Best Japanese Knife Sharpeners of 2025
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Japanese knife sharpeners are highly sought after by professional chefs and home cooks alike for their precision and efficiency. These sharpeners are designed to hone the blades of Japanese knives, which are known for their exceptional sharpness and durability. With a Japanese knife sharpener, users can restore their blades to their original sharpness and maintain them for long-term use. These sharpeners come in a variety of styles, including electric and manual options, and are made from high-quality materials that ensure they can withstand frequent use. Whether you are a professional chef or a home cook, a Japanese knife sharpener is an essential tool for maintaining your knives and ensuring they perform at their best.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
#TOP 1
9.8
#TOP 2
9.7
#TOP 3
9.5
Top 8 Japanese Knife Sharpeners
ZWILLING Knife Sharpener
The ZWILLING Knife Sharpener is a versatile tool designed for both Japanese and Western blades. With two ceramic grits per side - coarse and fine, it allows you to easily sharpen your knives to achieve the desired level of sharpness. The additional fifth slot is specifically designed for sharpening scissors, making it a convenient tool for all your sharpening needs. The labeled slots and easy-to-use pull-through design ensure a user-friendly experience, even for beginners. The non-slip rubberized bottom provides stability, preventing any accidents while sharpening. The unique safety grip ensures that your fingers stay safely away from the blade, giving you peace of mind. Upgrade your knife sharpening game with the ZWILLING Sharpener.
MITSUMOTO SAKARI 12" Japanese Knife Sharpening Rod
The MITSUMOTO SAKARI Rod is a professional 12" Japanese knife sharpening tool made of high carbon steel with black diamond plating. The streamlined design and ergonomic handle provide a firm grip for easy control. The surface hardness and rust resistance ensure durability. It's lightweight and easy to use, ideal for maintaining and sharpening blades. The flat design allows versatility in sharpening various blade shapes.
MITSUMOTO SAKARI 10" Sharpening Steel
MITSUMOTO SAKARI Steel Sharpener is a professional-grade honing rod designed to sharpen all types of knives. Made of high-quality carbon steel and diamond plating, this honing steel rod is extremely durable and can withstand a hardness of up to 80 HRC. The 10-inch length is perfect for most size knives, and the sword-like design ensures portability without bulkiness. The ergonomic, non-slip ABS handle and all-steel handle guard head provide a comfortable and safe grip while sharpening. With the powerful magnet, metal particles are prevented from being inhaled or falling on food. This honing rod is simple and easy to use, making it perfect for chefs, home cooks, and hunters alike. Daily maintenance is easy, and the honing rod is strictly audited for quality certification and forging.
Japanese Knife Sharpener Whetstone
This Japanese King Knife Sharpener Whetstone is a must-have for knife enthusiasts. It is built to last and can sharpen your knives to perfection with its 6000 grit. It is also a great item to give as a gift to your friends or family who love cooking.
Shun Cutlery Classic Combination Honing Steel 9"
The Shun Cutlery Classic Combination Honing Steel is a professional honing tool that corrects tiny bends in your knife, ensuring the sharpest part of the blade makes contact with food. The stainless steel honing rod has a smooth side for weekly honing and a micro-ribbed side for monthly honing. The handle is made of durable, ebony-finished Pakkawood and has a built-in angle guide to help maintain the perfect honing angle. Inspired by the traditions of ancient Japan, Shun knives are handcrafted by skilled artisans and are of unparalleled quality and beauty.
dretec Foldable Diamond Knife Sharpener
The dretec Knife Sharpener is a must-have tool for anyone looking to maintain the sharpness of their kitchen knives. Made in Japan, it features a diamond grinding stone, allowing you to sharpen various materials like stainless steel and ceramic with ease. Its foldable design means you can store it compactly when not in use, saving valuable kitchen space. Additionally, the non-slip surfaces provide stability while sharpening, ensuring safety and efficiency. This sharpener is lightweight and portable, making it perfect for both home cooks and outdoor enthusiasts.
SENKEN 3-in-1 Kitchen Knife Sharpener
The SENKEN 3-in-1 Kitchen Knife Sharpener offers a universal solution for sharpening all kinds of knives. It includes both fine and coarse slots for sharpening and honing, a slot for sharpening scissors and serrated blades, and supports sharpening angles from 14 to 24 degrees. The COARSE slot sharpens your knives, while the FINE slot hones them.
Matakumi Rolling Knife Sharpener Kit
The Matakumi Knife Sharpener offers an easy way to keep your knives in top shape. With five adjustable angles, you can choose the perfect setting for slicing or chopping, ensuring precision for every task. Its user-friendly design means you can sharpen your blades without the hassle of electricity, making it a convenient tool for any kitchen. Additionally, this sharpener works quickly, getting your knives ready in just minutes, allowing you to save time and focus on your cooking. Plus, its compact size won’t clutter your counter, giving you a space-saving solution for your sharpening needs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I use a knife sharpener on Japanese knife?
No, you cannot use a regular knife sharpener on Japanese knives. Both single-bevel and double-bevel Japanese kitchen knives need to be sharpened by hand on whetstones. This is the only way to restore their original edges and maintain their quality.
2. Why are Japanese knives hard to sharpen?
Japanese knives are harder to sharpen because of their hard steel composition. The hard steel cannot be honed with a regular honing steel, but you can use a ceramic sharpening steel or a Japanese waterstone made by reputable brands like Naniwa, Shapton, or Skerper for the best results.
3. What do most chefs use to sharpen knives?
Most chefs recommend using a whetstone or sharpening stone to sharpen knives. While it requires practice and precision, using a whetstone allows for the least amount of material to be removed from the blade, preserving its quality. Before use, soak the whetstone in water for an hour, then place it on a towel over a cutting board or stable surface.
During our japanese knife sharpener research, we found 24 japanese knife sharpener products and shortlisted 8 quality products. We collected and analyzed 14,175 customer reviews through our big data system to write the japanese knife sharpeners list. We found that most customers choose japanese knife sharpeners with an average price of $52.15.
The japanese knife sharpeners are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of japanese knife sharpeners, including ZWILLING, MITSUMOTO SAKARI, KING, Shun, dretec. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 385 consumers with an average rating of 4.7.
Rebecca Cantu grew up in a family-owned retail store for home and kitchen products. She worked online and gave assistance to people to buy ideal products for their sweet home after graduating from Northwestern University with a marketing degree. She has been writing content for online shopping guides since 2011 with her professional knowledge and natural sensitivity of appliances.