Chef’s Choice 15 Trizor XV Review – Best Seller, Made in USA

Designed to sharpen American, European, and Asian style knives, the Chef’s Choice 15 Trizor XV is a 3-stage knife sharpener with a truly one of a kind contort.

Before you rush to buy this sharpener, let’s go through the features, pros and cons, and the most common questions and answers to help you make a better buying decision.

 

The Mission of Chef’s Choice 15 Trizor XV

The Chef’s Choice Trizor XV is a heavy-duty sharpener for changing over 20-degree class blades into the superior 15-degree edge. And will likewise impeccably sharpen double-bevel or single-bevel 15-degree Japanese style blades.

This high precision 3-Stage electric knife sharpener joins the quality and solidness of the triple-bevel Trizor edge with the flawless, ultra-sharp 15˚ XV innovation to hone both fine edge and serrated blades.

All things considered, it consequently re-profiles American and European style knives to an ultra-sharp 15-degree angle cutting edge.

What is Trizor XV?

It distinctively makes a 15-degree triple-bevel curve-shaped edge that opposes dulling longer than a “V” shaped edge. And it delivers a burr free triple-bevel fine edge.

The Trizor XV technology also helps to extend the life of the knife blades.

It does this by forcing a 3-step arch-shape edge grinding, first to around 25 degrees, then 22 degrees, and lastly 15 degrees.

This guarantees the blade remains more honed for a more extended timeframe, an aspect many consumers will fall in love with.

With continuous improvement, the 3-Stage diamond abrasives with flexible stropping disks hone the edge with very low metal removal. This unit is one of the many models from Chef’s Choice for you to explore.

The Trizor technology is quite similar to the Work Sharp belt grinding technique that gives a convex edge on the sharpened knives. This technique is famous for its superior sharpness and durability.

Using The Sharpener

Firstly, read the instruction manual before using it. You can catch some guides on how to handle the unit correctly and safely, and tips to maximize the sharpening process.

The 3-stage consists of 100% diamond abrasives with flexible stropping disks in the third stage.

The first stage welcomes you to sharpen very dull American and European style knives. Prepare to start with a few strokes on each alternating slot. The bulk of the metal are removed at this stage.

No worries. Move to next stage.

Repeat the same number of strokes at stage 2. This time a second bevel is created on the blade.

Then move on to the final stage to polish and hone the knife to hair-splitting sharpness. Finally you’ll get a well-polished 15-degree style knife.

Clean the knife and test it on paper and tomatoes. See and feel the difference.

You may need some practices to optimize the sharpness according to the dullness of the knife. Add or reduce the number of strokes accordingly.

If you have Japanese knives, skip stage 1 and start with stage 2. And for serrated knife, go to stage 3 will do the trick.

More than Just Grinding

To get a smooth and clean edge with hair-splitting sharpness, it has more to do with just grinding the blade.

The built-in high precision and flexible spring guides give precise control of the reshaping/honing during the sharpening process.

It achieves this accomplishment by keeping an even pressure point all through each of the three stages. The blade has no chance to wobble, thus resulting in razor sharp edge.

Many brands can’t match up to this technology. The America’s Test Kitchen did a test on this and observed all sharpened knives under a powerful microscope, many had ragged edges.

Only the knife that was sharpened by Trizor XV sharpener came out smooth and sharp. ATK endorsed it as the best electric knife sharpener in their knife sharpener test.

The Benefits of 15-Degree Angle Blade

The 15-degree edge cuts more effectively than a conventional 20-degree angle edge. The truth fact is, the more slender the edge the less force it takes to cut and the simpler the blade is to control.

Also, this thinner blade edge will last longer in view of its one of a kind triple-bevel Trizor XV edge technology by Chef’s Choice.

 

Pros

• Converts American and European style knives to 15-degree Japanese styles blades.
• Easy to use and efficient.
• Triple-bevel sharpening ensures edge last longer.
• Flexible stropping disks will not damage edge during honing.
• Well-designed flexible spring guides prevent knife wobbling during sharpening, thus ensure razor sharp edge.
• 3-year limited warranty is a plus as opposed to other models.
• At 12 x 6 x 6.4 inches, it’s still considered easy to store although it’s slightly longer.
• Serrated blades friendly, on final stage.
• Weighs approximately five pounds.

Possible Cons

The Trizor XV is not perfect. It does have shortfalls.

• It’s bulkier as compared to smaller 2-stage sharpener and not very appealing on countertop.
• Power cord is too short. But this can be solved with an extension cord.
• This heavy-duty sharpener grinds away a lot of metal on the first stage.
• Not suitable for knives that need to maintain 20-degree edge.

 What is So Great about Chef’s Choice 15 Trizor XV?

With a powerful motor, 100% diamond abrasives, and the well-designed angle guides, it can effortlessly restore dull knives sharper than factory sharpness.

Like many other Chef’s Choice models, this unit is simple to use and quiet. And it does not get too warm if it is operates properly.

You’ll find this Trizor XV model very useful if you want to convert 20-degree European to 15-degree Japanese style knives.

It sharpens very dull blades amazingly fast in just 1 minute and needs only 10 seconds to hone it.

But it is not as versatile as the Chef’s Choice 1520 AngleSelect because it lacks 20-degree angle. As we compared the two models, we started to realize the buying pattern.

The Trizor XV is more sellable than model 1520. This is because the thinner 15-degree edge is sharper than the conventional American and European style of knives.

Many professional chefs and home cooks have since switched over to the Japanese style of knives.

Did you know the Trizor XV can repair seriously damaged knives as tested by America’s Test Kitchen?

Simply put, it can turn many types of dull knives to hair-splitting sharpness in minutes. Be it kitchen knives, sport knives, serrated knives, and many more.

It’s a piece of cake to sharpen Asian knives in stage 2. And this model will deliver great results for serrated blades, too.

Of course, it cannot sharpen ceramic knives and scissors. But it’s not a deal breaker. There are some models specifically designed to handle that.

Many chefs and serious cooks recommended this model after achieving great results with this sharpener, literally in minutes.

Another great feature found in this sharpener is the EdgeSelect feature. The Trizor XV sharpener will add micro-grooves to your blade for the extra “bite” into your intended meat, vegetables or fibrous materials.

This makes cutting effortlessly without the need to apply force. There is no fear of the knife slips and cut the fingers.

Added to its sturdiness, the 3-year warranty provides some security to the user. This model is by far provides the longest warranty on the market together with some other Chef’s Choice models.

If you want to re-profile European knives in the quickest amount of time or just use it to sharpen Japanese style knives, then the Chef’s Choice 15 Trizor XV sharpener certainly is the number one choice.

It’s like you have a professional sharpening machine at home without the need to make arrangements to send for professional knife sharpening service.

For more choices, check out the list of electric knife sharpeners here.

FAQs

1. How many pull is needed to repair damaged knife with severe nicks and chips on it?

In the case of a seriously damaged knife, try at least 5 pulls on stage 1 and examine the edge, probably with a strong magnifying glass. You may need few more pulls to remove the nicks and chips totally. Then, go through stage 2 and 3 with several pulls to restore its sharpness.

2. Will converting the 20-degree edge to 15-degree ruin my knife?

No. Once the knife goes through all 3-stages, you’ll get razor sharp edge. The Trizor model has well-designed angle guides and superior diamond abrasives to transform the knife to hair-splitting sharpness. However, for the first time, it is advisable to try only a few pulls on all the stages and test the knife by sliding paper and tomatoes. It needs some practice to get the hang of it but the result is amazing.

3. Can Trizor XV sharpen 3” short knives?

Yes, The Trizor XV can sharpen short knives like paring knives, utility and pocket knives. But at the same time, these knives will be converted to 15-degree angle edge. Also, due to the design of the short knives, the edge near the handle or the bolster may not get sharpened.

4. What is the difference between model 1520 and this sharpener?

The 1520 model can sharpen both 15 and 20-degree knives but the Trizor works to transform 20-degree to 15-degree knives or sharpens all Asian style knives.

5. Can it sharpen ceramic knives and scissors?

No. It only works on metal blades, not ceramic. Scissors may have different angle not suitable for Trizor XV. Read the instruction manual first before using it.

6. Can it sharpen serrated blades without damaging the serrations?

Yes. It can sharpen serrated blades but required more passes on the final stage. Please be reminded the more you sharpen the serrated blade the more it’ll turn to straight edge. So sharpen serrated knife only when needed.

7. Is it suitable for left hander?

It does not matter. You can use left hand to pull the knife and right hand to hold the sharpener, probably not the body but at the side.

8. Are the discs replaceable when it has failed to work?

Yes, you need to send the sharpener back to EdgeCraft factory to get it replaced for a one-time fee.

9. How often do you need to empty the metal filings or need cleaning and maintenance?

It’ll work for a while before the need to clean up the metal filings. It actually depends on the usage, light or heavy. But it’s a good practice to remove the filings quarterly or every six months. To clean the body, use a damp cloth to wipe it as often as it is needed. Do not use detergents or abrasives.

10. Is it safe to sharpen Wusthof, Santuko and Shun knives?

It can sharpen all knives of kitchen cutlery, whether it is single or double bevel. But the final result will be 15-degree bevel.

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