Chef'sChoice 4643 Manual vs Wamery 4-Stage Manual Side-by-Side Comparison
We gave the Chef’s Choice 4643 and Wamery sharpener the same performance rating in our tests, but we prefer the former for its effectiveness and good design.
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 overall build is mediocre at best. It has a spacious grip and a wide base but its materials, fit, and finish are nothing to write home about.
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.
The Wamery sharpener scored fairly well in this section, in part due to its simple yet convenient design. The height makes it a little awkward to use at times but other than that, there’s no steep learning curve to master.
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 Wamery offered a decent performance. While it didn’t take the knife far beyond the serviceable level, we were impressed with how fast the sharpener brought it back to life from dead dullness. Its ability to preserve the blade material has also been matched by no other.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- Works with 20° and 15° edges
- Compatible with serrated blades
- Grippy handle
- Neat, ergonomic overall design
- Extra sharpening slot for scissors
- Intuitive slot order
- Wide base
- Expensive price
- Awkward slot layout
- Shabby build
- Excessive height, high center of gravity
Conclusion
The Chef’s Choice 4643 is more than double the price of the Wamery. It employs sharpening discs instead of the usual rods and has two sharpening slots for Western and Asian knives. The Wamery's only competitive point against it, besides affordability, is the extra scissor slot.
Interestingly, the two enjoyed the same rather mediocre overall performance rating in our tests. The Chef’s Choice’s substantial discs offer slightly better sharpness. However, the Wamery’s ceramic rods produce a smoother edge.
Much preferring the design of the Chef’s Choice, it’s the one we’d go for if we had to choose between them. Its wide base and lower center of gravity gave it a great advantage in our stability tests. It’s also one of the most comfortable to work with. The Wamery is not terrible, per se, but it lost points due to its tall body and rather insubstantial build.
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.
