I found this product to only be average, or slightly below average. I have had to make multiple passes through all ports with my knives to get just average sharpening results. I was advised to get this product because my knives are high carbon steel with15 degree cutting angles. I waited many months for this product to become available and the performance has been very disappointing.
I received my order without any instructions or user information. For a top end device I also expected a note of warranty but this was also missing. Upon first use, I noticed that the third sharpening function did not engage the blade on one side.
I have about 20 quality knives from JA Henckels, Wusthof and MAC. The kitchen is where I spend a lot of time cooking and trying out new recipes. A sharp knife is a joy to use and the Chef's Choice Trizor XV is an awesome knife sharpener. I bought it to keep my Japanese MAC knives sharp and it worked so well I converted all my JA Henckels to the 15° edge by sharpening them on the Trizor XV. Its easy to use and my knives hold an edge longer when using the Trizor XV compared to other sharpeners. Well worth the price for any person that appreciates working with a sharp knife.
Bought this because it was so highly rated by America's Test Kitchen- I am not disappointed. Just as easy as 1-2-3,. I re-cut all my old knives with their 22 degree blades in less than 2 minutes apiece - all to a razor-sharp edge. My old diamond stick is now a thing of the past. I pass my knives once on Stage 2 and twice through Stage 3 after every use and they are good as new.
My son Erik told me about his Trizor XV, and how sharp it made knifes. My son forges knives and knows volumes more than I about steel and knives. Having a set of knives for over 20 years that I thought were past keeping, I decided to order it. Wow, I love it, my wife loves it and now our knives are sharper than when they were new. I seldom use the buffer, as I prefer a bit of a burr to dig into a tomato skin easier. I use a fork tongued bread knife to cut through sod in uncovering grave markers that get buried over time at the local cemetery. The edge cuts like butter through 10 reclamations, that's sharp through a lot of abuse.