Home - The Best Honing Steels in 2023

The Best Honing Steels in 2023

by Alexander Wong

Don’t throw away your knives the first time that you notice a dull spot around their edges. You could put them all to good use quickly, provided you have the right tools. There’s nothing more annoying than reaching for a knife when preparing a meal and being unable to work the blade into whatever you’re cutting.

Maybe you have a natural cutting technique that bends the edge, or maybe the knives in your kitchen are sensitive. Whatever the case, honing rods are the perfect tool to get all your knives back to their original sharpness.

Featured below are ten of the best honing steel products you’ll find online, each of them made of dense materials that’ll assist you in getting your knives back to a sharpened, new-like state.

And don’t think that you must settle for those in the kitchen.

Each is perfectly able to sharpen outdoor cutting tools such as pocket knives and even some scissors. Find the one that interests you, then head over to the summary for a brief listing of the most recommended product. Let’s get started!

Top Honing Steels Reviews

1. Utopia Kitchen Honing Steel Knife

Utopia Kitchen 12 Inch Honing Steel Knife Sharpening Steel Sharpening Rod

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The Utopia Kitchen Honing Steel is one of the best knife-honing steel products built for long-term use. It’s not one of those cheaply-made rods that must be thrown away after only having it for two months.

It’s built to accommodate moderate or heavy use and makes a great gift for professional chefs or occasional usage in the home.

Some who have used the Utopia Honing Steel had problems with finding the correct angle to straighten their knives. So long as you’re careful to sharpen at a 10 to 20-degree angle, the edges should come out fine.

Take your time if you’ve never done this before and refer to a tutorial if you must. You’ll find that this honing steel is extremely useful for anything smooth cutting blade that you throw at it (don’t use it to sharpen a serrated blade, however). Highly recommended for all.

2. Kota Japan Diamond Carbon Honing Steel Professional Knife Sharpener

Kota Japan 12 in. Diamond Carbon Steel Professional Knife Sharpener Rod | Kitchen, Home or Hunting | Master Chef, Hunter or Home Gourmet Blade Sharpening Rod or Stick

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The Kota Japan is more of a combination of a knife sharpener and a honing steel rod. Although the difference might not seem like much to some, this means that you can sharpen dull knives with the product just as often as you would hone them.

There’s a hook on the handle for you to place your finger in as you work, a good way to protect your hand from accidentally slipping when sharpening in a vertical position.

While the product and its sharpening were complimented, some users didn’t like that the Kota is marketed as a honing rod for Japanese knives but is made in either China or the US.

Truthfully, this doesn’t affect the quality of the tool itself so try it out if you have knives with an HRC that’s equal to or less than 63.

3. Winware Stainless Steel Honing Steel

Winware Stainless Steel Sharpening Steel, 12-Inch

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The Winware Stainless Steel rod is recommended when cleaning is of concern. Some honing steel rods require careful cleaning to be done every time that they’re used, with either a damp cloth or cooking oil.

While you can do it with either of these, wiping it down with a cloth is able to rid the rod of all the steel particles that you cannot see. As a result, the rod will last much longer, thanks in part to there being less built upon its surface.

Remember, what you’re getting won’t measure 12 inches at the base, which caused some confusion with users trying it out for the first time. You probably won’t notice it but for people with large hands, this could make the rod feel a little smaller than anticipated.

Other than that, there’s nothing physically wrong with the Winware. It’s made too long for a long time and does a great job of getting most knives back to a razor-sharp edge.

4. Best Professional Carbon Honing Steel Knife Sharpening Steel

Best Professional Carbon Steel Knife Sharpening Steel, 12 inch

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Next, up is the Best Professional Carbon Steel Knife, outfitted with a nice handle that’s built to grip your hand without slipping.

A hook is provided as well, helping users to keep their fingers still while in the process of sharpening. The outside material of the rod is nickel with a chrome finish, though this won’t peel off as you sharpen it.

Make sure that you dry the rod thoroughly after you’re done wiping it down. If not, rust and corrosion could develop, particularly near the handle.

Store in a dry location as well since humidity could cause browning around the rod as well. If you take care of this carbon knife after using it, you’re guaranteed to have it last for as long as a year.

5. Wüsthof – Knife Sharpening Honing Steel with Loop

Wüsthof - 10" Knife Sharpening Steel with Loop

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The Wusthof is a ten-inch knife sharpening rod that’s easy to clean. All it takes is a lightly moist cloth or some cooking oil that’s stored in your pantry. When it’s time to test it out of your knives, you’ll love how the rod stays put on your working surface, thanks in part to its grip near the tip.

You won’t have to clean the rod after every knife you sharpen, either. Instead, finish off several at a time; the outer layer of steel is magnetic and can gather up all the steel bits so they don’t end up floating in the air.

The Wusthof is a popular sharpening rod, and most that have used it liked the steel-plated exterior and its ability to find the right angle and position for working.

However, some found the handle to be a bit slippery. If you have palms that sweat easily, be sure to use the hook at the handle’s end to protect yourself. If this is doable, then you won’t be disappointed.

6. Noble Professional Knife Honing Steel

Professional Knife Steel Magnetized for Safety. Our Honing Rod Has an Oval Handle for a Firm Grip and is Built For Daily Use, Perfect for Chefs and Home Cooks Alike! (10", 3 Stripe)

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The Noble Professional Knife is suggested for people that have had problems with their honing rods rusting in the past. Although the rod itself consists of a steel coating, no rust will develop after you clean it for the first time.

This ensures that the product will last you for several months before needing a replacement, although this is considered if you use it regularly. For those that will break it out only on occasion, expect to extend the rod’s lifetime by much longer.

Like others that have tried out the Nobile Pro, it might be better for you to use this rod with a sharpening stone if there are numerous dull knives in your collection.

The duller the knife, the quicker you’ll wear away the exterior. But on its own, the rod is still recommended and will give you satisfactory results for months to come.

7.  Messermeister Ceramic Rod Knife Sharpener

Messermeister Ceramic Rod Knife Sharpener, 12-Inch

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The Messermeister Ceramic Rod Knife Sharpener is a butcher honing steel but is also suggested for anyone that frequently uses their knives or cutting boards. As you probably are aware, cutting boards, while useful, can quickly bend the sharp edges of a knife.

This can occur even when you don’t think it is. Durable and built to last for a long time, you’ll finally have a tool at your disposal that’ll keep you from throwing away your dull knives at the first sign of bending.

Many found the Messermeister to be easy to handle and sharpen, even after many months of continuous sharpening. If you can avoid dropping it while working, this rod might be the best choice for people with large hands.

8. ARCCI Diamond Knife Sharpener Rod Honing Steel

ARCCI 10 inch Diamond Knife Sharpener Rod, Professional Sharpening Steel for Master Chef, Knife Sharpening Rod or Stick for Kitchen, Home, Diamond Blade Sharpener

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The ARCCI is a knife-honing tool that consists of a powerful rod that can sear and sharpen just as well as its handles. There’s no rusting to worry about, and the hardened tip can straighten quickly regardless of how you have the product angled.

Based on the Rockwell hardness of the knife that you’re sharpening, the diamond coating could wear down fast. Be careful with angling and your rod should last for the specified period that the brands lists in their description (4-6 months with consistent usage).

9. Green Elephant Ceramic Sharpening Rod

Green Elephant Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Lightweight & Highly Durable 11-Inch Shatterproof Ceramic Honing Rod For Professional Chefs and Home Cooks

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The Green Elephant is one of the best ceramic honing rods lightweight and great for people that have never used a sharpening tool before.

You can find the correct angle quickly, and the handling is excellent. Its shock-absorbing capabilities, whereby the ceramic is less likely to incur damages than comparable rods of the same material.

Like others that found out after this product was purchased, you won’t be able to wash this rod in your dishwasher. You can wipe it down the same way that you do with steel rods. If this won’t be a nuisance, then give the Green Elephant a shot, especially if you’re new to knife sharpening.

10. TUO Honing Steel with Pakkawood Handle

TUO Honing Steel with Pakkawood Handle for all kitchen knives daily sharpening maintenance - Fiery Phoenix Series - TC0708-9" Rod

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The TUO finishes off the list and is great for people that want a rod that’ll last for a long time. As long as you’re careful with it when working, it’ll last for well over a year (or even longer).

Keep in mind that the handle, while good, can get a bit slippery if you’re working with a lot of knives in one session. The curved tip should prevent your hand from sliding but you will have to be careful when sharpening knives in a position other than vertically.

Factors to Consider

One of the biggest areas of confusion when it comes to honing steel rods is the name. Most of the time, this is no fault of the customer.

While honing rods are useful in sharpening knives, they are primarily made for preventing knives from becoming dull.

So if you have multiple dull knives, it’s highly recommended that you purchase a sharpening stone to go along with your rod.

If you’re unsure between a ceramic and diamond honing rod for purchase, understand that the difference mostly lies in the quality of the knife that you’re working on.

For quick touch-ups, a diamond would be a better choice. But for general maintenance and repositioning, ceramic is great. Sometimes, rods may consist of both diamond and ceramic. In this case, sharpening slightly dull knives is better.

Honing Steel FAQ

How to Use a Honing Steel Rod?
Here's a quick rundown on the basics: Hold your rod down on a flat, hard surface, preferably one that's at working weight. Grab the knife that you intend to work on, and place it on the rod at a 20-degree angle, beginning at the heel (depending on the knife, you may have to sharpen at a 10-degree angle instead). Move the knife down the rod, being careful to not move the edge of the 20-degree angle. You can repeat this as many times as you like until the blade is sharp, but it should only take two or three strokes for most.
How Do I Clean a Sharpening Rod?
You can use a cleaning cloth that's not woven to get your rod free of any debris. Alternatively use a soft brush to do this, then finish it off with a bit of cooking oil in your kitchen. Once that's done, be sure to dry all portions of the rob before it's stored.
How Do I keep Myself from Getting Cut in the Sharpening Process?
Always hold the rod with one of your fingers in the loop that's provided with the most honing rods. It will prevent your hand from moving away from the handle during your work.

Making The Decision

Ready to choose one of the products featured above? Given that they’re all recommended in some way, it might be difficult for one to choose.

In this case, the Utopia Kitchen Honing Steel carries the best features for multiple situations, no matter if you’re a professional chef working at a restaurant, or getting prepped for a new recipe at home.

Its steel is dense and the rod itself is your last long after you’ve purchased it. But don’t settle for this one if you believe one of the other nine to be a better fit for your knife-sharpening. Buy now and you’ll never have to use a dull knife to complete your cooking ever again!

5/5 - (1 vote)

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