The Knife Sharpener Ina Garten Swears By

The world of kitchen equipment is always evolving, so much so that there seems to be a new, must-have gadget hitting the market every other month. Air fryers, Instant Pots, and sous vide machines are some of the more recent fad appliances that have flown off the shelves. While these tools have proved to be incredibly useful for amateur home cooks, many of the professionals will tell you that you're better off putting your money towards a good set of knives instead. As Huff Post writes, "a Chef's knife is the single most important tool in any kitchen, and is used in the creation of virtually every dish." 

Ina Garten is a firm believer in investing in a good set of knives as well, noting that they can easily do the jobs of a number of other pieces of equipment like the overrated garlic press. The cookbook author told The Kitchn that she is especially keen on the Wüsthof Classic of knives because of their longevity, which she keeps in tip-top shape thanks to the help of a particular brand of knife sharpener.

If you're going to follow in Ina Garten's footsteps and drop some serious dough on a set of knives, you want to make sure you take proper care of them, and one way to do that is by regularly sharpening the blades. According to Chef Steps, sharpening your knives will not only make your cooking prep "easier and more enjoyable," it will also help prevent any accidents in the kitchen because the blades won't slip as much. And since we all want to be like the "Barefoot Contessa" in every way possible, why not use the knife sharpener that she swears by to get the job done?

In response to a fan inquiry on the subject, the celebrity chef revealed that she keeps her knives ready for anything in the kitchen with the Chef's Choice electric knife sharpener, which a description on the Sur La Table website says "provides precision angle control" and "imparts fast, foolproof and highly durable edges" to both straight-edge and serrated blades. Furthermore, Food & Wine describes the tool as being quick and easy to use, noting that it takes less than 10 minutes to complete the two-step sharpening process. Considering how simple this piece of equipment is to use — and the fact that it has the elusive Garten stamp of approval — this knife sharpener certainly seems to be worthy of a spot in your own kitchen.