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Work Sharp E2 Review

An efficient and easy-to-use knife sharpener that works for a wide variety of knife types and scissors, too
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Work Sharp E2 Review (The Work Sharp is an excellent electric knife sharpener that can tackle a handful of knives.)
The Work Sharp is an excellent electric knife sharpener that can tackle a handful of knives.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Price:  $80 List
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Manufacturer:   Work Sharp
By Graham Faulknor and Aaron Rice  ⋅  Aug 5, 2024
78
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#1 of 17
  • Sharpening Ability - 40% 7.0
  • Ease of Use - 30% 8.5
  • Versatility - 20% 8.6
  • Storage - 10% 7.5

Our Verdict

If you are looking to up your cooking game, then having a sharp knife is a great place to start, and the Work Sharp E2 is one of the best ways to get there. This is an electric pull-through knife sharpener that most people can use right out of the box with very little effort. There is no prep or assembly required, and it does not require a huge amount of time to learn the proper technique. The plug-and-go process involves preset angles and timers, so it is not super customizable, but the E2 still manages to produce consistently sharp and well-honed blades, putting it in competition with other top models in our lineup. If you are a home cook enthusiast and you love a sharp knife but don't feel the need to geek out over bevel angles and the like, then this sharpener is our top recommendation.
REASONS TO BUY
Easy to master
Versatile
Can sharpen many different knife styles
Works with scissors
REASONS TO AVOID
Cannot adjust the bevel angle
Only 2 sharpening tiers

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work sharp e2
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Work Sharp E2
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Best Overall Knife Sharpener
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Best Buy Award
A Great Value for the Kitchen Drawer
Best Buy Award
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Bottom Line A simple yet highly effective knife sharpener that has great versatility for home kitchensThe best option for professional quality knife sharpness if you are willing to master the proper techniqueA swing-arm sharpener that is a great option for those who want top-tier knife sharpening without a huge learning curveA great little knife sharpener that makes up for inconsistencies with exceptional affordability and user-friendlinessSimple, affordable, and intuitive to use, but may require some effort to achieve the best results
Rating Categories Work Sharp E2 Kerye Professional... Work Sharp Precisio... Longzon 4-in-1 Presto EverSharp
Sharpening Ability (40%)
7.0
8.7
7.9
6.4
6.3
Ease of Use (30%)
8.5
6.0
7.0
8.3
7.5
Versatility (20%)
8.6
8.2
7.6
6.8
6.8
Storage (10%)
7.5
4.9
5.0
8.1
5.8
Specs Work Sharp E2 Kerye Professional... Work Sharp Precisio... Longzon 4-in-1 Presto EverSharp
Type of Sharpener Electric - Pull Manual - Whetstone Manual - Swing Arm Manual - Pull Electric - Pull
Sharpening Tiers Available 2 4 3 3 2
Adjustable Sharpening Angle No Yes Yes: adjustable from 15°-30° No No
Sharpens Serrated Blade Yes No No No Yes
Sharpens Scissors Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Sharpens Single-Bevel Blades Yes Yes Yes No No
Measured Dimensions 5.7" L x 4" W x 3.5" H 8.3" L x 3.6" W x 4" H 11.5" L x 4.6" W x 6.8" H 9.3" L x 1.8" W x 3" H 5.7" L x 8.2" W x 3.7" H
Measured Weight 1.2 lb 3.9 lb 1.3 lb 0.5 lb 2.6 lb
Measured Sharpness 321 g 264 g 272 g 372 g 394 g
Space Used 80 cu in 120 cu in 360 cu in 50 cu in 173 cu in

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Work Sharp E2 is a pull-through electric model that we appreciate for its ease of use and versatility. Its two-tiered sharpening process is well-equipped to handle a variety of knife styles, and if you take the cap off, you can even sharpen your kitchen shears.

Performance Comparison


The Work Sharp E2 offers the ideal balance of price, sharpening ability, and ease of use for most home kitchens.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Sharpening Ability


Sharpening ability is the most important factor in choosing the right knife sharpener. After all, if your machine doesn't return a sharp edge after use, when what's the point of having one? The Work Sharp E2 has a two-tiered sharpening process. The initial grinding process is broken down into two steps: one slot for the left side of the blade and one for the right side. The second tier is a third slot with a ceramic honing disc to finish the blade. This functional system performed above average in our tests for this metric. While it didn't achieve the highest scores in our tests, it brings a knife back to life to an extent that we think will keep most home cooks satisfied.


The most important measurement we take to inform this metric is the sharpness of a knife after running it through the machine. Sharpness is measured in grams of force needed to cut a standardized material, so in this case, a lower number means less force and a sharper blade. We first dulled our knife with a metal pipe until it had a sharpness level of 991g and then ran it through the E2 and remeasured the sharpness. The Work Sharp E2 was able to bring back the knife to near factory sharpness, and we measured a cutting force of 321g at the end of the process. In a separate test, the knife was able to slice through a sheet of paper with minimal tears, backing up our measurements.


Some of the sharpening features that we like in the E2 include the use of flexible sanding discs rather than stone disks that many other pull-through sharpeners have. These disks form a subtle wrap around the edge of the blade to gently resharpen and prevent you from overusing the machine and grinding away the blade. The honing step is unique in that it requires a back-and-forth motion rather than a single swiping motion, but when we examined the edge under a microscope, we were pleased with the clean edge.

Here, we use a goniometer to measure the bevel angle after dulling...
Here, we use a goniometer to measure the bevel angle after dulling and then resharpening a knife using the Work Sharp E2.
The Work Sharp E2 produced a relatively clean and burr-free edge...
The Work Sharp E2 produced a relatively clean and burr-free edge after the final honing step.

Ease of Use


It is hard to go wrong with the Work Sharp E2, and we mean that literally. Lead tester Graham Faulknor says, “If I gave this sharpener to my grandmother, I would trust her to figure it out and come back with a sharp blade.” This sharpener is so easy to use that even though it doesn't return the absolute sharpest blade, we still think it is the best fit for most people, especially for those who don't want to invest a lot of time and energy into technique.


There are a few ease-of-use features that put the E2 above the other sharpeners in our testing. First, it is a plug-and-go situation; there is no need to assemble before use, no need to soak a whetstone, and no need to adjust bevel angles. Each step of the process is timed, so you don't have to keep track of the number of swipes before you move on to the next slot. The grinding angle for each side is set to a standard 20° according to Work Sharp, which is in line with what we found during our tests. The good news is that you don't have to fiddle with any adjustments or angle measurements before you get started, and it also makes it difficult to reprofile the edge or grind away a significant amount of the blade by accident. The bad news is that since it is not adjustable, you do not have as much control over the exact specs of your knife edge if you prefer a steeper or shallower angle. The final step is a quick run through a ceramic honing wheel and viola! You're ready to get chopping. Altogether, the process takes between 1-4 minutes, and maybe a quick read through the manual if this is your first time.

work sharp e2 - the work sharp e2 provides one of the best ease to sharpness ratios...
The Work Sharp E2 provides one of the best ease to sharpness ratios we saw in this round of testing.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Versatility


The Work Sharp E2 was also one of the top scorers for versatility. It can handle a straight-edge chef knife as well as the serrated edges of a bread or steak knife. Thanks to the single-sided grinding disks, it can even handle single-sided blades, which are found on some Japanese-style knives. If you remove the rough grit cap, it can even sharpen scissors.


The ergonomics are good, and thanks to the angle guide, it is fairly comfortable to repeatedly pull a knife through the grinding slots. One of the few downsides is that you cannot adjust the bevel angle. While the sanding disks are flexible and, in theory, can accommodate different bevels, we find that in practice, it inevitably takes the knife edge back to a standard 20° angle.

work sharp e2 - the guides on the work sharp e2 help reduce any pressure to hold the...
The guides on the Work Sharp E2 help reduce any pressure to hold the knife at a specific angle when making repeated passes through each slot.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Storage


The E2 is surprisingly compact, especially for how versatile it is. The measured volume is slightly below average for the group and on par with other pull-through styles. These were all beat out by the pocket sharpeners we tested, but unless you have pocket-sized cabinets, we think it will be easy to find a spot for this sharpener in your kitchen.


At 3.5" tall, it will fit in most sliding drawers and requires no disassembly to achieve this size. It has a cord and plug stash on the underside and no floating parts to lose in the farthest reaches of the drawer.

work sharp e2 - for a sharpener of this size, the work sharp e2 packs a serious...
For a sharpener of this size, the Work Sharp E2 packs a serious punch without being a hassle to store.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Should You Buy the Work Sharp E2?


If the time investment is what's holding you back from sharpening your kitchen knives, even though you know they are long past due for a run past the grinding stone, then the Work Sharp E2 is for you. It is one of our favorite sharpeners, and it stands out in particular for how easy it is to get great results out of this machine. While it may not be the top standard used by professional chefs, we think it is ideal for those who prioritize the satisfaction that comes from making a clean cut with a sharp knife but don't have the time or desire to learn to use a whetstone. The E2 will take a blade from noticeably dull to slicing tomatoes and dicing onions like nobody's business.

work sharp e2 - test after test, the work sharp e2 consistently scored above...
Test after test, the Work Sharp E2 consistently scored above average, putting it at the front of the pack in our knife sharpener review.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

What Other Knife Sharpeners Should You Consider?


The Work Sharp E2 is a great machine, but depending on your preferences, there are some other sharpeners that may be worth looking at. While not quite as easy to use as the E2, the Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition is another pull-through sharpener that earned top marks in both sharpening ability and versatility. It is a great option for those who like to keep their kitchen tools in tip-top shape while only requiring a slightly larger time commitment. If you want the absolute sharpest edge out of your blades and are willing to study the technique and master the repetitive motion needed to use a whetstone, the Kerye Professional Japanese Whetstone Set is our recommendation.

Graham Faulknor and Aaron Rice
 

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