Description

Minosharp’s lineup of ceramic water sharpeners consists of models 220, 440, and 550. The 440 and 550 models have been previously reviewed (click the links to check them out). This review of the 220 concludes a 3 part extensive product write-up. How to get the best out of this review: I’d highly recommend you read ALL 3 reviews if you wish to get the most value. In the end, you’ll have a better idea of which Minosharp water sharpener is right for you.    

Pros – First The Positives!

• I Really Like The Ceramic Wheels & Water Combination – This Minosharp water sharpener features 2 stages: a coarse wheel which is white, and a medium wheel which is pink. How does this work? You fill the compartment with a little water (not too much), and draw your blade back and forth in either wheel depending on how dull your cutting edge is. If my blade is excessively dull, I would use both coarse and medium with about 10 strokes on each. If my blade is slightly dull, I would use the medium abrasive only. I am a huge fan of ceramic abrasives simply because they have the tendency to remove far less metal in comparison to diamond abrasives. Now add water to the mix and all of a sudden you have a much more milder sharpening process. In fact it’s very similar to using a water stone! Well, some of you may be wondering isn’t the point of knife sharpening to remove the most metal anyways? And the answer is no, the goal is to only remove just enough metal to get your edge sharp. Your goal should never be to remove the most metal you can from your blade. 

• Just Like The 440 & 550, This Can Be Used By Just About Anyone! – People want solutions that only require minimal effort, as far as learning and doing are concerned. This is one of the reasons electric and pull through sharpeners are so popular and profitable. Even though you can get the best results from using traditional stones, people would rather choose a device that is “easier to use” that takes less time. And mind you this applies to pretty much everything in our world, not just knife sharpening! The Minosharp 220, while easy to use still provides solid results and a sharp cutting edge. Does it provide the same results as you would come to expect from a traditional sharpening stone? Honestly, no it does not. But it does make your blade noticeably sharper than before, so you will see a difference. Below is a video from BurningCereal showing how it’s done. Enjoy!
  
  

• A Great Tool To Sharpen Global Knives – The Minosharp water sharpener was created to provide a solution to the Global customer base. People who owned these knives were looking for a cheap, simple way to restore their blades to factory like conditions (or close enough). This is a tool that is best suited for the global brand, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it for your other kitchen blades too. If you own a Global or are thinking about getting one, this would definitely be a good pairing!    

Cons – Now For The Negatives!

• Doesn’t Outperform The 440 & 550 – If you landed on this page and are unfamiliar with Minosharp 440 & 550, then you need to check out the reviews for both those devices. This device does nothing to surpass its sister models. In fact, it has smaller sharpening wheels and is less suited for European/American blades. If you’re wondering how each of the 3 models stack up against each other, I’ll be addressing this below in the FAQ section.

Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: What are the notable differences between the 220, 440, and 550 Minosharp water sharpeners?
Answer: Here are some important differences to take note of:
1. Stages – Both the 220 and 440 are 2 stages, consisting of coarse and medium wheels. 550 is a 3 stage sharpener consisting of coarse, medium, and fine wheels.
2. Sharpening Wheels – 220 has smaller wheels in comparison to the 440 and 550.

Question: How long do the wheels last before requiring to be replaced?
Answer: It depends on how frequently you use the product. The ceramic abrasive will wear out the more you use it. Also, applying more than required pressure can damage the wheels and cause it to wear quicker than normal.

Question: Will this product give results similar to a professional sharpening service?
Answer: No, it will not. As mentioned earlier you won’t get a hair splitting edge, but you will get a significantly sharper blade as a result of using this. And this device achieves this by removing minimal metal thereby increasing your knife’s longevity.  

Final Words

I am fairly impressed with the line of Minosharp water sharpeners. The idea of trying to mimic traditional water stone sharpening is my favorite quality about this. No, you won’t get the same results as you would if you used a professional service or even a stone, but you still end up with a much sharper edge than where you started! Okay, so which out of the 3 would I recommend you get? I’d pick the 550. Why? Simply because it’s the more complete solution with 3 stages. Click here to check out my complete review on the 550. As always, let me know if you have any questions or comments. 

***CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE MINOSHARP 220 ON AMAZON***