A sharp and smooth knife can help enhance your efficiency in the kitchen, but with time it can start losing its sharpness and create resistance. In such cases, you need the best honing steel to align the knife blade to retain its sharpness and cutting power. Honing rods are made of durable materials, and they help align the blade edge for better operation. Available in ceramic, steel, and other varieties, they cater to specific knife and cutter needs for effective results. Here’s our list of top-rated honing steel to help you maintain your knife’s premium condition. So, read on to learn more about honing steel and the available options.

13 Best Honing Steel

1. Best Overall: Noble Home & Chef Professional Honing Steel

Designed for safety, this honing rod is magnetized to prevent tiny metal particles from your blade from entering your system or mixing with your food. It is made from hardened carbon steel and has no plastic parts, which adds to its long-lasting performance and makes it one of the best steel honing rods. The rod has a comfortable weight, and it is designed ergonomically for optimal control and safety. Pros

Easy to clean and dishwasher-safe Chromium plating to prevent rust and corrosion Oval handle for a firm grip Suitable for professionals and home chefs

Cons

Surface may not be textured

2. Best Ceramic: Mercer Culinary Ceramic Rod Knife Honing Steel

One of the best ceramic honing steel, it measures 19.13 x 4.5 x 1.13 inches and is a high-performance tool that helps align the edge as it hones. It has a sturdy Santoprene handle for comfort and grip and can easily remove burrs from the blade’s edges. Although best suited for tough knives, you can use this honing steel for all types of knives for effective results. Pros

Does not grind down the metal Appropriate length Comfortable weight Easy to use

Cons

Raised lettering on the rod might affect the blade while honing

3. Best For Japanese Knives: Green Elephant Ceramic Sharpening Rod

The SGS-tested ceramic sharpening rod has a hardness of nine Mohs and grit of #1500, making it one of the best honing steel. Its unique shock-absorbing design can protect the ceramic rod from damage when dropped. The silicone seal between the handle and the ceramic helps absorb the vibration to keep the rod safe and durable. Suitable for honing, sharpening, and realigning, this rod can improve your knife’s condition for long-lasting performance. Here’s a video for more information about the product. Pros

Lightweight and easy-to-grip handle Easy to clean 30-day money-back guarantee Suitable for Japanese knives

Cons

Might be small for large butchering knives

4. Best Strength: Tuo Honing Steel

The professional honing steel from Tuo measures nine inches and ensures your kitchen knives are properly aligned and sharp for optimal performance. Made from German high-carbon stainless steel, it is rust-resistant and processed under high-tech vacuum heat treatment for superior strength. One of the best honing steel for kitchen knives, this blade has tiny grooves for sufficient sharpening and edge alignment. Pros

High-density pakkawood handle Sanitary and ensures food safety Money-back guarantee More convenient than a grindstone

Cons

Might be small for large knives

5. Best Easy-To-Store: G-Ting Diamond Honing Steel

With three-layer diamond electroplating technology, this tool is one of the best diamond honing steel with #600 grit, measuring 12 inches. It is made from carbon steel and nickel-chrome plating that keeps the rod rust-free. This honing steel’s fine surface ensures the blade doesn’t get damaged while sharpening. The kit also includes a blade sharpener made of tungsten carbide and an instruction sheet for your convenience. Pros

Provides coarse grinding Easy-to-grip polypropylene handle Metal hanging ring for wall-mountable storage Non-slip bottom for safety

Cons • May not be easy to use

6. Best Grooved Design: Wusthof Honing Steel

The honing steel works well to sharpen scissors, cutters, and knives safely. Measuring 16 x 2 x 2 inches, this rod has been precision-forged from a block of carbon stainless steel and treated to 58° HRC. What makes it one of the best honing steel is that it has a slip-resistant, textured handle for a comfortable and controlled grip. The handle also has a protective bolster for safety. Pros

Grooved rod design for better performance Attracts loose metal fibers during sharpening Lightweight Includes a lifetime warranty

Cons

Might be a bit small

7. Best Smooth: UltraSource Honing Steel

UltraSource’s honing steel has a smooth design suitable for daily blade maintenance. This handheld tool is easy to clean and break-proof for long-lasting use. One of the best honing steel, this tool is suitable for butchers, meat and food processors, chefs, and more. It offers an ergonomic grip and can help realign the blade edge without eliminating too much of the metal. Pros

Poly handle features a built-in hilt for protection Attachable to apron Lightweight Magnetized tip

Cons

May not work if the blade is too dull

8. Best Scratch-Resistant: Dalstrong Honing Rod

The ceramic honing rod is suitable for professional use and helps keep your knives in top condition by realigning the blades. Measuring ten inches, it works for most knife sizes and is one of the best honing steel for Japanese knives. It is made from high-carbon stainless steel and has a scratch-resistant ceramic coating that works well for large, heavy-duty knives for its abrasive texture. Pros

Military-grade, triple-riveted handle Ergonomic design for better control and agility Non-slip grip Money-back guarantee

Cons

Rubber tip may be of poor quality

9. Best Anti-Slip: Levinchy Honing Steel

With a fine grit type, this honing steel is made of hard carbon steel and nickel-chrome plating for durability and long-lasting performance. Its metal wire drawing technology ensures wear resistance and impressive sharpening results. It is among the best knife honing steel, suitable for various knives to meet your requirements. It also has a comfortable weight that doesn’t add pressure to your hands. Pros

Works for serrated blades Ergonomic handle Hanging ring for easy storage Anti-slip support point

Cons

May not work for blades that are too dull

10. Best Combination Rod: Shun Japanese Honing Steel

Shun’s nine-inch premium combination honing steel helps correct the bends on your blade to maintain its quality and sharpness. It offers dual-sided operation with one smooth side suitable for regular honing and a micro-ribbed side for more heavy-duty honing. This honing steel is lightweight and offers optimal comfort for hassle-free usage. Handcrafted by high-skilled artisans, this is one of the best steel honing rods. Pros

Walnut-finished pakkawood handle for left and right-handed users Built-in angle guide Easy to use Well-balanced

Cons

Might have a dull wood finish

11. Best For Kitchen Knives: Kuma Kitchen Knife Sharpener

Suitable for all kitchen knives, Kuma’s best honing steel works well to revive the sharpness and make your blades smooth and effective. You need to strike the blade against the honing rod a few times at a 20 to 25° angle to remove the bends in the blade and realign it. Measuring 15 x 2.8 x 0.8 inches, this carbon steel rod is easy to use and has a comfortable weight to prevent straining your wrists. Pros

Anti-slip ergonomic handle 100% money-back guarantee Well-balanced Finger guard for safety

Cons

May not be rust-resistant

12. Best Ergonomic Grip: Product Of Gifu Japan Seki Chef Knife Sharpening Rod

One of the best ceramic honing steel, the rod measures 9.65 x 1.38 x 0.98 inches and has a fine grit type for effective results. It is non-consumable, and thus stays the same shape after repeated use. The rod’s round shape allows you to sharpen your blade from different angles conveniently. Apart from your kitchen knife collection, you can also use this rod to hone other blades, including scissors, mowing sickle, steak knife, clippers, and more that are difficult to hone. Pros

Easy to wash and maintain Lightweight for easy handling Ergonomic grip Portable

Cons

Might be too small

13. Best Magnetized: Mitsumoto Sakari Honing Rod

Made of high carbon steel and diamond plating, this honing rod has a hardness and grit of 80 HRC and 3000. It is made using innovative Japanese technology and is magnetized to prevent the metal particles from spreading. This ten-inch rod is suitable for most knife sizes, and its easy-to-grip, ergonomic ABS handle prevents slippage for optimal control and balance. Moreover, it also has a steel handle guard to protect your hands from injuries, making it one of the best steel honing rods. Pros

Lightweight and portable Easy to use Works for most knives and blades Easy to clean

Cons

Handle may come off

How To Choose The Right Honing Steel?

Here are a few factors to consider when choosing the best honing steel.

Why Trust MomJunction?

Wedetso Chirhah writes on home improvement tools, kitchen equipment, electronics, and more, and his passion for exploring the latest trends allows him to create well-researched articles. In this article about the best honing steel, he has considered customer feedback and studied various products available in the market to find high-quality options for the readers. The article includes detailed descriptions, pros, and cons to guide you in the right direction. He has also included a buying guide to help you understand the essential factors for choosing the right product.

Hold the rod vertically with the tip placed on the counter. Place the blade at a 15° angle away from the rod and point the knife tip tad upwards. Slide the blade along the rod so that the blade middle touches the middle of the rod. Move the blade’s tip over the bottom of the steel. Repeat the process four to five times on both sides of the blade.

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