Where would our food be without knives? These powerhouses slice, dice, and julienne our meat, veggies, and other produce, and are an essential component in nearly every step of the cooking process. But even the fanciest blades can lose their edge over time, especially if you use them daily or stick them in the dishwasher (as most of us do!).
The best way to ensure that you keep your knives on point for years to come is by investing in a sharpening stone. There are many different types to choose from: If your blade is super dull, you may want to go with a coarser stone, one that's up to 350 grit. But if your knife is just beginning to lose its slicing power, you may want a fine-grained stone (400-2,500 grit), which will allow you to hone those edges. And if you want to achieve pro-level slicing skills, you’re going to want to opt for a superfine stone with a grit of 3,000 or more.
Knives are your most valuable asset in the kitchen. Keeping them in great shape will help you make better food, faster. Keep the following in mind for the best results:
Grit: The finer the grain of the grit, the sharper your knives will be. If your knives are super dull or if you don’t cook a lot, you don’t need more than a 500 or so grit.
Extras: Some of these stones come with multiple sides and grit options, which is something to keep in mind if you have a lot of different types of knives to sharpen.
Pro-Level: Several of these stones were designed with beginner knife sharpeners in mind, while many others were really meant for aspiring chefs. Keep your skill level and needs in mind before clicking “buy.”
Whether you're in for something for everyday wear and tear or want one that's pro-worthy or for a serious home chef, we've rounded up the best stones for your knives, no matter what state they’re in.
This Sharp Pebble stone is great for those just getting into the sharpening game. This bundled set comes with a nonslip rubber base and a two-sided flattening stone. One side sharpens very dull blades, and the finer-grained side hones their hedge.
The set comes with an e-book that teaches beginners how to safely sharpen their blades. One reviewer says it does “exactly what I hoped,” delivering “sharper” results than previous stones they’d had. Another agrees, saying this stone “restored my ruined knives.”
This three-piece set is perfect for ultra dull knives. The grits include 180 grit, 300 grit, and 400 grit for honing. The diamond rocks quickly sharpen all knives and tools, including ceramic knives.
This trio delivers incredible value for the results and is best lubricated with water and oil. Diamond sharpeners also require less maintenance than other types of stones.
If you want the Rolls Royce of sharpening stones, look no further than this splurgy set. This suits dull knives, pretty darn sharp knives, and everything in between!
The set includes three glass water sharpening stones of different grits, one bamboo sharpening stone sink bridge, one cleaning stone for sharpening stones, and one Bob Kramer sharpening instructional DVD to show you how to use the kit.
Reviewers praise this “high-quality product,” saying “it really works. Yes, it’s expensive, but 20 minutes later, my super dull knife is slicing tomatoes for caprese salad again.”
This set of two double-sided whetstones provides incredible value for the cost. It also comes with a nonslip bamboo base and a knife-sharpening angle guide. We like that the kit also includes an instruction manual to guide you through the best knife-sharpening practices — pretty handy!
This set is suitable for dull knives and those that just need a bit of honing. A reviewer says that this “wonderful” set “will give you an incredible edge on your knives.”
If you're training to be the next Iron Chef, this is the kind of pro-level sharpening you’re going to need. This synthetic ceramic whetstone has an incredibly fine — 10,000-count — grit, allowing you to not just sharpen your knives to an ultra fine point, but change the angle of the blade and repair micro nicks, too.
Reviewers say this stone is “amazing,” but admit “you probably need to be a little bit obsessive to buy this… but it does produce a slightly sharper and more polished edge.”
This super-popular gritstone has an average of 4.8 stars on Amazon and comes with an attractive dressing stone that the sharpener can rest on. This stone is made by a specialty company in Japan with six decades of experience creating sharpeners for industrial and home use.
One reviewer says, “I sharpen knives as a side job and these are my go-to stones with expensive kitchen knives that I wish to give the best treatment.” Another user writes that these stones are “easy to use and work well.”
If you have knives and (a few axes!) to grind, this may be the sharpener for you. This round sharpener is suitable for knives, axes, lawnmower blades, machetes, hatchets, tomahawks, shovels, and more. There is a side for very dull blades and a finer-grit side for blades that need more honing than sharpening.
Reviewers praise this “great” sharpener at an “affordable price.” Another says it “transformed” their “chipped axe into a sharp cutting tool!”
This Norton oilstone gets an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon for its usefulness, durability, and the manner in which it quickly and effectively restores cutting edges. The stone is pre-filled with oil to eliminate the need to presoak the stone prior to use. The aluminum oxide stone is also fracture- and wear-resistant, which makes it stand up to long-term and frequent use.
One reviewer dubs this sharpening stone an “under-appreciated classic,” but adds that they add “a little oil or WD40” to it for super sharpening power. Others say this “tried and true” stone is “SUPER” for “all home sharpeners.”
This diamond stone sharpens fast and uniformly and will last for years. The double-sided monocrystalline surface ensures there is constant and even contact between the blade and the stone, and the two sides offer sharpening for extremely dull blades and honing for knives that are in fairly good working condition.
The stone also comes with a locking bench base so you don’t have to worry about slippage. One reviewer says they “wish [I] got this sooner. It works great!”
This “chef-quality” kit is perfect for anyone with a big set of knives to sharpen. Each kit comes with four stones with different grit counts, suitable for the dullest knife to the most refined blade. It also comes with a no-slip acacia wood base, a knife sharpening angle guide, and a storage case for everything. This kit also comes with a 1-year no-risk guarantee.
One reviewer says this is a “great sharpening system” and “easy to use” even for “beginners.”
Kathleen WillcoxKathleen Willcox is a journalist who writes about parenting, technology, shopping, food and wine.
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