Best knife sharpeners: keep your kitchen knives sharp as a chef's

These best knife sharpeners can help maintain your sharp edge in the kitchen. Cutting an onion will be easy peasy...

 best knife sharpeners

In the market for the best knife sharpener? If you’re a keen cook or budding chef, you’ll know how important it is to take care of your knives. However, if you’re a newbie to the culinary world, you may be wondering why chopping the veg has become such a chore recently. If you’re considering throwing your knives away because they’re blunt as anything, don’t do anything hasty. All they need is a good sharpening.

We’ve picked out some of the best knife sharpeners for all types of knives , so whether you fancy yourself the next Gordon Ramsay or you just want to spruce up an old set of silverware, there’s something to suit everyone – and all budgets.

If you're on the hunt for a good set of knives, we've got the best in our buyer's guide.

WHY BUY A KNIFE SHARPENER?

Why you can trust Real Homes Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Knife sharpeners are what all the professionals use to keep their primary kitchen tool looking and working its best. They are the reason you get such pleasure from watching cooking shows where the knives glide effortlessly through the ingredients, and they ultimately make cooking a whole lot easier. 

WHAT IS THE BEST KNIFE SHARPENER YOU CAN BUY?

We think the best knife sharpener is the Smart Sharp by Lantana. It's easy to use, offers quick results and most of all, it's safe.

Haven't got time to read the entire guide? We've listed our top three rated knife sharpeners below, as well as their cheapest prices right now.

HOW TO BUY THE BEST KNIFE SHARPENER

Which knife type can it sharpen?

There is a varied range of products on the market, and you certainly don’t have to go with anything too fancy to get excellent results. Some will be designed for a specific type of knife, whereas others will be versatile and able to sharpen any knife that needs sharpening.  

Manual or electric?

Sharpeners are most commonly manual devices, however, If you’re worried about how safe these products are, opt for an electronic sharpener to reduce the risk of cuts and scrapes.

THE BEST KNIFE SHARPENERS 

Best knife sharpener you can buy: Smart Sharp by Lantana

1. Smart Sharp by Lantana

Best knife sharpener you can buy: an easy to use 3-step sharpener for all types of knives

Specifications

Best for: Ease of use
Material: Plastic
Colour: Black
Knife type: All steel kitchen knives and serrated blades

Reasons to buy

+
 Easy to use 
+
 Quick results 

Reasons to avoid

-
 Doesn’t sharpen ceramic  

This Smart Sharpener by Lantana is an excellent purchase for both high-quality and inexpensive knives. Many users praised this sharpener for its quick results in as little as three strokes, and the 3-step process makes sure all knives are rounded off and polished so that there are no uneven edges. The ergonomic handle makes it easy and comfortable to hold, and allows you to get a sturdy grip on it for easy and safe knife sharpening. This knife sharpener doesn’t work with ceramic knives, but it’s made our top spot for its versatility in sharpening steel knives and even works on serrated knives just as well, which is why its our top pick of the best knife sharpener you can buy.

Click to shop Lantana products at Amazon

Best knife sharpener for repairing knives: Global Combination Whetstone MS-471

2. Global Combination Whetstone MS-471

Best knife sharpener for repairing knives: repair and maintain your knife set with this semi-professional knife sharpener

Specifications

Best for: Repairing or maintaining knives
Material: Rough/medium stone
Colour: Blue & Black
Knife type: Any knives

Reasons to buy

+
 Can completely restore blunt knives 
+
 Teaches good technique 

Reasons to avoid

-
 Expensive 

If you’re proud of your knife set, then keep them looking and working their best with this water whetstone that has a rough and a medium side for catering to all sharpening needs. The rough is designed to revert blunt knives back to their former sharp selves, and the medium side is for maintain their sharp blade in between usage. It’s a little expensive, but users find this knife sharpener to produce excellent results on a number of different types of knife, and it makes good practice for those budding chefs out there.

Shop more knife sharpeners at John Lewis

Best knife sharpener for safety: AnySharp Knife Sharpener with PowerGrip

3. AnySharp Knife Sharpener with PowerGrip

Best knife sharpener for safety: a hands-free knife sharpener for safe usage

Specifications

Best for: Safety
Material: Plastic
Colour: Silver, Blue, Black
Knife type: All steel knives and serrated blades

Reasons to buy

+
 Suction base for easy grip 
+
 Doesn’t require much effort 

Reasons to avoid

-
 Shaves quite a bit off 

This suction-based knife sharpener is designed to make knife sharpening simple and easy for anyone to do in their home. Users like the hands-free design as it doesn’t require much pressure in order to get decent results. However, using this sharpener won’t teach you any proper technique if you’re looking to do it the traditional way. It’s a quick fix for any of your knives that have become blunt, and it’s small enough to store away in a drawer or cupboard. Our pick of the best knife sharpener for those who are concerned about safety.

Browse more AnySharp products at Amazon

Best traditional knife sharpener: Robert Welch Signature Handheld Sharpener

4. Robert Welch Signature Handheld Sharpener

Best traditional knife sharpener: Get to grips with your knife with this traditional sharpening tool

Specifications

Best for: Honing a knife blade
Material: Stainless Steel
Colour: Black
Knife type: All knives

Reasons to buy

+
 Produces fantastic results 
+
 Makes you feel like a pro 

Reasons to avoid

-
 Difficult to master 

This stainless steel rod is one of the trickiest ways to sharpen knives, but let’s face it, it’s also the coolest way to sharpen your knives. It takes a little bit of practice, but users were very impressed with the results and it comes with instructions to teach you how to correctly sharpen your knives. It works with any and all types of knife which makes it great for all kitchens and will keep your set looking fresh.

Browse more Robert Welch knife sharpeners

Best electronic knife sharpener: Salter Electronic Knife Sharpener

5. Salter Electronic Knife Sharpener

Best electronic knife sharpener: an electronic sharpener for safe and reliable results every time

Specifications

Best for: Electronic
Material: Stainless steel
Colour: Silver & Black
Knife type: All straight edge knives

Reasons to buy

+
 Automatically sharpens 
+
 Safer than manual 

Reasons to avoid

-
 Doesn’t work for serrated knives 

If you don’t trust yourself with a manual knife sharpener, then this automatic device will get the job done nicely. It’s compact and easy to use with a one-touch function that sharpens your straight edged knives in no time at all. Users like how compact it is and that it requires minimal effort to get excellent results. You don’t need to have a steady hand with this device so it’s much safer and minimises the risk of cuts and scrapes, which is why it's our pick of the best knife sharpener if you're looking for something electronic.

Shop more Salter products at Argos

Best compact knife sharpener: AnySharp Twist

6. AnySharp Twist

Best compact knife sharpener: a compact, hands-free knife sharpener for any kitchen

Specifications

Best for: Compact
Material: Plastic
Colour: Black, white and red
Knife type: Serrated knives, bread knives, hunting knives and kitchen knives

Reasons to buy

+
Available in different colours
+
Hands free as it sucks to your worktop
+
Compact design

For use on serrated knives, bread knives, hunting knives and kitchen knives, this compact knife sharpener is the kitchen gadget you never knew you needed. To use, simply place on any smooth, hard surface, and twist to ensure it can't move. Insert your knife and begin sharpening using easy, light strokes. In terms of storage, it can easily fit in your cutlery draw, or you can stick it to your tiles so it's on-hand for whenever you need it. The best knife sharpener if you're after something compact, we think.

MORE BUYER'S GUIDES:

Annie Collyer
Head Ecommerce Editor

Hi! I'm Annie, and I'm the Head Ecommerce Editor at Real Homes. I've been part of the Real Homes team since 2018, when I joined as Deals Editor. Along with covering major sales events — from Black Friday to Amazon Prime Day — I review home must-haves so that you can buy with peace of mind. Mostly focusing on home fragrance and sleep, as well as a few vacuum cleaners, I've tested pretty much every item you can think of that you need in your home. I live on the outskirts of the city in a two-bed apartment with my husband and my pug, Doug. So I am always searching for compact alternatives and ways to save floor space. What about when I am not typing away? Well, you'll find me enjoying an iced coffee (no matter the season) and trying out the latest brunch spots the city has to offer, or booking my next holiday. Where else can you find my words? Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, Ideal Home, Gardeningetc, and Woman & Home.