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Sep 15, 2023

Farberware Knife Sharpener review: A smart kitchen tool for home chefs

The Farberware Knife Sharpener uses unique technology to determine the sharpness

The Farberware Knife Sharpener uses unique technology to determine the sharpness of your knives.

Most regular cooks and professional chefs will tell you that one of (if not the) most important tools for cooking is a well-sharpened knife. Not only are dull knives more dangerous and likely to lead to slips and cuts, but a sharp blade makes quick work of nearly any product, from dense butternut squash to tender herbs, without causing damage to the food or your hands.

The general advice is to sharpen regularly used knives every two to three weeks. Frequent sharpening helps maintain the integrity of your blades so they last longer and avoid permanent dings and nicks.

Between full sharpening sessions, you can use a honer or steel to quickly whip your blade into shape just before you start cooking. A few swipes with a steel can help straighten out any minor inflections on the knifepoint, but it's not a replacement for full knife sharpening against a stone.

There are many options when it comes to finding a great knife sharpener, from cheffy whetstones to flashy fully electric machines. But we couldn't ignore the so-called "smart" knife sharpener that's been popping up on TikTok. I’m a chef and recipe developer, so I grabbed Faberware's Two-Stage SmartSharp Knife Sharpener to put it to the test in my own kitchen.

The green LED light indicates when a knife is sharp and good to go.

Though this sharpener does require batteries (3 AAs, not included), the batteries do not power the actual sharpening mechanism like an electric sharpener. Rather, they power a light on the top of the machine.

When you run a knife through the "testing" slot, the light flashes green, red, or yellow to indicate whether the blade is sharp or not. Green means there are no issues, while yellow and red are a sign that your knife has a dull spot. This ability to test your knife makes the sharpener "smarter" than other sharpeners, which provide no feedback as to the quality of your blade.

After testing your blade, you run it through two stages of sharpening. The first slot features a carbide blade, which provides "coarse sharpening." It's followed by the "fine sharpening" slot that better hones the blade. You’ll run the knife through each slot six to 10 times, then rinse and wipe the blade clean (this is very important to remove any metal debris).

Sharpening a dull knife with the Farberware Knife Sharpener.

Though the light-up button is fun to use and it's nice to see your blade transform from yellow or red to fully green after sharpening, there are many ways to tell if your blade is sharp or not. The first one being simply to use it!

Dicing onions, slicing chicken, or chopping herbs will feel clean, smooth, and fast with a sharp knife. A dull knife will slow you down and you might feel the need to saw back and forth on your product. Another way to check your blades is to look at the sharp side under an overhead light. As you move the blade around and view it from various angles, if any points on the knife catch the light or look dented, that's a sign of damage that can most likely be fixed by a good sharpening session.

Aside from the light-up feature, this tool does sharpen knives well and is easy to use. There's no involved set-up and you don't need an electrical outlet. The device is small, compact, and can travel easily. Whether you appreciate the "smart" light insight or not, this is a useful and practical knife sharpener that won't break the bank at $60.

At the end of the day, be sure to keep your blades in tip-top condition with regular sharpening. Though at-home tools like this device from Farberware are great for knife maintenance, it's worth investing in professional sharpening, such as the mail-away service Knife Aid once a year or so to ensure that your knives have a long and productive culinary career.