AnySharp Global World's Best Knife Sharpener (Classic)

As the person who sharpens all the kitchen knives for the family I can say that I have purchased (and been given) a variety of machines and objects which all claim to sharpen kitchen knives; and every time I have been disappointed by the results - until now. I was expecting the usual grotty results and then several hours with steel and stone attempting to get an edge back on the knife, thankfully I was wrong.

This works, and it was honestly a shock.

It is a very small unit, quite neat really. It has a lever operated suction foot to hold it (relatively) firmly on the work surface - though I have the urge to keep hold of it due to some movement and the occasional failure of the suction.

With just a couple of angled pulls you start to find that the blade is becoming beautifully sharp, with one exception (and you knew there would have to be something).

The sharpener works up to the last (approximately) 2cm of the blade. As you get towards the tip of the blade it is hard to keep up the necessary angle and pressure to sharpen it. However, this can be remedied by a minute or two with a sharpening stone - my problem is: if I have to get the stone out to sharpen the tip why should I bother with this sharpener at all.

I have used this over Christmas and New Year and it has been a speedier alternative to the steel and/or stone that I normally use - sharpening of the blade tips excluded. I would, however, like to see some protective shields for those times when you are forced to hold the sharpener to give it some help holding firm on the counter surface.

I would recommend that you don't use this sharpener on a kitchen surface that you prepare food on, as it produces a significant amount of fine sharp metal shavings and flakes - these can be cleaned up using a damp cloth, but you can't always guarantee that you have removed them all. It could really do with a small well adding to the design so as to catch most of the filings and so save the counter tops from contamination.

It is the first time I have ever cut my finger when sharpening a knife. The fine metal shavings went into the wound and it a major headache cleaning them out (hence the need for a protective shield around the external edges of the sharpener).

All-in-all it is good for sharpening the main part of the blade, but you will still need to sharpen the blade tip separately - other than that, and a couple of minor design faults (which could be easily remedied), it is the only "sharpener", other than steel and stone, that I have had that has worked.

Without wanting to just repeat what everyone else has said about this product, it works and more importantly it gets quick results, it has a great little suction-cup attachment feature, and its small and neat. BUT...
I believe this device has its place; when a knife gets so blunt that you can no longer sharpen it with a steel, you can use this gadget to bring the edge back and then hone it with a steel.
Otherwise you will end up with a sharp edge that doesnt last very long.
One minor problem I found with it is that it sometimes tended to make my knives one-sided (sharper on one side than the other), this is not an issue as you can correct it with a steel.
So yes, I would recommend you get this device, but not instead of a sharpening steel, I believe you need both to achieve a perfect result.

This added after using the product for a month or more: 13 April 09: I am not saying don't buy this tool; if your knives are really bad it will work fast to get an OK V that seems really sharp. Now you have that V, you need to keep it, that is what a sharpening steel does without grinding or as with this gizzmo cutting loads of metal away. Try this, see how much swarf (metal shavings) are produced with this. It takes little time to loose 1/128th of an inch to a 64th/inch of metal/your blade, that's approx 1mm. Measure your knifes depth. If it is about 1.5 inch you will make it disappear after 64 to 125 sharpenings. Your knife is then knacked. Sharpen your knife every time as one should to keep the edge as the pros do, your knife will be gone pretty soon. lesson, use the right tool for the job at the time. Use this when you haven't kept the edge with a steel, not often if you like your knives. Better still, use a sharpening steel or Taylors Eye Witness Classic Chantry Knife Sharpener on every use and you will have your knives sharp for life and as good as new...original review follows.

I have to agree with the comment others have made that with so many ad like glowing reviews one has to wonder how many are generated by the company marketing this product. Add to that the slagging review for NEW KNIFE SHARPENER [] which is almost certainly the same product, or someone should be getting sued for patent infringement.
OK a product review. I got this today and it uses the same technology that has been around for decades, most likely carbide blades set at an angled `V'. The suction system, again a take from old tech works and is a good redeployment of this idea. This type of product comes into its own when one has a really dull blade when a steel isn't enough and that would require a lot of time using an abrasive system such as ceramic or diamond stones. On the subject of diamonds, they describe the product as having "diamond precision" which without doubt is misleading and an attempt to make the buyer think they are getting a diamond based cutting edge.
This sharpener removes a lot of your blades metal very fast, which if over used will wear your knives out very fast. This system really isn't abrasive, it is a small cutter that cuts a new edge which as any engineer (I am an engineer) will tell you, is by nature rough not razor smooth finish. I found that while it is actually good for resetting the blade angle if used with care, using other sharpeners that are less severe afterwards, resulted in a much better edge that cut rather than tearing; I finished using a V steel system.
If you want to see how to keep knives sharp, watch a pro, a butcher who will sharpen their knife after every cutting session, many times a day. They use a steel, which doesn't remove metal and in effect damage the knife by shortening the knife's life.
Bottom line is use with care and rarely. Best to get something like the Taylors Eye Witness Classic Chantry Knife Sharpener and use it on every use of your knives so that you really never need to use such a drastic method