I Tested the Best Knife Sharpeners of 2026—These Are the Ones Worth Your Counter Space

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Spending big on the most expensive chef’s knife doesn’t mean much if you don’t plan on keeping it sharp. Ask any professional chef, and many will tell you they’d rather work with a modest-quality knife that’s razor-sharp than the finest German or Japanese blade that’s dull and requires brute force to cut through vegetables or protein. With practice, a sharp knife is the real key to slicing onions quickly and carving roasts with precision. Because a sharp edge requires less pressure, it’s also safer than forcing a dull blade through a cut. And the secret to maintaining that edge is a reliable, easy-to-use knife sharpener (not the honing rod that came with your knife block—more on that below).

Not too long ago, sharpening meant a whetstone, patience, and plenty of practice. While a sharpening stone is still a useful skill, for many home cooks, an electric or pull-style manual sharpener offers far more convenience. If you have a honing rod, that’s helpful—but it’s not actually a sharpening tool. It doesn’t remove any metal, so it can’t create a new edge; instead, it simply realigns the curled or bent edge of the blade.

After sharpening a kitchen’s worth of knives—from chef’s knives to serrated blades—I found one sharpener that stood out above the rest. The Chef’sChoice 15XV (Amazon) stands out above them all—It’s fast, effortless, and easy to maintain, making it the go-to solution for keeping every blade in your kitchen ready for action.

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Best Knife Sharpeners at a Glance

• Best Electric Knife Sharpeener Overall: Chef’sChoice 15XV
• Best Manual Knife Sharpener: Work Sharp Professional Precision Adjust
• Best Budget Manual Knife Sharpener: AccuSharp Gourmet Dual Angle
• Best Kitchen Drawer Manual Sharpener: Chef'sChoice AngleSelect Professional
• Best Upgrade Electric Knife Sharpener: Tormek T-1
• Best Manual Sharper for the Garage or Toolbox: AccuSharp All-in-1 Pruner, Knife, & Tool Sharpener

Best Knife Sharpeners of 2026

Best Knife Sharpener Overall: Chef’sChoice 15XV

While it’s not the smallest sharpener at 10×4.25×4.25 inches, the Chef’sChoice 15XV is straightforward to use and puts a sharp 15-degree bevel on both straight and serrated blades in around a minute. Once sharpened, you can maintain an edge in just a few seconds with a couple of swipes. The 15XV has three stages: the first two use synthetic diamond abrasives, while the final knife slots have a composite stropping disc that replaces the traditional leather strop, giving the blade a polished finish.

Sharpening is simple: a few pulls of 3 to 4 seconds on each side of the knife through each stage, testing the burr with your finger as you go. There’s no need to add oil, and roughly once a year, you should empty the metal dust that accumulates inside the unit. After the initial sharpening, you can maintain the edge quickly using the second slot for touch-ups. I used it to bring back the edge on a dull Benchmade chef’s knife, a serrated bread knife, and a not-all-that-sharp pocket knife blade. While that handles a lot of blades, the 15XV won’t sharpen kitchen shears.

I found the built-in angle guides make it easy to hold the knife in the correct position, ensuring a consistent edge from bolster to tip (all you have to focus on is a steady, consistently timed pull stroke). For Western- or German-style knives with a 20-degree bevel, the 15XV converts them to a finer 15-degree edge, which feels sharper when cutting. At just over 4 pounds, the sharpener stays stable on the counter, though its size does require a storage plan. For occasional use, the diamond discs should last for many years.

Best Manual Knife Sharpener: Work Sharp Professional Precision Adjust

If you’re on the fence about this splurge sharpener, ask yourself whether you know the bevel angle of the blade you’re sharpening. If the answer is yes, this system might be for you. The Work Sharp is built for sharpening obsessives who care about precise angles and enjoy the process of manual sharpening. Setup and use are more involved than with a pull-through or electric sharpener, but with some practice—and you’ll want to watch the manufacturer’s YouTube setup video in addition to reading the manual—it becomes a rewarding way to put an exceptionally sharp edge on your knives. It isn’t fast, but it’s about as close as you can get to using a whetstone without freehanding.

The solid metal construction features jaws that securely clamp the blade while allowing it to rotate smoothly, exposing either side for sharpening. The vertical tower sits perpendicular to the blade and includes markings for common angles, from an acute 10 degrees to broader 30-degree edges, though these serve mainly as reference points. For true accuracy and repeatability, you’ll use the included digital angle finder to lock in the sharpening bevel.

The included 6-inch long abrasive stones range from coarse 220 grit to 800 grit (plus a ceramic rod for serrations and strops) and magnetically lock into the handle. You work through the grits methodically, sharpening one side until you feel a burr, flipping the blade, and repeating the same number of strokes on the opposite side. As you move up in grit, the edge is progressively refined, all without the need for oil or water.

The 15- to 30-degree range covers most kitchen, pocket, and outdoor knives (but not scissors). Overall, this kit produces very sharp knives, but you’ll need to work a little harder for it compared to other manual options.

Best Budget Manual Knife Sharpener: AccuSharp Gourmet Dual Angle

It doesn’t get much simpler than this AccuSharp, a longtime favorite in commercial kitchens for quickly putting a fine edge on knives with just a few pulls. The design is straightforward: a rugged plastic handle with tungsten carbide blades—which is harder than the steel used by most knife makers—that sharpen at either 15 or 21 degrees. The trickiest part is holding the knife steady on the countertop, blade facing up, while you draw the tool across. If you have a vice in the garage, this would be a good time to use it.

The handle protects your hand from the blades, and the thumb rests give good leverage for each pull. It’s satisfying to see metal shavings come off with every pass. The carbide blades are reversible, so you can expect years of use before they need replacing. The AccuSharp also works on serrated knives and scissors, making it a versatile, no-fuss sharpening tool for home or professional kitchens.

Best Kitchen Drawer Sharpener: Chef'sChoice AngleSelect Professional

At roughly 9×3 inches, the Chef’sChoice AngleSelect fits easily in a kitchen drawer, and it’s just as simple to use. It offers a bit more stability than the AccuSharp, resting securely on the countertop while you pull the knife through the sharpening process. For Western-style knives with a 20-degree bevel, you start in the second slot and finish in the third. For Asian-style knives, typically with 15-degree bevels, use the first slot and then the third.

The ergonomic handle can be gripped with either hand, keeping the tool steady while you focus on slow, consistent pulls—though that’s less critical here, since each pass sharpens both sides of the blade. You’ll know your knife is sharp when it can slice through half a sheet of paper held by a corner.

Best Upgrade Electric Knife Sharpener: Tormek T-1 Kitchen

The Tormek is like the bench grinder your dad had in the garage—if it went to finishing school in Sweden. If you have the roughly 8×8 inches of counter or workbench space to store this 14-pound sharpener, and want to get a little more tactile with your sharpening, it’s a pleasure to use. An adjustable blade guide helps keep the knife steady at angles from about 10 to 20 degrees, so you can sharpen to your exact preference. Once the angle is locked in, you make a few passes against the diamond wheel while a built-in magnet collects the metal shavings. The big advantage is repeatability: once a knife is set up at a specific angle, future touch-ups are fast and consistent.

Unlike pull-through sharpeners, the Tormek works with a controlled push-and-pull motion with the knife held in the guide, making it easy to follow the curve of the blade’s belly. You then flip the sharpener around and repeat the process on the other side. After sharpening, you switch to the black composite honing wheel to refine and polish the edge. Honing requires a bit more patience, since it’s done freehand by following the bevel. One helpful trick Tormek recommends is coloring the bevel with a black marker; it makes it much easier to see whether you’re holding the knife at the correct angle during honing.

Best Sharpener For the Workshop: AccuSharp All-in-1

Like other AccuSharp tools, this multi-sharpener uses a pull-through design. It’s most useful for quick touch-ups on gardening tools such as bypass pruners, manual hedge clippers, and even for putting a serviceable edge on spade shovels. The bright red (or green) handle is easy to spot in the shed and keeps your hands safely away from the cutting edges. The carbide cutters are also replaceable. It can handle lawn-mower blades as long as the edge isn’t badly damaged. If a rock has taken a chunk out of the blade, you’ll need a grinder to properly restore it.

What To Look For in a Knife Sharpener

When it comes to keeping your meal prep running smoothly, choosing the right at-home knife sharpener is essential. A good sharpener strikes a careful balance between effectiveness, ease of use, consistency, and safety. We’re not talking about the crude pull-through gadgets of decades past that could chew up a blade faster than they improved it. You want a sharpener that restores a clean, durable edge, works with many of the knives you own, and does so without guesswork or risk to your fingers. The right one keeps your knives performing well for years, makes everyday prep easier and safer, and earns its place somewhere nearby so you can grab it now and again.

Manual or Electric?

This is a function of both budget, space, speed, and how much tactile feel you want in the process. Pull style manual sharpeners are easy to use, inexpensive, and easy to store. Manual sharpeners, like the WOrk Sharp, can deliver a sharp edge, but it can take a while to set it up—but if you decide to spend a little while every two or three months sharpening your knife block, it might be a good fit. Powered options are faster, more expensive, and can deliver a great edge. But, if you don’t nail the stroke you can gouge the blade and it will take more sharpening—removing metal—to get that edge back. 

Bevel Angle

When choosing a knife sharpener for home use, one of the most important considerations is whether it can sharpen to an angle close to 15 degrees. The edge angle directly affects how a knife cuts, how it feels in hand, and how long it stays sharp. A thinner, 15-degree edge will feel noticeably sharper than a wider 20-degree edge, though it will also dull more quickly.

In the past, knives were typically divided into European styles with 20-degree edges and Asian styles with 15-degree edges, but those distinctions have largely blurred. Modern steels are strong enough to hold acute edges, and many Western knives now leave the factory sharpened to roughly 15 degrees. Lower-angle edges slice more cleanly and require less effort, making prep work easier and more precise, especially for vegetables or delicate proteins. While wider angles can offer slightly more durability, for most home cooks, the performance benefits of a 15-degree edge outweigh the trade-offs. A sharpener built to this standard helps ensure your knives perform as intended.

What's Doing the Sharpening?

A good sharpener should be able to reshape and polish the knife’s full cutting edge, and diamond abrasives proved the most effective for this. Sharpeners with at least two stages of diamond—coarse and fine—delivered the best results, though we also liked one model that used a single stage of tungsten carbide. While carbide won’t last as long as diamond, it’s often inexpensive and easy to replace, making it a practical option for home use. When choosing a carbide-based sharpener, look for models with reversible or replaceable abrasives to extend the tool’s lifespan.

Related: I Field-Tested the Best Pocket Knives. Here Are the Blades Worth Adding to Your Everyday Carry Arsenal

Why You Should Trust Me

I’ve spent more than 20 years testing and reviewing gear as an editor and writer for outlets like Men’s Journal, covering everything from outdoor equipment to kitchen tools. That experience means I know how to evaluate build quality, usability, and performance across a wide range of products. I’m constantly evaluating new knives and the best possible way to keep those tools sharp without getting fussy about it.