The best knife sharpeners
A sharp knife is a safer knife: the sharpeners that bring blunt blades back in seconds.
Most kitchen knives are blunter than their owners realise, and a blunt knife slips. A sharpener brings them back in a minute, and it's a small present that gets used every week.
Pull-through sharpeners are quickest and easiest; rolling sharpeners are gentler on good knives; a pocket stone is for knives that leave the house. Check whether serrated knives are covered.
What matters
- Ease: pull-through for most people.
- The right angle: 20° for most, 15° for Japanese knives.
- A stable base or suction.
- Serrated knife support, if needed.
#1 of 5
Best overall
AnySharp Classic Knife Sharpener with PowerGrip (silver)
£10.00 RRP
Suckers onto the worktop so it holds itself, leaving a hand free to draw the knife through: a few light strokes at the pre-set 20° and even hardened steel and serrated knives come back sharp.
What owners say: Owners find it does exactly what it says, leaving knives razor sharp, and think it's great value, though the suction divides opinion.
A closer look: Stick it to a smooth, clean surface (glass or laminate, not grainy wood) and pull the knife through lightly towards you, heel to tip, five or six times.
- Tungsten carbide, pre-set 20°
- PowerGrip suction base, hands-free
- Straight and serrated knives
- Tiny: 59g
- 2-year performance guarantee
Best for: Quick, safe sharpening
- Type
- Pull-through (carbide)
- Stages
- 1
- Angle
- 20°
- Serrated knives
- Yes
- Base
- Suction
#2 of 5
Best 3-stage
Lantana Smart Sharp 3-Stage Knife Sharpener
£13.99 RRP
Three slots take a dull knife from coarse (diamond) to medium (tungsten carbide) to a fine ceramic finish, on a stable rubber base that works left- or right-handed. From a UK company with UK-based support.
What owners say: Owners find it brings knives back to full sharpness in about 30 seconds each, sturdy and easier than a stone, and good value.
Heads up: Not for ceramic knives, scissors or fine-serrated blades, as the maker says.
A closer look: Use the coarse slot only for really blunt knives; after that, a few passes through the fine ceramic slot every week or two keeps the edge.
- 3 stages: diamond, carbide, ceramic
- Rubber non-slip base
- Left- or right-handed
- Straight and wide serrated knives
- 185g
Best for: Reviving blunt knives
- Type
- Pull-through (3 slots)
- Stages
- 3
- Angle
- –
- Serrated knives
- Yes
- Base
- Rubber, non-slip
#3 of 5
Diamond Edge No.1 Knife Sharpener (Chili Works)
Under £10 Price range
A compact two-stage sharpener pre-set at 20°, with an ergonomic handle and non-slip base, small enough to live in the cutlery drawer.
What owners say: Owners call it the best sharpener they've bought, simple, compact and stable, leaving knives super sharp.
A closer look: Coarse slot for a new edge, fine slot to polish it. Wipe the blade after sharpening to remove any metal dust before cutting food.
- 2 stages
- Pre-set 20° angle
- Tungsten carbide
- Ergonomic handle, non-slip base
- 70g
Best for: The cutlery drawer
- Type
- Pull-through (2 slots)
- Stages
- 2
- Angle
- 20°
- Serrated knives
- –
- Base
- Non-slip
#4 of 5
Best for pocket knives
Victorinox Dual Knife Sharpener (4.3323)
£14.00 RRP
A pencil-sized sharpener with a grinding stone for a new edge and a ceramic notch for finishing, from the Swiss company Karl Elsener founded as a cutler's workshop in 1884. Made for keeping a pocket knife sharp on the go.
What owners say: Owners find it high quality and better than fancy sharpeners, restoring blades to factory sharpness, and love how pocketable it is.
Heads up: It's for straight edges only, so not bread knives or serrated blades.
A closer look: Keep it with the pocket knife in the fishing or camping bag. A few strokes on the ceramic notch before each trip keeps the edge far longer than waiting till it's blunt.
- Grinding stone plus ceramic notch
- Straight blades
- 144mm, about 40g
- Pocket-sized
- Swiss made
Best for: Pocket and camping knives
- Type
- Handheld (stone and ceramic)
- Stages
- 2
- Angle
- –
- Serrated knives
- No
- Base
- None (handheld)
#5 of 5
Best for keen cooks
Pietuley Rolling Knife Sharpener (400/1000 grit)
£20–£30 Price range
The newer rolling style: a magnetic block holds the knife at 15° or 20° while you roll a diamond disc (400 grit) and a fine 1000-grit disc along the edge, gentler on good knives than pull-through slots.
What owners say: Owners find it quick and effective at bringing dull blades back to razor sharpness, easy to use and good-looking, though some find the magnet weak.
A closer look: Use 15° for thin Japanese knives and 20° for sturdier Western ones. Keep the magnet clean of metal filings so it grips properly.
- Rolling diamond discs, 400 and 1000 grit
- Magnetic angle block: 15° and 20°
- Suits Japanese (15°) and Western (20°) knives
- 570g
- Silicone rings on the roller
Best for: Good knives
- Type
- Rolling (diamond discs)
- Stages
- 2 grits
- Angle
- 15° or 20°
- Serrated knives
- –
- Base
- Magnetic angle block
How they compare
| Feature | #1AnySharp Classic | #2Lantana Smart Sharp | #3Diamond Edge No.1 | #4Victorinox Dual | #5Pietuley rolling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best 3-stage | Best for pocket knives | Best for keen cooks | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.7 |
| Price | £10.00 RRP | £13.99 RRP | Under £10 Price range | £14.00 RRP | £20–£30 Price range |
| Type | Pull-through (carbide) | Pull-through (3 slots) | Pull-through (2 slots) | Handheld (stone and ceramic) | Rolling (diamond discs) |
| Stages | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 grits |
| Angle | 20° | – | 20° | – | 15° or 20° |
| Serrated knives | Yes | Yes | – | No | – |
| Base | Suction | Rubber, non-slip | Non-slip | None (handheld) | Magnetic angle block |
| Best for | Quick, safe sharpening | Reviving blunt knives | The cutlery drawer | Pocket and camping knives | Good knives |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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