Sharpen Better: Chef’sChoice 1520 AngleSelect Review

Why you should trust this guide

I cook every day and I have lived with dull knives long enough to know how much a good sharpener changes the work. I went into this comparison caring about one thing above all, which is whether a sharpener respects the angle a knife was ground to. A 20 degree German edge and a 15 degree Japanese edge are not interchangeable, and a sharpener that forces everything to one angle slowly destroys the geometry you paid for. That bias shapes every recommendation below.

I researched the stated specifications for each model, read how each brand describes its own stages and abrasives, and matched those claims against what I have seen sharpeners do to my own knives over the years. Where a feature sounds better on paper than it behaves in a real kitchen, I say so. I am not interested in selling you the most expensive machine. I am interested in matching the right sharpener to the knives you actually own.

How we researched

My evaluation centered on four questions. First, what angles can the sharpener produce, and do they match common knife styles. Second, how many stages does it run, since coarse grinding, fine honing, and a stropping or polishing pass each do different work. Third, what abrasive does it use, because diamond cuts hard modern steel cleanly while softer wheels can struggle. Fourth, who is the machine actually for, since a beginner and a Wusthof collector want very different things.

I treated each product’s listed features as its stated specifications rather than numbers I produced myself. I compared angle adjustment, abrasive type, stage count, motor noise, body materials, and warranty across all five, then weighed those against price tier and intended user. The point was not to crown one winner for everyone but to be honest about which knives and which cooks each sharpener suits, and where each one falls short.

Chef’sChoice 1520 AngleSelect

This is the sharpener I reach for most, and it earns that spot mostly because of the AngleSelect switch on top. That switch lets me pick 15 degrees for my Japanese knives and 20 degrees for my German chef knives, which most electric sharpeners simply cannot do. It is a three-stage electric unit that handles straight, serrated, single-bevel, and double-bevel knives, and it runs 100-percent diamond abrasives through coarse and fine stages before finishing on a patented flexible stropping and polishing disk for a microscopically polished edge.

In practice that combination is what took a Wusthof I had let go dull for six months from struggling against tomato skin to slicing paper after three passes per stage. The coarse diamond does the heavy reshaping, the fine diamond refines, and the strop wheel cleans up the burr so the edge feels finished rather than toothy. The knife guides hold the blade steady, which matters when you are committing real steel to a diamond wheel.

The trade-off is size and noise. At roughly 12 by 6 by 6 inches it takes real counter or drawer space, and like most powered diamond sharpeners it is not quiet. It is also priced above the entry-level options here, so if you own only a couple of cheap knives the angle versatility is more capability than you need. For a mixed block of European and Asian blades, though, it is the most flexible machine I compared, and it carries a 3-year limited warranty.

Work Sharp Culinary E5

Work Sharp built the E5 with beginners in mind, and that focus is its strongest selling point. The unit guides you through three pre-programmed stages with light cues and a timer, so you cannot rush a pass or skip a stage the way you can on a more manual machine. It uses flexible sharpening belts rather than fixed wheels, accepts essentially any knife style or brand, and even includes a built-in vacuum to pull metal filings off your counter as you work.

I liked the quiet motor compared to the Chef’sChoice, and the guided sequence makes it genuinely hard to get a bad result your first time out. The flexible belt produced a sharp edge, though the bevel came out slightly toothier than a polished strop finish, which I actually do not mind for tasks like slicing bread or tomatoes where a little bite helps.

The real limitation is the fixed 17 degree angle. It is a sensible compromise that works on most kitchen knives, but it is not ideal for purist Japanese edges that want 15 degrees or tighter, and you cannot dial it in for a German 20 degree bevel either. If your block is a mix of factory edges you are not precious about, that single angle is fine. If you own knives ground to specific geometries you want to preserve, the lack of adjustment is the catch.

Presto 08800 EverSharp

For not much money this little Presto is a fine sharpener for someone with a cheap knife block who just wants edges that cut. It is a simple 2-stage electric system with a fixed 20 degree angle and a plastic body. The Sapphirite wheels, made from the same ultra-hard material used in professional sharpeners, grind a precisely angled edge in the first stage and then fine hone and polish in the second, with precision blade guides holding the knife at the angle for you.

I ran an inexpensive paring knife through it and afterward it cut cleanly through a tomato, which is exactly the bar this product is built to clear. For a first sharpener, for a beginner cook, or for kitchen and sport knives you are not emotionally attached to, it does honest work and costs very little to own.

The limitations are real and worth stating plainly. The abrasives are coarse, there is no angle adjustment, the body is plastic, and it is meant for most non-serrated blades rather than specialty edges. I would not put an expensive Japanese or German knife through it, because the fixed 20 degree grind and aggressive wheels will reshape a finer edge in ways you cannot undo. Treat it as a capable budget tool for budget knives.

Chef’sChoice 4643 ProntoPro

This one is a manual pull-through sharpener rather than a powered unit, but it earns a spot here because it does the job better than many electric options. It uses 100-percent diamond abrasives at both 15 and 20 degree angles, identical to the angles on the 1520, and runs a 3-stage EdgeSelect system that includes an advanced stropping stage. Patented flexible spring guides adjust automatically to hold the blade, so the angle stays consistent even though your hand provides the motion.

Because it needs no power, it is excellent for travel, a camping kitchen, or a drawer you want to keep simple. It is well suited to converting traditional 20 degree factory edges and maintaining straight-edge household knives, and the diamond abrasives mean it cuts hard modern steel rather than just polishing it. For a manual tool it punches above its price.

The honest trade-off is effort and speed. It is slower than any electric model here and your wrist does the work, so sharpening a full block is a chore rather than a quick task. There is no powered consistency either, meaning your results depend partly on keeping a steady, even pull. If you want set-and-forget convenience this is not it, but if you want diamond sharpening at the right angles for very little money, it delivers.

Wusthof PEtec Electric Sharpener

If you own a kitchen full of Wusthof or Henckels knives, this sharpener is purpose built for them. The headline is its 14 degree angle, which matches Wusthof’s PEtec edge geometry, so you maintain the factory bevel instead of fighting it. It runs three stages with diamond abrasives and a polishing wheel, driven by simple one-touch pre-programmed controls that walk you through the sequence: a Shape button for very dull or damaged knives, a Sharpen button to expose a fresh edge monthly, and a Refine button to maintain the edge weekly.

That weekly and monthly structure makes upkeep almost foolproof, and on a Wusthof Classic the result it produces is closer to a whetstone finish than anything else I compared. It is made in the USA, measures a compact 7 by 4.5 by 5 inches, and carries a 3-year warranty, so it feels built to last alongside the knives it is meant to serve.

The catch is that this focus cuts both ways. The 14 degree angle is ideal for Wusthof and Henckels edges but is tighter than what some other knives are ground to, so it is the wrong tool if your block is full of 20 degree blades you want to keep at 20. It is also loud and sits at the top of this group on price. For owners of matching German knives that single-minded design is the whole point, but for a mixed or budget block it is more specialized than you need.

What to look for

The right sharpener depends almost entirely on the knives you own and how involved you want to be. These are the factors I weigh first.

• Angle match: Match the sharpener to your edges. German knives usually want about 20 degrees, Japanese knives about 15, and Wusthof PEtec edges 14. A sharpener that switches angles protects a mixed block.
• Abrasive type: Diamond cuts hard modern steel cleanly and reshapes a dull edge. Softer wheels can hone but may struggle to repair a truly dull knife.
• Number of stages: Coarse grinding, fine honing, and a stropping or polishing pass each do separate work. Three stages produce a more finished edge than two.
• Manual versus electric: Electric is fast and consistent. Manual is cheaper, quieter, travel friendly, and needs no outlet, but your wrist does the work.
• Knife value: Coarse, fixed-angle budget sharpeners suit cheap knives. Keep expensive blades on angle-adjustable diamond machines.
• Footprint and noise: Powered diamond units take counter space and run loud. Check the dimensions and where you will store it.
• Guidance for beginners: Timers, light cues, and one-touch programs help if you have never sharpened before and want to avoid mistakes.

The verdict

For most people with a mixed block, the Chef’sChoice 1520 AngleSelect is the one to buy, because its 15 and 20 degree switch and three diamond stages handle both Japanese and German knives without compromise. Beginners who want guidance should look at the Work Sharp Culinary E5, where the timer and light cues make a clean result easy, as long as the fixed 17 degree angle suits your knives.

On a tight budget, the Presto 08800 EverSharp puts a working edge on cheap knives for very little, just keep your good blades away from it. If you travel or want no cords, the manual Chef’sChoice 4643 ProntoPro gives you the same diamond 15 and 20 degree angles at the cost of a little wrist effort. And if your kitchen is all Wusthof or Henckels, the Wusthof PEtec and its 14 degree edge is the purpose-built match, provided you can live with the noise and the price.