ProductReportCard Editors' In-Depth Review
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Quiet, pressure sensitive motor that protects knives against excessive wear
- Unique ABS plastic knife guide module is removable for easy cleaning
- Sturdy stainless steel housing
- Knife guide component and grinding wheel are replaceable
- Accommodates knives from 3/16 of an inch to large cleavers
- Not constructed with any magnets
- NSF certified and made in the USA
- Simple to operate
Cons
- Expensive
- May be overkill for home kitchen
- Not compatible with serrated knives
Key Features
Type of Sharpener
The Edlund 401 is a commercial-grade electric knife sharpener
Dimensions
It measures 4" x 4 ¾" x 9 ¾" (D x H x W), and its weight is listed as 31 pounds on Edlund’s website (all other retailers have it listed as between 10 – 14 pounds).
Abrasives
A 240-grit alumdum grinding wheel is the abrasive element in the sharpener assembly.Alumdum is a bonded aluminum oxide type of abrasive.
Technology
The defining feature of the Edlund 401 is its unique Easy-Track Guidance System, which allows it to sharpen any size knife from tip to handle. This distinction is important because sharpeners that don't reach the full length of a knife may eventually leave an uneven knife-edge where the handle meets the blade. According to Edlund customer service, the guidance system is engineered to quickly sharpen blades at an 11° angle, which is slightly steeper than domestic-grade knife sharpeners that might have 15° or 20° pre-set angles. The 401 model has a reliable motor that features 1 ½ amps of power and runs at 1550 rpms. The motor is also programmed to shut down if it senses that too much pressure is being applied to the guidance system in order to protect the knife from excessive wear and edge burn.
Stages
The Edlund 1-stage system quickly restores your knife-edge with a minimum of passes.
Number of Passes
Just 1 to 2 passes are needed to restore factory sharpness to moderately dull knives.
Safety Feature
Protective features include a lighted on/off switch to indicate when the motor is running and an interlock switch that prevents operation when the guidance system is not in place. For additional safety, the width of the knife opening is only 3/16".
Types of Knives Sharpened
The Edlund 401 is designed for kitchen knives of varying sizes from paring knives to cleavers.Scalloped steak and bread knives may be sharpened when only the flat edge side of the knife is passed through the guidance system.It is not intended for sharpening serrated knives.
Design
The simple rectangular design of the Edlund 401 sharpener is durably built with an all stainless steel housing. The knife guidance module has no magnets and is also removable for easy cleaning and retention of top performance. Both the grinding wheel assembly and the knife guidance module are also replaceable.
Warranty
Edlund offers a 1-year limited warranty to repair or replace defective parts on sharpeners than have been used normally in commercial settings.
Reputation
Since the Edlund 401 Electric Knife Sharpener is used primarily as a commercial product, we weren't surprised to find very few personal use testimonials available online. However, the small amount of feedback we did see on the sharpener was very positive, and it is one of the few knife sharpeners to receive NSF certification. Edlund also told us that Darden Restaurants is currently using the 401 sharpener in all of their commercial kitchens as are a number of other restaurant chains.
In a study published on Edlund's website, the 401 sharpener performed exceptionally well in real world test at the Northeast Utilities' Eurest facility (Berlin, CT). According to the report, the sharpener has been proven to pay for itself and the cost of investment in high quality knives in a commercial kitchen by eliminating the expense of a weekly sharpening service. In addition to an increase in efficiency and overall production, commercial kitchens also realized considerable ancillary benefits as staff took ownership of their knives and developed respect for the tools of their trade.
Despite the great feedback on the 401 sharpener, we did feel the 1-year warranty was a bit short, so we contacted Edlund directly to ask them about it. The customer service agent said that they have had virtually no breakdowns or returns when it came to the 401 model. The only repairs they see are related to the knife guide assembly being removed and incorrectly being forced back into place. As a company, Edlund has an excellent reputation in the food service smallwares and light equipment arena, and it has been voted "Best in Class" 7 years in a row by food service operators, distributors and consultants for their manufacture of quality products. While we probably wouldn't recommend this knife sharpener for a home kitchen, it is a great investment for a commercial kitchen.
Facebook
