Description

This is my second review of a Presto knife sharpener. The first was the Presto 08810 (click here to check it out). If you’re wondering, Presto only has two electric sharpeners in its product lineup: Presto 08800 and 08810. I’d recommend you read both reviews, so you have a better idea before buying. As for the differences between both, don’t worry as I will be addressing these in the FAQ section further below.

Pros – First The Positives!

• The Most Affordable Electric System I’ve Reviewed Yet – As a consumer looking to buy something, one of the things people always say is “make sure you have a budget and don’t go over it”. As far as I’m concerned this is the lowest you will ever want to set your budget for an electric sharpener! Or in other words, don’t expect to pay lower than this and get something that is not a complete piece of junk. Considering the Presto EverSharp electric knife sharpener, it is definitely not a piece of junk! As far as value for money is concerned, this device is surprisingly good. The results, which I’ll talk about some more below, are actually pretty impressive.   

• Can It Replicate Factory Sharpness? You’d Be Surprised! – If you’ve ever thought more money equals better quality, you’re actually quite wrong. This may be the case sometimes where something that’s more expensive is better quality, but it’s not always true. This is one such example. I’ve tried a number of different sharpeners (with differing prices) ranging from manual pull throughs, to electrics and stones, and I can tell you with confidence that the most expensive was far from being my favorite. Don’t be fooled by reviews that point you to the most expensive product! Anyways, back to the discussion at hand: Will this Presto EverSharp electric knife sharpener replicate factory sharpness? No, it won’t give you an edge that stones or professional service would, but the results are still very good and in most cases more than acceptable for what you’ll ever require.
  

• A Fairly Straightforward System That Works Really Well For Beginners – Presto 08800 is a 2 stage system consisting of a coarse stage (labelled stage 1) and a fine stage (labelled stage 2). Each stage consists of 2 slots to sharpen both left and right sides of your blade’s cutting edge. As far as operation is concerned, I found that it is pretty easy and can be used by anyone. One thing I will mention is that there is a little bit of a technique you’ll need to practice/master to sharpen curved knives (usually your tip). As you reach close to the tip, you’ll have to pull upwards to ensure the curved part of your blade is properly contacted by the sharpening wheels. Again, it’s not difficult and anyone can use this device! Below is a video demonstrating how it works (all credit to Erik Chew).
  

• It’s A Small, Portable Unit – Considering most electric knife sharpeners are bulky, heavy, and large, it’s nice to see something like this that is more compact. This doesn’t make too big a difference for me, as I would typically have this sitting on my kitchen counter top all year long, but I wanted to mention it because it’s still something that differentiates this product from most. 

Cons – Now For The Negatives!

• Doesn’t Work Well With Thicker Blades – If you’ve watched the video above, you’ll see what I mean. The Presto EverSharp electric knife sharpener is not suited to work on thicker blades, as the slots are too thin for them to fit. If you do own thicker blades, you’ll want to consider other options. 

• It Gets A Little Too Loud Sometimes – It’s worth noting that during operation, the unit gets pretty loud and noisy. However, it doesn’t seem to affect results so that’s a good thing. One thing you could do to help with noise is ensure the unit is fixed to a flat surface by using the 3 suction cups (located at the bottom of the device). 

Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Question: What’s the difference between the Presto 08810 & 08800?
Answer: These are some of the bigger differences:
1. Price – 08800 is quite a bit cheaper. Click here to check out pricing on amazon for 08800.
2. Stages – 08800 has a coarse and fine stage. 08810 has a coarse, medium, and fine stage. In addition, 08810 has interchangeable blade guides making it more versatile than 08800.
3. Size – 08810 is quite a bit more bulky compared to 08800.

Question: How long is the manufacturer’s warranty period?
Answer: You get a full year starting from the purchase date.

Question: How do I determine which stage to use?
Answer: It depends on the condition of your blade. If your blade is excessively dull, then and only then use stage 1. You can then use stage 2 to polish and refine. If your blade is not too dull, only use stage 2. Important: Stage 1 eats the most steel from your blade, so proceed with caution. 

Final Words

Overall a solid electric sharpener at an incredibly reasonable price. I am still skeptical about using this for more expensive blades, so I’ll stick to using it on cheaper ones for now. There is a little bit of technique involved for curved knives, but once you master this it’s very easy to use. It would be a good idea to use a practice knife to nail down the technique. This way you’re not ruining the blades you like. To avoid vibration and noise, you should use the suction cups so the device is firmly in place. Finally, if you own thinner kitchen blades, this is definitely a tool you should consider. Thumbs up from me!  

***CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE PRESTO EVERSHARP ELECTRIC KNIFE SHARPENER ON AMAZON***