If you’ve invested in good-quality knives and want to keep them in tip-top shape, we can’t recommend Oregon company Work Sharp’s E5 Sharpening System highly enough. Our No. 1 choice for sharpening knives at home, it features a unique timer-driven belt system that works exactly like a professional sharpener’s grinder, putting a fine razor edge on blades without removing too much metal (the problem with other electric grinders). And with three timed settings, you won’t need to worry about under-sharpening or over-sharpening. 

The E5’s grind angle is fixed at an ideal 17 degrees, which falls between acute Japanese blades and thicker western-style blade angles. If you want more specific options when sharpening, we recommend picking up the upgrade kit, which includes guides and extra abrasive belts for further fine-tuning the grind.

*The E5 is available on its own or bundled together with Work Sharp’s M3 Knife Sharpener, which is a classic honing rod made simpler to use.*

• Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.5 x 5.2 inches
• Net Weight: 2.5 pounds

The M3 Knife Sharpener is a manual system that combines the fine ceramic rod from the E5 kit with an interchangeable diamond sharpening rod, which is fully capable of putting a fine edge on any knife. Start sharpening with a few swipes on the diamond rod, following the handle’s angle guides, then switch to the ceramic honing rod for fine tuning. The Microforge pull-through feature built into the handle puts micro serrations into the blade, which is ideal for thick tomato skins and bell peppers—among other tough tasks (which is entirely reversible through resharpening without damage to the edge).

The E5 Upgrade Kit takes the sharpener to the next level with 15 and 20-degree blade angle guides, which are easily swapped out with the E5’s 17-degree angle guides. Fifteen degrees is ideal for high-end Asian knives, which have very acute blade angles; Twenty degrees is ideal for very thick, heavyweight European-style chef’s knives and cleavers, utility knives and pocket knives. The kit also includes four specialty sharpening belts, which allow fine-tuning blade sharpness beyond those included with the E5 system. The easy-to-switch belts are long-lasting, gentle on your knives, and can be stored snugly in an inner compartment of the sharpener when not in use.

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Oregon-based Work Sharp’s newest electric knife sharpener is small enough to fit in a drawer and more economical than other systems, designed for home cooks who want the best for their knives without a learning curve. Using flexible abrasive disks that sharpen knives gently yet produce a fine edge, the E2 is excellent for everyday kitchen knives. Precisely angled guides and automated timing ensure complete and accurate sharpening with no guesswork—simply turn it on and run your knife through. If you camp, craft or garden and have an array of cutlery to sharpen, we also offer an upgraded version of the E2 with a second speed, stronger motor and knife guide for sharpening anything from pocket knives to cleavers—you won’t find a more useful investment in your kitchen.

• Upgraded model features additional guide for pocket knives, two speeds, and upgraded motor for thicker blades.
• Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.4 x 4.5 inches
• Net weight: 1.75 pounds

Christopher Kimball partnered with Zwilling J.A. Henckels to produce three everyday knives that meet the needs of every home cook. Manufactured in Albacete, Spain—where Henckels has been making knives since the 18th century—these knives feature comfortable, midsize polymer handles and tough high-carbon stainless steel that will hold an edge and resist rust. (To preserve the blade’s edge, we strongly recommend hand washing and drying.) They are constructed from German stainless steel with a forged one-piece design and triple-rivets in the handle.

The largest knife in the set is the Christopher Kimball 7-Inch Chef's Knife, an all-purpose knife designed for just about anything shy of heavy-duty butchery. Its thin blade is taller than a typical chef’s knife, which makes it easier to rest the flat side of the blade against your knuckles while slicing, substantially improving comfort and safety. The heel of the blade is scalloped, so you can bring up your fingers for a good grip on the blade for precision work. Its pointed tip is excellent for breaking down meats and a slightly curved blade for rocking, while its width makes it great for slicing and smashing ginger coins and garlic cloves.

Our mid-sized 5.5-Inch Serrated Utility Knife has a unique edge that is only available on this knife and guaranteed to cut through anything and everything. It's especially useful if you're among the 70% of home cooks that don't sharpen their knives, as the micro-serrated blade will hold an edge without maintenance for ages. And for small to medium jobs, our 4-Inch Paring Knife is the perfect size and features a Japanese-style, acutely pointed kiritsuke tip, which is designed for easy piercing and fine detail work. It’s our go-to tool for mincing shallots, coring fruit and peeling garlic.

4-inch paring knife
Weight: 4.8 ounces
Dimensions: Blade: 4 inches | Handle: 4 inches

5.5-inch serrated prep knife
Weight: 6.4 ounces
Dimensions: Blade: 5.5 inches | Handle: 4 inches

7-inch cook’s knife
Weight: 11.2 ounces
Dimensions: Blade: 7 inches | Handle: 4.5 inches

Material: Forged German stainless steel
Care: Hand-wash only. Rinse and dry immediately.

8 inch Chef Knife: Literally translated as “cow sword,” this 8-inch Japanese gyuto from Kikuichi is an analogue to the European chef’s knife and is designed for any and every kitchen task. Lighter, leaner and more nimble than Western-style knives, gyutos are as thin as possible—without sacrificing rigidity—and feature a more acute blade angle for cleaner, crisper slicing. These 8-inch knives are designed for any and every kitchen task. We love the gentle curve to the blade shape for mincing and the bolster-less design, which makes thorough sharpening easier and the overall weight of the knife lighter.

5 inch Petty Knife: If you’ve only ever used small, Western-style paring knives, Kikuichi’s 5-inch petty knife will feel revelatory. Japanese knives are lean, durable, and more precise than their Western counterparts. The extra length and taller blade on this knife makes it more adept than shorter knives for a broader range of tasks, yet it is still incredibly lightweight for better control. This is the ideal picnic or camping knife; it is also great for everything from dicing small vegetables to breaking down roasts for stew meat or making sandwiches for school lunches.

Family-owned Kikuichi is the oldest continuous knife maker in Japan and uses methods from the samurai era, inherited from imperial blade-maker Shiro Kanenaga through four generations. Each of their products is made in the Japanese tradition, with the finest attention to detail is given to every step in the knife-making process. We partnered with the company to bring you this knife with a custom-colored handle; we love the visibility the pop of orange provides, making the knife easy to locate on a cluttered counter or in the dish drain. (But please don’t put them in the dishwasher, which will damage high-quality knives.)

• Weight: 5" Petty Knife: 3.42 ounces | 8" Chef Knife: 6.42 ounces
• Blade Material: AUS10 Molybdenum High Carbon stainless steel, HRC 59
• Handle Material: Resin
• Care Instructions: Always hand wash and dry knives. 
• Bevel Angle Ratio: 50:50

Literally translated as “cow sword,” this 8-inch Japanese gyuto from Kikuichi is an analogue to the European chef’s knife and is designed for any and every kitchen task. Lighter, leaner and more nimble than Western-style knives, gyutos are as thin as possible—without sacrificing rigidity—and feature a more acute blade angle for cleaner, crisper slicing. These 8-inch knives are designed for any and every kitchen task. We love the gentle curve to the blade shape for mincing and the bolster-less design, which makes thorough sharpening easier and the overall weight of the knife lighter.

Family-owned Kikuichi is the oldest continuous knife maker in Japan and uses methods from the samurai era, inherited from imperial blade-maker Shiro Kanenaga through four generations. Each of their products is made in the Japanese tradition, with the finest attention to detail is given to every step in the knife-making process. We partnered with the company to bring you this knife with a custom-colored handle; we love the visibility the pop of orange provides, making the knife easy to locate on a cluttered counter or in the dish drain. (But please don’t put them in the dishwasher, which will damage high-quality knives.)

• Weight: 6.42 ounces
• Blade: AUS10 Molybdenum High Carbon stainless steel, HRC 59
• Bevel Angle Ratio: 50:50
• Handle: Resin
• Care Instructions: Always hand wash and dry knives. 

The folding knife is Opinel's bread and butter, and the flagship No. 8 size has been produced virtually unchanged since 1890. Its 3.25-inch blade is made of high-grade Swedish Sandvik steel that holds an edge well, tunes up easily on any sharpening device and is thin enough to slice beautifully through delicate foods. We especially love the French company's ingenious “virobloc” collar-style lock, which firmly holds the blade in place by twisting sideways—it's far easier to use than most any other locking-blade knife and basically removes any risk of the blade folding onto exposed fingers. And the contoured wood handle nestles perfectly into the palm for firm control, making it a terrific choice for close hand work, like peeling garlic cloves or slicing apples. You'll want to use this knife everywhere, whether it's for breaking down boxes, cutting herb and flower stems or for all of your slicing needs on a camping trip.

• Dimensions: Total: 7.5 inches | Blade: 3.25 inches
• Material: Blade: 12C27 Sandvik stainless steel | Handle: Beech wood
• Place of Origin: France