Every cutting tool used every day needs proper care as well as occasional sharpening. Most often, with problems associated with sharpening, people face in the kitchen when the knife used begins to cope poorly with its functions (cutting vegetables, meat products or meat and other products).
In addition, there are many different types of knives that differ in their scope. For example, they are kitchen, hunting, pen, camping and so on. However, regardless of the scope and type, sooner or later there will be a need to update their cutting blade. It is for these purposes that there are special knives. They are of mechanical and electronic type. The editors of the site "bestx.htgetrid.com/en/" have prepared for you an overview of the best knife sharpeners in 2020
Content
Description types of sharpeners
Many people, during the selection for daily use of a knife, have a number of questions: what are they, what manufacturers' devices are better and more reliable, how much do they cost, which model is the best to buy? Answering these questions, it should be noted that when choosing a sharpener for your kitchen, it will not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with the ratings of the highest quality models that can be found on the Internet, compiled according to the opinions and advice of buyers.
When choosing a knife for daily use, you should first of all pay attention to such selection criteria as its type. And also on the functionality and characteristics, which, in turn, depend on its design features, as well as purpose. There are many models with coarse, fine, ultrafine, medium grit abrasives.
For daily use, an electric or mechanical cutter is perfect.
- Electrical
Electric sharpeners are usually rectangular or trapezoidal. They are equipped with special grooves or several recesses, which are located in their upper part. During the sharpening process, a blade must be guided along these slots. They contain special discs equipped with a variety of abrasives. These discs begin to rotate at a certain angle in relation to the sharpened blade, thereby not only sharpening, but also polishing it.
The advantage of electric sharpeners is that they are easy to use and do not take up much space. In addition, thanks to their daily use, the knives can be easily kept in working order.
- Manual
Mechanical or, as they are also called, manual sharpening devices have many advantages. For example, you can choose a mechanical knife with a variety of abrasive stones, an angle for sharpening, and so on. Plus, they don't take up a lot of space and are great for outdoor use. However, in order to use such mechanical devices, certain skills are required.
- Grindstone
Alternatively, you can use an ordinary whetstone or musat for sharpening. It should be noted that musat is not a knife. It is used to straighten the cutting blade, and in its shape the musat resembles the most ordinary file.
It is worth noting that whetstones have been used by people for centuries. The only changes that they have undergone over the years of operation concern only their shape.
Grinding stones of the most varied shapes are found today. They are round, rectangular, made in the form of a regular bar or disk. As a rule, the form of such a device depends only on the manufacturer's imagination. In addition, it should be noted that there are sharpening stones with a variety of abrasive characteristics. Some are excellent for sharpening a dull blade, others for grinding it.
On a note! Of all the existing devices for sharpening knives, whetstones are the most unpretentious. However, during their use, the quality of sharpening primarily depends on the skills and abilities that a person possesses while handling such a sharpener.
Thanks to its use, various defects are eliminated, dents are leveled. Despite the fact that the whetstone does not cut much metal from the blade, during its use, the angle of the cutting edge of the blade must be changed correctly.
Comparative characteristics of sharpening devices
Device type | Benefits | disadvantages |
---|---|---|
Electrical | + Ease of use | -High price |
+ Ease of use | -Needs a power supply | |
+ Sharpening lasts for a long period of time | -Strongly grinds the working blade | |
+ Does not require certain knowledge and skills during work | ||
Mechanical | + Low cost | -Sharpening takes a long period of time |
+ Ease of use | -Sharpening lasts for a short period of time | |
+ Does not require power supplies, making it a mobile device | - Requires certain skills and knowledge from the user for maximum efficiency | |
+ Gently grinds the working blade |
How to choose a sharpening angle
To properly sharpen the knife, you must adhere to a certain bevel angle. The level of bevel depends on the type of material from which the blade is made. For example, for a chef's or fillet knife, the angle of such a bevel should be at least 15 and not more than 22 degrees. While for hunting or universal (hiking or tourist), the bevel level should be 22-30 degrees.
You can read more about the types of knives. here.
It should be noted that there are special sharpeners that are already equipped with a universal, special angle for sharpening. As a rule, this angle is the average of the above indicators. However, when choosing a sharpener, it is still necessary to select a model in which you can independently adjust the sharpening angles.
Advice! When sharpening the knife, you need to choose the correct bevel angle. However, it should be remembered that the smaller this angle, the sharper the sharpened blade will be, but at the same time its strength indicators are significantly reduced.
A large bevel angle when sharpening is best used for knives made of sturdy steel that are used when doing heavy work such as chopping meat or bones.
How to sharpen
There are several stages of sharpening a knife, which, first of all, depend on the material from which it is made, as well as on the degree of its wear. The stages of sharpening blades made of metal, as a rule, do not differ from each other.
- First of all, when sharpening such a blade, you need to eliminate all existing damage or defects on it.
- Then restore the cutting edge and make the so-called initial sharpening.At this stage, so-called carbides are mainly used as grinding materials.
- At the last stage of sharpening a metal blade, it is ground and then refined, after which its cutting edge becomes not only sharp, but also smooth. Ceramic abrasives or Arkansas stones are usually used at this stage. Abrasive material can be of both natural and artificial origin. It should be noted that artificially made abrasive materials have a longer service life. In addition, they are made to sharpen knives made from certain materials. For example, to sharpen a serrated or ceramic blade, you will need to use special abrasives and tools.
Choosing the best knife sharpeners in 2020
Even the most expensive and professional knife, made of an advanced, durable alloy, in the case of daily use, gradually begins to dull. As a result, it becomes very problematic for them to perform the most ordinary and simple tasks for which it was produced. To successfully eliminate and no longer face such a problem, you should choose a knife sharpener. Thanks to its use, the cutting blade will always remain in working order.
Rating of the best manual (mechanical) sharpeners
The most common and, perhaps, the classic device for turning knives are the so-called mechanical sharpeners. These are compact, and most importantly - cheap, devices (compared to electrical counterparts) that allow you to quickly, comfortably, even in field conditions, sharpen the cutting blade. There are many different models from different manufacturers of mechanical sharpeners, which have both advantages and disadvantages.
KitchenlQ 50044
A mechanical hand sharpener designed for sharpening kitchen knives is a simple, but at the same time, the most useful kitchen device. Thanks to its use, you can easily keep the knives used in the kitchen sharp. Also, thanks to such a sharpener, you can return dull old knives to operation. This device is equipped with two zones and accordingly supports 2 stages of turning. The sharpening angle is 20 degrees.
Advantages:
- Carbide and ceramics are used as abrasive materials;
- Equipped with two stages of sharpening (rough and finishing);
- Suitable for sharpening European kitchen knives;
- Can be used to sharpen both hunting and folding knives;
- Low cost.
Disadvantages:
- Not suitable for sharpening Asian knives equipped with one-sided sharpening;
- Not intended for sharpening Asian knives with double-sided sharpening;
- Do not sharpen scissors.
Mallony KS-3
An excellent mechanical sharpener that is equipped with 2 sharpening zones. Suitable for sharpening and dressing all types of knives made of metal. It can be used to sharpen the surface of both kitchen and outdoor knives. The Mallony KS-3 is made of durable plastic. This mechanical sharpener is equipped with two slots. The first slot is required for the initial processing of the cutting blade, and the second one consists of ceramic rods, serves as a means for finishing the blade.
Advantages:
- Low cost;
- Ease of use;
- Ceramic and steel are used as abrasive materials.
Disadvantages:
- Difficult to find the optimal grinding angle;
- Abrasive material wears out quickly.
VICTORINOX 7.8715
Manual mechanical sharpener, which allows you to quickly sharpen the blade without much effort. Thanks to its small size, it is perfectly transported and is suitable for the role of a camping sharpener, which you can take with you on travel or on vacation.
Advantages:
- Great for serrated blades;
- Carbide is used as an abrasive;
- Equipped with a plastic handle, which makes it convenient to use;
- Equipped with a special protective guard.
Disadvantages:
- High cost for devices of this type (1582 rubles);
- Not suitable for sharpening scissors.
Review of the best electric sharpeners of 2020
Small in size, electric scissors can greatly simplify the sharpening process. To work with such devices, a person does not need to have any necessary knowledge or skills. All you need to work with them is to follow the manufacturer's instructions. The advantage of electric sharpeners is that after using them, the sharpening of the knife lasts for a very long period of time. However, a significant disadvantage of such devices is their too high cost.
Hatamoto EDS - H198
Electric sharpener Hatamoto EDS - H198 is a professional device that allows you to quickly process blades. It is equipped with an easy-to-use system for fixing the sharpening angles to form a sharp edge. In addition, this model has a moderate (gentle) speed with which the abrasive discs rotate. Excellent for restoring damaged ceramic blades.
Advantages:
- Long service life of abrasive bars;
- Ability to sharpen ceramic knives;
- Ease of operation;
- The abrasive is made of steel.
Disadvantages:
- High cost (is 7500 rubles);
- Not designed for sharpening serrated blades;
- There is no way to sharpen scissors;
- Not suitable for polishing products made of hard steel.
CHEFS CHOICE CC 270W KNIFE SHARPENERS
It is a device designed for knife sharpening in 3 stages. It is one of the most advanced hybrid electric sharpeners. Due to the presence of electric and manual sharpening stages, the ideal geometry of the edges and sharpness of the cutting part of the knife are ensured. Ideal for sharpening household or kitchen knives, as well as sports or folding knives.
Benefits:
- Provides for the use of several stages of sharpening;
- Light weight (no more than 1 kg);
- Fast sharpening, which takes about 2 minutes in duration;
- Excellent - for sharpening cook, sirloin, hunting, and bread knives;
- Diamond is used as an abrasive material.
Disadvantages:
- High price;
- Not suitable for Santoku knives;
- Do not sharpen scissors;
- Not intended for sharpening or repairing a damaged blade.
Vitesse VS - 2727
A compact electronic device that is perfect for quickly sharpening metal and ceramic blades. The Vitesse VS - 2727 device is equipped with grinding wheels with a special diamond coating, due to which they have a long service life. Due to its small dimensions, it is easy to transport and does not take up much space in the room. The device weighs 850 grams.
Advantages:
- Relatively low cost (compared to similar devices, it is a budget option), which is about 3786 rubles;
- Suitable for ceramic knives;
- Beautiful design;
- The body is made of durable plastic and stainless steel.
Disadvantages:
- Low sharpening speed;
- Can only be used for kitchen knives.
How to choose the right sharpener for home use
A sharpener is one of the must-haves in every kitchen. Indeed, during use, any knife made even of the strongest steel gradually begins to dull and become unusable. Today on the market you can find a wide variety of inexpensive, popular models of different types of sharpening devices, ranging from mechanical to electrical.
However, a completely natural question arises: which model of the device and which company is better to buy, how to choose it, what should you pay attention to when choosing, and what mistakes are made when purchasing a sharpener? It is worth noting that each device, regardless of type (mechanical or electrical), has its own specific advantages and disadvantages.
Thanks to the use of electric models, the very procedure of sharpening the blade is greatly simplified. At the same time, a person who sharpens a blade with an electric sharpener does not need any specific knowledge, skills or abilities to work with it. It is perfect for finishing, grinding and polishing the blade. However, a significant drawback of such devices is their high cost, compared to mechanical sharpeners. In addition, during their use, the knife blade is strongly grinded.
A mechanical sharpener is the best choice for any kitchen. It comes in different grains and colors. Artificial corundum, water stone can be used as an abrasive. In addition, it does not need a source of electricity, so you can take it with you when hiking, camping or traveling. The advantage of such devices is also their low cost (the average price ranges from 600-1000 rubles).
However, a significant drawback that is present in mechanical sharpeners is that after using them, the sharpening of the blade lasts for a short period of time. Therefore, you need to sharpen a knife with a mechanical sharpener much more often than with an electric one.
Knife-cutters from China, which can be purchased on the Ali Express website, are also very popular today. This site contains a variety of popular models of the most diverse purpose with different functionality and scope. The advantage of this site is also that before purchasing a product, you can familiarize yourself with its description, reviews and recommendations of people who have already bought it.
If you have experience using sharpeners that are presented in this rating or you have a more interesting model of the device, share with us about it in the comments to the article.
I chose the most powerful of the sititek scissors and keep it in the kitchen all the time. It’s happiness that you don’t have to ask anyone and pay big money for a dubious quality.