Sharp Kitchen Knives: You Should Know These Expert Tips

How often should you sharpen your knives

Every knife loses its edge with use. “When it needs to be resharpened strongly depends on the material and the intensity you are working with,” says Jens-Heinrich Beckmann, managing director of the Cutlery and Household Goods Industry Association in Solingen. “Many professional chefs sharpen their knives every day. In private households, it is usually sufficient to use the sharpener once a week or every 14 days.” However, the more often you sharpen the knife, the less the cutting edge lasts. So just sharpen as soon as the knives are too dull for you.

Knife sharpener: The practical solution for laymen

If you’re not a sharpening expert, you should refrain from using a sharpening stone and settle for a convenient alternative: a manual or electric sharpener. Here the knife is pulled several times and thus sharpened correctly and safely. “You can’t go wrong with that,” Beckmann says. Our partner AllesBeste has also tested knife sharpeners. The short summary of the test winners, price tips & Co. can be found here.

The right cutting mat

In some cases, users are responsible for ensuring that knives do not dull prematurely. “It depends a lot on the cutting base,” Schade explains. “We recommend soft wooden or plastic boards that protect the cutting edge.” Hard glass, marble, or stainless steel bases, on the other hand, are poisonous to knives, no matter how fancy.

Dishwasher or hand wash?

Good knives should always be washed by hand. They have no place in the dishwasher. “They are susceptible to rust there and a rust film can form,” says Beckmann. High temperatures during rinsing are also not beneficial. Knives will dull over time. And cleaning salts can seriously damage the blades.

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