It can be tricky to keep up with all the different Chef’s Choice electric sharpeners. Read our reviews of the various choices and your head might start to spin.
The long and short of it is this… If you’ve got exclusively Asian knives, the 316 is probably for you. If you’ve got exclusively European knives, check out the model 110, model 120 or model 130. Got a mix of both? Then you’ll want the model 1520.
Got all that? Okay, let’s talk about the 316. The 316 is designed to sharpen Asian knives exclusively, since its angle of attack is an aggressive 15 degrees. This closely represents how Japanese knives are typically sharpened, but is steeper than for European knives.
It will handle both single-bevel and double-bevel knives, which is good news since some of the thinnest, sharpest Japanese knives are single-beveled, but the majority of them are double-beveled.
This sharpener will not handle thick Japanese knives, like the Deba knife. For that, take a small step up and seek out the 315S. That model has an adjustable internal spring that allows it to accomodate thicker blades.
The other thing this model doesn’t do is provide a very-fine final stage for that mirror polished, razor-sharp edge. If you want the sharpest edges possible on your Asian knives, step up to the previously-mentioned 1520.
Bottom line? Chef’s Choice makes excellent electric sharpeners — some of the only ones out there that are even worth buying. The 316 is a perfect member of their lineup and does a credible job on Asian Knives.
Find this Chef’s Choice Asian Knife Sharpener:
