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11 Best Honing Steel Reviews
A few years ago, my husband and I moved into a new home with a gorgeous kitchen with lots of space. I couldn’t wait to fill it with gadgets. Knowing my affinity for great prepping knives, my mother-in-law purchased an expensive knife block that had sharpening steel included. I was elated.
When I was looking over the brochures that came with my new knife set, I saw the sharpener was honing steel. The best honing steels are rods of ceramic, steel, or diamond-coated steel used to re-align knife blade edges.
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- Can use on kitchen and hunting knives
- Comfortable handle is ergonomically sound
- Rebalances dull knives and tools
Honing steels are often called knife sharpeners, but they don’t technically sharpen knives. Instead, they gently bend the blade’s edge back toward the center of the knife while shaving only a small amount, if any, of the knife’s metal away from the blade. Even though many chefs refer to these rods as sharpeners, it’d be more accurate to call them straighteners.
After using a honing steel, your knife will seem sharper than it was because it’s been rebalanced. If you want the job done right, get a Kota Japan 12 in. Diamond Carbon Steel Professional Knife Sharpener Rod.
Top 11 Best Honing Steel Reviews
Kota Japan 12” Diamond Carbon Steel Professional Knife Sharpener Rod is a great kitchen tool for casual and professional chefs. The rod is ergonomically designed to be lightweight, comfortable, and sturdy all at once.
Use it on your chef’s knife, paring knife, or veggie slicer to realign the blades. Watch as your dull blades come back to life. Effortlessly slice tomatoes and test your blade’s sharpness on pieces of paper. You won’t believe the difference.
Your blades will look and feel new. This gritty honing steel works aggressively on your blade, so your knives don’t have to be sharpened with every use. The 12” long rod enables diverse usage with any blade, allowing you to bring balance back into your kitchen.
Who Should Get This?
This is an excellent item for anyone who uses their favorite kitchen knives daily. It wears with regular use, but the price point is ideal for the job it does.
Pros
- Knives are sharp and well balanced after use
- Can be used on combat knives and swords
- Oval shape creates higher sharpening efficiency
- The elegant design is attractive but sturdy
- State-of-the-art manufacturing ensures precision
Cons
- Diamond coating on steel wears off quickly
- Aluminum alloy isn’t as strong as stainless steel
The 10” Honing Steel Knife Sharpening Steel Sharpening Rod is an excellent product for the money. The low price point is the beginning of the benefits this great rod can offer. The narrow handle is ergonomically designed, making it comfortable in larger hands as well as smaller ones.
This rod’s durability is unquestionable, and it’s easy to clean with just a towel soaked in cooking oil. You can wipe it down with water and hang it to dry as well. Prevent rusting by not putting it in your dishwasher.
Use this blade sharpener on your cleavers, Japanese, and carbon knives to make your home kitchen feel like a professional, restaurant-grade one-stop chopping shop.
Who Should Get This?
The 10” Honing Steel Knife Sharpening Steel Sharpening Rod is a great kitchen tool for casual home chefs who don’t have many expensive knives to sharpen or balance.
Pros
- Easy to use either right- or left-handed
- Sharp blades aren’t damaged by carbon steel material
- The ergonomic handle is comfortable and slip-resistant
- Convenient hook lets you hang it within reach
- Rod is easy to clean, easy to store
Cons
- Shorter rod doesn’t accommodate all knives adequately
- Rod does not sharpen dull knives
Get your favorite knife ready for your Holiday meal with the Noble Home & Chef Professional Knife Steel. This professional-grade honing steel sharpens your blades, giving you an edge when you start slicing brisket, white and dark meat.
The chromium-plated rod is easy to clean with a rag and water, and you don’t have to worry about corrosion because the steel isn’t exposed to air. If you plan on sharpening many knives, toss your steel into the dishwasher to remove any residual metal particles from your knives.
Who Should Get This?
Noble Home & Chef Professional Knife Steel is perfect for professional chefs. If you love your knives and want to take care of them, this is the tool for you.
Pros
- Made of high-quality, hardened carbon steel
- Chromium-plated to prevent rust and corrosion
- Dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning after each use
- Magnetized rod prevents metal particles from entering air
- Elegant design makes any kitchen look classy
Cons
- Some models don’t appear to be magnetized
- Price point may turn off some sporadic users
The Utopia Kitchen 12” Honing Steel is the perfect honing steel for professional chefs who don’t have time to waste taking care of their knives. If you want a dependable tool that will never let you down, is easy to take care of, and can take a beating, then this is the honing steel for you.
Feel free to beat up your blades day after day because this honing steel is your arsenal to get them realigned for perfect balance. When you’re done using it, simply wipe it clean with a wet cloth and hang it from its handy hook to dry.
Your cuts of beef are easier to carve, your veggies slice and dice faster than ever after using a knife that’s been balanced by this honing steel.
Who Should Get This?
Anyone with standard or serrated knives that need sharpened appreciates the Utopia Kitchen 12” Honing Steel. It works on steel and ceramic blades to lessen your time spent sharpening knives.
Pros
- Sharpens kitchen, household, combat, pocket, and hunting knives
- Longer chef knives are accommodated with rod length
- Ergonomic handle works left-or right-handed
- Rubber bottom is slip-resistant, offering safety from accidents
- Use an oil-soaked towel to clean, hang to dry
Cons
- Cannot be put into the dishwasher
This 12” rod outdoes its 10” counterparts with more than just length. Larger, longer blades will appreciate the extra 2” of the rod, but the carbon steel craftsmanship is unrivaled by any other material. It’s sturdy, durable, and can take a beating in any kitchen setting.
The Best Professional Carbon Steel Knife Sharpening Steel rests comfortably in your hand to prevent fatigue while in use. The rod is magnetized, so any metal shed during the honing process is automatically drawn back to the rod instead of dissipating into the air to be breathed in later.
No matter if you’re left-handed or right-handed, this sharpening rod does a great job of realigning your blades to make them more efficient in your kitchen.
Who Should Get This?
Any home chef with a set of knives that need sharpened can appreciate this honing steel’s low price point. Your knives will feel more balanced in your hands immediately.
Pros
- Hook makes honing steel easy to hang
- 12” rod makes maintaining sharp knife edges easy
- Wipes clean with a damp cloth
- Professional chefs enjoy comfortable handle
- Made of carbon steel, coated in nickel-chrome
Cons
- Does not work well with serrated knives
- Handles tend to break easily
Honing Steels need to be durable and reliable no matter if they’re in a professional kitchen or in your own home. That’s why Wusthof Honing precision-engineered its 9” honing steel to keep your knives sharp, balanced, and ready for any job no matter where you are.
For over 200 years, chefs have trusted the steel crafted by Wusthof. It’s comfortable in your hand during use and can stand the test of time with resistance to rust and other corrosion.
This item’s lifetime warranty is one of the best features, so you can rest assured that your German-made honing steel is the best available.
Who Should Get This?
Wusthof Honing delivers a quality product that’s reliable in any environment for individuals who love their knives as sharp and balanced as they can be.
Pros
- Durable tool resists corrosion, rust, and dullness
- The family-owned company has an excellent reputation
- Steel is magnetic for safety and protection
- Sharpens your scissors, knives, and cutters safely
- The handle is slip-resistant and bolstered for safety
Cons
- The short rod is only 9” long
- The handle can break with overly aggressive use
Extend the life of your knives by using this 9” HENCKELS Fine Edge Pro Sharpening Steel. This well-designed knife sharpening tool features a heavy, polyurethane handle that is comfortable in your hand. You don’t have to worry about a lot of fatigue in your hands or fingers when using this tool because it carries all the balance you might need when you’re honing your blade.
This steel is an excellent addition to any kitchen or knife block. Cut down on your professional knife sharpenings by protecting your blade from dullness and damage. If you’ve never used steel to improve your knife blade, don’t worry. There’s an instruction page included that shares ideas on technique. It’s great for beginners and professionals.
Who Should Get This?
Best for use with everyday kitchen knives that see a lot of action, this honing steel will realign your blades efficiently without contributing to hand, finger, or wrist fatigue.
Pros
- Polyurethane handle is comfortable and slip-resistant
- Keeps knives sharp between professional sharpenings
- Can be used as often as you like
- High-quality stainless steel
- Weight is centered in handle for balance
Cons
- 9” long rod too small for some people
- Best used with inexpensive knives
The Shun Classic Combination Honing Steel works to keep your knives working their best. An excellent option for professional or home kitchens, this steel makes your job of cutting, chopping, slicing, and dicing more effortless than ever. Butcher your meat with precision and ease, clean your knife, and switch to more delicate foods like vegetables and herbs.
Crushing garlic is easy, and you’ll never have to worry about cutting yourself since your knife glides gently across your cutting board. The design of the honing steel itself is elegant and balanced. The pakkawood handle is painted black, making it look professional, but is comfortable to grip. The built-in angle works with Shun knives, making this a great companion for the brand’s blades.
Who Should Get This?
A Shun Classic Combination Honing Steel is a terrific gift idea for the professional chef who loves their Shun knife set enough to take proper care of them between uses.
Pros
- Regular honing protects blade when it slices
- Cut and chop with more precision after use
- So effective, it needs to be used just once a week
- Great for gifting any time of year
- Pakkawood handle is comfortable, easy to grip
Cons
- Rod is 9” long
- Some users don’t care for the model’s lightweight design
The Shun Kanso 9” Combination Honing Steel is manufactured at the Shun Seki City headquarters in Japan. There’s a 10-step handcrafting process that has become a tradition for creating Shun blades and honing steel.
In Japanese culture, the word shun refers to the point at which food is at its peak quality for taste, texture, and preparedness. This high-performing steel can be relied on time after time to rebalance your blades between professional sharpening. Cutting everything from bread to bone becomes effortless when using knives sharpened by Shun Kanso 9” Combination Honing Steel.
Who Should Get This?
Shun Kanso 9” Combination Honing Steel is a perfect match for anyone already using a Shun Kanso knife or set of knives. The guide on the handle keeps blades sharp.
Pros
- Extend the time between professional sharpenings
- Premium steel is more effective than European steel
- Realigns micro bends in blades to rebalance them
- Peeling, slicing, chopping, cutting becomes much easier
- Use smooth surface daily, ribbed for weekly honing
Cons
- 9” length may be too short for some knives
- Extended use will break down honing steel
The Victorinox Swiss Army Cutlery Swiss Classic Fibrox Honing Steel is at 10” long sharpening steel with a comfortable grip and easy handling balance. The chrome-plated steel helps professional chefs to gently roll their knife blades back into the correct position between sharpenings. Taking this action ensures your blades are sharp enough to cut through tough cuts of beef and delicate tomatoes with ease.
Victorinox stands by its quality standards by offering a lifetime guarantee with all of its products. Any defects or flaws in material or craftsmanship automatically gets replaced. It’s easy to choose to purchase a Victorinox honing steel with that kind of promise. Bring dull knives back to life with this steel.
Who Should Get This?
The Victorinox Swiss Army Cutlery Swiss Classic Fibrox Honing Steel is great for daily use with pocket knives, kitchen knives, or hunting knives. This model is for any blade that needs to be rebalanced, not sharpened.
Pros
- Steel is designed and expertly crafted in Switzerland
- Classic Swiss handle painted black, offers comfortable grip
- The chrome-plated stainless steel rod is 10” long
- Regular use of honing steel extends blade life
- Wipes clean with soapy rag, pat completely dry
Cons
- 10” rod is too short for longer knives
- Some users don’t care for the ridging on rod
Sharpen your most expensive knives once they have become dull or blunted using the 12” Diamond Honing Steel. It works great on kitchen knives, pruning shears, scissors, paper cutters, or anything with a blade that’s seen a lot of use and needs some sharpening.
This honing steel is designed with heavy use in mind. It’s durable, so feel free to use it every week or every day. Any time you find a blade that needs sharpened, the 12” Diamond Honing Steel is ready to breathe new life into it.
The handle is designed with ergonomics in mind. This design emphasizes comfort and safety, ensuring great results each time. Taking care of it is easy: Prevent rust by patting dry.
Who Should Get This?
The 12” Diamond Honing Steel is ideal for professional chefs who want to take extra special care of their favorite knives. It’s comfortable in your hand and protects against fatigue.
Pros
- 12” rod lets you use vertical honing method easily
- Gives your dull knives the sharpest edge ever
- The slip-resistant handle is also ergonomic
- Diamond coating makes knives very sharp, improving performance
- Easy to clean, pat dry if it’s wet
Cons
- Diamond coating may not last
- Higher price point can turn off first-time buyers
Final Verdict: Best Honing Steel For Your Money
There are many options available for honing steel, and things to consider include material and length. The best one for any kitchen, home or professional, is the Kota Japan 12 in. Diamond Carbon Steel Professional Knife Sharpener Rod.
This rod is strong and dependable. It’s not heavy and feels comfortable and sturdy in your hand. The 12” length is perfect for honing most larger kitchen knives, making it perfect in most kitchens.
