There’s nothing more frustrating in the kitchen than when a blunt blade turns the joy of cooking into a gruelling chore. Whether your knife is sliding off those onions you're dicing or it forces you to hack away at an expensive piece of meat, a knife sharpener can restore a dull blade’s edge and make cooking easier, more efficient and even more fun. In this article, we share the ten best manual, electric and stone sharpeners to buy online in the UK on Amazon, Argos and John Lewis.
We’ll take you through the different types of knife sharpener on the market and explain why it’s important to have one in your kitchen for cooking or in your workshop when crafting. Moreover, we have partnered with chef Ryan Yen for reviewing and fact-checking the article to deliver you the best information.
Quick List - Top Knife Sharpeners
GLOBAL
A Worthy Investment if You're a Keen Cook After the Best Results
TOG Knives
A Truly Reliable Sharpening Rod From a Chef-Loved Brand
SHARPAL
With a Tungsten Carbide Blade to Bring Even the Dullest Knives Back to Life
Ryan is a trained chef with experience in several restaurants (with various kitchen supplies across the restaurant experience) and hotels, he also attended le cordon bleu to further his training in cuisine and patisserie and focus on creating simple and delicious dishes. Ryan is now formally working as a chef tutor.
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Ryan is a trained chef with experience in several restaurants (with various kitchen supplies across the restaurant experience) and hotels.
He also attended le cordon bleu to further his training in cuisine and patisserie and focus on creating simple and delicious dishes. Ryan is now formally working as a chef tutor.
These types of knife sharpeners are named due to the two plates set in a V shape which you run a knife through. Each pass through the V will shear a little metal off each side of the knife, creating an even point. Often very affordable, these are great entry-level sharpeners and will work on most metal knives.
V sharpeners are ideal for beginners as there isn’t any special technique or method required to use them. You simply place the knife in the point and pull it through (you won’t be able to go the wrong way!) and you’d really have to be very forceful to cause any damage to the knife itself.
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This may be what you imagine when you think of a knife sharpener – a chef holding the sharpening rod on one hand and flashing a knife around it in the other with graceful movement. These are often the choice of those in professional kitchens as they’re able to sharpen most types of knives, even serrated blades.
While rod sharpeners can provide an excellent finish in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing, they can also tear large strips of metal from the blade in the hands of a novice; the wrong angle can cause irreversible damage to a blade, potentially even chipping it.
Plus, the technique will vary from knife to knife, so you should only choose this style if you know how to use it properly. Each steel rod is used for different stainless steel knives such as the Japanese knife uses a flatter rod, whereas a European knife uses a more rounder rod.
If you’re looking for the absolute sharpest edge you can achieve, it may be worth investing the time and effort into learning how to use a whetstone as these are the choice of those who require the sharpest blades. Like sharpening rods, these are suitable for many different types of knives.
While we don’t want to understate the difficulty in using one of these, they're not an impossibly difficult thing to learn how to use; the difficulty often comes with the expense of purchasing one and fear of damaging premium knives. If you’re serious about cooking or crafting, and are patient and willing to learn, whetstones will give you the best results.
You may think that you can’t go wrong with an electric sharpener, but you still have to be aware of a few things when using them; it isn’t the case that you can just put in a knife and switch on a button, as you’ll still have to keep the blade at the right angle.
While they take a lot of the physical effort out of sharpening, electric sharpeners are fast, meaning that they can save you a lot of time but can quickly shear off a lot of metal from your knives if you’re not paying attention. If you're looking for a quick and easy solution, however, an electric knife sharpener could be the way to go.
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Not all knife sharpeners are universal in the types of blades they work with, so it is important to be aware of what your knives are made from and the type of knives they are. As we mentioned before, sharpening rods will work with serrated blades, but whetstones can also be used to sharpen serrated and ceramic knives as well.
If you try to sharpen a ceramic or serrated knife a V or electric sharpener, however, you’re just going to break both the knives and the sharpener itself. These are only really designed for straight, steel kitchen knives. Whichever style you go for, check beforehand that it is compatible with the tools you need to sharpen.
When browsing knife sharpeners, you may see the term "not suitable for Japanese knives" cropping up and wonder what it's referring to. It may be obvious to say that Japanese knives are made in Japan, but they have some key differences from western, or German, knives that make them unsuitable for some sharpeners.
Firstly, Japanese knives are made from a harder steel than western knives, so in turn, they require harder sharpening materials to hone. They are also curved at a different angle and only sharpened on one side, meaning that western V sharpeners will damage the blade rather than sharpen it.
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Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | GLOBAL Combination Whetstone Knife Sharpener | ![]() | A Worthy Investment if You're a Keen Cook After the Best Results | |
2 | TOG Knives Ceramic Honing Rod / Sharpening Steel | ![]() | A Truly Reliable Sharpening Rod From a Chef-Loved Brand | |
3 | SHARPAL Knife and Scissors Sharpener | ![]() | With a Tungsten Carbide Blade to Bring Even the Dullest Knives Back to Life | |
4 | AnySharp World's Best Knife Sharpener | ![]() | A Great Budget Beginner Buy That Won't Slip During Use | |
5 | Lantana Smart Sharp 3 Stage Knife Sharpener | ![]() | Features a Foolproof Three-Stage Process to Restore Western Knives | |
6 | Robert Welch Hand Held Sharpener | ![]() | A High-Performing V Sharpener With a 25-Year Guarantee | |
7 | Mercer Culinary Genesis 10-Inch Knife Sharpening Steel | ![]() | An Affordable Way to Maintain Your Wusthof Knives | |
8 | Joseph Joseph Rota Sharpener|10048 | ![]() | A Compact and Convenient Choice for Those Short on Space | |
9 | Salter Electronic Knife Sharpener | ![]() | An Easy Electronic Option With Angle Adjustment to Protect Your Knives | |
10 | SHARPAL 6-In-1 Pocket Knife Sharpener and Survival Tool|101N | ![]() | Designed Especially for Pocket Knives or Hunting Knives |
Choosing where to place the GLOBAL Combination Whetstone was a difficult task, but really, there couldn't really be another no. 1 choice; it simply delivers the best results for all kinds of blades. It has rough and medium sides for different levels of sharpness, as well as guard rails to ensure you work at the correct angle.
While it is well worth the time and money, this is something of an investment in both areas to get the best results, but we think it's a rewarding one. There is something almost meditative about using a whetstone like this and it becomes part of the full kitchen experience for true enthusiasts.
This ceramic rod is suitable for sharpening anything. Whether it's a Japanese single-sided blade or a ceramic set, this rod will do the job and is the favourite of many professionals due to its affordability for such a high-level product.
It has a patented three-part shock absorption system in order to protect the brittle ceramic rod, meaning that even if you were to drop the tool it's unlikely to break. Just like their knives, this sharpening rod from TOG is first class.
Like the other 3-stage sharpener on our list, this can fully restore even the dullest blades in your drawer. While other V sharpeners deliver a great end product, this offering has a little extra up its sleeve in that it also has a tungsten carbide section.
This additional feature allows you to sharpen single-sided blades such as scissors or shears, a welcome inclusion for any home cook. Normally, this is surprisingly difficult to do outside of using a whetstone or sharpening blade, which would frankly be a bit of an overkill.
While we don't quite agree that this is the world's best knife sharpener, we do have to admit that it is incredible value for the price. The AnySharp knife sharpener's PowerGrip technology means that it won't move an inch when you're working with it, reducing the risk of any accidents.
It even claims to sharpen serrated blades, but the instructions can be a little confusing on that front so we'll leave it up to you to decide. If you're a beginner after the best budget sharpener for your kitchen, look no further.
If you're in the market for something that will produce great results while being easy and foolproof, this offering from Lantana is the one for you. It has an ergonomic handle and a grip on the bottom to ensure it doesn't slip when resting it on a surface.
The unique three-stage process couldn't be simpler as you just work from left to right, pulling your blade through each of the slots a few times before moving onto the next. If you're patient, you can restore even the bluntest knives to their former glory.
Robert Welch has a reputation for excellent quality at a good price point, and the easy-to-change ceramic wheel of this model with its 25-year guarantee means that it's a great choice for long term use. This is also the best choice if you own Robert Welch knives.
Like most V sharpeners, however, it's only really suitable for non-serrated western knives which may be an issue for some. If that's not a problem, this option is a fantastic choice that will justify its price over time.
This sharpening rod from Wüsthof represents great value for money considering that it does a fabulous job of sharpening almost all kinds of knives except ceramic. It's well built, reliable and from an incredible brand who are partners of the German Chef's Association.
Be aware that with this option, incorrect use can seriously damage your blades, and it is important to stress that care is needed during use as the safety guard isn't the biggest. That said, this is a great bargain for those who know what they're doing.
This offering from Joseph Joseph has a unique rotating design, creating a comfortable and easy-to-hold handle when unfolded, and a neat little item that can tuck away anywhere when folded up. If you're a little short on space, this takes up none whatsoever.
It also has two sharpening wheels, one coarse and one fine. However, as it's made more for convenience, this isn't really an option for regular use and is more for keeping your knives fresh than repairing those which have already become dull and misshapen.
If you're looking to take the difficulty and effort out of sharpening, this electronic option is a great choice. What's unique about this sharpener is that it will automatically adjust to the correct angle meaning you're less likely to damage your blade.
While extremely sturdy and reliable, electric sharpeners do tend to be a little more expensive than other options and you won't be able to sharpen serrated knives or the harder steel of Japanese blades. If you want the convenience of an electronic sharpener, though, this is the best choice.
While we've focused most of our list on sharpeners suitable for the kitchen, we would be remiss not to mention something suitable for survivalists, campers and outdoorsy folk. At under £10, it's well worth picking up for your next trip, and the brand do state that it's fine for kitchen knife sharpening, too.
This compact little tool is perfect for those of you who like to spend time in the wilderness and need to keep a pocket or pen knife sharp. It also features a fire starter and whistle, allowing you to streamline your pack on your next expedition.
A blunt knife is actually more dangerous than a sharp one due to the increased likelihood of accidents, as a dull blade is far more likely to slip from its place or bounce off a surface. When a blade is sharp, you’re less likely to cut yourself – as long as you keep your fingers out of the way, of course!
Using a sharp knife makes preparing a dish easier and will save you time. It’s also much easier to keep ingredients uniform, meaning that they’ll all cook evenly at the same time; if you have a mix of large chunks and small slivers, those smaller pieces will overcook while the larger pieces may not cook all the way through.
Written and researched by David Sexton
No. 1: GLOBAL|Combination Whetstone Knife Sharpener
No. 2: TOG Knives|Ceramic Honing Rod / Sharpening Steel
No. 3: SHARPAL|Knife and Scissors Sharpener
No. 4: AnySharp|World's Best Knife Sharpener
No. 5: Lantana|Smart Sharp 3 Stage Knife Sharpener
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