The best knife sharpeners in 2025, tested and reviewed

CNN

21 hours ago

The best knife sharpener we tested
Best knife sharpener: Presto 08810 Professional EverSharp Knife Sharpener Even the best kitchen knife set in your home will eventually need its blades sharpened, and that's when you'll want to have the best knife sharpener on hand, especially if you're a home cook who chops and slices often. A kitchen knife is one of the most crucial cookware products in a kitchen, and not only is preparing vegetables and meats much easier if you have a sharp knife — along with a reliable cutting board and a complete cookware set — but it's safer too.
With this in mind, I conducted an in-depth product test on five knife sharpeners of different sizes and weights to find out which one could sharpen my kitchen knives best. After sharpening various dull blades and slicing countless tomatoes, avocados, bell peppers and strawberries, I found a knife sharpener from Presto at a great price that's perfect for anyone's kitchen.
Presto 08810 Professional EverSharp Knife Sharpener
Thanks to its intuitive, simple design and great performance, the Presto 08810 Professional EverSharp Knife Sharpener was a no-brainer as the top pick in testing. It offers three grinding wheels that can quickly sharpen and polish thick, medium and thin knife blades. Reasonably priced at under $80, it's also a great value on a much-needed kitchen item. The Presto 08810 Professional EverSharp Knife Sharpener is a 'three-stage sharpening system' that can sharpen alloy steel, carbon steel or stainless steel knives, including kitchen knives and most sporting knives. Effective and easy to use, this sharpener turned a dull blade that could hardly break the skin of a tomato or avocado to a beast that can easily slice through mounds of tomatoes and avocados, and even bell peppers and strawberries, with lightning speed.
The Presto knife sharpener offers three graduated grinding wheels and a blade selector dial. The first stage of sharpening uses the rough wheel, located on the left, and is meant for coarse grinding. Next, you use the middle wheel, or the medium wheel, for precision grinding. The third and final wheel, located on the right, completes the process with fine polishing.
The blade selector dial is located in the center of the unit, just to the left of the medium wheel, and adjusts the slots' black or orange guides to create the best sharpening angle for blades of varying thickness. The Thick setting is for cleavers or hunting knives; the Medium setting is for utility, slicing, chef's and Santoku knives; and the Thin setting is for fillet, paring knives and other lighter blades.
When I first turned on the Presto 08810 Professional EverSharp Knife Sharpener, it hummed a bit but was mostly quiet while it idled. During the actual sharpening process, the sharpener uses rapidly rotating, heavy-duty Sapphirite wheels to sharpen knives. Sapphirite is a hard, synthetic material — often aluminum oxide — used in professional knife sharpening shops to ensure effective blade sharpening. Because of the speed of rotation, these wheels produce a vibrating sound, which is normal but can be somewhat noisy. This noise only happened as I passed the dull blades over the grinding wheels, though; the machine is quiet the rest of the time while turned on.
I had no trouble pulling my dull blade through the appropriate grinding slot, first doing so through the rough grinding wheel, followed by the medium grinding wheel and lastly through the polishing wheel. Using only slight downward pressure, I slowly pulled each knife through the various slots, straight towards me. As I finished pulling the blade through, I pulled up slightly so that my knife's tip left the slot on a slight upward angle. I did this three times in each of the slots so my blade achieved the correct sharpness.
Before using the newly sharpened knife to slice food, the company advises you to always wipe the knife blade with a damp cloth to remove any metal filings that may have been deposited during the sharpening process.
All in all, the entire process of using the Presto 08810 Professional EverSharp Knife Sharpener is intuitive. I do advise you to read the user manual before you first use the sharpener, as it contains important safeguards about the kinds of knives you can and cannot sharpen in the machine. For example, it warns against attempting to sharpen scissors, serrated electric knives or any blade that does not fit freely into its blade guides. The manual is available in English and Spanish and comes in the box, but it can also be downloaded from the Presto website.
After scouring the internet for the most popular and highly rated knife sharpeners, I chose five models — four electric and one manual — to test. I placed each knife sharpener on a kitchen counter and assigned one dull blade to each. I sharpened the dull blades using its assigned knife sharpener, carefully noting how difficult it was to use to slice vegetables and fruits, both before and after sharpening.
I spent several days testing each knife sharpener, evaluating each based on performance, durability, ease of use and value.
Performance
Tomato test: I used each dull blade to try to slice through a tomato and then sharpened the blade using its designated knife sharpener. After the blade was sharpened, I took another tomato and tried to cut it into thin slices, noting how easily the sharpened blade allowed me to do so.
Avocado test: I used the dull blades to try to slice through the skin of a whole avocado and then used the sharpened blade to try doing so again. I noted whether or not I was able to easily cut through the avocado, as well as cut the inside into slices afterward.
Durability
Setup: I unboxed each knife sharpener, noting its overall size and weight, and if it came with detailed instructions, as well as how comprehensive the user manual was.
Build quality: I held each knife sharpener in my hands, noting how sturdy or flimsy its construction felt. I noted the material and surface of the unit, as well as how big the footprint was.
Ease of use
Intuitiveness: I noted how well I could use the knife sharpener after just one perusal of its user manual. I observed whether the process required to sharpen each blade was wildly different from other knife sharpeners I tested or relatively the same.
Speed: I considered how fast each knife sharpener was while sharpening each blade. Did I need to repeat any steps in the sharpening process, and if so, how many times did I need to do so to achieve the desired result?
Overall value
Price: I considered the price of each sharpener, factoring in the overall value of the sharpener itself as well as the money it saves on having to buy new knives.
The knife sharpeners I tested all have slots that help position knife blades properly, practically ensuring you use the machine correctly each time. But there are three factors you should keep in mind as you search for the best knife sharpener for your needs.
Electric or manual
One of the first factors to consider is whether you want an electric or a manual knife sharpener. Electric knife sharpeners are bigger and take up more counter space, and might not be as easy to store as their manual counterparts. You can also take a manual knife sharpener with you while you go camping or hiking, without needing a power outlet.
Keep your budget in mind as well. Electric knife sharpeners are generally more expensive than manual models, though I was somehow able to pick a manual knife sharpener in the Zwilling V-Edge that, at $100, is more expensive than any of the electric models I included in my testing pool.
Sharpening stages
All knife sharpeners offer grinding wheels to give blades a sharp edge. If a sharpener offers two wheels, then that's considered two stages. During the first stage, the blade is roughly ground, and then it's further refined during the second stage. There are some knife sharpeners, like my winner, the Presto 08810 Professional EverSharp, that also offer a third wheel or stage to polish up the blade even further.
Knife type
Whether your knife is serrated or not will drastically influence which knife sharpeners you can use. Sharpeners for non-serrated blades are much more prevalent, and all the models in this review can handle sharpening non-serrated blades. Serrated blades are a trickier thing, but some knife sharpeners can handle the unique needs of serrated knife sharpening, like the winning Presto sharpener and the Smith's Essentials Deluxe Diamond Knife Sharpener.
Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener
The Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener is the little cousin to our winner, the Presto 08810. This 08800 model offers a two-stage sharpening system that features two sharpening slots. It's effective and ideal for anyone wanting a smaller, more compact knife sharpener than my top pick. Like its cousin, the Presto 08810, this 120-volt model from Presto offers an intuitive, simple design and great performance, all from a compact unit. But the 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener's smaller body has just two grinding wheels, not three. These two wheels use the same technique and technology as the 08810, quickly sharpening and polishing my non-serrated knife blades just as well as our winner.
The first wheel on the left side of the Presto 08800 EverSharp is meant for precision grinding, while the wheel on the right is the fine polishing wheel meant for honing. I had no trouble pulling a dull blade through either grinding slot and then enjoying a sharp blade after just a few minutes of sharpening. This two-slot model from Presto is available for about half the price of the three-stage Presto 08810.
Smith's Essentials Deluxe Diamond Knife Sharpener
This compact, no-frills electric knife sharpener from Smith's sells for as low as $40, which is a great deal considering it gave me razor-sharp knives and even sharpened serrated blades. This model sharpened my dull knife quickly, letting me slice through tomatoes and avocados with ease. Smith's Essentials Deluxe Diamond Knife Sharpener is an electric knife sharpener that can sharpen knives of alloy steel, carbon steel or stainless steel. The right side of the Smith's body offers two slots. One slot is a mechanical slot that features a coarse diamond sharpening wheel for fast and precise sharpening.
The other slot is a manual finishing slot that features two specially shaped, triangular ceramic stones for final edge honing of a straight-edge blade or serrated blade sharpening. The manual finishing slot's ceramic stones are designed to sharpen serrated blades without damaging the serrations by following the shape of the blade as the knife is pulled through the slot.
This sharpener from Smith's is not designed to sharpen scissors or any blade that doesn't fit freely in its blade guides, which hold knives at the correct angle for precise sharpening.
After using the Smith's Essentials Deluxe Diamond sharpener, my previously dull knife cut smoothly through tomatoes, avocados and more. It was also pleasant to use, with a soft grip on the left side that allows you to maintain better control while using it. The nonslip rubber feet on the bottom of the sharpener are a nice touch too since they provide extra stability.
WorkSharp CPE2 Kitchen Knife Sharpener
The WorkSharp CPE2 Kitchen Knife Sharpener is simple, easy to use, lightweight and compact that uses both discs and ceramic wheels to sharpen knives. It worked well and fit in my kitchen drawer for easy storage, which was nice, but it lost out to the Presto 08810 Professional EverSharp Knife Sharpener due to the Presto's three grinding wheels and lower price. The WorkSharp CPE2 Kitchen Knife Sharpener can sharpen all types of kitchen knives, including cleavers and paring knives, plus scissors, shears and serrated edges. Though I didn't test the latter, the company says this model offers 20-degree-angle guides that are removable for scissor sharpening as well as a dedicated scissor sharpening guide.
The WorkSharp, like the Smith's and the smaller Presto, uses a two-stage system with two separate sharpening slots. The first one uses flexible, abrasive discs to sharpen blades, while the second is a honing port that uses ceramic wheels for fine-tuning.
After using it, I like how I could store it easily in a kitchen drawer or cabinet. Its price is the highest of the electric knife sharpeners I tested, though, which kept it from taking the top spot.
Zwilling V-Edge Knife Sharpener
The Zwilling V-Edge Knife Sharpener is a manual knife sharpener that's lightweight, simple to use and effective. If you don't want to rely on a power outlet to sharpen your knives, this sharpener is a good option. It didn't earn my top spot since its price is higher than the rest of the electric models I tested, by about $30. The Zwilling V-Edge Knife Sharpener is the only manual knife sharpener I tested. It's portable, easy to use and works well, sharpening my knife so that I could easily slice through tomatoes and bell peppers. Its light, slim body can be stored easily in a pantry or kitchen drawer, or even brought along on a camping trip if you anticipate needing sharp kitchen knives. But be sure to keep it dry, as it's not water-resistant or dishwasher-safe. The company recommends keeping the guiding slot clean by using a nonabrasive, dry towel to gently wipe any fine dust residue that may accumulate over time.
Also, at $100 or more, it's the most expensive option I tested, and it's results weren't vastly different. So, if budget is an issue, try one of the less expensive knife sharpeners I tested, like the $40 Smith's Essentials Deluxe Diamond Knife Sharpener, which works well.
What's the difference between a kitchen knife and a utility knife?
What's the difference between a kitchen knife and a utility knife?
A kitchen knife is different from a utility knife (also known as a box cutter) because a utility knife stays sharp thanks to its replaceable razor blade. A kitchen knife needs either an electric or manual sharpener to restore its blade to ideal working condition.
How do I use an electric knife sharpener?
How do I use an electric knife sharpener?
To use an electric knife sharpener, insert your dull blade into the correct slot on the machine and gently pull the blade toward you, applying gentle yet constant pressure as you pull. For dull blades, first choose the coarse slot, then select the finer slot for honing and regular maintenance after the initial sharpening.
Can I sharpen serrated knives with my knife sharpener?
Can I sharpen serrated knives with my knife sharpener?
It depends entirely on the sharpener itself. Some are made to sharpened only non-serrated knives, while others can sharpen serrated knives, scissors, shears and more. Always refer to the manufacturer's instructions and user manual to determine what kind of knives are safe to use in your knife sharpener and how to do so.
With our top pick, for example, the Presto 08810 knife sharpener, you can sharpen serrated knives, except for electric serrated knives or knives serrated on both sides, per the user manual. To sharpen non-electric serrated knives, Presto says to use only the slots in Stages 2 and 3, and to only sharpen the smooth side of the knife blade (the side without the grooves or scallops). Draw the knife through the slots using very little pressure too. Presto also warns that each time a serrated knife is sharpened, a portion of the serration is removed. So, be aware that, over time, the serration on the knife may be completely removed, and you may end up with a knife blade similar to that of a utility knife.
Can I sharpen scissors with a knife sharpener?
Can I sharpen scissors with a knife sharpener?
You can sharpen scissors with some knife sharpeners, but not all of them. You can often sharpen scissors more effectively by using a sharpening rod, though, as many knife sharpeners are specifically designed only for knives. For those that can sharpen scissors, you'll want to first take the scissors apart and carefully pull each blade through the knife sharpener's slot, much like you would a dull knife blade.
CNN Underscored thoroughly tests the products in our testing guides and provides full transparency about how we test them. We have a skilled team of writers and editors who have many years of testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when relevant to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item.
For this guide, testing editor Suzanne Kattau used knife sharpeners to sharpen the many dull blades of her kitchen knives and then spent days slicing a countless number of tomatoes, avocados, bell peppers and strawberries to find the very best. Kattau has also tested some of the best cordless stick vacuums as well as many other home, sleep and kitchen products, including the best dehumidifiers, the best robot mops, the best leaf blowers, the best mattresses for side sleepers and the best nonstick pans.