The best knife sharpener for the money: eight picks under $50

Small and cheap, and owned by an enormous number of people: almost 98,000 Amazon ratings. The carbide slot sharpens dull knives and the ceramic slot touches up sharp ones. The clever part is the V-shaped base, which sits on the edge of the counter so a long chef's knife can pass through without its tip dragging on the countertop. KitchenIQ says it handles serrated knives too.

• Stagescarbide (coarse) + ceramic rod (fine)
• Anglepreset
• BaseV-shaped edge grip, non-slip
• Bladesstraight and serrated
• Warranty1-year limited

This is the budget answer to the angle problem. Its listing gives five settings, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 degrees, so the Wüsthof goes through at 15, the Victorinox at 18 or 21, and a santoku at 12. That's rare under $50. It sold about 3,000 last month.

• Angles12°, 15°, 18°, 21°, 24°
• Stages3 (coarse, medium, fine)
• Bladesstraight
• BodyABS

The best-selling sharpener in our pull, with about 10,000 bought last month and 39,000 ratings. It has three slots: a diamond rod that straightens damaged blades, a sharpening slot and a fine slot, and it comes with a cut-resistant glove, which is a good idea with any pull-through.

• Stages3 (diamond repair rod, sharpen, fine)
• Extrascut-resistant glove
• Basenon-slip
• BodyABS

A handheld sharpener you draw along the blade rather than pulling the blade through. AccuSharp says its carbide blades can be reversed to double their life and that the whole thing can go in the dishwasher, which no other pick here allows. About 6,000 sold last month and nearly 29,000 ratings at 4.7.

• Abrasivediamond-honed tungsten carbide, reversible
• Bladesstraight and serrated
• Cleaningsoap and water or dishwasher (per listing)
• Guardfull-length

Over 51,000 ratings, and a dedicated scissors slot. Flip a switch and the suction base locks it to a smooth counter, so you don't hold it at all. For a kitchen where the shears get as much use as the knives, it's the one. Our guide to sharpening scissors with a whetstone covers the alternative.

• Stagescarbide (coarse) + ceramic (fine) + carbide scissor slot
• Baseswitch-on suction
• Size2.76 x 2.36 in

If you want to try a stone without spending much, this is two 7-inch stones, 400 and 1000 grit, that soak in water for 10 to 15 minutes before use. Around 6,000 sold last month. You'll need to learn to hold an angle, but you can sharpen anything at any angle you like. Whether 1000 is enough is answered in is a 1000 grit whetstone enough.

• Grits400 and 1000 (two stones)
• Size7 x 2.2 x 1.1 in each
• Usesoak 10–15 minutes, water only

The best-reviewed combination stone we found, with more than 25,000 ratings. The 1000 side sharpens and the 6000 side polishes, which suits Japanese and German kitchen knives alike. A bamboo base and an angle guide come in the box, though the listing doesn't say what angle the guide sets.

• Grits1000/6000
• Includesbamboo base, angle guide, instructions
• Usewater only

For pocket and hunting knives, this gives you guided angles and a full set of abrasives, strop included, for less than $50 when we checked. It has 4.8 stars from nearly 13,000 ratings, the highest average in this guide. At 20 and 25 degrees it's too steep for thin kitchen knives, but right for anything that goes outdoors.

• Guides20° and 25°
• Abrasives5 (diamond, ceramic, strop)
• Extrasfish-hook groove