sharpening. It can be used for all types of razor blades, including serrated knives.
To use, grip the handle tightly with one hand and insert the knife on the appropriate slot. Ran the sharpener over the blade making sure it comes in contact until the curved end of some knives. Repeat two or three times to the desired sharpness. AccuSharp can also be used in serrated knives, but not as often as plain ones as it could damage the saw-like tooth of the former.
7. Portable Knife Sharpener.
Dull knives are a sucker for any outdoor culinary gusto. Portable sharpeners are specially designed for ease and convenience in sharpening kitchen knives. These tools are often battery operated and convenient to be brought anywhere, but also provides efficient sharpening result.
These type of sharpeners are also efficient and easy to use even for beginners. They are lightweight, and on-the-go but provides the same edge of sharpening for kitchen knives. It has two slots for sharpening, the coarse one that sets the edge of dull knives, and the fine honing slot.
SunrisePro Knife Sharpener ($19.97) can sharpen kitchen knives, blender blades and serrated knives that are perfect equipment for the kitchen, but may be harmful for use in fine-toothed serrated knives. It is made of tungsten carbide to protect knives and prolong its usage. To use, just swipe the knife into the slot 2-3 times or more to achieve the desired sharpness.
8. Serrated Knife Sharpener.
Serrated knives are a little tedious and precarious tool to sharpen among all the kitchen knives because of the presence of the jagged tooth that, if not accurately handled may become damaged, misaligned, or makes the serrated knife end up like plain kitchen knives.
The tooth of the serrated knife is especially designed to provide accurate cut in fibrous foods like meat, vegetables, fruits and bread. The sharpness of serrated knives tends to stay longer than other knives, but once it become dull, it may affect the appearance of the cut materials like fraying on the end, or crushing the soft foods.
Although they require a little sharpening maintenance, it may not be necessary to simply throw away dull serrated knives as they too can be sharpened to give back its cutting advantage. Sharpening rods are the best sharpeners to be used because they are less expensive but are efficient in results and ensure that the knife is being taken good care of.
DMT FSKF Diafold Serrated Knife Sharpener ($22.08).
The micronized monocrystalline diamond of this sharpener maintains the serrated edges of knives while producing razor sharp edge. The sharpener can be used even for small edges, curved and straight and not just for serrated edges alone. Using this kind of sharpener can guarantee quality and subtle care for serrated knives.
To even out the bluntness select the diameter of the rod that is slightly smaller than the gullet or the depressed portion of the serration so as not to cause deformation. Move the sharpener on the edge until smooth, then continue doing light strokes on both sides of the blade, about 5 to 6 stokes until the desired sharpness is achieved. This sharpener works faster and more precise and can also be used even for curved serrated knives.
9. Ceramic Knife Sharpener.
Ceramic knives are harder and tougher than most steel knives with smooth and sharp edges that could withstand the kitchen demands, and rusts and stains from cooking ingredients and does not absorb odor which can be inconvenient to cooks. These types of knives tend to stay sharp longer despite being multipurpose as it is used in slicing, dicing, paring, mincing and chopping.
Ceramics ranks next to diamond by hardness and by this makes it an excellent kitchen cutlery. However, because of its hardness, it also renders ceramic knives brittle, just the physics. Dropping the knife can cause chipping and damage the knife entirely that is why it should be handled with extreme care and not to be used in just any type of sharpening stones. Fortunately, because of the widespread usage of ceramic knives, appropriate sharpeners are also introduced to the market to answer the needs of re-sharpening instead of sending knives to professional sharpening services. These sharpeners are more convenient and efficient way for the same degree of result as the pro.
Electric Diamond Knife Sharpener for Ceramic Knives and Stainless Steel Knives with 2-Stage Diamond Sharpening Wheel ($39.99) is a revolutionary electric knife sharpener designed to sharpen both stainless steels and ceramic knives making it cost-efficient. It has diamond grit on the Stage 1 are set to sharpen and repair chipped edges of ceramic knives and fine honing to smoothen the edges.
Its guided slots are also fashioned to accommodate the blade from tip to the handle, and can be used for thin and thick knives. To use, simply turn the power on button and place the knife on the slot, making sure that the edge is in contact with the diamond wheel, then make alternating pulls on each stages. Indispensable it may be on the kitchen, this product is not suitable to be used for serrated and non-kitchen knives, and scissors.
10. Hybrid Knife Sharpener.
Hybrid knife sharpeners are designed with both electrical and manual techniques to create a better sharpening experience and are more effective kitchen knife sharpeners. The electric component is used in revitalizing severely damaged cutlery and is very aggressive in its work. It tends to cut away metals so it could create a more defined and sharpened edge.
The manual or non-electric slot is used for smoothing out the edges and for regular maintenance of the cutlery but may not work on damaged ones. Hybrid sharpeners are the best equipment so far, and are cost-efficient because of its versatility. The user could have the subjective choice to use which type of the system depending upon the type of knives or severity of the dullness. Most commonly, these types of sharpeners has 1-3 Stages, the first or first two of which is electric, and one slot allotted for manual sharpening. Investing in hybrid electric sharpeners is necessary when there are various types of cutlery that are used like in commercial kitchen.
From one of the leading manufacturer in cutting technology, Chef’s Choice 250 Diamond Hone Hybrid Knife Sharpener ($49.99) boasts of its three-stage sharpener that are equipped with 100% diamond abrasives that provides precise sharpening and smoothened edge while preserving the life of the cutlery. Stages 1 and 2 work to create the bevel along the edge for a sharper and durable razor edge.
Stage 3 polishes and create the Trizor edge for perfection and durability. Upon swiping the knife in stage 1, check to make a burr on the edges before proceeding to Stage 2. Burrs are raised edges of the metal on the facet of the knife. Repeat the swiping process on the Stage 2, this time making sure that the edge is relatively sharper than that produced in Stage 1. Stage 3 is needed to hone and polish and create the third bevel on the edge for a more durable and lasting sharpness.
11. Asian knife sharpener.
From varying cultures comes different culinary preparation that’s because of varying lifestyle and types of foods that are common to their locality. That was why there are specialty types of American, European, German and Japanese knives apart from the universal cutlery as there are also techniques and culinary arts that set them apart.
Asian foods are mostly dominated by seafoods and require thinner types of blades so as not to deform the soft and delicate meats. Universal knives have bevel or sloping surfaces angled at 20 degrees on both sides used for heavier work of cutting into fibrous foods. But Asian knives are often set at 15 degrees, thinner and sharper. In comparison however, because of the lesser metal on the knife’s edge, Asian knives dull out faster than those with 20 degrees.
Specialty sharpeners for Asian knives cater to these narrower edges to provide reliable support for regular honing and sharpening of these cutleries. Most popular among these knives are the Santoku, Gyuto, and Nakiri, a 15 degree double beveled Asian knife.
Another innovation of EdgeCraft is Chef’s Choice 463 Pronto Santoku/Asian Manual Knife Sharpener ($35) that are specially designed for Santoku and Asian knives be it straight or serrated. This manual sharpener is equipped with diamond abrasives in its two-stage of sharpening.
The stage 1 has a crisscross sharpening technology for extra sharp result and Stage 2 has micro diamond abrasives that provides the polished and durable finish, and of course, with an angle control of 15 degrees. If knives with 20 degrees angle are sharpened on this equipment, it has the tendency to reduce the blade into a 15 degree. And it should be noted however that this is not to be used with one-sided Japanese knives as this is fashioned for dual-faceted ones.
12. Single Bevel Japanese Knife Sharpener.
As mentioned, another blade grind classification of traditional Japanese knife is single bevel where only one side of the knife is sharp, and is still at 15 degree angle. The angle is designed to properly define the texture of the food as it is sharp. Japanese knives have varying thickness of this knives used for different cuisines like sashimi.
Thicker knives are used for filleting and deboning while the thinnest are compatible for cutting food into thin strips. The production techniques in manufacturing these knives vary and diversely fashioned from Japanese blacksmiths who more often uses exotic steels as materials. Taking care of Japanese knives is challenging as they are very delicate. Professional sharpeners are the most trusted in re-sharpening and fixing damaged cutleries but the advanced cutting technology also has developed sharpeners that are designed to provide quality sharpening for convenience.
The unique sharpening system of Brod & Taylor Professional Knife Sharpener ($119) not only sharpens straight and serrated blades but also the single beveled Japanese knives. Its sharpening system is made with tungsten carbide that is mounted on spring action bars to provide proper adjustment of the angle that could range from the extra sharp 12 degrees up to 20 degrees bevel.
Instead of grinding away at the edge like most sharpeners, this product’s action is on carving edge with its stationary tungsten-carbide. It is very simple to use, fast and efficient and could work well even with novice sharpeners. In sharpening a Japanese knife, simply insert the knife horizontally at the center with the “V” shaped sharpener and angle it at 45 degrees.
Normally, bevel side is on the left so adjust the blade that the tip is pointing right and the left is coming in contact with the sharpener. Pull the knife smoothly through the central “v” with enough downward pressure, making sure that the knife is coming in contact with only one side of the carbide.
13. German Knife Sharpener.
German knives are manufactured following strict and extreme standards such that not all knives produced in their locality could not bear the “Made in Solingen” title unless it meets the standard quality requirement. Wusthof is a popular brand that bears the prestigious stamp and the first ever to incorporate the Precision Edge Technology (PEtech) that differs from contemporary knives in terms of its sharpness, about 20% more.
The standard blade angle of contemporary knives are at 20 to 22 degrees angle but Wusthof’s are set at a sharp14 degrees, even sharper than the Asian knives which are at 15degrees for variety of their kitchen knives including chef’s, paring, and carving knife. Asian knives of this brand like Santoku and Nakiri are at only 10 degrees per side, significantly edgier than others. These knives are made from stainless steel and special high carbon iron that is why is requires specialized knife sharpener for diligent upkeep and maintenance.
There are handheld, steel sharpeners and electric sharpeners of the same brand that works best for these knives to prevent deformation because of its composition. Steel sharpeners are tempered at higher Rockwell degrees for safety of the knives. The best alternatives to using steel are manual and electric sharpeners that are more convenient and eliminate the guesswork with their pre-defined angles for sharpening the blades.
Wusthof Black 3-stage Chef’s Choice PEtec Electric Knife Sharpener ($149.95) works not only for their eponymous knives but also in other Western knives, placing Wusthof’s 14 degree edge. This 3-Stage sharpener includes diamond abrasive wheels in stage 1 for setting edges. Stage 2 has finer diamonds that is used for honing and re-aligning the blades and stage 3 has advanced stropping materials for optimum polishing and is also used for sharpening serrated knives.
The first stage is not for frequent use because of its aggressiveness in sharpening that could remove metals, but the honing stage is designed for re-sharpening to keep the knives as sharp as possible not will not deter the shape and angles of the blade.
14. Cleaver Knife Sharpener.
Cleaver or butcher’s knife are heavy duty kitchen knives used for cutting into bones and cartilages, slicing and chopping vegetables. It has different shapes but most commonly they are rectangular hatchet that comes in varying sizes.
Unlike other kitchen knives, these types of cutlery are tough to be able to effectively hack away into tougher materials. Because of this, their edges tends to become worn out and dull faster than most kitchen knives and require more frequent sharpening that can be tiring and inconvenient.
Stones can be used efficiently, but for those who want faster and reliable sharpening, investing in an appropriate sharpener is the best idea. However, as most contemporary knives are having blade grin of 20-22 degrees, 15 degrees for some Asian knives, cleavers has a thicker 25 degrees which that may not be accommodated by just any other type of sharpener.
Wamery’s Knife Sharpener and Scissors Sharpening System ($15.97) is a universal manual knife sharpener that can be used in cleaver and other kitchen knives like chef’s, boning, and paring among others. It has a four slots for sharpening, the first one allocated for sharpening scissors, while slots labeled 2, 3 and 4 are the knife’s stages of sharpening system that has a coarse, fine, and ceramics grind.
Depending upon the condition of the knife, the coarse slot labeled 2 is used only when it is very dull and damaged. Fine and ceramic stages are used for honing and polishing for an even precise sharpness. To sharpen a very dull knife, simply insert the knife into the stage 2 and pull 3 to 5 times then proceed to stage 3 and 4 until the desired sharpness is achieved. This sharpener works for all types of knives including stainless steel and ceramics but not intended for serrated knives.
15. Electric Knife Sharpener.
Electric knives are made to create neater slices on foods like hams and meat. Those are called carving knives that are also used in slicing fruits like citrus, watermelon, hard cheeses and even on tough bones. The bread knives types are those that are used in creating the perfect and consistent slice for loaves and other types of breads.
They are usually serrated either on one side or both and provide sawing action on the materials with its jagged tooth, but does not require much of physical actions in cutting thus, convenient. However, being used in the kitchen, it is also exposed to contaminants that eventually dull out the edges. If this happens, it may become inefficient and inconsistent which destroys the good presentation of the food.
Electric knives are treated as serrated knives because of its similar features and not many sharpeners can provide the precise care to retain the formations of the gullets or depressed portion. Some aggressive sharpeners can destroy these serrations and convert it into straight edge knives.
Chef’s Choice Diamond Hone Knife Sharpener 430 for Serrated Knives ($18.35) provides the best value for money as it does cater all serrated knives and not just the electric ones and also hones straight-edged although it may not work for extremely dull knives. Packed with fine diamond abrasives, this unit can bring back the cutting edge of electric knives while ensuring long-lasting razor sharpness.
To sharpen an electric knife, always make sure that it is disconnected from the power supply. Insert the blades into the red conical roller guide, making sure that it is coming in contact during the entire process. Move the blade back and forth into the roller until the desired sharpness is reached, about 10 to 20 strokes, 20 or more for extremely dull knives.
16. Commercial Knife Sharpener.
There should be no dull moments in a commercial kitchen, literally and impliedly. The fast paced environment requires tools that could keep up with it and that involve more automatic tools and equipment. A sharp knife is a requisite, and an efficient and speedy knife sharpener to answer the immediate need for re-sharpening. The kind of sharpeners should eliminate the guesswork and manual handling and should be versatile to accommodate various kinds of cutleries.
Hence, a commercial kitchen is a haven of diverse knives serving different purposes. Hotels, restaurants and food service industries all uses heavy duty equipment that are expected to be in top shape always. Knife sharpeners. Therefore, should be a good match to the cutleries and is user friendly to be able to provide service even for beginners and novices.
Chef’s Choice Commercial Diamond Hone Knife Sharpener ($582.70) this model 2000 of Chef’s Choice is designed for this purpose. It has three stage sharpener with 100% abrasive diamonds that works faster and sharpens effectively and durably.
The stages can be used indifferent sequence to achieve the proper sharpness and smoothness for specific knife purpose. To create the sharpest unmarked cuts for vegetables and fruits, sharpen the knives in Stage 1 and 2 before honing it in stage 3. For butchering knives, use Stage 1 followed directly by Stage 3. Knives used for poultry are sharpened using stage 2 and 3. Serrated knives are only accommodated by stage 3.
17. Ambidextrous Knife Sharpeners.
Most sharpeners are designed for ease of use of right-handed people which could be a little inconvenient. Knives are designed for all types of users, but most serrated and one-sided knives are designed for right hand users because left-handed are less common than the former.
When people are more adept into using their left hand, the tendency is ineptness in the work when they are required to adjust into tools they are not convenient in using. For skillful and ease of use, some sharpeners are fashioned to facilitate both users. This is helpful to eliminate clumsiness and untoward accidents in the kitchen.
While other knife sharpeners requires that the labeled face of the sharpeners be facing the user and requires but pulling motion not to damage the knife, Chef’s Choice 478 Diamond Hone Knife Sharpener ($9.99)can be reversed for it to be used handily and conveniently of all users. This manual sharpener has two stages for sharpening and honing that has 100% diamond abrasives for faster and superior result.
For left-handed people to begin sharpening, just turn the sharpener around and insert the knife on the slot. It is not necessary to maintain the usual pulling direction, but a back and forth motion until the edge is sharp. Do not proceed to Step 2 if the knife is not thoroughly sharp. Stage 2 is used for honing and creating the second bevel to refine the sharpness. Make few strokes in this slot, preferably lesser than 10.This budget friendly knife can also work on other knives like Santoku, sports and utility knives other than just kitchen knives.
18. Kitchen shear sharpener.
A complete kitchen does not only have a stack of kitchen knives but should also have at least a kitchen shear to hasten the works without the need for kitchen knife and a cutting board. Trimming off fish fins, mincing and cutting herbs, trimming off excess meat fats and cutting food like bacon into strips are the most common usage of kitchen shears. In some cases it is also used in opening plastic food packages.
And like most razors, kitchen shear blades also dull out with time and exposure to corrosion-causing elements in the kitchen. Re-sharpening a kitchen scissor is usually but guesswork since it would not fit in just any sharpeners, or extremely tedious to sharpen with stones because of the fulcrum on the pivoting edge.
Some of the myths of sharpening include cutting a thick bundle of foil, scissoring through ceramic mug or medicine bottle, it does not guarantee any exceptional and noticeable result. In this case, dull kitchen shears would just end up in waste.
Kitchen IQ 50142 Pro Ceramic Edge Gourmet Electric Knife and Scissors Sharpener ($69.15) is an innovative knife sharpener that guarantees excellent sharpening performance in most household and kitchen knives including kitchen shears.
The unit has integrated a retractable scissor sharpener at the side of this hybrid knife sharpener made of “floating” ceramic rod that adjusts the proper angle of the scissors and sharpen both sides at the same time for both left-handed and right-handed scissors. This pull-to-lock scissor sharpener and its non-slip edge features provide a sturdy support during sharpening. This electric sharpener also has the knife sharpening slots made of interlocking ceramic wheels that could sharpen and polish kitchen knives making it versatile enough although it does not cater ceramic knives and single-beveled ones.
19. Knife Sharpeners for Re-angling.
The general rule in selecting the angle of the blades of knives is that the narrower the edge, the more sharp is the tool. Asian tools have long been using the 15 degree angle for their knife’s edge that generates neat slices. Most of the American and European tools are adapting the 20 to 22 degrees on their edges but recently, European knives are broadly embracing the technical precision of sharper knives and began to change into the 15 degrees.
Scientifically so, the narrow edges have lesser friction that is why they are perceived to be sharper, but in terms of dulling, the 20 degree knives can resist bluntness because of its stronger metal support. For people who would wish to convert contemporary knives into thinner ones, some cutting edge companies have an answer for this demands by tools that does change angles and at the same time sharpens thicker ones with designated stages of sharpening.
Chef’s Choice 15 Trizor XV EdgeSelect Electric Knife Sharpener ($151.96) features its first ever Trizor XV edge for knives which is actually the creation of gothic arc-shaped edges on the bevel to enable durability and longer lasting sharpness. In its previous models, the Trizor edge is designed for 20 degrees, but the Trizor XV is fashioned to support edges of 15 degree knives.
But most significantly, this sharpener is also built to re-angle knives should user choose to change into the sharper 15 degrees. Conversion of edges happens in Stage 1 and it is also used when re-sharpening dull knives already in 15 degrees. Just inserting the blade into Stage 1 and making 20 pulls (more for thicker blades) easily changes the knife’s edge. Stage 2 hones or re-aligns the blade to create the sharper Trizor XV edge while Stage 3 is used for re-sharpening.
20. Universal Knife Sharpener.
A sharpener that would work on just any types of knives, of any materials, is a great must-have tool for a home kitchen. These types of tools are fashioned to accommodate much of the kitchen knives of different materials and edges, and are convenient to use.
It should also be designed for easy storage and not take up much of the counter space, without the need for any batteries of power supplies but still create a superior and durable sharpness. This are best for home use where re-sharpening is not much of a necessity and done only as needed, or as remembered. And of course, these knife sharpeners should gain positive reviews and feedbacks from a number of users.
Benchusch Knife Sharpener 3 Stage Multi-Functional Sharpener ($12.99) has a 3 slot sharpener. It has a premium steel slot for sharpening and fine honing slot for polishing. This manual sharpener also has an exclusive ceramic slot for removing dullness of ceramic knives. The non-slip edge provides a sturdier support. It is compact and lightweight that is economical and reasonable for its price.
Instead of tossing out dull knives, t is wiser to invest in sharpening tools to prolong their useful life and avoid the hassle of purchasing new ones. Getting the best sharpener depends on the interests of the user, the frequency of using it, and the type of materials their knives are made of. There are endless line of knife sharpeners in the market, but not everything would work on just everything thus would be better to look for the most suitable, convenient, and ergonomic equipment.