Chef's Choice 4643 vs. Zwilling 4-Stage Manual Sharpener Side-by-Side Comparison
The Chef's Choice 4643 vs. Zwilling 4-stage manual sharpener. How two of the most expensive pull-through sharpeners measure up against each other.
Specifications
Design
This is the aspect where the Chef’s Choice 4643 really lives up to the brand’s reputation. The sharpener is well-built, ergonomic, and a delight to work with.
The Zwilling sharpener has a robust construction; its frame is made with mostly high-quality materials and has an excellent fit and finish. Its most important components—the sharpening blades—however, seem to be made of the wrong material for the job. The tall, long, but narrow body, meanwhile, makes it more prone to losing balance and stability.
Usability
The Chef’s Choice 4643 is one of the safest and most comfortable sharpeners to use. Just make sure you do not sharpen in the wrong slot.
Though the Zwilling’s slot layout is not exactly basic, it’s easy to work with. Blade insertion is safe and simple. However, the actual sharpening process can be a little challenging as the device tends to rock on its narrow base pad.
Performance
The Chef’s Choice 4643 gave a subpar performance both in speed and sharpness level. It did not shave off too much steel, but it did not really do anything to the knife’s primary edge either.
The Zwilling isn’t a complete failure: It can sharpen a dead, dull knife to highly serviceable keenness. However, it lost way too many points on speed, which is a critical criterion for convenient sharpeners. Its sharpening blades left a consistent edge, but that doesn’t make up for the excessive amount of material it removed doing so. It reminded us of the Chef’s Choice 4643 in many ways.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- Works with 20° and 15° edges
- Compatible with serrated blades
- Grippy handle
- Neat, ergonomic overall design
- Substantial weight
- Sharpens both Asian and standard knives
- Strong build, high-quality body material
- Slot cover
- Beautiful design
- Expensive price
- Awkward slot layout
- Brittle sharpening blades
- Anti-slip pad doesn’t fully cover the base
- Awkward grip
Conclusion
The Chef's Choice 4643 and the Zwilling are multi-angle sharpeners and both belong to the more expensive side of the price spectrum. Unfortunately, neither offered a performance to match its price.
Each took 4 and 3 minutes respectively to complete our speed test, against an average of a few seconds over 2 minutes. They both produced a sharper edge but not to any significant degree. The former fared better in terms of material retention while the latter produced a smoother and straighter edge.
The Chef's Choice 4643 enjoys better stability thanks to its wide base and low center of gravity. The Zwilling sharpener, while seemingly made of premium materials, features a narrow body that kept threatening to tip over during sharpening.
Behind the Comparison
Anh Ngo is a writer with 9 years experience at different media outlets, covering from public news and events to product testing and analysis. At HealthyKitchen101, she works across different departments, communicating closely with its network of writers, editors, and health, tech, and search engine experts to provide a meaningful and pleasant reading experience for visitors.
Lap is Head of the Research, Testing, and Review Team (RTR Team) at HealthyKitchen101.com, where he directs and supervises the testing of kitchen gadgets and appliances.
