Electric Knife Sharpeners

Electric sharpeners are easiest to use

Electric knife sharpeners can be more convenient and easier to use. However, they're also more expensive. And because of their size, they work better for kitchen knives and other longer blades rather than for smaller items like pocket knives.

The best electric knife sharpeners gently remove metal to create a razor-sharp edge. Most of these sharpeners have two to three slots or stages. Each slot uses a different type of abrasive stone or hone, which can be coarse, medium or fine. The stones shave away metal on the knife's blade each at a slightly different angle, creating a bevel and sharpening the edge of the blade. The first slot typically carves out a 15-degree bevel, while the second creates a slightly steeper bevel to further hone the blade. Some of the snazzier electric knife sharpeners on the market also have a third stropping stage that removes any remaining metal and abrasive particles to meticulously polish the blade. Experts say the stropping stage creates a longer-lasting, razor-thin edge. Like manual knife sharpeners, some electric models can sharpen both straight and serrated blades.

EdgeCraft, creator of the Chef's Choice product line, is the most prolific manufacturer of electric knife sharpeners. Reviews in The Washington Post, eGullet.org and CookingCache.com all give two Chef's Choice sharpeners top marks: the Chef's Choice 120 Diamond Hone 3-Stage Professional Sharpener (*Est. $120) and the Chef's Choice Diamond Hone Multi-Stage 110 (*Est. $85).

The Chef's Choice 120 is recommended by one foodie magazine but not as enthusiastically as the newer Chef's Choice 130 Professional Sharpening Station (*Est. $130). The deluxe model costs a bit more, but unlike many other models it has a nonmotorized steeling slot for quick touch-ups. That said, the Chef's Choice 120 has two slots for sharpening (one coarse and one fine, and both diamond-coated) plus a third polishing slot. You pull your knife through the slots while the motor turns the hones, speeding up the whole process versus manual sharpening. Users say it completes a first sharpening in about a minute, while resharpening takes a mere 10 seconds.

The Chef's Choice 120 can also sharpen both straight and serrated knives. At Amazon.com, the Chef's Choice 120 receives nearly 100 positive reviews. Still, a few owners complain that the sharpener scratches their knife blades, while others warn that the Chef's Choice 120 can wear knives down if users aren't paying attention and over-sharpen their knifes.

A less expensive and older model, the Chef's Choice 110 has three sets of diamond abrasive hones, each of which sharpen at a different angle. According to reviews, the first set is very aggressive and is used only to preshape the bevel. The second and third stages sharpen and hone. While the Chef's Choice 110 is not designed for serrated knives (products with scalloped or tooth edges), it can sharpen other items that easily fit in its sharpening slots, like pocket or hunting knives.

Unlike the pricier 120 model, the Chef's Choice 110 lacks the final stropping stage. It's also a bit slower, taking up to two minutes for the initial sharpen and 15 to 20 seconds to resharpen. As with the 120, experts warn that a little inattention can result in a lot of metal loss, with the abrasive hones taking away more of the blade surface than is actually needed to sharpen the blade. Nevertheless, one foodie magazine maintains the Chef's Choice 110 is still a worthy choice for budget-conscious consumers, although the publication gives the Chef's Choice 120 a higher grade for its more accurate guides and quieter performance.

The Chef's Choice 110 receives more than three dozen mostly positive reviews at Amazon.com and Cooking.com. Overall, owners say the Chef's Choice 110 sharpens knives well and is sturdy without being too noisy. Their main complaints are that it can't handle serrated knives and has tendency to scratch blades.