Other than, perhaps, the ingredients themselves, chefs know that the most important thing you can have in a kitchen is a good cooking knife.
No matter how good it is, the knife will not work very well without being regularly and professionally sharpened. Or as they say: A knife is nothing without its edge.
For that reason, having a good knife sharpener is very important. Luckily, modern technology has provided us with the wonder of electric knife sharpeners. Precise and efficient, these fantastic machines are capable of producing the sharpest edges quickly and without making mistakes.
Now, it should be noted that there are many types of knife sharpeners out there. One of the most important differences between electric knife sharpeners is the angle in which they sharpen. The reason for having this differences is that not all knives are meant to be sharpened at the same angle.
While Western knives are typically sharpened at a 20-degree angle, Japanese knives are meant to be sharpened at a steeper 15-degree angle. By having a tighter angle, these knives are capable of cutting with more precision and less effort.
There are various models of electric knife sharpeners capable of sharpening at a 15-degree-angle. However, not all of them have the same capabilities.
In order to help you understand what’s most desirable in this kind of tool, this review will go over the characteristics of the best 15-degree electric knife sharpener on the market: the Chef’sChoice 15 XV Trizor.
Chef’sChoice 15 XV Trizor Professional Electric Knife Sharpener
By most accounts, Chef’sChoice is one of the most well-known and respected brands of electric sharpeners. With more than 30 years of experience creating this kind of tools, they know what a professional chef needs when it’s time to get down to business.
Among the various high-quality sharpening products that Chef’sChoice has made available throughout the years, there is one that stands out. The 15 XV Trizor Professional Electric Knife Sharpener is speedy, efficient, versatile and durable. In addition, it’s incredibly easy to use.
Without a doubt, the feature that stands out the most when considering the 15 XV Trizor is that it allows switching between the 15-degree Japanese angle and the 20-degree Western angle. However, as this guide will show, this electric knife sharpener has many more admirable features.
Details and Specifications of the Chef’sChoice 15 XV Trizor
- Construction and materials: Weighing just over 4 pounds and a half, the Chef’sChoice 15 XV Trizor is definitely a sturdy and solid piece of equipment. Its construction is tight and precise, guaranteeing durability and resistance to impacts and other accidents.
Its exterior is made of high-quality, durable plastic that has a nice level of thickness. This exterior is can have either a brushed metal or a platinum finish. On the other hand, its mechanism is made of waterproof and rust-proof metallic parts that ensure continuous functioning.
Where the Chef’sChoice 15 XV Trizor shines the most in terms of materials, however, is in the 3.12 carat, 100-percent diamond abrasives that are used to do the actual sharpening. Coating the conical rotating disks that are used in stages one and two of the sharpening process, this amazingly tough material is able to produce astounding results.
- Size and proportions: Without being uncomfortably large, this tool has a considerable length of about a foot that allows it to handle knives of any size. Its width and height are quite reduced, allowing it to fit perfectly on most countertops.
- Sharpening qualities: By using high-quality abrasives made of top materials, this electric knife sharpener is able to produce an incredibly sharp edge without removing too much metal from the knife, expanding their lifespan. Amazingly, these abrasives are able to produce micro-grooves on the edge.
- Sharpening control: The Chef’sChoice 15 XV Trizor has a patented flexible spring system that allows a great amount of control during the sharpening action.
- Debris collection and disposal: This product features a magnetized metal dust collector that greatly reduces the amount of debris that’s let out. This accessible collector is easily opened in order to be cleaned.
Sharpenig Stages of the Chef’sChoice 15 XV Trizor
The sharpening process of the Chef’sChoice 15 XV Trizor has three main steps designed to produce the sharpest edge possible without damaging the knife.
- Stage One: The purpose of the pre-sharpening stage is to restore an even base edge on very dull knives, getting them ready for sharpening. It should be noted, however, that this stage should be skipped when sharpening a knife that already has an edge.
- Stage Two: After restoring a base edge, it’s time to move on to the honing stage. Here, the diamond-coated disks allow a more precise sharpening action, creating a slightly-beveled angle that will greatly improve the sharpness of the edge.
- Stage Three: Known as stropping, the final sharpening stage refines the edge by precisely removing a small amount of metal using specially-designed abrasives.
What is EdgeSelect?
This patented mechanism allows users to select different types of sharpening action depending on the type of food that needs to be cut.
By selecting both the angle in which the knife will be sharpened and the sharpening stage that’s most convenient, users can get the perfect type of edge for their cooking style. Additionally, users can change the type of sharpening action in order to better suit serrated or straight knives.
In Conclusion
After going through this review, it’s easy to see why the Chef’sChoice 15 XV Trizor is widely considered to be one of the best electric knife sharpening tools on the market.
Without a doubt, this reliable and efficient piece of equipment is capable of producing mind-blowing results.
Apart from producing some of the sharpest edges you will ever see, it’s high-quality mechanism is able to greatly extend the lifespan of your knives.
In addition, it’s capability of sharpening in either 15-degree or 20-degree angles makes it a versatile and practical knife sharpening tool.
