HORL vs. Other Rolling Knife Sharpeners: What’s the Difference?
The concept of a rolling knife sharpener, introduced to the market by HORL – a family-run company based in Germany’s Black Forest – is simple but ingenious: A knife is held in place by a magnet while a whetstone moves along it. (This flips the script of traditional whetstone sharpening, where the whetstone stays in place while the knife moves along it.) It promises, and delivers, precise and foolproof knife sharpening in a matter of minutes, in contrast to the slower, trickier process of using a whetstone, or the harshness of using pull-through sharpeners or honing steels. So it is no surprise that in the past couple of years, dozens of HORL look-alikes have proliferated the market, all of which vary wildly in price and quality.
But the similarities stop in looks. In terms of function, quality, and durability, these look-alikes don’t even come close to the HORL 2 rolling knife sharpener – down to details like stopping (and screeching) suddenly, which, among other factors, can result in an unevenly sharpened knife. This, in our opinion, defeats the purpose of using a rolling sharpener in the first place. (For reference, see our original review of the HORL knife sharpener.)
Key Takeaways
Before we get into the nitty gritty of these differences (no pun intended), we put together a quick summary on what makes a HORL knife sharpener superior:- It sharpens knife blades evenly, with utmost precision. No other model comes close to replicating this.
- It is more user-friendly in every way, especially speed and control.
- It is suitable for Japanese knives, due to the fact its honing stones are made from ceramic. (This is not the case for many look-alikes.)
- HORL 2 and HORL 2 Pro sharpeners (not the HORL 2 Cruise) feature interchangeable stones, which let you scale up the grit up to #6000 (HORL Whetstone / Extra Fine) and beyond (HORL Kagami Ultra Fine). This level of sharpness rivals what you might get using whetstones, and are up to the standards of professional chefs.
To learn about why all of the above is true, keep reading. But first things first:
What Is a Rolling Knife Sharpener?
A rolling knife sharpener, unlike a pull-through sharpener or a whetstone, has two parts: a magnetic angle support that holds the knife blade in place, and a rolling mechanism that does the actual sharpening.*
The benefit of a rolling knife sharpener is that, unlike a whetstone, there is no guesswork involved – the magnetic angle support will set the blade’s angle for you (15° for Japanese knives and 20° for Western knives). The rolling mechanism is also less abrasive than a pull-through sharpener, which extends the durability of your knives, since there is less removal of metal.
*The term ‘sharpening a knife’ comprises two steps: sharpening and honing. While you can hone a knife without sharpening it – as many chefs and home cooks do when they just want to give their blades a touch-up – you cannot sharpen a knife without also honing it. This is because sharpening a blade grinds metal down, leaving a scraggly and uneven edge (a ‘burr’) that will not cut ingredients. Honing straightens and re-aligns the edge, so it can function as a blade.
What Makes HORL Knife Sharpeners Better?
HORL sharpeners distinguish themselves from similar rolling sharpeners in a myriad of ways, which we have condensed into the following key points. The biggest advantage is precision.
1. Precision
A rolling sharpener’s primary benefit is precision. Whetstones take practice to master – you have to find the exact angle of a knife and make sure to hold it at that angle as you move the blade, or else risk an unevenly sharpened knife that will not perform well. But, with a rolling knife sharpener, the magnetic angle support sets the angle for you, minimising the chance of human error. Both the rolling mechanisms and magnetic angle supports of non-HORL knife sharpeners are not conducive to precise, even knife sharpening. Here’s why:
- The HORL knife sharpener’s roller mechanism actually rolls! It’s hard to believe that any product that calls itself a ‘rolling knife sharpener’ wouldn’t roll, and yet, if you spin the rolling mechanism of a HORL alongside a non-HORL sharpener’s and lift them up in the air, you’ll notice that the HORL spins for several more seconds before stopping, while most look-alikes stop very quickly or don’t spin at all once it has left the work surface. This means that, in look-alike versions, the rolling mechanism needs tight, constant contact with the work surface to sharpen an edge evenly – so you can forget about precision, as this introduces a big margin for human error. The stones on a HORL look-alike, without strong rolling mechanisms to support them, could stop rolling mid-blade and simply glide along for the rest of the way, resulting in uneven sharpening and poor user experience.
- The HORL knife sharpener’s magnetic angle support has strong magnets that keep the knife steady, while the magnets on many look-alikes are weaker. This is especially important when sharpening small knives, like paring or utility knives, as their lighter weight makes them less sturdy. The magnetic angle support is also wider and easier to grip, which makes the experience of using a HORL feel more comfortable and controlled.
- The HORL honing stone is made of ceramic, which is important for Japanese knives. Watch out for rolling sharpeners that use steel, as opposed to ceramic, for honing stones. While stainless steel is an acceptable material for honing, ceramic is better because it is gentler and more precise than steel. According to Serious Eats, ceramic ‘slowly grinds down flaws rather than knocking off imperceptible knicks’ – which is especially important for higher-carbon knives, like most Japanese knives. Since they are more brittle, using a rougher abrasive like stainless steel runs the risk of chipping a Japanese blade. (This is the primary reason traditional pull-through sharpeners, which use steel, are not recommended for Japanese knives.)
The combination of a rolling mechanism that is not engineered for smooth spinning, sub-par magnets, and, in many cases, metal honing stones impedes precision and user-friendliness. While some look-alikes may have excellent magnets but sub-par rollers, or ceramic rolling stones but sub-par magnets, there is no way to ascertain that every aspect of a HORL look-alike will be as well-made as the HORL sharpener, which checks off all the boxes for excellent function, quality, and durability.
2. Durability
HORL 2 and HORL 2 Pro knife sharpeners come with sharpening and honing stones that can be switched for higher- or coarser-grit stones (for finer honing or more intense sharpening). Another key benefit of these interchangeable stones is that once they wear down – which can take 3-6 years for ceramic honing stones, and never for diamond sharpening stones – they can be replaced with new stones. In other words, you never need to replace the rolling mechanism or magnetic angle support of a HORL 2 or HORL 2 Pro knife sharpener, just the stones. HORL replacement discs are easy to purchase; we sell them here.
Many HORL look-alikes do not feature interchangeable stones, so the whole sharpener needs to be replaced once the stones wear down. You could argue that metal stones do not need to be replaced, since they do not wear down as quickly as ceramic stones. (This is the case for the HORL 2 Cruise sharpener, which is designed for Western-style knives only. It does not feature interchangeable discs, but no part needs to be replaced because the honing disc is made of stainless steel rather than ceramic.) However, many HORL look-alikes do not have full sharpening stones (covering the surface and sides) on their rolling mechanisms – just stone surfaces, which are more prone to wearing down and becoming weaker over time, since there is simply less material to support it. See the image below, with the HORL on the left and the look-alike on the right for reference:
This, coupled with a rolling mechanism that weakens over time, makes HORL look-alikes significantly less durable than the HORL. Less significant but notable are the markings on the magnetic angle support. On the HORL, they are embossed into the magnets, fully integrated; they won’t rub off or fade over time, so you can always easily tell which side is 15° and which side is 20°. On HORL look-alikes, the style varies, but they are often printed on, making them vulnerable to fading and disappearing.
To summarise, HORL knife sharpeners are more durable all around, and a better investment than a less expensive look-alike that might work well enough at first, but become weaker and more cumbersome over time. From our experience using HORL sharpeners daily, for demonstrations in our London stores, we can attest they consistently perform well, and are built to last.
3. Speed
After you ‘introduce’ a knife to the HORL sharpener, it takes about 90 seconds (give or take) to sharpen and hone a knife. Out of the box, most HORL look-alikes will take about the same time; but after three to six uses, depending on the brand, the rolling mechanism begins to stiffen, which makes the stones resist rolling. Besides affecting precision, as noted above, these sudden stops-and-starts – and the squeaking noises that can accompany them – can significantly slow down the process, taking up to 15 minutes to see results on a very dull knife.
HORL knife sharpeners’ speed, and consistently sharp results, comes down to quality. The inner mechanisms of the roller are simply better, as are the quality of the sharpening and honing stones, allowing for smooth spinning that keeps the same momentum from the base to the tip of a knife blade. The superior user experience of the HORL, from the clear superiority of the roller to the more comfortable angle support, makes the overall process less time-consuming.
Verdict
Can you sharpen a knife on a rolling knife sharpener that is not made by HORL? Yes, it’s possible. But can you sharpen it well, or even accurately, without much time or effort? And will that knife sharpener last a lifetime – or will it need to be replaced frequently? It’s unlikely. While we are confident that HORL knife sharpeners are built for frequent, long-term use, with little to no negative effect on performance, we can’t say the same for other rolling knife sharpeners.
