They say a knife is only as good as the one who wields it. That's not entirely fair, though. A knife is also only as good as the quality of its edges. Whether you’re wielding a run-of-the-mill bread knife or a premium Japanese master chef knife, you won’t get to slide, dice, or chop well if the blade’s edges are dull. If you have one of these best knife sharpening systems, you'll be in a good position to ensure you don't have to worry about dull edges.
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Just like any other cooking tool, knives require occasional maintenance. Knife sharpeners come in all shapes, sizes and prices, and in order to find the best knife sharpening system that fits your needs, you’d need to do a bit of digging.
We’ve done some of the work for you. These are the best knife sharpening systems for 2023:
Best knife sharpening system for beginners
1/10
If you’re new to sharpening knives, this set comes with all the basics you need to practice. It includes an angle holder that allows for ease and accuracy and angle guide clips that hold on to the spine of any knife. It also features a 1000/6000 combination whetstone, with the 1000 side for main sharpening and the 6000 side for finish sharpening.
Top review: “This was my very first whetstone. It was very easy to learn how to use and I was able to get my knives a lot sharper on the very first attempt. I think it's probably the best budget friendly whetstone!”
2/10
Featuring a 3-step sharpening system function, this sharpener is specifically designed to make knife and scissor sharpening fuss-free. There are three slots: the first one repairs and straightens damaged blades, the second one restores a knife’s V shape, and the third one fine tunes for a clean polish. There’s also a bonus fourth slot designed for scissors. Plus, a pair of cut-resistant gloves are also included to help protect your hands from injury.
Top review: “A wonderful knife sharpener! I have used this on a multitude of knives in the kitchen and each time the edge has been really sharp and lasted a while. I actually found a rusted sickle in the shed a couple of days ago and thought I would try and sharpen it with this, to my great surprise, it worked! Cannot recommend this enough, even comes with gloves to assist your grip if you need them.”
3/10
For a quick and easy sharpening experience, this sharpener is your best bet. It’s engineered to get your non-serrated blades razor-sharp within seconds. With its heavy-duty non-slip suction cup feet, it will stay firmly in place to prevent mishaps.
Top review: “I have tried numerous options for sharpening our kitchen knives, including steel sharpening rods which take time and practice to get right, and all have given ok results but not great. This machine sharpens better than anything else I've used, and it's quick and easy to operate. Sharpened 5 kitchen knives in a matter of minutes, and all with better results than anything else I've used in the past despite much less effort involved.”
Best knife sharpening system for hunting knives
4/10
This sharpening system can pretty much cater to any knife, may it be outdoor sporting, kitchen, workshop, and of course, hunting knives. It features the ever-reliable Lansky sharpening technology, with the set having five different sharpening hones of varying coarseness to cater to a wide range of blades. It also comes equipped with a knife clamp, honing oil, guide rods, knife clamp screws and instructions to guide you.
Top review: “This is a great sharpening system, it produces a consistent, accurate and shaving-sharp edge on most knives so easily that you will do a great job the very first time you use it. It represents solid value for money and deserves its reputation.”
5/10
This lightweight sharpener may not look like much, but it’s capable of quickly sharpening knives, scissor blades, broadheads, fish hooks, and more using its built-in ceramic rod. Portable sized for easy carry and storage, it’s designed for use in the field and requires no assembly. It also packs a 20-degree controlled angle that takes the guesswork out of achieving sharp edges.
Top review: “It works as advertised and is great for sharpening in the field. I like how the diamonds can be turned in so it isn’t abrasive to everything it touches. It’ll be with me often.”
6/10
Another portable option is the Pocket Pal, which features a fold-out, tapered round diamond coated rod, ideal for sharpening knives with either serrated or standard edges. It has pre-set carbide blades for restoring dull edges, specially shaped ceramic stones to deliver a razor-sharp, polished finish, and with a 3 and 1/2 inch length, you can take it with you anywhere.
Top review: “Gather up all of your whetstones and throw them at your enemies. Get this OUTSTANDING blade sharpener! It's inexpensive but not cheap. This sharpener puts a perfect edge on my blades in just a few seconds resulting in a sharper-than-new finish every time.
Best stone knife sharpening system
7/10
Keep your blades razor sharp with this set that packs a whetstone with a 400/1000 grit, a flattening stone, and a knife sharpening stone. Whether you’re sharpening a chef knife, a steak knife, a santoku knife, or even a machete, this stone sharpener can reprofile its edges and repair its dullness. Use the 400 side for removing chips and nicks from blades and the 1000 side for sharpening.
Top review: “This whetstone is very easy to use, water being its only lubricant, and work quite effectively. As with all sharpening stone, some patience and expertise is required, but anyone should be able to use this stone to great advantage equally well.”
8/10
Ideal for beginners, this sharpening stone set only needs water for lubrication, so you don’t need to use any expensive sharpening and honing oils. It has a bamboo base with an anti-slip bottom to ensure that it stays in place and an angle guide tool to help you sharpen at a correct angle. It also has two sides: 1000 coarse grit for sharpening and 6000 fine grit for polishing.
Top review: “This stone works quite well, and I used it to finally get my Buck knife into its best sharpness after having never sharpened it since 1980, when my wife gave it to me for Father's Day. It's actually the best sharpening stone I've ever bought and well worth the modest price. It's quite easy to use. It's very sturdy, and the holder makes a large positive difference over stones without such interfaces. I actually love using it.”
9/10
A no-frills sharpening stone, this one features a 4-inch natural Arkansas sharpening stone that can remove a good amount of metal all while polishing edges. It’s mounted on a plastic base and has a lid for protection, but you can also use the lid for extending the height of the base to make sharpening much more comfortable.
Top review: “Needed a sharpening stone for my disaster preparedness kit. Wanted a traditional hone. This fits the bill since it comes with a quality case which allows it to be held and used while keeping fingertips safe. The stone itself is a medium grit and suitable for most sharpening tasks."
10/10
This sharpening stone can take quickly take care of any dull kitchen knife you may have lying around. Its 1000 grit side can sharpen edges fast, while its 6000 grit side can make knives smoother and brighter. There’s also a built-in angle guide to help you find the best possible angle for sharpening.
Top review: “I've been chef for 13 years already. In the restaurant we were buying Japanese stone very expensive and very delicate. This stone is incredible in terms of quality/price. Explanation is quiet good, also a guidance for beginner and degrees depending on the knife.”
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