Checklist · 13 picks · 3 categories
Links to Amazon are affiliate links. I earn a commission if you buy, at no cost to you, and it never decides a pick. How I make money
Affiliate link.
A dull knife squashes tomatoes and makes every recipe feel like a chore. Good news: keeping knives sharp is cheap and quick.
Hone with a rod first, and sharpen when honing stops helping. The sharpeners and honing rods here won America's Test Kitchen and Food Network tests, from a pocket-size pull-through to a full controlled-angle setup. Then get your knives out of the junk drawer: ATK's top magnetic strip and knife blocks keep edges from banging around, and a blade guard protects any knife that has to live in a drawer. Each card shows the drawback the testers called out. Start with a sharpener and a honing rod, and add storage once you love your knives.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you still need the knife itself; the First Kitchen list has reviewed chef's knives and cutting boards.
Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.
Pick a budget to see your plan.
Your plan lives in this link. Copy it or email it to yourself so Safari doesn't forget it.
Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 30, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
0 of 3 on your list · tap one to see your options
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KitchenIQ Edge Grip Knife Sharpener | budget | under $15 | a cheap first sharpener for a dull knife | 1 outlet |
| Chef's Choice Pronto Diamond Hone Manual Knife Sharpener | mid | $25-50 | keeping a 15-degree chef's knife sharp without fuss | 1 outlet |
| Work Sharp Professional Precision Adjust Knife Sharpener | splurge | $200-300 | knife nerds who want to pick the exact angle | 1 outlet |
| Presto EverSharp Electric Sharpener | mid | $25-50 | fast, no-skill sharpening at home | 1 outlet |
| Chef'sChoice Trizor XV Knife Sharpener | splurge | $150-200 | a whole knife drawer, sharpened fast | 1 outlet |
Best knife sharpenerbudget pick · Pocket-size
Best for a cheap first sharpener for a dull knife
Food Network's best budget sharpener: it performed well, and the test knife came out noticeably sharper.
Heads up. Food Network's testers weren't sure they were holding the knife at exactly the right angle
1 outlet. Food Network best budget sharpener.
under $15
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link. I may earn a commission at no cost to you.
mid pick · Drawer-size
Best for keeping a 15-degree chef's knife sharp without fuss
America's Test Kitchen's winning manual sharpener for 15-degree knives: effective, inexpensive and simple to use.
Heads up. The blade's sides got slightly scratched in reviews, which doesn't affect how the knife cuts
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning manual knife sharpener.
$25-50
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
splurge pick · Countertop
Best for knife nerds who want to pick the exact angle
America's Test Kitchen's upgrade pick for adjustable angles: a controlled-angle sharpener that puts you in charge of the whole process.
Heads up. Large and pricey, with a learning curve, and you have to flip the knife to sharpen both sides
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen upgrade pick knife sharpener.
$200-300
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
Best electric sharpenermid pick · Countertop
Best for fast, no-skill sharpening at home
Food Network's best overall knife sharpener: it quickly brought the test knife back to its out-of-the-box sharpness.
Heads up. Only designed for non-serrated blades
1 outlet. Food Network best overall knife sharpener.
$25-50
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
splurge pick · About the size of a loaf pan
Best for a whole knife drawer, sharpened fast
America's Test Kitchen's winning electric sharpener, for people who want the most way to keep a sharp edge.
Heads up. Requires electricity, and it's about the size of a loaf pan
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning electric knife sharpener.
$150-200
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyocera Ceramic Sharpening Rod | budget | $25-50 | touching up your edge between sharpenings | 1 outlet |
| Idahone Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, 12" | budget | $25-50 | a gentle hone that's easy on your knife | 1 outlet |
| Bob Kramer Double-Cut Sharpening Steel | splurge | $50-100 | honing that feels | 1 outlet |
Best honing rodbudget pick · Rod
Best for touching up your edge between sharpenings
Food Network's best honing rod: a two-in-one ceramic rod that left the test knife noticeably sharper.
Heads up. Hand-wash only
1 outlet. Food Network best honing rod.
$25-50
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
budget pick · 12 in
Best for a gentle hone that's easy on your knife
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy honing rod: easy to use, with plenty of length and a comfortable, compact wood handle.
Heads up. Its smoother surface takes a little longer than the winner to get a sharper edge
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy honing rod.
$25-50
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
splurge pick · Rod
Best for honing that feels
America's Test Kitchen's winning honing rod: easy to use, and most testers said it felt really natural.
Heads up. A bit pricey for a honing rod
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning honing rod.
$50-100
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Messermeister 17.75" Acacia Knife Magnet Bar | mid | $50-100 | getting knives out of the drawer and onto the wall | 1 outlet |
| Schmidt Brothers Midtown Block | mid | $100-150 | renters who can't drill into the wall | 1 outlet |
| 360KnifeBlock Classic | splurge | $300-500 | a knife collection worth showing off | 1 outlet |
| Mercer Culinary Knife Guard, 8 Inch x 2 Inch | budget | under $15 | knives that live in a drawer | Limited evidence |
| Victorinox Swiss Army KnifeSafe | mid | $25-50 | taking a Victorinox knife to a friend's kitchen | Limited evidence |
Best knife storagemid pick · 17.75 in
Best for getting knives out of the drawer and onto the wall
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy magnetic knife strip: easy to install, and it holds a variety of knives well.
Heads up. The strip could be thicker, and about an inch on each end isn't magnetized
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy magnetic knife strip.
$50-100
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
mid pick · Countertop
Best for renters who can't drill into the wall
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy knife block: it did a good job of holding all of the test kitchen's favorite knives securely.
Heads up. Its plastic guard makes it a little harder to use and clean, and a long slicing knife sticks out a bit
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy knife block.
$100-150
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
splurge pick · Countertop
Best for a knife collection worth showing off
America's Test Kitchen's winning knife block: magnets and a rotating base make it a breeze to grab any knife.
Heads up. Quite the investment, and a 12-inch slicing knife stuck out slightly from the top
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning knife block.
$300-500
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
Best knife guardbudget pick · 8 x 2 in
Best for knives that live in a drawer
A compact, streamlined plastic blade guard that America's Test Kitchen liked for its favorite chef's knife, with a diagonal cutout that fits around the handle.
Heads up. Holds the blade a touch less securely than the Victorinox case, and the tip wiggles a bit
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
under $15
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
mid pick · Blade case
Best for taking a Victorinox knife to a friend's kitchen
A hard blade case that gave the best fit for a Victorinox chef's knife in America's Test Kitchen's knife-guard reviews.
Heads up. Quite large and bulky, so it takes up more room in a drawer or knife roll
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
$25-50
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
America's Test Kitchen calls honing the first line of defense against a dull blade. Once the honing rod stops making the blade feel keener, it's time to pull out a sharpener.
Both work. America's Test Kitchen says its electric winner sharpens much faster than a manual sharpener but requires electricity and is about the size of a loaf pan, while its manual winner is small enough to toss in a drawer. Manual sharpeners can't repair deep damage such as chips in the blade.
It can be. America's Test Kitchen calls a whetstone a great way to sharpen at home, but there's a learning curve and it takes a lot of practice, so start on a cheap knife you don't care about. A pull-through sharpener is the easier place to start.