Product Description
Chef'sChoice Edgecraft 120 Electric 3 - stage Sharpener offers FAST, FOOLPROOF results! 100% diamond abrasives in stages 1 and 2, combined with the unique stropping and polishing in stage 3 means hairsplitting results and highly durable edges. The EdgeSelect gives you the choice of optimum edges for gourmet, butcher, sporting and even serrated knives. A cut above the rest! Order yours today! ChefsChoice Edgecraft 120 Electric 3-stage Sharpener
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #1609 in Kitchen & Housewares
* Color: White
* Brand: Chef's Choice
* Model: 120
* Dimensions: 6.20" h x 6.20" w x 12.00" l, 4.70 pounds
Features
* Three-stage precision sharpening
* Works for gourmet chef's knives, butcher knives, sporting knives, serrated knives
* 100 percent diamond abrasive will never detemper
* Unique Trizor-Plus edge provides greater sharpness and durability
* Three-year household warranty
Customer Reviews
Wow, it really works5
I was very suspicious of this guy, but having actually used it I can only recommend it.
We've had one in my house for quite some time. My mother bought it because she is not interested in learning the ins and outs of knife maintenance and read several great reviews of the 120.
I was suspicious, mainly from bad experience with cheezy knife sharpening gadgets, but also because my mom's knives, which had been through the Chef's Choice, always had crappy edges. I had made something of a habit of looking sideways at the Chef's Choice 120 on our kitchen counter.
I finally read one too many good reviews of this product (when I wasn't even looking for them, they just seem to pop up here and there if you read enough about cooking and cutlery), I decided to give it a shot on a Henckel's 5-star Santoku that had lost it's edge. I love the size and shape of a santoku, but it had gotten dull and was superceded by a Kasumi chef's knife I received as a gift. I figured the worst thing that could happen was that a knife I wasn't using would remain unusable.
First off, I Read The Freakin Manual. Do not underestimate the importance of this step. If I had just bought it based on good reviews and ripped open the box, I might have done this, but since I was already suspicious of it, I read through every word of their instructions. If you don't read the manual, the way you assume it works may be wrong (the big mistake might actually be overusing it). More on that later.
Next, before I turned it on, I did a few practice pulls with the power off. Get a feel for pulling the knife through smoothly and evenly. Make sure you keep the knife blade properly aligned with the wheel (i.e. if the knife you're sharpening has a curve, pull in a curve to keep proper contact with the sharpening wheels). Look at a clock, and make sure you're pulling at roughly the speed recommended for your knife's length.
Once I thought I knew how to use it, I made one pull through each side of stage 1. Felt the blade, as per the manual, and I had the burr they said I should feel for. Cool, it seemed to be working. I would recommend doing the burr check, because it does tell you that things are going according to plan. The same test is performed when knife sharpening is done by hand with a stone. After that, one pull on each side in the number 2 slot. Again, I had a burr, things seemed to be going well. Then I made 3 pairs of passes through stage 3, doing the left then right side, as recommended in the manual. Did a cutting test on some veggies. Wow, that thing was SHARP. Definately a better edge than you get from the factory on say, Henckle's or Wusthof's knives. I think my Shun and Kasumi knives were as sharp or sharper from the factory, but this was a nice, sharp, effortless, smooth-cutting edge, and it was equally sharp along the whole length. It's theoretically possible to get a sharper edge, but practically there is nothing left to desire from the edges I get from the Chef's choice, and I will happily be putting that knife back to regular use.
I asked my mom to have a go with the knife, and she was amazed at the edge I got from the same device she'd been using on her knives. It turns out she wasn't using it as recommended by the instructions. For example, she was making multiple pulls on the same side of the knife (you're supposed to alternate, left and then right side), and probably making too many passes. I redid the edges on all our knives, and now they are just awesome. I do feel like I got slightly better results the second and third time I used the machine. Splitting hairs, but it's safe to say it gets better as you get the hang of it. As other reviewers have said, the best thing would be to practice on something inexpensive or throw-away to be absolutely safe. I didn't really have anything that fit that bill, so I just jumped in with a good knife.
So, bottom line is this sharpener can do a very good job, but it's a tool. Like any tool, it needs to be used properly. It may be electric, and it may be a lot easier and faster than a whetstone, but it doesn't have a brain. That's what you're for, so read the manual, make some practice pulls with the power off, sharpen a cheap knife first if you can, and then enjoy. Don't worry about a reviewer who says the thing jams if you try to push the knife against the wheels and thus doesn't sharpen the knife. The manual says not to do that, just use enough pressure to make contact with the wheels.
A Great Sharpener5
I have had this model for some time now, and it has preformed without flaw. This particular model (#120) was highly rated in the last issue of Fine Cooking. There is very little metal loss and the edge is far better than a factory one. I think so much of this that I am buying another one for a birthday gift. You will not be disappointed.
A Useful Kitchen Tool That Could Be Better3
I currently own the professional Chef's Choice model (which I highly recommend, by the way), but previously used this model made for home kitchens (don't let the word "professional" in Amazon's description of this model's title fool you--it's just a gimmick, there is a real professional quality Chef's Choice electric sharpener).
I purchased a Chef's Choice after reading good things about this electric sharpener in "Cooks Illustrated" magazine. It definitely made a world of difference. I was starting with good knifes--Wustof Trident and Henckels--which may have something to do with my success, but the Chef's Choice really does make home sharpening possible, and easy, in my experience. When a knife seems dulls I run it through the whole sharpening process (once every 4-6 months with a high quality knife that gets a fair amount of use), but to keep my knives constantly razor sharp--which is what I really love about the Chef's Choice--I just run them through the second stage a few times as soon as they're washed. That way they're always ready to use.
My only negatives would be ... 1) That I've had no luck sharpening serrated knives (like a bread knife), which the Chef's Choice claims is can do. Because serrated knives hold their edge a LOT longer than other knives, this isn't a major concern for me. To sharpen your serrated knives I suggest taking them to a professional--look under "knife sharpening" or "cutlery" in the yellow pages. It only needs to be done once a year or so and most will do it while you wait for around $3-$5 per knife. 2) My second caveat for the chef's choice is that the "third" stage on this model has little or no effect as far as I can tell. 3) Also, the motor in this model, is a little chintzy, when compared with the far more substantial professional model, which only has two stages by the way. For the money, it should really last longer than three and half years--which is how long by old one ran before conking out.
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