Electric sharpeners like these are EVIL. They'll ruin your knvies, and quickly.My vote for sharpeners is the . I own the Apex model, and love it.You do need some working knowledge of the basics of sharpening, such as how to know when to stop by feeling for the burr, and which bevel angle is most appropriate for the type of knife. For example, a santoku should have a fine angle for slicing veggies , but a cleaver should have a much more obtuse angle so that it stands up to hacking through bones. A chef's knife should be somewhere in between. The electric sharpeners don't give you any choices.