Nowadays, many homeowners recreate the cherished Americana-styled interiors that dominated American homes in the 1950s. Aside from the red, white, and blue, their kitchen appliances also bear a vintage look to match the appliances from the decade. But that doesn't mean restoring decades-old kitchen appliances as well! You might be shocked, but you can get away with this with modern kitchen equipment.
One of the most indispensable yet often neglected kitchen equipment is the electric knife sharpener. We know how hard and laborious it is to keep your kitchen knives incredibly sharp. But thanks to abrasive discs and electric motors, you no longer have to be burdened by this chore. So which electric knife sharpener looks vintage yet performs up to modern-day standards?
Keep reading to discover what the Americana-style EdgeKeeper Electric Knife Sharpener can offer you and your kitchen!
What Is the Best Knife Sharpener?
Before buying an electric knife sharpener, consider how well it will sharpen your beloved knives. If you are a cash-strapped kitchen enthusiast, don't rush into buying the cheapest machine that you see. Don't let a substandard electric knife sharpener ruin your cherished Solingen steel kitchen knives. Your Japanese and German steel kitchen knives also deserve the best electric knife sharpener.
Lucky for you, we found an electric knife sharpener that ticks all the boxes. It has a stylish Americana-style, an affordable price tag, and reliable performance. Get to know the EdgeKeeper Electric Knife Sharpener below!
Introducing the EdgeKeeper Electric Knife Sharpener
Specs at a Glance:
- Available on Amazon for $39.99
- Works with 120-volt power outlets
- Measures 8.25 x 3.5 x 4 inches
- Features a two-stage sharpening system
- Sharpens kitchen knives within seconds
- Uses the most optimal angle for razor-sharp output
- Gathers metal shavings using a magnetic attachment
- Safely holds in place with the help of non-slip feet
- Certified by ETL
Pros:
- Easy to use, great for beginners
- Suitable for most kinds of kitchen knives
- Sharpens knives within seconds and after a few passes
- Employs diamond-coated abrasive wheels
- Comes with a magnetic compartment for metal shavings
Cons:
- Might be difficult to pull the sharp knife from the sharpening slot
- Shaves a significant amount of metal from the sharp knife
- Can't be used with knives with serrated blades and ceramic knives
- Delivers imperfect edges on rare occasions
Two-Stage Sharpening System
If you have experience with manual knife sharpeners before, you already know that whetstones usually have two sides. One side has a coarse grind, while the other has a fine grind. You use the coarse side of the whetstone to sharpen your kitchen knife. Then, once you have made several passes against that side, you do the same with the other side to hone its edge.
Likewise, the EdgeKeeper Electric Knife Sharpener uses a two-stage sharpening setup to sharpen and hone your kitchen knives. The same principles behind manual knife sharpeners apply to electric knife sharpeners. As a result, its two-step process first sharpens the knife's edge, then hones and polishes it to near-perfection.
Easy-Clean Compartment
Electric knife sharpeners are stored and used in the kitchen, where you prepare and cook your meals. Unfortunately, when you operate an electric knife sharpener, you also introduce metal dust and shavings to what is supposed to be a pristine environment. These tiny pieces of metal are harmful when inhaled or consumed.
The EdgeKeeper Electric Knife Sharpener makes clean-up quicker and easier for you. With its metal shavings compartment, you can dispose of the metal dust and shavings by removing the compartment from the bottom of the machine. So you can be sure that not a single speck of metal dust gets away. The compartment has a built-in magnet to keep the metal shavings in place.
Diamond-Coated Sharpening Wheels
If you have Solingen steel knives, you know that you wield one of the sharpest steel knives. Due to the hundred-year-old forging techniques and the quality of the steel material itself, the Solingen knives remain unmatched in the kitchen. So you might wonder: what material could stand up to Solingen steel and sharpen it back to brand-new condition?
Edgekeeper's electric knife sharpener is employed with diamond. As you may already know, diamond is the strongest natural material on Earth, making it the most suitable material to be used with abrasive wheels. If you worry about diamonds making the machine more expensive, keep in mind that these are lab-grown diamonds, which come relatively cheap!
Shortcomings
Depending on how strong your steel kitchen knives are, the EdgeKeeper Electric Knife Sharpener may shave a considerable amount of metal from the knife's edge. For instance, cheaper knives with softer steel may lose more of their material when used with this electric knife sharpener. So keep this in mind before buying the EdgeKeeper Electric Knife Sharpener.
Moreover, the EdgeKeeper Electric Knife Sharpener has a coarse grind even on the abrasive discs on the second stage. Considering how inexpensive the electric knife sharpener is, expect that the fine grind won't be able to keep up with its more expensive counterparts. If you want a higher grit rating on the abrasive discs, consider the higher-end models from EdgeKeeper or its competitors.
After-Sales
If you wish to contact the manufacturer for technical concerns, you can send them a message on Amazon. The manufacturer replies may reply within hours or days, depending on the volume of customer service inquiries.
Amazon's return policies on refund and replacement cover the EdgeKeeper electric knife sharpener. You can use the built-in return and refund function on the platform to make warranty claims.
Alternatives
Did the EdgeKeeper electric knife sharpener fail to meet your standards? No worries, there are many similarly priced alternatives in the market. We listed down some of the best ones here for your convenience. So consider the electric knife sharpener below!
Sagler Electric Knife Sharpener
At a very low price of $19.99, the Sagler electric knife sharpener might be the cheapest option in the market. However, there are still compromises with such an affordable price tag. This electric knife sharpener does get the job done, albeit with a few trade-offs. For instance, it lacks sufficient angle guides to ensure sharpening at an ideal angle.
Secura Electric Knife Sharpener
Like the EdgeKeeper electric knife sharpener, the Secura electric knife sharpener features a dual-stage honing and sharpening configuration for maintaining your kitchen knives. In addition, this machine comes with suction feet to keep them from slipping off your glossy kitchen counter. However, you can only use this electric knife sharpener with knives with a non-serrated blade.
Mueller Professional Electric Knife Sharpener
The similarly priced Mueller Professional electric knife sharpener comes in a stylish design. So if looks matter to you, you may consider the Mueller machine. It has a two-stage sharpening system and a convenient metal dust compartment for quick clean-up. It also operates silently because of the machine's solid build and quality, leaving no room for rattling.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are you a first-time electric knife sharpener buyer? Surely, you have some lingering questions in mind. This section answers frequently asked questions new kitchen enthusiasts face.
Are Electric Knife Sharpeners Bad for Knives?
It boils down to the design of your electric knife sharpener. Some electric knife sharpeners take too much from the metal material of the knife blade. This situation is far from perfect and must be avoided. You should only buy good-quality electric knife sharpeners that shave the least amount of material while also rejuvenating the sharpness of your blade.
Is It Fine to Use Electric Knife Sharpeners With Expensive Knives?
If you have Solingen-made knives, buying the best quality electric knife sharpener you can afford is non-negotiable. Such expensive knives have a lifespan that lasts for years. You can keep them in tip-top condition if you sharpen them regularly using an electric knife sharpener equipped with diamond-coated abrasive wheels. Don't let a cheap and substandard electric belt knife sharpener ruin your best blades!
How to Sharpen a Serrated Knife With an Electric Sharpener
Check the instruction manual first. It lists down the do's and don'ts when using the electric knife sharpener. If your machine is not designed to work with serrated blades, it would explicitly say so. Always check the instructional manuals and the warnings on the box before you attempt to sharpen a serrated knife.
How to Use Electric Knife Sharpener
Most electric knife sharpeners are designed and made the same way. Most, if not all, machines have multiple slots for your knife's edge. Depending on the machine, it may come with two slots for each stage of the knife sharpening process. Most machines have two stages, while others come with an extra stage for finishing polish.
First, you have to turn on the machine. Then take out your knife blade and carefully insert it into the proper sharpening slot while following the grooves of the angle guides, if there are any. Next, make a few passes before proceeding to the next sharpening stage. Do the same for the next and final sharpening stages until you get the desired sharpness and polish.
Final Thoughts
Knife sharpening is one of the most neglected tasks in the kitchen. Manual knife sharpening demands time and practice to achieve the perfect razor-sharp edge. However, with the diamond-coated abrasive wheels of electric knife sharpeners, achieving the same results can only be a matter of turning the machine on and making a few passes within a few minutes.
The EdgeKeeper electric knife sharpener offers a compelling value, especially if you consider the price and the features that come with it. Aside from reliable performance and solid build quality, it looks stylish too. So if you are aiming for an Americana-style kitchen interior, this electric knife sharpener is a must-have.
Explore our website so you can keep yourself in the know with the best in knife and other product and brand reviews.
August 16, 2022
