Presto EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener: A Practical Review

The Presto EverSharp is one of the most commonly recommended electric knife sharpeners for home use, and for good reason. At around $25-35, it's accessible, easy to use, and produces usably sharp edges without requiring any technique. If you've been wondering whether it's the right sharpener for your knives, this guide covers how it works, what it does well, where it falls short, and how it compares to other sharpening methods.

The short answer: for German-style stainless steel kitchen knives and for home cooks who want a simple maintenance routine, the Presto EverSharp delivers good results at a low price. It has real limitations for harder Japanese steel and precision sharpening, but as a practical home tool it's honest and useful.

How the Presto EverSharp Works

The Presto EverSharp is a two-stage electric sharpener. The knife blade is drawn through slots with rotating abrasive wheels that remove steel and shape the edge. The two stages serve different purposes:

Stage 1 (Coarser): Aggressive sharpening that repairs dull or damaged edges. The abrasive in this stage removes more steel per pass.

Stage 2 (Finer): Edge finishing that refines and polishes the edge created in Stage 1. Produces a smoother final edge.

Most sharpening sessions involve 2-3 passes through Stage 1 followed by 1-2 passes through Stage 2. For very dull knives, more passes through Stage 1 are needed before finishing in Stage 2.

The wheels are pre-set to sharpen at 20 degrees per side, which is the standard angle for German-style kitchen knives. You don't need to set an angle or develop consistent technique. Just draw the knife through straight.

What It Sharpens Well

German-style stainless steel: The Presto EverSharp was designed for German-style kitchen knives at 56-60 HRC, and it performs well for this purpose. Wüsthof, Henckels, Victorinox, Cuisinart, Calphalon, and similar knives all sharpen well with this system.

Mid-range stamped knives: Budget sets in soft stainless steel sharpen quickly and effectively. These knives are often the ones that benefit most from easy, frequent sharpening.

Serrated knives: The Stage 2 slot on some Presto models includes a serrated knife stage. This doesn't re-cut the serrations (which requires specialized tools), but it does hone the flat face of serrated blades to improve their cutting performance.

For context on how electric sharpeners compare to other sharpening methods and which knife sets benefit most from easy maintenance, the Best Knife Set guide has relevant information, and Best Rated Knife Sets covers sets with the best long-term value including maintenance considerations.

Where It Falls Short

Hard Japanese Steel

The Presto EverSharp is not appropriate for Japanese knives with steel hardness above 60 HRC. There are two problems:

Wrong angle: Japanese knives use 15 degrees per side (or sometimes asymmetric bevels like 70/30). The Presto sharpens at 20 degrees. Using it on a Japanese knife changes the edge geometry away from what the knife was designed for.

Potential chipping: The abrasive wheels can be aggressive on very hard, brittle steel. Hard Japanese steel can chip rather than sharpening cleanly when drawn through carbide or coarse abrasive sharpeners.

If you own Shun, MAC Professional, Miyabi, Tojiro DP, or similar hard Japanese knives, use a whetstone or a Japanese-specific sharpening system rather than the Presto.

Metal Removal Rate

Electric pull-through sharpeners remove more steel per pass than a whetstone. This isn't noticeable in any single use, but over years of monthly sharpening, an electric sharpener shortens the blade measurably faster than whetstone work. If you want knives to last 20+ years, a whetstone extends their life.

Edge Quality Ceiling

A whetstone in skilled hands produces a more refined, sharper edge than any pull-through electric sharpener. The Presto's edge is good enough for most home cooking, but it's not at the level of a properly sharpened edge on a whetstone. For cooks who use very thin slicing techniques or need precision, the quality difference is perceptible.

How to Use the Presto EverSharp Effectively

Lighter pressure is better: Let the knife's weight draw it through the slot. Heavy downward pressure doesn't sharpen faster; it increases metal removal without a proportional benefit to edge quality.

Consistent speed: Draw the knife through at a slow, consistent speed. About 3-4 seconds per pass is right. Rushing produces uneven contact.

Maintain the natural angle: Keep the knife vertical as you draw it through. Tilting to one side produces an asymmetric edge.

Fewer passes than you think: New users often over-sharpen. For a knife that's just slightly dull, 2-3 passes through Stage 1 and 1 pass through Stage 2 is often sufficient. For a very dull knife, work up to 6-8 passes through Stage 1.

Clean the knife after sharpening: Metal shavings collect on the blade during sharpening. Rinse and wipe the blade before cutting food.

Alternatives and How They Compare

Chef'sChoice 4643 or similar multi-stage electric sharpener (~$40-60): More stages, better edge quality, still easy to use. Worth the extra cost for people who sharpen regularly.

Manual pull-through sharpeners (~$10-25): Cheaper but more user-controlled. The AccuSharp and similar manual tools work similarly to the Presto but without the motor. Results are comparable; preference is personal.

DMT DiaFold diamond sharpener (~$30): A diamond-coated fold-out rod that sharpens with more precision than any pull-through. Requires technique but produces better results. Good for cooks willing to learn.

KME or Edge Pro whetstone systems ($100+): For serious knife enthusiasts who want precision sharpening without full whetstone technique learning. Holds the knife at a fixed angle while you use the stone.

Whetstone ($20-60 for a quality combination stone): The most rewarding and best-quality option. Requires learning proper technique, which takes several sessions to develop. Once learned, produces the best edges and removes the least metal per sharpening.

FAQ

Will the Presto EverSharp damage my good knives?

For German-style knives (Wüsthof, Henckels, Victorinox), it will sharpen them reliably without damage. For hard Japanese knives, use a whetstone instead. For any knife, the Presto removes slightly more steel than a whetstone would, which is a long-term consideration over many sharpenings.

How often should I use the Presto EverSharp?

For a home cook who uses their knife daily, sharpen every 4-8 weeks. If you also hone with a honing rod before each use, you can extend to 8-12 weeks between sharpenings.

Is a honing rod and the Presto together a complete maintenance system?

Yes, for German-style knives. The honing rod realigns the edge between sharpenings, and the Presto restores the edge when honing no longer helps. Together they cover all routine maintenance.

Can the Presto EverSharp sharpen scissors?

Some Presto models include a scissors slot. The effectiveness is limited, basic scissors benefit, but quality scissors with complex grinds need a dedicated scissors sharpener or professional service.

The Bottom Line

The Presto EverSharp does exactly what it advertises for the knives it's designed for: easy, effective sharpening of German-style stainless steel kitchen knives. At the price, it's an excellent value for households that use soft to medium-hardness knives and want a simple maintenance routine. Know its limits (no hard Japanese steel, no precision edge), and it's a reliable kitchen tool that keeps your knives working well with minimal effort.