The Easy Way To Sharpen Knives If You Don't Have A Proper Sharpener

There is nothing worse than working with a dull knife in the kitchen. It makes the preparation time for recipes take longer and can ruin the overall presentation of the dish. How can you thinly dice onions if your knife barely works? Thankfully, there's a simple hack for sharper knives without a knife sharpener. 

Many people take their knives to a specialty shop to get them sharpened or buy a professional sharpening rod. However, outsourcing the task can be expensive (about $2-4 per knife), and doing it with a rod can be intimidating and dangerous. For those wanting to sharpen their knives at home using basic skills and just one household item, reach for your aluminum foil.

The steps are easy: Ball up a piece of aluminum foil and rub it against the blade in a repetitive motion. After a few back-and-forth motions, your knife should be in better shape. The science behind sharpening a blade with aluminum foil is minimal. It's been claimed that the foil does not sharpen the blade, but instead hones it. That means it is getting rid of any rough surfaces or build-up on the blade. Reportedly, the hack only works on blades that are slightly dull, rather than ones in bad shape. A version of the hack was tested on NTV News in 2024 when two reporters attempted to sharpen a pair of dull scissors by repeatedly cutting through pieces of aluminum foil. In the end, they found that the scissors worked "slightly better."

It is important to have sharp knives when cooking. First, using a dull knife can be a safety hazard in the kitchen. Sharp knives allow for easy and predictable cuts, meaning you have more control and apply less pressure. Applying heavy pressure on a knife to get the desired cut can result in the knife slipping from your grip. Secondly, having a sharp knife makes meal preparation faster and more simple. You are able to work at a consistent speed without needing to repeat motions or workshop a different way to slice the ingredients. It also allows you to make more exact cuts, especially when working with recipes that require the ingredients to be a uniform shape and size. In addition to affecting the ingredients' appearance, a dull knife can also ruin its taste. For instance, using a dull knife to make a salad can result in a slimy texture due to the rough cuts.

There are several other chef-approved tips on keeping kitchen knives in top shape, such as washing and drying them regularly and only using them for food. When it comes to how often you should sharpen your knives, there is no set number of times it needs to be done. The knives should just be sharpened whenever you notice that they are becoming dull. Therefore, if you are having a tough time cutting through your ingredients next time you're in the kitchen, it may be time to give your knives some TLC.