Chef's Choice Model 15XV 3

As a former chef, I’ve long known the value of a sharp knife. So naturally I leapt at the chance to assess eight knife sharpeners in my own kitchen as part of Consumer Reports’ Outside the Labs program. I sized up each sharpener by repeatedly dulling then re-sharpening two of my favorite knives from our recent test: The J.A. Henckels Forged Premio 8-Inch Chef's Knife, which is a German-style knife, and the Global G-2 8-inch Chef's Knife, a Japanese blade.

Our priciest sharpener was the Chef's Choice Model 15XV 3-Stage Professional Electric Knife Sharpener, which sells for about $148. It was also my favorite. The Chef's Choice Model 15XV is second to none when it comes to easy, complete sharpening. It removes most of the guesswork, helps you maintain a perfect angle, and it can sharpen pretty much any knife you’ll ever own—even serrated bread knives or sushi and sashimi knives, which are sharpened on only one side. The Chef's Choice is designed to sharpen every straight-edged knife to a precise 15-degree angle, which is something of a sweet spot for most new knives. Our German-style Henckels knife, which came factory sharpened to 15 degrees, emerged feeling even sharper than it was out of the box. The Global knife also emerged exceptionally sharp.

If you have a lot of older German knives, which may have come factory sharpened to 20 degrees, the Chef's Choice can even grind the blade down to 15. (The brand also makes other similar sharpeners specifically designed to accommodate older-style knives that come factory sharpened to 20 degrees.)

The 15XV has three sharpening stages. Stage one is a coarse grind, designed to re-shape the blade. The directions indicate you should use it for about a minute the first time you sharpen any knife with the tool. Stage two sharpens and refines the edge—a few passes on each side are plenty once you’ve used stage one. Stage three polishes the edge to get it razor sharp, and it's also safe for serrated knives.

There's no setup, no cleanup, and no stress. The 15XV perfectly guides the blade against the internal sharpening stones, humming along as it works, leaving you with a razor-sharp knife in under a minute. Some of the more cumbersome sharpeners take 5-10 minutes just to set up.Where to buy: Amazon, Sur La Table, Walmart

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This product evaluation is part of Consumer Reports’ "Outside the Labs" reviews program, which is separate from our laboratory testing and ratings. Our "Outside the Labs" reviews are performed at home and in other native settings by individuals, including our journalists, with deep subject matter experience or knowledge and are designed to offer another important perspective for consumers as they shop. While the products or services mentioned in this article may not currently be in CR's ratings, they might eventually be tested in our laboratories and rated according to an objective, scientific protocol.

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Paul Hope

Paul Hope is a senior multimedia content creator at Consumer Reports and a trained chef. He covers ranges, cooktops, and wall ovens, as well as grills, drills, outdoor power tools, decking, and wood stains. Before joining CR in 2016, he tested kitchen products at Good Housekeeping and covered tools and remodeling for This Old House magazine. You’ll typically find him in his old fixer-upper, engrossed in a DIY project or trying out a new recipe.