Knife Sharpeners

Maximum Sharpness

We test knife sharpeners out on various food items to find out the maximum level of sharpness you can achieve with each sharpening device.

Sharpness Scale

Forget the thumbnail test. There are safer, more accurate ways — and more convenient ways — to measure knife sharpness.

Time to Reach Workable Sharpness

We test the amount of time it takes to sharpen a chef’s knife to a serviceable level, which is a crucial criterion to consider when buying a handheld device.

Material Retention

We test our sharpeners for the amount of metal they peel off a blade as they sharpen the knife to a serviceable sharpness level.

Edge Smoothness

After sharpening, we check the edge of the knife for deformities and rate the edge smoothness achieved by each handheld sharpener.