Table of contents

• How we selected finalists to test
• Compare the best pet insurance companies
• Who needs pet insurance?
• Policy types and coverage
• How pet insurance works
• Important features to consider
• How we evaluated
• Best overall: Healthy Paws
• Best rates: Pets Best – Plus Plan
• Best wellness plan: Nationwide – Whole Pet
• Other finalists we evaluated

How we selected finalists to evaluate

Pet insurance is a mixed breed that straddles human health care and property insurance. As a fairly new industry, it can be a confusing topic. We turned to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) for guidance. NAPHIA aims to improve pet insurance standards as well as public awareness. We learned from NAPHIA that there are roughly a dozen pet insurers that cover the United States and Canada.

Our research began by looking at consumer ratings on third-party review sites such as Pet Insurance Review and PetInsuranceQuotes.com (recently acquired by Petco). We read pro tips from veterinarians like Dr. Doug Kenney at PetInsuranceGuides.com and Dr. Frances Wilkerson at Pet Insurance University. In-depth reviews on Wirecutter and Reviews.com further rounded out our study.

We next analyzed the types of insurance plans offered by each company. Every insurer takes a different approach. Most include more than one plan type. We picked through websites page by page, gleaned missing info from FAQs and downloaded sample policies to get into the details.

Boned up on fundamentals, we narrowed down our finalists to only include plans that cover both illness and injury, known in the insurance world as a “comprehensive plan.” To further cull the group, we eliminated all plans that capped the dollar amount the insurer would cover; having an “unlimited” payout ensures your pet will be covered for whatever emergency comes up.

This process eliminated common brands like Petfirst and Embrace Pet Insurance. Lastly, we identified companies backed by the same underwriter (essentially same policy, just different branding) and went forward with the ones that had the more favorable customer reviews.

Compare the best pet insurance companies

Who needs pet insurance?

Pets have moved from sleeping in the barnyard to the backyard to the foot of the bed — or, for some of us animal lovers, with their heads on the pillows. During our research phase, we came upon one subreddit post that summarizes it well: “If you are the kind of pet owner who would spare no expense for your pet’s health, pet insurance is an absolute must.”

According to NAPHIA’s 2018 State of the Industry Report, pet insurance in the US doubled in size between 2013-2018, growing from a $500M industry to just over a $1B industry. This rapid growth has outpaced the industry’s ability to educate consumers. As noted among the 100 pet insurance facts compiled by PetInsuranceQuotes.com, the number one reason people buy pet insurance is because they “want to make decisions about their pet’s health care without worrying about whether or not they can afford treatment.”

That last point emphasizes the true value of pet insurance: peace of mind. Though some plans pay exam fees, the main benefit of health insurance is to cover high-cost, unexpected illnesses and injuries. A solid policy means you won’t need to worry about draining your savings account or euthanizing your pet because you can’t pay the vet costs, a dreadful situation known as “economic euthanasia.”

There’s a prevailing mindset, advanced by pet insurance companies like Trupanion and Healthy Paws, that you shouldn’t use pet insurance to pay for routine care. In fact, most pet insurers exclude preventive care from their plans. It’s the unforeseen, expensive care you need to guard against, such as the following high-cost claims (this info is taken from Trupanion’s testimonials page and Healthy Paws’ home page).

Sample coverage of high-cost claims

It’s best to enroll your pets while they are young. Most insurers let you enroll as early as eight weeks. Not only does that get you the lowest rates, it also provides the best chance your pet won’t be diagnosed with a pre-existing condition that won’t be covered (more on that below). Most insurers let you begin enrollment around seven to eight weeks old.

Pet insurance is also a wise investment for people who own purebred dogs or cats. By comparison, mixed breeds have more diverse bloodlines that make them hardier. Purebreds, on the other hand, are more susceptible to certain high-risk conditions. Before enrolling your purebred, talk to your vet about which diseases your breed might be predisposed to, then make sure those conditions are covered by your prospective insurer.

How much should I expect to pay?

NAPHIA’s 2018 State of the Industry Report indicates dog owners paid an average annual premium of $536 in 2017 for accident-and-illness plans; cat owners averaged $336. That equates to about $45 for a dog’s monthly premium and $28 per month for a cat. The report shows premiums have increased on average at about 6 percent per year 2013-2017.

We spoke with Kristen Lynch, executive director of NAPHIA, and learned one reason premiums increase is due to advances in vet technology. New devices enable veterinarians to perform more sophisticated procedures; these improvements cost money, which is in turn passed on to policyholders in the form of higher premiums. That’s the trade-off for access to better treatment — and when your pet is on the operating table, what pet parent doesn’t want them to have the best care they can get?

Is pet insurance worth the investment?

That’s precisely the question Consumer Reports tried to answer in this article. As pointed out in their review, it’s an incredibly tough question to answer because every pet has potential to suffer different conditions. An indoor, mixed-breed cat is less likely to need vet care than an active purebred dog who’s bloodline is subject to hip ailments. Your vet can advise you on how likely your specific breed is to develop a costly chronic condition, but there’s no guarantee that any breed won’t develop cancer. Per that CR article, it’s about “playing the odds”.

And odds are you may never see a return on the monthly premiums you pay out. However, what you’re really investing in is peace of mind from knowing your pet will receive essential vet care should the need arise. That’s really no different than insurance for people: In the United States, we pay enormous premiums for health coverage, but we never actually hope to suffer a stroke or heart attack so that all those monthly payments will zero out.

Now, if you’re one of the unlucky few whose pet requires ongoing care, such as for cancer or diabetes, then your investment will more than pay for itself. That’s how insurance systems work: Many people pay into the system so that those few who actually need treatment will be covered.

Policy types and coverage

Types of insurance policies, rates and covered conditions vary widely between insurers. The three common policy types are:

• Comprehensive: These plans cover both illness and injury. Since you can’t predict which conditions will affect your pet over their lifetime, this is the safest, most inclusive coverage you can get. Premiums cost more, but you also get a lot more.
• Injury-only: Sometimes labeled “Accident-only,” these plans only cover physical injury to your pet. Monthly premiums are much less than for comprehensive plans, but so is your coverage. You might consider an injury-only policy if you’re on a tight budget and have an energetic pet who likes to explore hazardous situations.
• Wellness-only: These plans cover routine exams as well as preventive care such as vaccinations, flea and tick control, deworming and dental.

Some insurers offer only of these plan types, and few insurers offer all three. Here’s a snapshot of how each type can vary in price.

Sample plans and pricing for 3-year-old mixed-breed dog

Although the lower-cost accident-only and wellness plans may seem appealing, coverage is substantially less. Consumers appear to grasp the value of going the comprehensive route. NAPHIA reports that in 2017 an overwhelming 98 percent of U.S. pet owners chose to purchase comprehensive policies; only two percent opted for accident-only plans. Of the three bulleted policy types above, only comprehensive plans cover both illness and injury/accident, making it the plan type we recommend.

Many insurers offer supplemental wellness care on top of their base comprehensive plans. These add-ons, called riders, tack on coverage for preventive, behavioral or naturopathic treatments. Monthly premiums increase by about $25. In our opinion, it’s better to forego these riders. You’ll need to pay for routine care, but the money you save in reduced premiums (about $300/year) should easily cover annual vet exams and routine care.

What pet insurance covers

Benefits are the specific types of vet care for which you are insured and will be reimbursed. Comprehensive insurance policies help pay for the vast majority of ailments and injuries, and may extend to certain types of preventive care such as vaccinations. It all depends on what’s listed in your policy. To gain that essential peace of mind, a good insurance policy covers at least the following:

• Chronic conditions such as cancer and diabetes
• Hereditary and congenital conditions
• Surgeries and hospitalization
• MRI or CT scans, X-rays, ultrasounds and lab tests
• Vet-prescribed medications

Most insurers only cover dogs and cats. The one exception is Nationwide’s Avian & Exotic Pet Plan, which covers animals such as birds, rabbits, turtles and snakes. Yes, they even cover iguanas and potbellied pigs.

With any policy, the common stipulation is that your pet must receive care from a licensed veterinarian. However, unlike health insurance for people, most plans let you choose your preferred vet.

What it doesn’t cover

Let’s start with the big one. No pet insurance company covers “pre-existing conditions.” If your vet records list a previous illness or injury, or if your vet discovers an issue during an enrollment exam, the insurer will not cover that condition should it recur. This is especially relevant to older pets that are more likely to have experienced an issue in the past.

When you analyze a sample policy, you’ll find it’s more about what’s listed as “not covered” than covered. Common exclusions include:

• Preventive care
• Spaying or neutering, pregnancy and birthing
• Microchipping (your local Humane Society can do this for about $15)
• Special foods, dietary supplements or vitamins
• Behavioral training or therapy

Be sure to check out our “Important features” section below for more tips on specific provisions to look for in a policy.

How pet insurance works

Whether for pet or person or auto, insurance can be a highly confusing topic. So we’re going to go slow and break down each concept. The clearest way to explain pet insurance is to walk through the typical process step-by-step.

Step 1: Compare quotes and sample policies to choose an insurer.
The quote is the estimated cost you will need to pay each month. Additionally, most insurers let you download a sample policy that details your contractual relationship. Use this research to select an insurance company, referred to as your insurer.

Step 2: Enroll your pet.
Assuming your pet meets age requirements, submit all required paperwork — and be sure to thoroughly review your official policy. Your insurer will obtain medical records (if they exist) from your preferred veterinarian, referred to as your provider. Some companies also require a vet exam to enroll.

Step 3: Pay your monthly premium.
The premium is the dollar amount you owe your insurer each month. Most companies let you set up automatic payment from your bank.

Step 4: Pay your next vet bill.
At your next vet appointment, you need to cover all vet fees out of your own pocket (such as by debit or credit card). This is the case whether or not your insurer covers the specific type of vet care received. For covered treatments, you will be reimbursed later.

Step 5: Meet your deductible.
The deductible is the dollar-amount threshold you must pay before your insurer begins paying any vet fees. It only applies to covered conditions. Once you meet your deductible, the insurer covers the majority of all costs for the rest of that year. This remains in effect until start of following year when the deductible resets to zero and you must again reach the threshold before coverage kicks in.

Step 6: Pay your co-pay percentage.
After you meet your deductible, you are still responsible for a co-pay portion of the total vet bill. This ranges from 10-30 percent. Your insurer covers the remaining cost, referred to as the reimbursement percentage (usually 70-90 percent). You must submit your co-pay for each covered condition for the rest of the given year.

Step 7: Submit a claim to your insurer.
Send a copy of your vet receipt to the pet insurance company. Many insurers have mobile apps that let you upload a photo of the receipt. Most also allow you to send by email, regular mail or even by fax.

Step 8: Receive reimbursement.
The insurer reviews and processes your claim. Once approved, your insurer issues reimbursement (by check or direct deposit) to cover your out-of-pocket expenses. Depending on the company, claims processing can range from a few to over 30 days.

A key takeaway from above is that pet insurance operates as a reimbursement system. Unlike people’s health insurance, the system works similar to auto insurance, another form of property/casualty insurance. At the time of your vet appointment, you pay the full vet bill from your own bank account or credit card, then the insurer pays you back (less the co-pay, of course). If you find yourself facing a very expensive vet bill, don’t despair — try looking into one of these financial aid resources posted by the Humane Society.

Getting your first quote

All of our finalists’ websites offer online quote calculators that are simple, fast and intuitive to use. This is an invaluable tool for comparing quotes between insurers. Each site requires you to enter an email address. We worried about being deluged with endless pesky emails, but it honestly wasn’t that bad, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

First, enter your pet’s information. These factors will set the baseline cost. If you want to insure more than one pet, you’ll have that option later.

• Pet type: Select dog or cat. Dog premiums cost one-third to twice as much as cats.
• Gender: Select male or female. When we ran our quotes, we did not see any cost difference for male versus female.
• Age: Your insurer will use the birth date listed on pet’s medical records. If you don’t have any records, most insurers will use your vet’s best estimate.
• Breed: Each site has a lengthy drop-down list of purebreds. You can also select “mixed breed,” in which case you might be prompted to specify your pet’s size.
• Zip code: Your pet must reside with you at this address.
• Email: You need to enter this info to advance to the quote screen.

Next, adjust variables to estimate your monthly premium. This is the crux of the matter — determining how much you will need to pay per month. While options vary by insurer (as is the case with all things in the insurance world), there are three main variables. Most insurers let you customize these settings.

(1) Annual limit: This is maximum amount your insurer will pay out each year. It typically starts at $5K and maxes out at $15k or $20K. Or you can go the “Unlimited” route and rest assured you’ll be covered for anything that comes up.

• A higher annual limit increases your monthly premium, but you’ll be covered for expensive treatments (especially if you go Unlimited).
• A lower annual limit reduces your premium, but you’ll be on the hook for any vet fees that exceed your limit.

(2) Annual deductible: This is the amount you must pay before coverage from your insurer kicks in. It typically ranges from $100 to $500, though some go up to $1,000.

• A lower annual deductible increases your monthly premium, but if your pet needs treatment you’ll pay less to reach your deductible, at which point your insurer begins covering vet costs.
• A higher annual deductible reduces your monthly premium, but you’ll pay more out-of-pocket vet fees each year to reach your threshold.

(3) Reimbursement percent: Think of this as your co-pay. For example, if you choose 80-percent reimbursement, you will be responsible for 20 percent of the vet fee. The common options are 70, 80 or 90 percent.

• A higher reimbursement percent increases your monthly premium, but you’ll pay less in out-of-pocket co-pay fees.
• A lower reimbursement reduces your monthly premium, but your out-of-pocket co-pay fees will cost you more.

We encourage you to visit a few sites and give each one a try. It’s remarkably easy to adjust sliders and buttons to find a premium you can afford; watch your monthly premium go up or down as you toggle different options. But there’s more to consider than just the numbers, which we’ll get into next.

Important features to consider

Plan eligibility and variables

Comparing quotes is important, but here are the other critical factors that should shape your decision.

Pet’s age: The sooner you start, the lower your premiums (start at age one if possible). If you first enroll your pet when they are age seven to eight, when dogs and cats start to enter their geriatric years, you may find the monthly premiums beyond what you can afford. Many insurers will not enroll pets after they turn 14-years-old.

Monthly premium: Take a hard look at your monthly budget and figure how much you can afford to pay. This is really a matter of personal income. Be aware that your monthly premium will likely increase a bit each year. This is due to (1) rising costs of vet care, and (2) some companies raise premiums as pets grow older and more susceptible to illness.

Policy document: The official policy specifies the legal terms and conditions of your contract. Fortunately, most insurers avoid too much legalese and instead use language that’s easy to understand. Be sure to dissect every paragraph. If there’s anything you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to contact customer support.

“Exclusions” and “limitations”: These two policy sections require very close scrutiny.. Exclusions are conditions that aren’t covered at all. Limitations impose restrictions. Since the primary value of pet insurance is to cover high-cost treatments, be sure you are fully covered for these big-ticket issues.

• Chronic conditions: This type of care is ongoing from year to year, including cancer and diabetes. That means costs can really add up. Never accept restrictions on chronic disorders.
• Hereditary conditions: These genetic disorders are passed down bloodlines. This coverage is most important for purebreds. Hip dysplasia, epilepsy and intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) are common examples.
• Congenital conditions: These are issues that your pet developed in utero (i.e., pre-birth). Examples include heart disease, nervous system issues, cataracts and liver disease.

Maximum payout: This is a type of limitation you need watch out for. We strongly recommend you avoid plans that include any of the following payment cutoffs.

• Lifetime limit: This is the maximum amount the insurer will pay out over the lifetime of your pet. Once you hit the dollar amount threshold, the insurer stops reimbursing costs and your policy will be terminated.
• Per Incident limit: This is the max amount your insurer will pay out for a specific illness or injury. Once you reach the limit, they will no longer issue reimbursement for that specific condition, though you will still be covered for other issues. We eliminated AKC’s “Companion Plus” plan due to this provision (a rep told us they may soon be getting rid of this limit).
• Benefits schedule: This is a line-item list of covered conditions along with the max amount the insurer will pay for each one. These price limits are supposed to be based on typical medical costs, but there’s no way to guarantee how much your vet will actually charge. Avoid this claims structure. For example, Nationwide’s “Whole Pet with Wellness” is a good comprehensive plan, but their “Major Medical” plan uses a benefits schedule that we recommend you steer clear of.

Waiting period

Wait periods: Think of this as a probation period. The clock begins ticking down starting from the day of your enrollment. If your pet acquires an illness or injury during this time, it will be considered pre-existing and that specific condition will not be covered. There are two types of wait periods, and each varies per insurer: illness (1-30 days) and injury/accident (1-15 days). Many insurers impose longer wait periods for hip and knee conditions. Look for the terms “hip dysplasia” and “cruciate ligament” or “patella” in your policy. These special wait periods can extend from six up to 12 months.

Location: Urban areas cost more than rural areas, which reflects the cost of vet care in different regions. Also, plans vary by state because insurers need to have their policies legally approved by each state’s regulatory boards. When you review a sample policy, make sure it applies to the state where you live.

Discounts: Most every insurer offers some form of discount. A multipet discount for two or more animals is most common and usually set at 5 percent. Some offer a savings if you pay your premium annually rather than monthly. Others apply a discount if your pet is spayed/neutered or if you have military status.

Claims process: Once you pay your vet bill, you want to receive reimbursement quickly and painlessly. Most insurers offer a mobile app that lets you upload a photo of your vet bill. Under 10 days is a good timeframe for reimbursement, but some insurers take up to 30 days. To help speed things up, take advantage of direct deposit, now offered by many companies.

Customer Support: During our research phase, we found all our finalists’ support staff to be friendly and knowledgeable. Wait times were short. Some insurer websites even feature live chat to field quick questions. Once you narrow down your insurers, it’s worth taking the time to read consumer reviews on Pet Insurance Review to hear what others are saying.

Can I change insurers?

You are free to switch to another company — but it’s not recommended. First, any issues recorded in your pet’s medical records will be deemed “pre-existing conditions” by your new insurer and therefore will not be covered. Second, you will essentially be starting new; if your pet is older (especially if beyond age 7), expect your monthly premium to increase significantly. A waiting period also applies anew.

How we evaluated

Consumer review scores

Since it’s not realistic to acquire pet insurance from each company and then test for many years, we looked at consumer reviews on five popular websites: Pet Insurance Review, Trustpilot, ConsumersAdvocate.org, Canine Journal and PetInsuranceQuotes.com. In addition to the scores, we scanned to learn what people find most important.

As we combed through customer reviews, the number one complaint was being denied coverage by claim departments. Many gripes seem legit, but it also appears a lot of people don’t understand their policy. It’s critical to know your annual limit, how preventive care applies and which treatments aren’t covered due to any specific exclusions or limitations.

Healthy Paws consistently received the highest customer reviews across all four sites. Trupanion is also highly reviewed on two of the four sites. Coming in with fewer positive reviews, Figo has some catching up to do, but that’s likely because they’re a fairly new company and still building up a customer base.

Quote comparisons

To compare apples to apples, we first established our baseline criteria. We used male pets for simplicity (same rate for both genders), set size at medium (for dogs only), located ourselves in San Diego and acquired quotes for four different age groups based on subdividing from the age-13 upper limit. We set our three important variables as follows:

• Annual limit: As discussed above, an “unlimited” payout is the only way to ensure you’re covered for those break-the-bank situations.
• Deductible: We reasoned that our main goal is to be covered for those rare high-cost conditions. So we chose to go with $500 to keep our monthly premiums lower (some deviations noted below).
• Reimbursement percentage: We saw only a small cost bump ($5-$10/month) to go from 80 to 90 percent. We went with 90 percent to minimize our co-pay.

For the charts below, it’s important to point out that these costs are for newly enrolled pets — so if you enroll your pet at age one when your rate will be lowest, expect annual premiums to creep up due to inflation and rising vet costs, but you shouldn’t pay anywhere near the rates for a nine- or 13-year-old dog as shown in these charts. Still, we think these age/rate comparisons are a good reflection of each insurer’s overall pricing.

We should further point out that Nationwide’s – Whole Pet with Wellness plan has a set $100 deductible (that’s the only option). Also, Healthy Paws uses fixed rates for pet age eight and older. You’ll see these noted throughout the charts below.

Table A: $500 deductible for mixed-breed dog (medium size) in San Diego

Mixed-breed dogs and cats are less prone to genetic ailments, which translates to lower premiums. The mixed-breed category serves as our benchmark for comparing others.

Right away, you can see how much less expensive rates are if you enroll your pet when it’s young. Again, rates increase over time, but if you enroll your dog at age one, your premium shouldn’t jump up to the cost shown for a five-year-old in the above chart.

Pets Best – BestBenefit Plus Plan and Healthy Paws offer the lowest rates. On the high end, Figo leads off with priciest rates but is surpassed by Petplan as dogs enroll at more senior ages. ASPCA – Complete Coverage is the midrange low and Trupanion is the midrange high.

To get a fuller perspective, we also ran quotes for a $250 deductible with all other criteria set the same. See chart below.

Table B: $250 deductible for mixed-breed dog (medium size) in San Diego

Again, you need to pay vet costs out of pocket until you meet your deductible, at which point the insurer covers all costs except your co-pay. You’ll reach the threshold faster with a lower deductible, but monthly premiums are higher. Comparing rates for a $250 versus $500 deductible, costs range $10-$15 higher at age one; after that, they escalate considerably. We think a $500 deductible is more affordable for the average consumer.

Table C: $500 deductible for mixed-breed cat in San Diego

Compared to dogs, pet insurance for cats is much less expensive. Premiums range from two-thirds the cost to lower than half as much. As with mixed-breed dogs, Pets Best and Healthy Paws come in on the low end. Petplan, Trupanion and Figo make up the high end.

Table D: $500 deductible for purebred American bulldog in San Diego

Purebred dogs and cats are more predisposed to hereditary disorders, and that’s reflected in each company’s higher rates. We selected five popular breeds known to have health issues: Cocker Spaniel, German Shepherd, American Bulldog, Rottweiler and Basset Hound. Our bulldog quote fell midrange, so that’s the one we’ve shared here.

For our five purebred categories, ASPCA just barely edged out Pets Best for lowest monthly premiums. Petplan and Figo were both substantially more for all five breeds, and in some cases were over three times as much as the lowest rates.

Table E: $500 deductible for purebred British shorthair in San Diego

We ran quotes for five feline purebreds: Persian, Maine Coon, British Shorthair (shown here), Abyssinian and Manx. Pets Best delivered notably lower rates across the board. Healthy Paws and ASPCA jockeyed for second place. Similar to purebred dogs, Petplan and Figo were significantly more expensive.

Table F: $1,000 deductible for mixed-breed Dog (medium) in San Diego

Termed “catastrophic” coverage by some insurers, this approach sets your deductible at the upper limit. The idea is to greatly reduce your monthly premiums, but still have unlimited coverage for major illnesses or injuries. If you’re on a tight budget, you may find this an affordable option.

Of our finalists, only Trupanion, Pets Best and Petplan let you set a $1,000 deductible. Pets Best again offers lowest monthly rates. Trupanion follows not far behind. Petplan starts at twice the cost of Pets Best and only goes up from there.

Table G: Comprehensive+wellness, $500 deductible for mixed-breed dog

If you’re the type of pet owner who really wants to optimize their pet’s well-being by sticking to annual exams and pushing preventive care, consider a wellness add-on. But be advised that tacking on a wellness rider will bump up your rates by roughly $25 per month. Over the course of year, that adds up to around $300; by contrast, a vet exam plus routine vaccines should cost under $100 (at time of this publication, it’s about $90 in San Diego). That’s why many pet owners elect to go with basic comprehensive coverage and pay for annual vet visits out of pocket.

Only Pets Best, Nationwide and ASPCA offer a comprehensive/wellness combo. Riding toward the middle of the pack thus far, Nationwide’s – Whole Pet with Wellness surges to the front in this category. This is the only plan they offer that has an unlimited annual payout, and it happens to come packaged with a full suite of wellness care. Take a look at their covered care summary. Considering it comes with a low $100 deductible that applies to other non-wellness treatments, this combo plan delivers incredible value.

Best overall: Healthy Paws

Healthy Paws uses one simple plan structure. Their single policy type is set at unlimited annual payout, so there’s no dollar cap to confuse new customers. All you need to do is pick your annual deductible ($100, $250 or $500) and co-pay (70, 80 or 90 percent). While they don’t offer a multipet discount, you can get reduced rates if you are a member of AAA, AARP or Costco.

When we spoke with Healthy Paws co-founder and CEO Rob Jackson, he emphasized the company’s goal is to provide a comprehensive plan that’s easy for consumers to understand. Rob shared their motto is “One plan. Four paws. All covered.” That straightforward approach is reflected in their policy, which uses plain language and isn’t bogged down with jargon and legalese.

In terms of cost, Healthy Paws offers some of the lowest monthly premiums on the market. As with most plans, the sooner you enroll, the lower your rate will be. Pets must be at least eight weeks old to enroll. Be aware that Healthy Paws does not cover hip dysplasia for pets that begin coverage after they turn six years old.

Top Pick: Healthy Paws

The Healthy Paws mantra is “One plan. Four paws. All covered.” They offer a comprehensive plan that’s easy for new customers to understand. Their low rates, hassle-free claims process and near-perfect customer feedback make Healthy Paws our top dog.

See Price at Healthy Paws

Like our other finalists, Healthy Paws covers all major illnesses and injuries; hereditary and congenital conditions; chronic conditions like cancer; plus diagnostic treatment, surgery and hospitalization. They also pay for prescription medications and cover “alternative care” for acupuncture, chiropractic and hydrotherapy at no extra cost, where some insurers require a wellness add-on.

To keep rates low, Healthy Paws doesn’t cover preventive care, which applies to vaccinations, flea control, heartworm medication, deworming, nail trimming, dental cleaning, spaying or neutering. Nor do they cover exam fees, even for covered conditions; that’s unfortunate, but tolerable if it keeps premiums affordable.

Healthy Paws earned the highest customer scores on all five review sites that we researched. We really can’t undervalue the hefty number of glowingly positive customer reviews. With over 4,200 reviews on Pet Insurance Review, a 9.8 score is fairly astounding. Customers praise the staff’s communication, hassle-free claims process and speedy payment.

There are a few specific limitations you should be aware of. First, newly enrolled pets must have a one-time pet exam, which helps identify any pre-existing conditions. Second, Healthy Paws applies a lengthy 12-month wait period for hip dysplasia, a common ailment for dog breeds such as Labrador retrievers. This type of hip disease can be common in dogs under age one, so talk to your vet about the risks before enrolling.

Healthy Paws also limits plan options for older pets. If you enroll your pet after their eighth birthday, you still get unlimited coverage, but you’re forced to go with a $750 annual deductible and your co-pay is set at 40 percent. That can be a big cost hit if your vet bill climbs into five digits. Still, if you compare other insurers’ rates for newly enrolling older pets, Healthy Paws’ premiums are the only ones most people can afford.

According to the Healthy Paws home page, they process 99 percent of claims in just two days. You can easily submit a claim by uploading a photo of your vet bill through their mobile app. Reimbursement typically takes three to 10 days. Their support department let us know they once paid out $60,000 to cover a single claim.

Aside from the wait period hurdles you need to navigate, the Healthy Paws plan is all positives. It’s not hard to see why they score so high in both consumer and professional reviews.

Key takeaways:

• Healthy Paws’ single plan option is straightforward and policy language is easy to understand.
• Premiums are lower than most other insurers, especially if you enroll while your pet is young.
• Healthy Paws has the highest customer scores on all major pet insurance review websites, reporting stellar service and quick claim payments.
• For new enrollees, there is a lengthy 12-month wait period for hip dysplasia.
• Pets that enroll at age 8 or older must use a fixed plan with only 60 percent reimbursement (40-percent co-pay).

Best rates: Pets Best – BestBenefit Plus Plan

In our quote research, the Pets Best – BestBenefit Plus Plan repeatedly delivered the lowest monthly premiums of all seven contenders. A good plan is not all about price, but it’s certainly an important factor. With all the different categories we ran quotes for, we put our finalists to the test and were surprised by Pets Best’s consistently low rates.

Pets Best was founded by Dr. Jack Stephens, who back in 1981 helped launch the first pet insurance company in North America. As a practicing veterinarian, Dr. Stephens recognized how tragic it is for pet parents to have to put their animals down simply because they couldn’t afford treatment. As a result, the Pets Best mission is to end economic euthanasia. That helps explain why their rates are so affordable.

Regarding plan structure, Pets Best offers three different plans, but they are very similar. The mid-tier “Plus” plan adds coverage for exam fees associated with an eligible illness or injury (not included with their basic “Essential” plan). And the top-tier “Elite” plan further adds on rehab for special care like acupuncture or chiropractic. We went with the “Plus” plan for solid coverage at reasonable rates.

Lowest Rates: Pets Best - BestBenefit Plus Plan

Across the board, Pets Best offers the lowest rates we could find for both mixed breeds and purebreds. Plans are highly customizable, and this mid-tier plan also reimburses for exam fees associated with a covered condition, a bonus not offered by all insurers.

See Price at Pets Best

Pets Best offers lots of flexibility to set your annual deductible and reimbursement percentage — just be sure to select the “Unlimited” annual limit. Though we prefer to pay for annual exams out of pocket, Pets Best does offer two different wellness add-ons, priced around $15-$25, that cover annual exams and preventive care. As an additional option, they provide a 5-percent multipet discount if you have more than one pet.

Wait periods are reasonable at 14 days for illness coverage and just three days for injury. The exception is cruciate ligament conditions, which have an extended six-month waiting period that cannot be waived by exam.

Pets Best touts that they process most claims in just three to five days. They also offer direct deposit, plus a “Vet Direct Pay” option. Once you submit paperwork for payment directly to your vet, that provider will remain on file for the next time you need to pay vet fees.

With all the (good features/positives), we might have considered Pets Best for our top pick were it not for some mixed customer reviews. Comments on Pet Insurance Review and Trustpilot are largely on the positive side. But Pets Best didn’t score nearly the same rave reviews as Healthy Paws, which led us to rank them a runner-up, still a very solid showing.

Key takeaways:

• Pets Best – BestBenefit Plus Plan consistently yielded the lowest monthly premiums when we ran our quote comparisons.
• Highly customizable plans, including a midrange “Plus” plan that covers exam fees for covered conditions, which some other insurers exclude.
• Most quotes are processed in a quick three- to five-day turnaround time.
• Wait period is extended to six months for cruciate ligament conditions.
• Pets Best receives mostly positive reviews, though some customers complain about arguing with their claims department over whether their pet’s condition is covered.

Best wellness plan: Nationwide – Whole Pet

Among our finalists, Nationwide’s – Whole Pet with Wellness plan is unique in that it combines comprehensive with wellness care. It’s also Nationwide’s only plan that uses an unlimited payout. The extra benefit means you’re not going to get the lowest rates, but you do get a lot of bang for your buck.

Be sure not to confuse this “Whole Pet” plan with Nationwide’s “Major Medical” — that plan uses a benefits schedule that limits payouts based on line-item pricing (think of it as a menu for each type of treatment). Also, be aware their “Pet Wellness” plan only covers routine exams and preventive care, and not the injuries and illnesses covered by a comprehensive plan.

Once you clear those two hurdles, there is very little that’s confusing about the Whole Pet with Wellness plan. And that simplicity is one of its merits. Rather than choose between deductible and co-pay options, the Whole Pet plan is fixed at an unlimited annual payout, a $100 deductible and a 10-percent co-pay. For a fixed plan, those are very favorable settings.

To hammer that point home, not only do you get to use a low $100 deductible for any illness or injury, you also get a highly inclusive wellness package — routine exams, vaccinations, flea and tick control, dental cleaning, behavioral care, dietary supplements — if you can think of it, it’s probably on the list.

Best Value Combo: Nationwide – Whole Pet with Wellness

Using an approach that bucks the norm, Nationwide pairs their only “unlimited” annual cap plan with wellness care. Whole Pet with Wellness covers the full range of vet fees. And the best part: You get all these benefits at a low $100 deductible.

See Price at Nationwide

Considering overall value, Whole Pet monthly premiums are very reasonable. Compared to our other plans at a $500 deductible (and without wellness), Whole Pet falls right in the middle. At a $250 deductible, Whole Pet is as low or less than the competition.

In terms of restrictions, dogs must be at least age 1 and under age 10 to enroll (no such restriction on cats). The wait period is 14 days for both illness and injury. Unlike some other insurers, there are no special wait periods for hip or knee conditions.

Consumer comments on Pet Insurance Review are for the most part complimentary. You need to look closely because the major complaints we saw were all regarding Nationwide’s Major Medical; we agree, that’s not a good option. Other, minor comments suggest that their claim processing should be faster.

As a company, Nationwide has been in business since 1925. Their pet insurance division was originally Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) — who, by the way, issued the very first pet policy to Lassie — founded in 1982 and acquired by Nationwide in 2014. With such established history, you can depend on Nationwide to be around for the long run.

When we started this review, we didn’t set out to consider wellness care. Yet, we sure came to appreciate this plan’s value. Nationwide’s Whole Pet with Wellness was another strong contender for our top pick. But we think pet insurance should be affordable by as many pet parents as possible, and that means going with a lower-priced plan that doesn’t attach the extra cost of wellness coverage.

Key takeaways:

• Nationwide – Whole Pet with Wellness covers the entire range of vet services by combining comprehensive illness and injury with extensive wellness care.
• This is the least confusing plan available because all variables are fixed — favorably so: $100 deductible, 10-percent co-pay and unlimited annual payout.
• Unlike many other insurers, there are no special wait periods.
• As a highly respected company with over 90 years in business, you can count on Nationwide being there for the long run.
• This all-encompassing plan can’t compete against the low rates of plans that forego wellness, yet it still delivers incredible value at a reasonable price.

Other finalists we evaluated

Honestly, our research suggests that all of our seven finalists provide great coverage that we would not hesitate to recommend. Put another way, each of these pet insurance companies can provide that essential “peace of mind” from knowing your favorite companion will receive whatever emergency vet care is required, regardless of expense. It really comes down to the fine details and the fact that some insurers’ rates are higher than others.

Trupanion

Trupanion led the way in offering a streamlined plan that helps prevent customers getting overwhelmed. Their one policy comes with unlimited annual payout and 10-percent co-pay. You just need to choose your deductible, which can be set at one-dollar increments from $0-$1,000.

Trupanion is the only company that uses a “per incident” deductible: For each condition your pet develops, you pay vet fees up to your deductible; once you meet the threshold, that condition is covered for the life of your pet, though you’re still responsible for the co-pay. The risk is that you may have to pay multiple deductibles if you have an unlucky or accident-prone pet who requires more than one vet visit.

Most Innovative Claim Structure: Trupanion

If your pet first comes down with an ailment while covered by Trupanion, the company’s unique “per incident” deductible covers treatment for that specific condition for the life of your pet. Customers also report that Trupanion is quick to issue reimbursement.

See Price at Trupanion

Another unique feature is Trupanion’s “Vet Direct Pay” system. Trupanion pioneered the way for paying vets directly. This minimizes your out out-of-pocket expenses. Most other companies now also offer direct pay, but they make you do the legwork to process a “veterinarian release form.” Trupanion runs a dedicated software system connected to vet offices. Vets need to opt into the system, but once they do Trupanion can issue payment within minutes of your checkout.

According to Trupanion’s website, they settle 65 percent of claims on same day received, and 80 percent within seven days. Another plus is that they don’t require any special extended wait periods. In reviewing Trupanion’s policy doc, we noted your pet needs to receive required vaccinations or they won’t be covered for those specific conditions.

Trupanion’s reviews are nearly as high as Healthy Paws on Pet Insurance Review and slightly less favorable on Trustpilot. Founded in 2000, Trupanion has built a strong reputation. With all their innovative features, we were inclined to push them into the winner’s circle. But when we compared quotes, Trupanion frequently came in third most expensive. If rates were lower, they’d surely be a contender.

ASPCA – Complete Coverage

Formerly the Hartville Pet Insurance Group, this Crum & Forster company formed a strategic partnership in 2006 with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Similar to Pets Best, their plan is highly customizable. The ASPCA – Complete Coverage plan also offers very reasonable rates, coming in third place just behind Pets Best and Healthy Paws.

ASPCA is one of our few finalists to pay for vet exams that are part of diagnosing a covered condition. Wait periods are short and there are no special extensions for hip or knee conditions. They also cover vet-prescribed medications and foods needed to treat an ailment.

Other insurers offer a multipet discount at 5 percent (if they offer it at all), but ASPCA provides customers a 10-percent discount for enrolling more than one pet. That’s a nice perk if you’re wrangling a small herd of beagles.

ASPCA has a good ranking on Pet Insurance Review and an even better score on Trustpilot where it’s second only to our top pick, Healhy Paws. We honestly have nothing bad to report about ASPCA. The only reason they’re not one of our top picks is that they didn’t stand out in certain categories like others.

Figo

Started in 2015, Figo is a newcomer to the scene. They offer three comprehensive plans, but only the Figo – Ultimate plan offers unlimited annual payout. Unlike other companies, Figo’s deductible options vary by age: $100-$750 for pets eight weeks to five years; $250-$1,000 for pets aged six to nine years; and $500-$1,500 for pets 10 years and older.

Figo imposes short wait periods of five days for accidents/injuries and 14 days for illnesses. The exception is cruciate and patella (knee) injuries, which have a six-month wait period; however, that requirement can be waived if a vet examines your pet within the first 30 days and confirms no pre-existing condition.

On the downside, Figo yielded the second highest premiums for most of our quote categories. Only Petplan came in higher. Figo also offers an add-on to cover exam fees — but this only applies to covered illnesses and injuries, and not to routine exams or preventive care. We think there are better options out there.

Petplan

Petplan offers a high degree of customization. However, when we ran our quotes, we found Petplan consistently had the highest monthly premiums. Some rates were two-to-three times as much as lower-cost competitors, especially for older pets.

Another drawback, Petplan is our only finalist to require an annual vet checkup and dental exam (plus any specific periodic treatment “suggested” by vet to prevent illness or injury). Failure to have an annual checkup means that any new conditions discovered at next vet exam will be used as a basis for pre-existing conditions, for which you will not be covered.

Petplan has decent customer reviews and over 40 years in business, but the above issues led us to steer clear of picking them as a winner.

The bottom line

Pet insurance is one of those rare, pricey things in life that you hope you never need to use. No one wants their pet to get sick or hurt, but it sure is comforting to know you’ll be covered if it happens.

Healthy Paws gives pet parents peace of mind. Customers applaud their excellent customer service and smooth claims process, which has earned them the highest consumer review scores on both Pet Insurance Review and Trustpilot, Unlike our other finalists, we couldn’t find a single complaint about being denied coverage for a claim.

In terms of rates, Healthy Paws offers some of the lowest monthly premiums available. Just be sure to enroll early, as limitations start to apply after your pet turns six-years-old. We also appreciate their simple plan structure that’s easy to understand and doesn’t overwhelm with numerous decisions to be made.

If lowest rates are your top priority, run a quote for Pets Best – BestBenefit Plus Plan. You’ll be challenged to find a better monthly premium. Not only does their plan allow a high degree of personalization, but they are our only finalist who that offers both high-deductible plans and wellness add-ons.

If you’re willing to spend a bit more to get more, you can reap the benefits with Nationwide’s Whole Pet with Wellness. This plan covers about every vet service you can think of, including all routine exams and all sorts of preventive care. And if you’re looking to insure a feathered friend, Nationwide’s Avian & Exotic Pet Plan is the only policy that covers pets other than dogs and cats.

For more pet care, check out our review of the best pet gates and our review of the best automatic litter box.

Top Pick: Healthy Paws

Outstanding staff communication and a speedy claims process keeps Healthy Paws on top of the pack with the highest customer ratings on all major review sites. With low rates, solid coverage, unlimited payout and straightforward policy lingo, they earn our top score too.

See Price at Healthy Paws

The post The Best Pet Insurance appeared first on Your Best Digs.

Table of contents

• Compare the best knife sharpeners
• 1. Best electric sharpener: Chef’sChoice – 1520
• 2. Best budget electric: Presto – EverSharp 08810
• 3. Best manual pull-through: Brød & Taylor – Classic
• Other finalists we tested
• How we selected finalists to test
• Important features to consider
• How we tested
• How to sharpen a knife
• Professional knife sharpening services

Compare the best knife sharpeners

1. Best electric sharpener: Chef’sChoice – 1520

Of all our electrics, the Chef’sChoice – AngleSelect 1520 is the only model to sharpen both 15- and 20-degree angles, making it the most versatile in our group of five. This setup lets you sharpen older Western-style knives as well as newer blades. And though most knife manufacturers have changed to 15-degree bevels, you might still want the freedom to use a 20-degree edge; for example, if you’re chopping lots of hard foods like boned meats, a 20-degree edge will hold up longer.

As a tradeoff for that flexibility, the 1520 has three slots but actually only two abrasive stages. The first pair sharpens to 15-degrees, the second pair sharpens to 20 degrees and the third pair polishes both angle types. So for any given knife, you never run the blade through all three slots. Still, we think the extra versatility is worth it.

Losing one abrasive stage certainly didn’t hold back the 1520 in our tests. It outperformed other finalists by consistently producing very sharp edges on all our knives; each set of BESS measurements was nicely clustered and averaged out to 280, and in a few cases they came out sharper than new. The 1520 had no problem restoring a dulled edge on old and new knives alike, whereas some contenders just couldn’t get there. With each test, the 1520’s robust motor powered through and never faltered or bogged down.

Chef’sChoice products are made by the EdgeCraft Corporation located in Pennsylvania. One might argue they dominate the world of sharpener products with their robust line of both electric and manual devices (you’ve probably noticed that three of our nine finalists are Chef’sChoice products). They even manufacture electric sharpeners for Wüsthof and Mercer.

Top Pick: Chef’sChoice - AngleSelect 1520

The 1520 combines versatility and outstanding performance. Sturdily built, it grinds and polishes both Western-style and Asian-style blades, plus it cleverly incorporates a magnet to collect metal flakes deposited in the housing.

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Both our Chef’sChoice finalists are worthy examples of EdgeCraft’s signature high quality. – For each abrasive stage there are two angled slots that separately sharpen each side of the blade, which is the ideal way to form a burr. Although housed in white plastic, the 1520 feels substantial and has a nice weight, presumably due to the large 125-watt motor that fills the housing. Pedestal rubber feet help it rest stable and secure on a countertop. A single power button keeps controls simple.

For added convenience, the 1520 has a removable magnet molded into its underside that collects metal shavings. You still need to wipe some metal dust from where it falls around the slots, but the magnet handles most of the cleaning. It’s a great idea and appears to be included in most Chef’sChoice electrics.

Also common to their electrics, Chef’sChoice touts “flexible spring guides that provide accurate control of the sharpening angle, for the thickest or thinnest knife blades.” Although marketed as an “advanced” feature, we found the spring-loaded guides to be more annoying than helpful. It’s awkward to start each pass because you have to work your blade between the two plastic guides. That makes it challenging to keep up a smooth rhythm. Also, some knife handles don’t fit, so you can’t sharpen to the very back of heel. In testing the 1520, this was our biggest frustration, but that’s fortunately our only gripe.

In case you’re concerned about long-term durability, the 1520 comes with a three-year warranty; plus, EdgeCraft is well-established company. Moreover, their FAQ web page includes this reassuring info: “If the abrasives need replacement, you may send the sharpener back to EdgeCraft and, for a nominal fee, EdgeCraft will replace the abrasives, clean and lubricate the sharpener and ship it back in almost new condition.” The replacement fee for both the 1520 and the Trizor is $45, plus shipping costs.

Key takeaways:

• The Chef’sChoice – AngleSelect 1520 provides flexibility to sharpen both 15- and 20-degree edge bevels.
• A hefty motor powers diamond abrasives that separately sharpen each side of a knife in angled slots.
• Removable magnet collects metal shavings deposited into housing.
• Comes with 3-year warranty, and Chef’sChoice can install replacement disks when abrasives wear out.

2. Best budget electric: Presto – EverSharp 08810

Despite its much lower price point, the Presto – EverSharp 08810 performed remarkably well in testing. In fact, it restored some of our test knives significantly faster than any other contenders, including the high-end electrics. This earned it not only our budget winner, but nearly compelled us to name it our top pick. However, the Presto only sharpens 20-degree blades, which most major knife manufacturers have phased out of production in favor of 15-degree edges. Although that limitation held it back in overall ranking, it’s a great option if you only own 20-degree blades.

The Presto is one of our only electrics (other than the Trizor XV) that truly performs three-stage sharpening. That increases its versatility, making it handy for both reprofiling and periodic maintenance. It uses Sapphirite abrasives (essentially aluminum oxide) for coarse and medium grinding, plus a ceramic disk for fine polishing. All stages feature angled slots to separately sharpen each side of knife.

In addition to the Presto’s fast and effective sharpening, we really appreciated its excellent control. Our other electrics impregnate abrasives onto metal disks of surprisingly thin-gauge material that are made further flexible by spring axles; they allow for a lot of give. By contrast, the 120-watt Presto uses 5/8″ thick, solid abrasive disks that are firmly fixed in place. We found this design helped us establish and maintain much better contact against the full length of the knife as we passed it through. That’s important for shaping a consistent edge.

Budget Electric: Presto - EverSharp 08810

The EverSharp may be budget-priced but it performs like a high-end champ. Solid half-inch thick abrasive wheels allow your blade to make firm contact. If you only need to sharpen 20-degree knives, it delivers great performance at a bargain price.

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Though made with all plastic, the Presto has a substantial feel. It weighs in at 4.8 pounds, slightly heavier than our sturdy Chef’sChoice 4.4-pound models. At just over 13.5” in length, it’s also the longest of our finalists, yet still sized for convenient storage. Five suction-cup feet add to its already hefty countertop stability. And while not part of our ranking system, the Presto scores on style for its modern silver-and-black housing with bright orange guides that offer a fun punch of color.

Perhaps its most unique feature, the Presto is designed with an adjustable blade guide, labeled as thick, medium and thin. We contacted a rep and learned these adjust to roughly 23, 21 and 19 degrees. However, the guides don’t lock into position, but rather allow quite a bit of give, which the rep confirmed is by design. It’s actually meant to accommodate different thickness blades, not to set a bevel angle. Too bad these guides aren’t more rigid because that would solve the problem of electrics not being able to adjust for different edge bevels.

Of course, while the Presto comes at an appealing price, it falls short in a couple areas. First, the warranty is only good for one year, compared to three years offered by our high-end electrics. And unlike the Chef’sChoice electrics, there’s no option to replace disks with fresh abrasives. Still, those are minor drawbacks relative to such strong performance at very reasonable cost.

Key takeaways:

• A top performer in our tests, the Presto – EverSharp 08810 delivers very fast and effective performance.
• Thick abrasive disks make it easy to maintain continuous contact as you pass the blade through.
• Unique guides can be set for thick, medium or thin knives.
• Substantial weight and suction-cup feet enhance countertop stability.
• Designed for 20-degree edge bevels, so not suited for 15-degree knives.

3. Best manual pull-through: Brød & Taylor – Classic

The Brød & Taylor – Classic Sharpener is one of the more unique products on the market. It features two spring-action bars, each inset with a bar of tungsten carbide, that form a “V” and open to different angles depending on pressure applied. Hand position determines which part of the bar you’re running the edge across: knife tip down for coarse shaping on a scraping edge, knife tip up for smoothing on a beveled edge, and knife held level for burnishing between the flat plates. You can also sharpen serrated knives by using only one side of the “V.”

The company website states that the spring-action bars automatically adjust for different blade angles. Be aware this isn’t as accurate as devices with fixed angles set at 15- or 20-degrees; if you apply too much pressure, the “V” opens to a more obtuse angle. With a bit of practice, you can learn to find the right amount of pressure, typically at a point when the rods first start to separate.

Once you get a feel for when the carbide plates are doing their work, it’s very simple to control. The Brød & Taylor certainly feels a lot gentler on knives than slotted pull-throughs with angled wheels. For longer knives, you may find that your knife tip hits the countertop when performing the tip-down coarse grinding for stage one. We learned it helps to use the device at edge of counter where the blade can extend further down.

Best Pull-Through: Brød & Taylor - Classic Sharpener

For a manual device, the Brød & Taylor gets the job done fast. Unlike some pull-throughs that struggle with dulled blades, its tungsten carbide edge had no problem shaving metal to form a burr.

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The Brød & Taylor performed well in both our edge restoration and maintenance tests. It restored our new 7.5” chef’s knife to a sharpness level on par with our electrics — and did so in a similar number of passes. That said, it struggled to restore our other kitchen knives, which suggests it’s not as universal as the electrics. We also noticed that the initial coarse stage did a lot more work than the smoothing and burnishing stages. Still, the B&T scored well in our edge maintenance test, where it dominated the other manual pull-throughs by sharpening in dramatically fewer passes.

One negative we can point to is the B&T’s slot width. The tops of the V-configured rods are only separated by a half inch. So if you have a knife with a fatter handle, say 5/8″ or 3/4″ wide, you can still push it through (in order to sharpen heel of blade) but that opens the rods to a wider V-slot which in turn creates a more obtuse edge bevel. It’s something to be aware of if you plan to sharpen wide-handled knives.

With regard to style, the Brød & Taylor truly owns its cutting-edge look. We tested the less expensive polymer model to keep costs down, but the B&T is also available in a brushed stainless steel upgrade if that better matches your kitchen décor. And if you prefer not to keep on countertop, it’s small enough to easily slip into a drawer.

Key takeaways:

• The Brød & Taylor – Classic Sharpener sharpens knives more gently and with fewer strokes than other pull-throughs that use abrasives.
• Unique three-stage sharpener uses different knife-tip positions (up, down, level) to shape, smooth and burnish.
• Spring-action tungsten carbide inserts can be expected to last five years, and replacement rods are available when needed.
• Innovative design adds an interesting design touch to your kitchen countertop or easily stows in a drawer.

Other finalists we tested

Chef’sChoice – Trizor XV

The Chef’sChoice – Trizor XV incorporates many of the same winning features (solid build, strong performance, etc.) and minor annoyance (fussy guides) as our top-pick 152o. We’re not going to repeat these common properties here (see above for that) but rather focus on what sets these models apart.

Two interrelated features differentiate the Trizor XV from the EdgeSelect 1520: number of stages and type of edge angles. Unlike the 1520, the Trizor XV is a true three-stage electric sharpener. It uses diamond abrasives for coarse and medium grinding, plus a patented synthetic for the polishing stage.

Razor-Sharp Electric: Chef’sChoice - Trizor XV

If you’re looking for Hattori Hanzo sharpness, the Trizor XV’s diamond abrasives hone a razor-sharp edge. The Trizor features a coarse grind, medium grind and fine polish so you can reprofile or refine edges as needed.

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Chef’sChoice heavily promotes that the stage-one abrasive can even reprofile a knife from a 20- to a 15-degree edge bevel. The company also describes that the Trizor XV creates a “triple-bevel arch-shaped” edge that cuts cleaner and lasts longer. We can’t vouch for those since claims since we didn’t test for long-term edge durability. What we can report is that the Trizor — for whatever reason — struggled to sharpen both our old thrift store blade and new 5.5” utility knife. Even with our new 7.5” chef’s knife, it took significantly more passes to achieve only marginally better results than the 1520.

We can’t offer an explanation as to why the highly reviewed Trizor XV fell short in our edge dulling and restoration tests. We can only report the numbers as measured. On that front, in our two test knives that the Trizor XV proved most successful with, it attained higher sharpness levels — to a degree equivalent with a utility razor blade — than any other finalist. Unfortunately, it didn’t perform as well for our other test knives.

Here’s something to be aware of: The Chef’sChoice website specifies that the Trizor is available in “brushed metal.” That’s not true — it’s plastic. While it’s made to simulate metal appearance, it’s still plastic. So if you’re looking to pair the Trizor next to that brushed stainless steel toaster, don’t expect to get the same lustrous finish.

Despite inconsistent results, the extreme sharpness we achieved in some tests gives us hope that it simply takes more time to master the Trizor’s subtleties (such as when to shift stages). It remains a solid product that we don’t hesitate to recommend. Still, we prefer the 1520’s dual-angle versatility, which is the main reason we picked it over the Trizor XV.

Chef’sChoice – ProntoPro 4643

Top in their line of manual pull-throughs, the Chef’sChoice – ProntoPro 4643 is a three-slot, two-stage sharpener. Similar to their 1520 electric, slot one sharpens to 15 degrees, slot two sharpens to 20 degrees and slot three polishes both angles. All three slots use skewed metal wheels coated with diamond abrasives. As described on the Chef’sChoice website, the ProntoPro “CrissCross” technology sharpens both “into” and “out of” the knife edge. They claim this design creates a “highly effective, extremely sharp, burr-free edge with microscopic teeth.”

Despite the claim, the ProntoPro struggled to restore our dulled knives during testing, pretty much as expected. After 400 passes with our 8” thrift store knife, the PT50B device measured barely any improvement at all, forcing us to abort the effort. Our new 5.5” and 3.5” knives showed some improvement, but remained quite dull. However, we were impressed the ProntoPro could actually restore a blunted edge on our 7.5” chef’s knife, taking it to a sharpness level that cleanly sliced paper.

The ProntoPro did a much better job in our edge maintenance test, confirming what other reviewers reported. It readily outperformed our other slotted pull-through, the MinoSharp 3, achieving superior sharpness in roughly a third fewer passes. From a control perspective, it felt unpleasantly awkward to perform the ProntoPro’s recommended back-and-forth strokes; the knife edge tends to lock up in the wheels every few strokes. It helps to ease back on pressure, but the instructions say to push down with 4-5 pounds of pressure, so it’s a balancing act.

Ergonomics-wise, the device offers a firm grip for the required back-and-forth strokes. The top of the handle is rubberized and the proportions feel just right. All in all, the ProntoPro is a sturdy little device that’s well-designed for countertop use. It’s also small enough to fit in a kitchen drawer.

While the ProntoPro is not the best choice for restoring a dulled knife, it does a decent job refining a blade that is already fairly sharp. This type of light maintenance, where you don’t need to push down too hard, helps mitigate our issue with the wheels locking up. Of all finalists, the ProntoPro requires the least setup or manipulation, making it an efficient go-to solution.

Work Sharp – Culinary E3

Of all nine finalists, the Work Sharp – Culinary E3 is our only belt sharpener. Taking its cue from Work Sharp’s highly respected but more utilitarian WSKTS model, the E3 (and E5 upgrade) is their first foray into sharpening knives. Introduced in late 2017, this stylish little unit takes up minimal counter space and easily tucks away in a cupboard.

The E3’s single abrasive belt is located toward the front face and reminds us of the fan belt on a car engine. You sharpen the knife by alternating pulls through left/right slots at the unit’s tapered top. Angled guides help set the knife bevel. Work Sharp opted for 17 degrees, a middle ground between standard 15- and 20-degree angles.

Instead of different abrasives, the E3 includes a fairly coarse 120-grit belt and has two speed settings: one for sharpening and one for “refining.” It also comes with a separate ceramic rod for polishing or maintenance touch-ups. Compared to our other devices that offer all-in-one solutions, this seems kind of like cheating. However, Work Sharp thoughtfully included two angled guides that make this rod simple to use.

We found it odd that the belt drive only cycles in a counterclockwise rotation. As you pull the knife through the left side, the belt abrades metal toward the blade’s apex. But as you draw the knife through the right side, the belt abrades away from the apex. Not only does this deviate from traditional methods for forming a burr, but it creates such strong friction on the left side that it essentially sucks down the blade. The E3 achieves a decent level of sharpness, but its unwieldiness makes it very difficult to sharpen a consistent edge.

Spyderco – Tri-Angle Sharpmaker

Of all finalists, the Spyderco – Tri-Angle Sharpmaker comes closest to traditional whetstone sharpening. The device includes two abrasive rods that you insert in a plastic base to form a “V” shape; each side of the “V” is angled for either 15- or 20-degree bevels. You then hold the blade in a pure vertical orientation and draw it down and toward you against the rods. Compared to our other contenders, the Sharpmaker feels by far the most natural way to sharpen a knife as well as the least risky for chipping or oversharpening.

The Sharpmaker also offers the most versatility. Because the rods are open and the blade isn’t constrained by a fixed slot, you are free to adjust the knife for slightly different angles. You can even use the rods laying flat in the bottom of the base like a traditional bench stone, or pull them out to use like files. That freedom also means you can sharpen a wide variety of tools. In addition to most any knife type, the Sharpmaker works on scissors, fishing hooks, wire cutters, screwdrivers, chisels and even pinking shears.

Further expanding its versatility, Spyderco offers different abrasive rods to insert in the Sharpmaker base. In addition to the basic kit’s medium- and fine-grit stones, you can also purchase ultra-fine, diamond and “cubic boron nitride” stones as accessories (the latter CBN stones are similar to diamond abrasion but should last longer). Rods are sold in pairs and range in price from about $15 to $50.

So with all those positives, why have we not named the Sharpmaker one of our winners? The problem comes down to the abrasives included in the base package. Per the description on Spyderco’s website: “The Sharpmaker system includes two sets of high-alumina ceramic stones — a pair of medium-grit (brown) stones for aggressive sharpening and a set of fine (white) stones for professional-grade finishing.” During our research phase, we contacted their support team to confirm that the Sharpmaker could restore an edge to a damaged knife, and we were advised the medium stones could indeed reprofile an edge to an apex.

Unfortunately, we could not get the medium-grit rods to restore either a severely worn or moderately rolled edge in our tests. Without buying more aggressive rods, we could not test it on an even playing field with our other finalists. We dug a little deeper and learned that Spyderco’s high-alumina ceramics use micron-sized particles roughly half the size of most “fine” diamond abrasive in other systems. It appears this makes them more appropriate for making sharp blades even sharper (i.e., starting to do their job from where other sharpeners leave off).

We’re confident the Sharpmaker is a fine product because two of the professional cutlers we spoke with (Frank and Josh) each shared that they regularly use it to supplement whetstone sharpening. We really appreciate the Sharpmaker’s natural feel, and its technique is very simple to learn. Though it didn’t deliver great results for our specific tests, that might be one of its strengths: Because it gradually abrades metal, it’s the least likely of our devices to cause damage — in fact, we wouldn’t hesitate to use the Sharpmaker on even our high-end cutlery.

If you want to restore even moderately dulled blades, be prepared to invest in Spyderco’s diamond rods or CBN rod sets that each cost around $50. That might seem a steep price for an add-on item, but such flexibility opens a wide range of sharpening options and allows you to replace abrasives as they wear out over time.

LINKYO – 2-Stage Sharpener

Second of two budget electrics we tested, the LINKYO – 2-Stage Sharpener is about two-thirds the size and cost of the Presto. It also features only two sharpening stages rather than three. Both stages use diamond abrasives, one for coarse sharpening and the other for fine polishing (though to our ears it sounded more a grind than a polish). Like the Presto, the LINKYO includes suction-cup feet to hold it in place and removable plugs to empty out metal shavings.

For a budget product, the LINKYO seems a fine compact unit; it’s just not all that remarkable, especially compared to the Presto. The LINKYO shaped knives to a similar sharpness as our other electrics (as tested with our BESS device). But we found control to be an issue. That’s because its abrasives are impregnated on metal disks not only very thin in gauge but also small in diameter. It felt less firm as we drew our knives, and it also produced a tinny noise.

Not to pile on, but it’s worth noting the LINKYO comes with barely any instructions and no direction at all on how many passes to make through each slot.

GLOBAL – MinoSharp 3

Second of our two slotted pull-throughs, the GLOBAL – MinoSharp 3 is our only finalist that uses ceramic abrasives in all three slots. It’s also our only device that incorporates a water trough. Each ceramic wheel rests halfway in a trough and is skewed at an angle to its knife slot. And that’s where our complaint lies: Like the ProntoPro, the knife tends to get stuck in the groove cut into each wheel’s center. It’s very awkward unless you apply barely any pressure, but then the abrasives don’t do their job.

We didn’t notice that the water added any improvement; it’s not like the wheels move fast enough for the blade to require cooling, as with a traditional water wheel. The trough actually adds extra steps (to fill and empty), but the flip-top does make it easy to clean, unlike other handheld pull-throughs that can clog with metal.

Novelty aside, the all-plastic MinoSharp 3 just didn’t deliver on performance. In testing, we could not get it to restore a dulled blade (we abandoned the cause after 600 strokes). It did okay, but not great, in our edge maintenance test. The problem with the MinoSharp 3 is that the ceramic wheels aren’t as effective as more aggressive abrasives in other devices. Another shortcoming is that it only sharpens 15-degree knives, but that’s a minor issue compared to its subpar performance.

How we selected

A sharper knife is safer knife. That’s because a dull knife can twist askew under pressure and cause injury. And whether amateur cook or home gourmet, you’re much more likely to maintain sharp knives if you can readily perform the task right on your kitchen counter. We set out determine which knife sharpener best solves people’s cutlery maintenance needs with respect to learning curve, effectiveness, cost and especially convenience.

Our initial research took us to expert sites like KnifePlanet.com and KitchenKnifeGuru.com, knife enthusiast sites such as BladeForums.com, plus videos from renowned bladesmith Murray Carter and YouTube phenom Ryky Tran. We honed up on traditional versus modern practices, the different grades and types of abrasives, and more. It quickly became clear there are many ways to sharpen a knife — and many different opinions about which method is best.

Informed by the pros’ perspectives, we hopped on Amazon to learn which products appeal to consumers. Our analysis revealed a divide based on user group and knife type. Home cooks prefer to sharpen their chef’s knives with simple devices that do not require training, setup or cleanup. On the flipside, people who own utility, hunting or tactical knives are more apt to commit time toward mastering traditional whetstones or pricey jig systems. Since home chefs value convenience over a mirror-polished edge, we determined not to review whetstones or advanced systems — those methods are best left to expert shops or to enthusiasts who set up on a garage workbench.

With our focus narrowed on easy-to-use devices, we dove deeper into electric knife sharpeners and manual pull-throughs. Consumer review sites like Wirecutter, Cook’s Illustrated, and America’s Test Kitchen helped confirm our top candidates. We also reached out to professional sharpeners Frank from The Art of Sharp and Josh from Razor Edge Knives who both graciously shared their insights on abrasives and manual devices. To close out our research, we contacted the major knife manufacturers to learn which sharpening methods they recommend for their cutlery lines.

All this study guided product selections. Our finalists include five electric knife sharpeners (three high-end, plus two budget) and four manual sharpeners (two with triangulated rods, plus two slotted style). To allow for fair comparison, we tried to keep each group at a similar price point. We believe this well-rounded ensemble provided ample opportunity to assess the pros and cons, and offers consumers a wide range of costs to pick from.

Important features to consider

Bevel angle

Kitchen knives are typically described as having edges factory-sharpened to a 15- or 20-degree bevel. The bevel angle is usually measured for each side of the knife, though it’s sometimes listed as “inclusionary” in which case the number is doubled (30 or 40 degrees for 15- and 20-degree knives, respectively).

The bevel angle is an important factor. You’ll want a sharpener that’s shapes an edge profile appropriate for the majority of your knives. Not all manufacturers list bevel info, so you may have to dig a bit — or even call the company, like we had to do.

Historically, Western-style blades were ground to a 20-degree edge. These blades tended to be made from softer metal, which rendered them less able to hold an acute edge; however, the wider angle will stand up to more force at the cutting board. By comparison, Asian-style blades (mainly from Japan) are typically ground to 15 degrees; these blades tend to be harder, allowing them to sustain a more acute apex, but they’re more susceptible to damage from abuse.

Around 2010, most American and European knife manufacturers switched their lines entirely to 15-degree edges. We found it tough to get a clear answer on why companies changed the angle, but Wüsthof advised it was simply for “higher cutting performance.”

You don’t have to stick to the factory bevel, either. For more delicate foods, such as fish and soft vegetables, a 15-degree bevel will allow thinner, finer cuts. If you prep a lot of bone-in meats or love to slam the edge into your cutting board when chopping, then a 20-degree edge will last longer, whatever type of knife you’re chopping with.

Number of stages

The better sharpeners include three stages: a stage-one coarse grind for reprofiling, a stage-two medium grind for refining, and a stage-three polish for edge cleanup. Terms vary among manufacturers, often designated as “sharpening, honing and polishing,” but the way each manufacturer accomplishes those three steps varies dramatically. You ideally want a sharpener that can perform all three stages so you can periodically use the medium grind and polish for maintenance, then use the coarse stage only when you see a chip or heavy wear.

Type of abrasives

For most kitchen sharpeners, the abrasive material is impregnated onto belts or metal disks. Abrasive grits range from coarse to medium to superfine. Whether electric or manual, the most common abrasives — in order of hardness — are diamond, alumina ceramic and tungsten carbide..

Abrasives wear out over time. Most will last for a reasonable amount of time (we see five years commonly quoted), again depending on individual use. Still, if you invest in a more expensive product, check to see if the abrasives can be replaced once they wear out. It’s also a perk if the device lets you swap out abrasives for different uses, like the Work Sharp’s accessory polishing belts.

Versatility

Each device offers different capabilities. Of products researched, the majority can sharpen serrated knives, but not all. Most can also sharpen pocket knives, but very few can accommodate scissors. And none can sharpen ceramic knives, which require a specialized device. So if you have specific needs, be sure to check for that function.

Cost

As with other products, the adage “you get what you pay for” applies to knife sharpeners as well. The difference here is that if you go too cheap, you risk damaging your knives, typically by chipping or scratching. It’s important to balance your sharpener investment against the quality of your cutlery.

Warranty

Manufacturer warranties are really only of concern with electric sharpeners, mainly due to their higher price and more complicated parts. Most electrics come with a one-year warranty. The exception is Chef’sChoice who offer up to three years on their high-end models.

How we tested

First we’ll describe our equipment, then the procedures.

A device to quantify sharpness

We included the popular paper slicing test you might have seen on YouTube. Though a good indicator of when a knife reaches decent sharpness, this test doesn’t clearly define how sharp one knife is relative to others. We wanted to go a step further and also obtain quantitative results.

Our research led us to the PT50B Professional Edge Tester. With this device, you stretch a wire filament across a small gap, then press a knife blade down on the filament until it severs. The PT50B measures the grams of downward pressure required to make the cut. This number indicates relative sharpness: the less downward force required, the sharper the edge.

The PT50B device works hand-in-hand with the Brubacher Edge Sharpness Scale (BESS), developed by Mike Brubacher at Edge On Up, makers of the PT50B. To interpret the numbers (in grams of pressure), we referred to the BESS “C” scale published at Bessu.org. Medical labs, factories and knife pros alike rely on this scale to evaluate sharpness.

Calibrated to yield precise numeric results, the PT50B took the guesswork out of our testing. By taking a reading every certain number of passes, we could tell how quickly each knife became sharper as well as when the blade was ready for the next stage. It also helped us verify that each knife started at roughly the same level of dullness.

The BESS test doesn’t assess all the qualities of a knife edge, but it did help minimize bias in our results. For sake of comparison, we found that once a blade measured around 300-400 it had no problem at all effortlessly slicing through tomatoes.

Our sacrificial test knives

For knives, we purchased four Chicago Cutlery 3-piece knife sets. Each set included a 7.5” chef’s knife, a 5.5” utility knife, and a 3.5” paring knife. We used one knife set to test each of our four categories (two types of electrics, plus two types of manuals); this helped establish a level playing field. We also included an 8” thrift store knife, then rounded things out with a couple forged steel chef’s knives from our own collection.

Our new knives were manufactured at a 15-degree edge bevel. But we assumed our older knives, all from the early 2000s, were closer to 20 degrees. We respected these angles to select the appropriate slot in each device.

Lastly, during our initial prep we learned that different points along an edge yield varying sharpness results. So we marked the midpoint of each blade with a Sharpie Marker to ensure that we tested each knife in roughly the same spot.

Edge dulling and restoration test

For our first test, we wanted to see which devices could restore a severely dulled edge. We began by blunting our brand-new, out-of-the-box knives on a concrete paver. Granted, this dulled our blades beyond what you’d see in a typical home kitchen, but it’s the same amount of work you’d have to do when repairing a chip or other severe damage back to a sharp edge. After about 25 strokes on the paver, all tested at around a 2000 on the PT50B, indicating they weren’t cutting into the wire at all.

Next, we put our sharpeners to work and followed specific manufacturer instructions. Every product has a different recommended technique, including number of passes per stage, types of strokes and amount of pressure on blade. To show the work required from the user, we counted each stroke — whether affecting one or both sides of blade — as a single pass.

After each recommended number of passes, which varied per device, we used a loupe to visually inspect for a burr. We diligently checked edges at roughly every 5-10 passes and recorded PT50B results to monitor progress. Once the knife was ready to proceed to next stage, we took three BESS readings for each data set and then averaged these numbers to account for margin of error. While the PT50B is accurate, we expected some deviation in the numbers simply because it’s nearly impossible to test the same microscopic point on the edge each time.

We found that all our devices required significantly more passes than described in product instructions. Some may, in fact, appear like ridiculously too many strokes. But we very methodically took a BESS reading at roughly every 10-20 passes — some more, some less, based on visual burr and subsequent readings — and this is truly how many strokes were required.

Again, to frame this fairly, we dulled our knives well beyond even what you’d see even on an edge that hasn’t been sharpened in a few years. Extreme as it was, this test demonstrates the advantage offered by powered sharpening systems: If they can give you a sharp edge in these conditions, they can handle just about anything.

Let’s also recognize that these brand new devices were tested with fresh abrasives, neither worn down nor metal laden — we can assume each performed as well as it could.

All five electrics were able to restore our dulled knives to a sharp edge. We confirmed this not only with PT50B measurements, but also by making sure each knife could effortlessly slice paper. The Chef’sChoice – AngleSelect 1520 and the Presto – EverSharp 08810 delivered best results and restored each type of knife. The Chef’sChoice – Trizor XV struggled with our old thrift store knife, but on our paring knife it measured the highest sharpness of all finalists. The Work Sharp and LINKYO products restored a sharp edge; however, we experienced awkward control issues with both (see below).

It’s worth sharing that the motors in all our electrics proved surprisingly quiet. Pulling knives through the abrasives was of course noisier, but not to a level that required earplugs.

As expected, our manual sharpeners didn’t fare quite as well as the electrics. A couple did okay with chef’s knives over 7”, but all dropped in performance as we progressed to shorter blades. The Brød & Taylor – Classic Sharpener was the standout — it restored our 7.5” chef’s knife to a sharpness level on par with the electrics; however, it didn’t do so well with our other test knives.

We were also surprised that the Chef’sChoice – ProntoPro 4643 reached a sharpness level that could cut paper, even though it took 420 strokes to get there. The same can’t be said for the GLOBAL – MinoSharp 3; after 700 strokes, it still couldn’t slice paper. As for the Spyderco – Tri-Angle Sharpmaker, the base package came with medium abrasives, but no coarse abrasives. The Sharpmaker’s medium-grit rods couldn’t put an apex on our blunted knife even after a frustrating amount of effort.

Edge maintenance test

Our edge restoration test confirmed what we’d read: Manual pull-throughs struggle to reprofile a damaged edge. The abrasives are simply not coarse enough to grind down to a fresh apex. The exception is the tungsten carbide edge on the Brød & Taylor – Classic Sharpener, which turned out to be a star performer even for damaged blades. The other three manual devices require more passes than anyone should have patience for.

We wanted to give our manual pull-throughs a fair chance at doing what they’re best at, so we set up another test. This time we only dulled the blade to a “moderately rolled edge” as defined on the BESS “C” scale. We anticipated that at this level the devices wouldn’t need to work nearly as hard to succeed.

For this test, we again relied heavily on the PT50B to guide our process. We used it to confirm starting dullness and then took frequent readings. The Brød & Taylor again shined through, requiring remarkably fewer passes than the competition. It’s interesting that it needed 10 more passes than the more demanding edge restoration test, but the results remain impressive.

We were happy to see both the Chef’sChoice – ProntoPro 4643 and GLOBAL – MinoSharp 3 cut their required number of passes in half. The ProntoPro hit exactly the sharpness we were looking for, proving this is the task it’s more suited for. The MinoSharp 3 also performed much better, but not as well as the ProntoPro. And though it’s coarse stage did its job, we couldn’t get the medium or fine stages to show any improvement (in fact, our knife actually became less sharp).

We were hoping to see improvement from the revered Spyderco – Tri-Angle Sharpmaker. Based on a call to Spyderco’s tech support, we scrubbed the rods with Comet cleanser to remove any metal particle build-up and ensure best results. But that didn’t improve the medium-grit rods’ performance. After 400 passes on each side — alternating between corners and flat face of rods per the user manual — our PT50B readings indicated our knife was becoming duller than when we started, which led us to abort the mission.

Product ranking

As we put our finalists through their paces, we ranked each product by factoring in both our test data and firsthand experience. To assign scores, we considered these qualities and questions:

• Effectiveness: How efficiently can can it sharpen? How many passes required to achieve acceptable sharpness?
• Control: How easy is it to work the blade through each slot while maintaining consistent contact against the abrasive? Does it feel safe and under user control?
• Versatility: How many different angles can it sharpen? How many different types of blades?
• Build quality: Is it made with lots of plastic parts? Does it have a substantial feel?

How to sharpen a knife

At a most basic level, knife sharpening is all about reshaping a deformed steel edge back to a sharp apex. A thinner, more acute angle will slice or even push-cut more easily, while a thicker edge will stand up to more abuse. Either way, making sure the very apex of the edge is as refined as possible ensures its best performance.

With traditional techniques, you pass the blade over an abrasive surface; on each pass you alternate grinding from one side of the blade to the other. Knife sharpening has up to four stages depending on how sharp the blade is to start with.

Understand traditional sharpening stages

Grinding is the most aggressive stage and uses a coarse mineral abrasive (or even a hard scraping blade) to restore, or “reprofile,” a dull or damaged blade back to a sharp edge. When grinding, you gradually remove metal toward an acute apex as you flip the blade with each pass. This usually forms a “burr,” a ridge of foil-thin metal that hangs onto the edge when it’s as thin as it can get.

Polishing follows grinding as you move from coarse to medium to a fine-grit abrasive. For a quick glimpse of different grit levels that are out there, check out this stone grit chart. At this stage you refine the edge and remove imperfections. Polishing can also be a maintenance step to bring back that extra bit of sharpness after normal use wears your edge down.

Stropping removes any remaining burr after grinding and polishing. If you skip this step, the burr will fold back into a dull edge and possibly break off into your food. Stropping is traditionally done with a flexible strip of leather. Unlike the grinding stage where you push the knife edge forward, stropping is performed by dragging away from the edge.

Steeling does not remove metal but rather straightens the edge and burnishes it..

As a blade is subjected to impact through daily use, the edge can roll to one side. Steeling realigns the edge and is usually performed with a fine-tooth or smooth sharpening steel (thus the name “steeling”) and works best on knives with soft, tough steel. (Hard steel might just chip instead.) A ceramic or diamond abrasive “hone” is starting to replace this tool for many chefs, and will actually do some light polishing rather than just straightening the edge.

In most cases, you either grind, polish and strop to restore a dull or chipped blade, or you can use a steel to maintain an already fairly sharp knife throughout a day of heavy use. If you use knives with extra-hard steel, you will probably just want to polish-and-strop and make sure steels are kept far away from your knives.

Heavy grinding is typically only required if an edge is damaged. You really don’t want to overdo this coarsest stage because it reduces the lifespan of your knife. Edge maintenance, on the other hand, should be done frequently, as often as every couple of uses.

Choose a sharpening method

Knife sharpening options can be grouped into four categories.

Easy-to-use devices fall into two categories: countertop electrics and handheld manual pull-throughs. These devices are fast, convenient and require very little instruction. The main drawback is that most only sharpen to a specific edge angle, making them less versatile than other methods.

Whetstones are the traditional way to sharpen a knife. You alternately grind each side of the blade on a flat, abrasive stone that’s lubricated with water or oil, a sometimes messy procedure. This method relies heavily on technique and can take years to master.

Advanced systems range from complicated jigs to machines like water wheels and belt sanders. These tools let you sharpen to very precise edge angles, but they are expensive, require practice, and are best used at a garage workbench.

Professional services is the non-DIY option. Other people do the sharpening for you, but for a fee. We found that one-man shops favor traditional whetstones while larger companies use industrial machines. Though bringing or sending your knives to a service takes time, it’s still the best option for high-quality knives.

So which method is best for you? As mentioned earlier, we eliminated whetstones and advanced systems from consideration, as those methods require too much practice or cost too much money for the average home chef. For this review, we are focusing only on convenient methods — and that means either easy-to-use devices or professional services.

Professional knife sharpening services

This is the method you want to use for all your expensive cutlery. With this option, you rely on a skilled professional to handle your high-quality knives with care. Skilled cutlers greatly reduce the risk of damage. This is also a good option for any knives with handles that won’t fit in a home device.

The downside to professional sharpening is twofold: It costs money, and you have to get your knives to the shop. Most services charge around $4-$10 per knife; some charge by inches of blade length, others offer a discount if you sharpen as a bulk order. For transport, if you can’t find a local business, many services let you send by mail or courier and provide detailed instructions on how to safely package your knives.

Many people aren’t aware that knife manufacturers also offer sharpening service. Messermeister and Shun actually provide free lifetime service as part of their warranty (shipping costs excluded). Wüsthof, Henckels and MAC all offer sharpening for fees that are surprisingly reasonable. To share our research, we put together the following chart (bevel angles are for post-2015 product lines; see “Important features” if unfamiliar with bevels).

If you prefer to use a local service, perhaps for quicker turnaround, be sure to do your homework first. The danger is that if your high-end knives end up in unskilled hands, they could be damaged. We turned to Nate Ouderkirk at KitchenKnifeGuru for advice.

Nate is a big proponent of professional cutlers versus large commercial grinding services. Cutlers tend to be sole proprietors, which means you’re much more likely to receive personalized care. Most are highly skilled from many years of experience sharpening hundreds of blades. Best of all, they truly care about their craft so you can trust them with that $300 Bob Kramer Damascus knife.

We’d be doing a disservice if we didn’t also point out Nate’s recommendation for these five top services. We spoke with three of the five (Bob, Frank and Josh) during our research phase. All were highly professional, super friendly and incredibly knowledgeable.

Easy-to-use home kitchen sharpeners

Each of these product categories has a shallow learning curve, performs quickly and readily stores in a kitchen cabinet or drawer. In general, electric sharpeners are much better at edge restoration (i.e., returning a severely dulled blade to sharpness) but come at a higher price point. Manual pull-throughs are geared more toward edge maintenance and typically cost less than electrics.

Electric sharpeners

Of all these easy-to-use devices, countertop electrics perform the fastest. Unlike dated, single-slot models that sent sparks flying, today’s electrics are designed with improved abrasives and dedicated slots for coarse, medium and fine grinding. Most include guides that help position the blade for precise edge angles — but you’re limited to the bevels set by the included guides.

Electric sharpeners use motorized abrasive disks that remove metal faster than with whetstones or jig devices. That’s their key advantage: speed. So long as you don’t overuse the coarse stage, you can quickly restore a worn edge to a sharp apex. With the electrics that we tested, all warned not to use too much downward pressure, as that can wear away the abrasive disks and potentially remove too much knife metal.

Manual pull-throughs

Handheld sharpeners can be categorized as two types.

Triangulated rod pull-throughs position two abrasive-coated rods to form a V-shaped edge profile. You simply pull the blade through the “V” where the rods meet, using minimal downward pressure. Triangulated-rod devices come in many different designs; but in every case, you hold the knife vertical to maintain a consistent angle. Some models adjust for different edge angles.

Slotted pull-throughs are inexpensive and small enough to store in a drawer. Most models come with with two or three stages, with abrasives ranging from diamond to ceramic. Slotted pull-throughs lack the speed and power of electrics, which hinders their ability to restore a severely dulled blade. We encountered more than a few expert opinions complaining that fixed, V-shaped slots can chip and damage blades, so we stuck with products that use rotating disks (not motorized, just free-spinning).

The bottom line

Today’s consumer electric sharpeners and manual pull-throughs can’t replace a highly skilled cutler armed with a whetstone and lots of time to get the job done. But these easy-to-use kitchen devices certainly deliver on convenience, speed and economy.

The Chef’sChoice – AngleSelect 1520 ranked at the top for all four of our scoring categories: effectiveness, control, versatility and build quality. Some of our top performers struggled on certain knives, but the 1520 delivered consistently sharp results on old and new knives alike. It also outperformed its Chef’sChoice counterpart, the newer Trizor XV. Even if most of your knives aren’t manufactured to a 20-degree angle, it’s nice to have that option in case you want to set a wider bevel to last longer for cutting bone-in meats or tough vegetables.

Scoring in second place, we were surprisingly impressed by the Presto – EverSharp 08810. For a budget-priced model, it sharpened our test knives in significantly fewer passes than all other electrics.

Looking to our manual devices, the Brød & Taylor – Classic Sharpener is a versatile, capable improvement of the steel chefs and butchers have always relied on. It doesn’t polish an edge the way fancy abrasives will, but it’s very capable at scraping and burnishing to a sharp apex.

Top Pick: Chef’sChoice - AngleSelect 1520

Driven by a powerful motor, the 1520’s diamond abrasive disks quickly sharpen dull blades to cut like new again. Its hybrid design accommodates both 15- and 20-degree knives, a rare flexibility in electric sharpeners. The 1520 has a substantial feel yet remains easy to store.

See Price at Amazon.com

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