Our recommendations are made independently through Research & Testing. We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links.
Chef's Choice 4643 EdgeSelect vs. Longzon 4-Stage Manual Sharpener Side-by-Side Comparison
Our Verdict
- Performance (50%)4.3/10
- Design (15%)9.3/10
- Ease of Use (35%)8.4/10
- Performance (50%)5.6/10
- Design (15%)9.1/10
- Ease of Use (35%)8.2/10
The Longzon is not the best sharpener on the market, but it’s the better choice between the two.
The Chef’s Choice 4643 sports an ergonomic and well-balanced design. Unfortunately, its abrasives didn’t do a great job of sharpening: The device was slow to sharpen and didn’t create a smooth edge. It also didn’t bring the knife very far on the sharpness scale.
Whereas the Chef’s Choice designates a slot for a different grind angle, the Longzon has one for sharpening scissors. The Longzon could only sharpen to the same level of edge keenness; however, it took less time to do the job and did leave a much nicer knife edge, which contributes to its higher overall rating in the end.
Chef's Choice Manual Knife Sharpener’s Performance
- Sharpening Time to Cut a Lemon (35%)1.0/10
- Maximum Sharpness Achieved (20%)6.0/10
- Edge Smoothness (20%)5.2/10
- Material Retention (25%)7.0/10
- Sharpening Time to Cut a Lemon (35%)1.0/10
- Maximum Sharpness Achieved (20%)6.0/10
- Edge Smoothness (20%)9.0/10
- Material Retention (25%)9.0/10
Sharpening Time to Cut a Lemon
- Sharpening Time: 4 minutes
- Cutting Feel: Slightly heavy
The Chef’s Choice took its sweet time to sharpen and was consistently among the slower ones in all our test attempts. It took a whopping 4 minutes to bring the test knife from uselessly blunt to adequately usable on a lemon. Even then, the knife needed a little more force than usual to execute the cut. You’d get better results within the same time using a whetstone.
We wouldn’t count on this one as a convenient sharpener to prep our knife before a cooking session.
- Sharpening Time: 3 minutes 10 seconds
- Cutting Feel: Swift and smooth
The Longzon sharpener was disappointing in this test: It took 190 seconds on average to sharpen a dull knife to the level where it can slice a lemon with ease. Three minutes doesn’t seem so long, but when you’re repeating a motion on a small device, it can feel like an eternity.
Unlike the case with the Mueller, the tungsten carbide blades on this device offer a tight and steady brace. For some reason unknown to us, the knife edge just didn’t get keen quickly enough with it.
Maximum Sharpness Achieved
- Sharpening Time: 6 minutes
- Sharpness Level: 7 (Ripe tomatoes, 1 swipe)
The blade had no trouble slicing its way through a ripe tomato in one swift motion. The chicken breast posed much more difficulty: Its slippery skin made it impossible for the test knife to slice clean-off in one go. Two rather heavy attempts were needed to sever the pieces, so we decided to keep the Sharpness Level at 7 instead of 8-.
This sharpness level should allow your knives to complete most food prep tasks with mild effort, but we usually expect more from a device with such a high price tag. We can’t count the number of sharpeners that cost one half or even one third of its price that can offer a better performance.
- Sharpening Time: 6 minutes
- Sharpness Level: 7 (ripe tomatoes)
We doubled the time in the lemon-cutting test and the Longzon sharpener could only up the knife sharpness by one level. It cut through a ripe tomato effortlessly, and took two forceful swipes to sever the tough skin on a chicken breast. This isn’t a bad performance, per se, but we had expected more from the sharpener as it looks so well-made.
Edge Smoothness
Chef’s Choice advertises ‘two distinct facets set at different angles that form a longer lasting, arch-shaped edge’. The sharpener indeed created what looks like a double edge on our test knife.
Unfortunately, while the secondary edge emerged sharp and convincing, the abrasives’ effects on the primary edge were so subtle they were unrecognizable even under a magnifying lens. The discs on the Honing slot were either too fine to make a difference or were placed at an angle that did not allow contact with the knife edge.
That explains the lack of sharpness on the test knife—the secondary edge helps, but it can only do so much.
We couldn’t be more impressed when we saw the knife edge after sharpening with the Longzon. It’s smooth, shiny, and balanced between the two sides — common among electric sharpeners, but a rare thing to see with manual pull-through devices. We can’t quite explain the lack of chips, grains, or unfinished shavings — we didn’t need a magnifier to see them on the edge produced by its identical cousin, the Mueller.
At any rate, if a clean, perfect edge is what you’re after in a handheld sharpener, the Longzon should be among your top choices.
Material Retention
- Sharpening Time: 1 minute
- Target Sharpness:
The Chef’s Choice 4643 took off more steel from the test knife than its sharpness suggested, but the amount wasn’t significant. As typical of wheel-type sharpeners, the residue was fine dust rather than coarse shavings, suggesting highly controlled grinding.
- Sharpening Time: 1 minute
- Target Sharpness:
On most devices that employ tungsten carbide blades as the sharpening ‘abrasive’, the more material they remove, the quicker they work and the sharper the edge. The Longzon is not an exception. It took more than 3 minutes to produce a keen edge, so it’s not a complete surprise that it only removed a moderate amount of material from the edge in 1 minute.
Chef's Choice 4643 Manual Knife Sharpener’s Design
- Build Quality (75%)9.0/10
- Grip (25%)10/10
- Build Quality (75%)9.1/10
- Grip (25%)9.0/10
What’s in the Box With the Chef's Choice 4643 Knife Sharpener
- Chef’s Choice 4643 AngleSelect Knife Sharpener
- 1 x instruction manual
The Chef’s Choice snugly fits into a plastic blister pack with a user’s guide included (which is also available online). The package can pop open quite easily, so there’s no need to cut it with scissors.
Besides the sharpening techniques, the manual also guides you on how to test the knife’s sharpness, and provides helpful tips to keep your knives in their best condition.
- The Longzon 4-stage knife sharpener
- Instruction manual
- Protective gloves
The Longzon sharpener comes in a nice cardboard box with lots of instructions and contact information printed on it. Then there’s a leaflet that features the instructions in five different languages. Two thin gloves are included in the package, presumably for protecting your hands during sharpening, though this is mentioned nowhere in the manual.
Dimensions
- Length:9.3" (23.6 cm)
- Width:2.0" (5.1 cm)
- Height:2.8" (7.1 cm)
- Weight:6.6 oz (187 g)
- Length:9.3" (23.6 cm)
- Width:1.8" (4.6 cm)
- Height:3.1" (7.9 cm)
- Weight:8.7 oz (246 g)
Build Quality
Its materials do not scream ‘top-notch quality’, but the Chef’s Choice 4643 benefits greatly from an ergonomic design and robust build. The parts are well reinforced and screw-tightened, though it can be disassembled piece by piece. Finish is near perfect and matches its high price tag.
The Longzon sharpener has a strong build with quality materials and a robust design. Its working section, handle, and base are securely attached to each other, which helps with stability during sharpening. The design is function-oriented, but everything has a nice, flush finish. We couldn’t expect better, especially for its price.
Grip
- Material:Rubber
The handle extends and slightly arches itself toward the end, forming an ergonomic crescent-like shape. It’s just about the perfect size, and the coating material feels soft and grippy between the palm and fingers. Unfortunately, the handle isn’t loop-shaped. Otherwise, you’d be able to hang it on a hook to keep it within an arm’s reach.
- Material:ABS, TPR
The Longzon has a nice, substantial grip. There’s plenty of space for larger hands or for those who want their gripping hand to be as far away from the knife as possible while sharpening.
The upper side of the grip is a plastic that’s very soft to the touch and has decent friction. The lower side features finger nubs for a firmer grip.
Working Section
- Levels of Sharpening:Coarse, Fine
- Abrasive:Diamond-coated disks
- Mechanism:Pull through
- Sharpening Angle:15° & 20°
The Chef’s Choice 4643’s working section features three sharpening slots that are securely fastened into the base and covered in a shiny stainless steel sheet.
Unlike most manual sharpeners with abrasive bars or rods, it’s equipped withdiamond-coated discs. As the blade passes through them, these wheels rotate with each draw, grinding and reshaping the edge.
Slot 1 sharpens Asian knives at a 15-degree angle while Slot 2 sharpens Western knives at 20 degrees.
Interestingly, there’s only one slot for honing (Slot 3) for both types of knives, but the exact grinding angle isn’t mentioned in the manual. We asked the official manufacturer in an email but have so far received no response.
- Levels of Sharpening:Sharpen, Hone, Polish
- Abrasive:Tungsten carbide blades, diamond rods, ceramic rods
- Mechanism:Pull through
- Sharpening Angle:20 degrees
The working section features one slot for scissors and three for kitchen knives. Instead of a prep slot, you start sharpening your knives with the tungsten blades and use the diamond and ceramic rods for further honing.
The whole working section is covered with stainless steel, making it easy to clean should the need arise.
Chef's Choice 4643 Manual Knife Sharpener
- Material:Synthetic rubber
- Feet Type:Slip-proof sole (x 4)
With the bottom being a hollow gap instead of a solid whole block, the sharpener is lightweight. However, because the base is wide and the center of gravity low, it maintains its balance very well.
The quartet of rubber feet attached at the base corners do a great job of creating friction and keeping the device in place during sharpening—we feel this is a more economical and effective design than the large pads usually seen in other devices.
- Material:ABS
- Feet Type:EVA feet
The Longzon has a red ABS base that makes it look like a Louboutin shoe. It tapers from the working section downwards, but the base size is sufficient to keep the device in place.
It boasts two flat, but effective, anti-slip pads underneath the working section and the grip.
Chef's Choice 4643 Knife Sharpener Review
- Slot Arrangement (20%)7.0/10
- Insertion (20%)8.5/10
- Pulling Through (10%)8.5/10
- Stability on Clean Surface (40%)9.5/10
- Stability on a Wet and Dirty Surface (10%)7.0/10
- Slot Arrangement (20%)7.0/10
- Insertion (20%)9.0/10
- Pulling Through (10%)8.0/10
- Stability on a Clean Surface (40%)8.5/10
- Stability on a Wet and Dirty Surface (10%)8.0/10
Slot Arrangement
The sharpener has labeling for the slots’ functions and designated knife types. Depending on the knife you’re sharpening, the intended order goes as 1-3 (for Asian-style knives) or 2-3 ( for European-style knives).
The slot trios share the identical size, width, and depth, so it’s easy to confuse them. We strongly advise you to look at the labeling carefully before sharpening your knives, especially during the first sessions with the device.
While the Western slot can only blunt an Asian knife, putting your standard knife in the Asian slot can destroy the edge beyond the point of repair. We actually had to throw away a test knife trying that out.
The Longzon’s layout of sharpening slots is identical to the Mueller, and in our experience, not ideal. We’d rather move Slot 3 (diamond rods) to the front of the row to serve as a prep slot.
Otherwise, the arrangement is simple and easy to work with — all the slots have the same grind angle and are designed for the same types of knife edge. The natural progression of coarseness (or fineness) level means you never have to pause halfway through in fear of going the wrong way.
Insertion
The Chef’s Choice has rather narrow slot openings, so if you’re in a rush, there’s a chance you’ll misplace the knife and cut the cover instead of inserting it into the slot.
On the bright side, once the knife is at the opening, it’ll be smooth sailing. Because the slots taper downwards and the discs are placed deep below, the knife will slide straight down. Insertion is thus much safer for the knife edge compared to sharpeners with tungsten bars that keep threatening to clash with the edge and cause chipping.
Insertion was easy with the Longzon: Its wide slots with a neat design offer enough space for the blade to get in without obstruction. You may cut into the wall if you go too fast, but that should be rare.
Pulling Through
Because the slots are deep and run all the way across its width (2 inches), it was relatively easy to keep the knife straight during sharpening to reduce the risk of creating uneven edges.
That being said, there’s some room for the knife to jig sideways; when it does, you will feel a change in the friction as you pull the blade through.
As its discs are placed deep down in the slots, the knife kept nicking into the frame, leaving lots of marks and scratches.
With the U-shaped plastic frame placed too close to the sharpening rods, we ended up cutting into them after almost every swipe. Even a few more millimeters would avoid this. But other than that minor annoyance, the Longzon offers a great sharpening experience. Its blades and rods provide a steady brace with decent and stable friction that’s evident in the near-perfect knife edge it creates. It’s also effortless to keep the blade straight during sharpening — we never ended up with an uneven edge, as was the case with its Mueller counterpart.
Stability on Clean Surface
This is one of the rare devices that come without a full base and can still offer excellent stability. Despite being lightweight, the sharpener stayed secure and steady on a spotless kitchen countertop, thanks to its well-proportioned structure. Those with weak wrists or shaky hands will really feel a difference with this design.
Even though the base is tapered, it’s still large enough to support the sharpener. The rubber pads offer good contact areas and great friction, so the device wouldn’t slip on a countertop. We didn’t have to use excessive force to keep it steady during sharpening, just a firm grip.
Stability on a Wet and Dirty Surface
Moving on to the simulated messy countertop splashed with cooking oil and peppered with salt: The sharpener’s balanced design continued to keep its footing. The base did lose its traction with the contact surface and moved along with the pull, but only occasionally and not to the extent seen on most other sharpeners.
The slippery countertop wasn’t much of a challenge for the Longzon either. It did glide a bit when we intentionally used more force to sharpen, but it fared well most of the time.