Knife Set With Sharpener: What the Included Sharpener Is Actually Worth

Most knife sets include a sharpener, but the quality of that sharpener varies enormously. Some sets include a solid honing steel that will keep blades aligned for years. Others include a basic pull-through sharpener that works fine for occasional maintenance. And some include both. The honest answer about whether a knife set with a sharpener is worth buying is: it depends entirely on what the sharpener actually is, and whether it matches the knives in the set.

This guide breaks down the types of sharpeners you'll find bundled with sets, which ones are actually useful, when it makes more sense to buy a sharpener separately, and which sets offer the best overall package.

Types of Sharpeners Found in Knife Sets

Honing Steels (Honing Rods)

A honing steel is the long rod you see in most traditional knife block sets. It does not actually sharpen a blade. It realigns the microscopic teeth on the edge that fold over during regular use. Think of it like combing the edge rather than grinding it.

Honing steel quality matters. A good honing rod has fine grooves or a smooth ceramic surface, works at the right angle, and maintains that effectiveness over thousands of uses. A cheap one can damage edges rather than improve them.

Most German knife sets (Wusthof, Zwilling, Henckels) include a ridged steel honing rod. These work well for German-style blades at 20-degree edges. If you have Japanese knives with harder steel (60+ HRC) at 15-degree edges, ridged steel rods can chip the more brittle edge. For Japanese knives, you want a smooth ceramic rod instead.

Pull-Through Sharpeners

Pull-through sharpeners use V-shaped slots with ceramic rods or tungsten carbide scrapers to put an edge on the blade. You draw the knife through from heel to tip with light pressure.

Ceramic pull-through slots: gentle, produce a decent edge, good for Japanese-style knives. Carbide pull-through slots: aggressive, remove a lot of metal quickly, better for heavily dulled German knives.

Sets at the $50-150 range often include a simple two-slot pull-through. It works. It's not the best tool, but it keeps blades functional without requiring any technique.

Combination Tools (Electric Sharpeners)

A few higher-end sets include a compact electric sharpener rather than a manual pull-through. The Chef'sChoice 4643 is an example sometimes bundled with premium sets. These produce a better, more consistent edge than manual pull-through tools but are more expensive. When I see one bundled with a knife set, it's usually a marketing decision to raise the perceived value of the package.

Which Sets Include Actually Useful Sharpeners?

Wusthof Classic 7-Piece with Honing Steel

Every Wusthof Classic block set includes their 9-inch honing steel. This is a high-quality tool with fine ridges appropriate for the 58 HRC German steel in the set. If you buy a Classic set, you're getting a honing steel worth $30-40 on its own, included in the set price.

The Wusthof steel is appropriate for maintaining the Classic's blades between sharpenings. It won't replace actual sharpening (whetstone or professional service), but it extends the time between sharpenings significantly.

Henckels Classic 15-Piece with Honing Rod

The Henckels Classic set includes a honing rod with fine ridges, similar in function to the Wusthof steel but slightly lighter. For the 57 HRC steel in the Classic knives, it's adequate. My honest take: it's a workable tool but a step below the Wusthof rod in feel and durability.

Sets with Pull-Through Included

Some sets, particularly in the $80-150 range, include a separate pull-through sharpener alongside or instead of a honing rod. Cuisinart 15-piece sets, KitchenAid sets, and some Henckels collections include a basic pull-through.

These work for the softer steel in budget knives. Use them once a month or when you notice cutting performance dropping. They remove more metal than a honing rod, so don't use them every session.

For recommendations on which complete sets offer the best value including sharpening tools, check our best knife set roundup.

When to Buy a Sharpener Separately

If you own or plan to own quality knives (over $100 per knife), I'd strongly recommend buying a dedicated sharpener separately rather than relying on whatever came with the set.

Whetstone (Best Long-Term Option)

A combination whetstone, like a 1000/3000 grit or 1000/6000 grit stone, produces the best edge quality and costs $30-60. The King KW-65 (1000/6000 grit) is a standard recommendation that works well for both German and Japanese knives. Learning to use it takes a few sessions to develop consistent angle control, but once you have the technique, it's the tool you'll reach for for the rest of your cooking life.

Electric Sharpener (Best Convenience Option)

If you want something faster than a whetstone with better results than a pull-through, the Chef'sChoice 316 runs around $50-80 and handles both straight and serrated blades. It's not as precise as a whetstone but produces a better edge than any manual pull-through. Good choice for households with multiple knives in different styles.

Ceramic Honing Rod (Best Daily Maintenance)

Whether or not a ceramic rod came with your set, a smooth ceramic rod (not a ridged steel rod) from Idahone or Spyderco ($30-50) is worth owning separately. Use it before each cooking session for 4-6 light strokes per side and you'll extend time between sharpenings dramatically.

The Real Value Equation

A knife set that includes a honing steel is effectively giving you a tool worth $25-40 at no extra cost. That's legitimately useful.

A knife set that includes a pull-through sharpener is giving you something worth $10-20. Useful for beginners, but something you'll likely want to supplement with a better tool as your cooking frequency increases.

A knife set that includes an electric sharpener is either very expensive (the sharpener alone would justify a higher set price) or the sharpener is a very basic model not worth the marketing emphasis.

The practical advice: if you're comparing two otherwise similar sets and one includes a honing steel while the other doesn't, that's a real value difference. If the extra piece is a cheap pull-through, the decision shouldn't hinge on it.

Our best rated knife sets guide covers specific models where the included sharpening tools are genuinely worth factoring into the decision.

FAQ

Is a honing steel the same as a sharpener? No. A honing steel realigns the blade edge; it doesn't remove steel to create a new edge. You use a honing rod regularly (before or after cooking) to maintain an already-sharp edge. Actual sharpening, which removes steel to create a new bevel, is done with a whetstone or pull-through sharpener.

Can I use the pull-through sharpener that came with my set on any knife? Check the angle. If the set is German-style (20 degrees per side), the included sharpener is calibrated for that. Using it on a Japanese knife at 15 degrees will gradually change the bevel geometry and not produce the best edge. Japanese knives need a 15-degree sharpener or a whetstone.

How often should I use the sharpener in a knife set? The honing rod: before most cooking sessions, 3-6 light strokes per side. The pull-through sharpener: when the knife genuinely stops cutting well, roughly every 4-8 weeks depending on use. Overuse of pull-through sharpeners shortens blade life.

Do knife sets with sharpeners cost more than those without? Sometimes, but not always. The better sets (Wusthof, Zwilling) include a honing steel regardless of price tier because it's a standard part of the package. Budget sets sometimes use the "includes sharpener" claim as a sales point even when the included tool is a basic pull-through.

When shopping for a knife set with a sharpener, focus first on the knives. A great set with a mediocre pull-through is still a great investment. An average set with a fancy electric sharpener is still an average investment. Buy for the steel quality and construction, then evaluate the sharpener as a bonus.