Best Knife Sharpeners NZ — Complete Buying Guide (2026)

A sharp knife is a safe knife. Whether you're a home cook, a professional butcher, or a keen fisherman, keeping your blades razor-sharp makes every cut easier, cleaner, and safer. Here's our guide to the best knife sharpeners in New Zealand.

Types of Knife Sharpeners

Electric Knife Sharpeners

The fastest, easiest option. Feed the blade through motorised abrasive wheels and you're done in seconds.

• Best for: Home kitchens, anyone who wants fast results without technique
• Pros: Quick, consistent, no skill required
• Cons: Can remove more metal than hand sharpening, not ideal for Japanese knives
• Top pick: Chef'sChoice sharpeners with 3-stage systems — coarse, fine, and stropping

Rolling Knife Sharpeners

A newer design that rolls along the blade edge. Great angle control without the learning curve.

• Best for: Kitchen knives, anyone who struggles with maintaining a consistent angle
• Pros: Easy to use, good results, gentle on blades
• Cons: Limited to certain blade shapes

Sharpening Steels & Honing Rods

Steels don't actually sharpen — they hone (realign) the edge. Use between sharpenings to keep your knife performing at its best.

• Diamond steels — Actually remove metal. True sharpening.
• Ceramic steels — Fine honing and light sharpening.
• Regular steels — Honing only. Realign the edge.

Browse our sharpening steels — 23 options including Cambrian, Flugel, and diamond steels.

Whetstones & Sharpening Stones

The traditional method — and still the best for precision. Soak the stone, hold the blade at the correct angle, and work through the grits.

• Coarse (200-400 grit) — Repair chips, re-profile edges
• Medium (800-1000 grit) — General sharpening
• Fine (3000-6000 grit) — Polishing and finishing

Browse our sharpening stones — 70 options including diamond, ceramic, and natural stones.

Diamond Sharpeners

Diamond-coated plates and rods are the hardest abrasive available. They cut fast and work on everything — including ceramic knives and scissors.

Browse our diamond sharpeners.

Which Sharpener for Which Knife?

Sharpening Tips

• Hone before every use — A few strokes on a steel keeps the edge aligned
• Sharpen when honing stops working — Usually every few weeks for kitchen knives
• Consistent angle matters most — More important than pressure or speed
• Test sharpness — A sharp knife slices paper cleanly or catches your thumbnail

Shop Knife Sharpeners at Action Outdoors

Browse our full range of knife sharpening tools — 56 options. Call 09 820 8023.