Wusthof knives are not just any old set of knives.
They are an investment.
And you’re here today to find the best knife sharpener to protect your investment.
Here’s my favorite knife sharpener for Wusthof knives at Amazon.
If you’re on a knife’s edge trying to decide which sharpener is right for your Wusthof knives, look no further.
Here at The Kitchen Professor, we geek out on stuff like this, so we’ve brought you the best of the best to help you make the right choice.
| Best Knife Sharpener for Wusthof | Why We Like It | |
|---|---|---|
 | 1. Wüsthof 2-Stage Knife Sharpener | designed to work without oil or water |
 | 2. Wüsthof Precision Edge 4-Stage Knife Sharpener | works on American, European, and Asian knives |
 | 3. Wusthof Electric Knife Sharpener | uses same technology as when your knives are sharpened in the factory |
Wüsthof 2-Stage Knife Sharpener
OK, so you already know that Wusthof makes outstanding knives and sharpeners.
But you might not be in the market for a sharpener with all the bells and whistles. That being said, you still want a sharpener that’ll care for your blades and not ruin them.
If this is you, Wusthof has you covered with their 2-stage knife sharpener.
This sharpener comes out with a course and a fine stage. So it takes care of the sharpening and honing you need for razor sharp blades.
Wusthof has some great videos to show you how to get the best out of your sharpeners. Check out this one to see how easy this 2-stage sharpener is to use.
Honing your blades before each use means you’ll always have what you need to slice and dice like Gordon. For this, the fine ceramic side is your friend.
Tip: For honing your blades you want to hear an even grind when pulling the knife through.
Eventually, you’ll need to sharpen your knife again. And this is where the course carbide side comes in.
You won’t need it very often though.
On average, you can get away with sharpening your knife set twice a year.
Check out this article to find out more about sharpening and honing steel.
Like all Wusthof’s sharpeners, the angles have been factory set at 14 degrees. So you’re guaranteed to get the perfect angle without all the hassle.
This sharpener by Wusthof is a handheld. In comparison to some other handhelds, I think this handle is pretty comfortable.
And I like that it’s designed with a thick, solid base.
Although, the problem I have with handheld sharpeners is they tend to slip and slide around.
Not exactly very safe when you’re working with sharp blades.
But Wusthof has designed this one with a rubber strip on the bottom. And because the base is so chunky it sticks like glue on any kitchen top surface.
So your fingers are safe! I tend to be clumsy, so this is a nice feature in my opinion.
Sharpening knives is not rocket science, but if you do it wrong you run the risk of ruining those expensive Wusthof knives.
The market is filled with knife sharpeners that need oil and water to be effective. And that can cause a huge mess. Not to mention damage to the blades.
I like the fact that this sharpener is designed to work without oil and water. It takes all the headache out of knife sharpening.
Cleaning the sharpener is as simple as a wipe down with a cleaning cloth.
There are a few things I noticed during my research that might be deal-breakers for some folks. So I’ll mention them here…
There was one customer who complained that the carbide and ceramic sharpening stones wear out quickly.
But in all honesty, if only one person complained about this, I think it’s more a case of them using the sharpener incorrectly.
I’m sure the quality of the materials used in this sharpener is the same as that used in their high-end PETec sharpener.
Tip: Avoid applying downward pressure when honing your knife.
Another customer complained that their knives were duller after using the sharpener. But, this usually happens if downward pressure is applied to the knife.
Should You Buy the Wüsthof 2-Stage Knife Sharpener?
If you’re in the market for a sharpener to properly care for and maintain your Wusthof knives. But you’re not bothered about bells.
Then this 2-stage sharpener by Wusthof should be a contender on your list.
It’s well priced and made from high-quality materials you can expect from Wusthof.
It does a great job of honing and sharpening your knives without destroying the blades. And it’s set at the perfect 14° angle.
Wüsthof Precision Edge 4-Stage Knife Sharpener
If you geek out on knives or own a set of Wusthof’s Asian style knives too, this sharpener is for you.
The sharpener is designed with 4 stages.
Two for Wusthof’s European or American style knives. And two for their Asian style knives like the Santoku, Nakiri or Chai Dao sets.
The sides are clearly marked. Black for the European and American style knives. And red for the Asian style blades.
Like other sharpeners in the Wusthof range, you’ll use the fine ceramic side most often.
It’s gentle enough to use on your blades every time before you start cooking. Wusthof even recommends using this side every two hours to keep your blades working perfectly.
The carbide side is used to set a new edge on your blade. It’s only necessary to use the coarse carbide side once a year.
Of course, if you put your knives through their paces often enough you might need to use it twice in a year.
Tip: Use only a small amount of downward pressure when setting a new edge to your knife.
And one of the features I love about this sharpener is Wusthof has factory set the angles for both style knives.
Asian style knives have a perfect angle of 10 degrees. Where the European and American style knives have an angle of 14 degrees.
So there’s no chance of either set of knives getting ruined by setting the wrong edge to the steel.
Which in my opinion is essential. Especially when you consider how much these knife sets cost. They’re not something you want to ruin.
There’s no oil or water needed to use either stage of the sharpener. And cleaning is as simple as a wipe with a damp cloth.
The sharpener is designed especially for Wusthof knives. So I don’t recommend using it on other knife sets.
It could end up damaging the knives. You also run the risk of damaging the sharpener itself. And that, in turn, could damage your Wusthof’s the next time you run them through.
Did you know: the hollow divots on your Asian blades help the food fall off the blade easier?
From my research, I did come across some folks who had complaints.
The majority of them were complaints about the ceramic wearing off. And not being able to set a new edge on a knife.
In terms of the ceramic wearing off…
If the knife is pulled through with any downward pressure it will cause damage to the ceramic.
And when setting a new edge using downward pressure is needed. Also, the blade might need to be pulled through a few times more.
3 or 4 times is only a guideline. If the blade is especially dull you can pull it through 3 or 4 times more.
So, in my opinion, the complaints hold no water. If the sharpener is used incorrectly it won’t give the desired results.
Learn more about knife angles by checking out this definitive guide.
There are loads of videos by Wusthof showing how to use their sharpener correctly. So I don’t see any of these complaints as dealbreakers.
Should You Buy the Wüsthof Precision Edge 4-Stage Knife Sharpener?
If you own a set of Wusthof’s Asian style knives then I say absolutely.
And if you also own a set of their Western knives then getting this sharpener is a no-brainer.
I like my knives to always be at the right angle. But I’m not a fan of all the head work involved in making that happen.
So I think having the angles already set is a big bonus.
I also like that there’s no oil or water needed to get those blades sharp. The less headache the better!
For a sharpener that covers all the bases when it comes to sharpening the different Wusthof blades it comes at a great price too.
And this one has a lifetime warranty too.
Wüsthof Electric Knife Sharpener
This Wusthof knife sharpener is by far one of the Rolls Royces of sharpeners.
It’s designed with Precision Edge Technology. Which is the same tech Wusthof used to sharpen your knives in their factory. And you’ll get a 14° blade angle which is standard with Wusthof knives.
The main feature I love about this sharpener is the 3 different stages. It’s the extra stage that bumps this one up from the regular 2 stage sharpeners.
Running your knives through these stages and you’ll end up with knives as sharp as the day you first laid hands on them.
And you don’t need to use pressure at all when pulling your knives through. Just let them glide through.
Sharpen these knives… I picked the best butcher knives for the money.
If you’re like me, you probably have a kitchen drawer filled with blunt serrated edges. So, you’ll be happy to know that this model works just as well with serrated edges too.
Yup, now you’ll cut through that hot loaf of bread without crushing it to a pulp. And no more squishy tomatoes either!
From my research, I’ve found that this sharpener works just as well with hunting knives. And it does a great job on other knife brands like Shun, Henckles and even those el-cheapo knives we all own.
Also, I like how the blade is sharpened all the way to the heel. This might not matter to some folks, but I like having my blades sharp along the entire length.
The problem with poor quality knife sharpeners is the damage they cause to the blades. This Wusthof sharpener is high-end so you won’t need to worry about marred blades.
This sharpener works only with standard American voltage which is 120.
So you might be wondering about replacement parts…
You shouldn’t need to go replacing any parts for a long time to come. But you’ll be pleased to know the replacement parts are easy to come by.
Tip: To check if your knife is sharp try to slice a piece of paper with it. If it slices a clean edge through the paper, you’re good to go.
To clean your sharpener, just wipe it down with a cleaning cloth. Once a year you’ll need to clean out the metal dust.
If that sounds tricky, it’s not – Wusthof has your back. There are clear instructions in the manual to show you exactly how to do this.
So up to now, I’ve shared everything I like about this sharpener. And there’s a lot to like.
But nothing’s perfect…
From my research, some customers received a sharpener that was DOA. According to one customer Wusthof went out of their way to send out a new sharpener pronto.
I found one customer who complained that the sharpener did a shoddy job on his pocket knives.
But another customer was super happy with the job it did with his pocket knives.
I guess when it comes to sharpening blades other than Wusthof’s it’s all about knowledge. So make sure you do some research beforehand.
Should You Buy the Wusthof Electric Knife Sharpener?
The answer is yes.
It’s a high-end sharpener made by the best in the business. The stages will take your knife from dull and lifeless to razor-sharp and perfectly polished. And, it can sharpen serrated edges too.
If you ever need replacement parts, they are easy to find and it’s got a 3-year warranty too.
I think it’s a good investment of your money. Especially when you think about how much you’ve invested in your knives already.
My Favorite Sharpener for Wusthof Knives
Wusthof’s knife sharpeners are as high-end as their knives are. So it’s not a matter of the best or the worst in choosing one.
But rather about choosing the one right for you.
If you’re after a sharpener that goes the extra mile and polished that razor sharp blade, then the Wüsthof Electric Knife Sharpener is for you.
If you don’t want to compromise on quality but you’re not bothered about a knife that shines like a Samurai sword then the Wüsthof 2-Stage Knife Sharpener will do the job.
But my favorite is the Wüsthof Knife Sharpener. I love how versatile it is. So if you own any of the Asian style knife sets and want to keep them in pristine condition you should go with this one.
Conclusion
Wusthof was founded in Solingen Germany over 200 years ago. They are still a family-owned business today, and each one of their knives is still made in this very city.
And they are known for their passion, diligence, and perfection which can be seen in any of their products.
From their history and reputation, it’s clear that a Wusthof knife set is an investment. These are knives you can pass down from generation to generation.
Finding and using the right sharpener will protect your knives and keep you slicing and dicing like Jamie Oliver, Mario Batali or Bobby Flay.
Now you know all the in’s and out’s so you can make the right choice with confidence and keep those Wusthof knives in mint condition.
