An Electric Knife Sharpener Sharpens Knives Perfectly

Electric knife sharpeners make quick work of sharpening your kitchen cutlery. If there's one thing you need to know about knife care and maintenance--besides keeping them clean and drying them after each use--it's that every knife needs to be sharpened. You have options, like manual sharpeners, whetstones or steel rods, but for a smooth process at the push of a button or two, go with the electric kind.

How Do Electric Knife Sharpeners Work?

Electric knife sharpeners work by refining the blade of your knife to the sharp edge it had when you first received it.

This sharp edge is crucial to ensuring you're able to slice, dice and chop your food with ease, speed and precision. The sharpness also helps you avoid injuries, which happen when dull blades roll against food or saw too roughly and catch your skin in the process.

• Place your electric sharpener on a stable surface, like your kitchen counter. Plug the sharpener into an outlet so it has power.
• Use your machine's programming options to set the sharpener to whatever settings you need. Turn the machine on to start the sharpeners.
• Hold your knife securely, although lightly is fine, since the sharpener does the work for you and pull the blade through the designated slot for that knife.
• Run it through the machine the number of times that is appropriate based on the instructions or your experience with the individual knife.

For minor maintenance in between sharpening, you can use honing steels.

Sharpening Eastern and Western Knives

Sharpening Eastern and Western knives is different. That's because the angles of the blades are different. Blade angles determine sharpness. Western blades are usually around 30 degrees or finer. Eastern blades can be around 15 degrees.

• Check that your sharpener takes care of the blades you already own or plan to get soon.
• Ensure you're using the right setting every time you use your sharpener. This is vital to your blade's wellbeing.
• Some electric sharpeners can change the angle of the blade so that a Western knife can become as fine as an Eastern knife. Look specifically for conversion features if you're interested in this.

Automatic Sharpening Programming

One of the major benefits of electric sharpening is that you can enjoy the precise work of digitally programmed settings. For instance, bread knives are serrated and require specialized sharpening.

Shop machines that have the settings you need for your collection and relish the simplicity of caring for high-end cutlery.