[lqet]

> People spend hundreds of dollars and many hours sharpening kitchen knives

I am ashamed to admit it, but I have been happily using this 5,99 EUR IKEA knife sharpener for nearly 10 years know:

https://www.ikea.com/de/en/p/aspekt-knife-sharpener-black-57...

I use it 1-2 times a month for 30 seconds on the 2 knives I use in the kitchen. They pass the paper test. Previously, I used the bottom of a coffee mug.

That being said, thinks like [0] do exist and people seem to buy them.

[0] https://www.horl.com/us/en/sharpeners/

[thiht]

No need to be ashamed, if it works it works. Whetstones look cooler but they do the same job. I actually bought the same device at a local knife store for my parents and the clerk said it was perfect if you just want to get sharp knives and be done with it. Whetstones or professional sharpening is more useful for pros or knife hobbyists/enthusiasts.

[cowjan]

> they do the same job

The quality of the job is vastly different, though. This video shows great examples:

https://youtu.be/0uy5NrLEZ4g?si=mxAUrFxAFX_xHrFv