Pencil Sharpener reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 160 Reddit reviews across 9 subreddits and 24 posts to rank the best Pencil Sharpener brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/pencils, r/ColoredPencils, r/Ulta, r/Coloring, r/teaching. Top-rated brands include Kum (4.7/5), Afmat (4.5/5), Kutsuwa (5.0/5).
Stats
Reviews160
Subreddits9
Posts24
Brands56
Products81
160 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Kum
4.7
(14)
"KUM makes great, affordable sharpeners. Funny name, but it’s German. It’s the standard in most artist’s pencil bag."
"The Kum Long Point comes with German steel blades, plus 2 spare ones."
"Kum long point"
"My favorite is the Kum Automatic Long Point."
"I've always found Kum sharpeners to be very reliable and they just last and last."
"Kum brand make awesome sharpeners."
"Kum automatic long point(uses Kum long point blades which are different than their normal ones,can be found on jetpens)"
"KUM Black Widow Pencil Sharpener."
"I think he'll go with the Kum automatic long-point sharpener, since it's had more than a few recommendations here."
"Kum automatic long-point"
#2
Afmat
4.5
(10)
"AFMAT is great. Had it for 2 years and not let me down once."
"Afmat has a rechargeable self-sharpening sharpener for about 30 bucks. But hear me out this thing I have had for a while and it is still as good as it was when I first bought it."
"There are Afmat helical sharpeners that are only $15 plus 10% off with a coupon on Amazon. The key is to get a HELICAL sharpener."
"Helical sharpener - either manual or electric. I have had my Afmat sharpener for several years and I LOVE it! Major game changer!"
"I just got an electric helical one recently from afmat. Helicals so much more gentle and take off a lot less!!"
"Afmat on Amazon. I teach colored pencil this is by far the best"
"The AFMAT has lasted through the abuse of my middle school science class, sharpens quickly, and produces a decent point."
"I got the AFMAT a few months back and I really like it."
"I’m happy so far with the AFMAT. It gets pencils sharp enough."
"Users liked: Versatile sharpening for various pencil sizes, Long-lasting battery life and easy to charge, Quiet operation and stable design"
#3
Kutsuwa
5.0
(8)
"I love these T'GAAL sharpeners, I have several."
"The Kutsuwa T'Gaal sharpener (has a container and point-adjustment)"
"I love t'gaal sharpeners and they're like 7 bucks on Amazon."
"I absolutely love my Kutsuwa STAD T'GAAL Multi-sharpener! I have Arteza pencils no Prismacolor, but I haven't had a single pencil break with this sharpener!"
"I'm a fan of the T'GAAL sharpener for a manual sharpener that lets me adjust the point angle."
"This t'gaal is my favorite because you also can adjust the angle of sharpening."
"Kutsuwa t'gaal. By far the best one I've used."
"T’gaal adjustable sharpeners. Great for prismas and polychromos."
#4
Dahle
4.6
(8)
"I love my little Dahle 133! 😍"
"I like the Dahle 133, it's a manual crank."
"Best sharpener I have for all of my pencils is the Dahle 133. I use it on everything from Crayola to Derwent Lightfast and Caran d'Ache Luminance. It works wonderfully."
"I use the Dahle 133 on all of my pencils, from budget pencils to Caran d'Ache Luminance and Derwent Lightfast."
"I really love my Dahle 133 pencil sharpener."
"Not high-end, but it does the job very well."
"Add a Dahle 133 for your desk."
"Suggestions are: dahle 133, Carl angle 5 or the Derwent super point. These give nice points without damaging the pencils."
#5
Mitsubishi
4.5
(8)
"Mitsubishi KH-20 - $18 on Amazon. Trust me!"
"Sharpener: Mitsubishi KH-20 ($20)"
"The KH-20 is a great hand-crank unit that I enjoy using mostly for my Blackwing pencils because it doesn't leave the bite marks and makes the points nice and long."
"For my desk top I have the Mitsubishi KH-20. It grips the pencil in place and presses it in as you turn the hand crank."
"The Mitsubishi KH20 looks good - good price, too. Worth a try."
"Uni kh20"
"For a rotary sharpener I like the Mitsubishi KH20."
"I like my Mitsubishi Uni KH-20, but each one has upsides and downsides."
#6
T'Gaal
4.7
(7)
"T'GAAL adjustable angle sharpener let's you choose from 5 settings to achieve a strong, blunted tip to a thinner, longer one."
"I've been using the T'Gaal for years and 'flimsy' has never been an issue. It's a great versatile sharpener that makes the short cone you want."
"My favorites are the T'Gaal and the Bruynzeel Design brass sharpener."
"It's the best sharpener I ever used for Prismacolor Premier."
"T'gaal adjustable sharpener"
"T’Gaal on Amazon. $6-7. You can make it shorter for pencils like Prismacolor which break easily, then you can get larger points on harder pencils."
"T'Gaal Sharpener can be set to 1 for a short cone."
#7
Staedtler
4.3
(7)
"Staedtler metal hand held for under five bucks is my go to."
"Also came here to recommend Staedtler sharpeners. Has never done me wrong; great product."
"Staedtler is a good, no mess sharpener."
"I like staedtler sharpener"
"If you’re looking for a small twist sharpener like in the picture, maybe a reputable brand like Staedtler."
"I also find that my Staedtler Pencil Sharpener sharpens my Faber Castell pencil crayons nicely!"
"For short point sharpeners, the staedler barrel sharpener is great."
#8
Panasonic
4.7
(6)
"Makes an amazing point without chewing up too much of the pencil. Auto stop works well."
"Yep this era of panasonics is great, I have a Kp-123 that i love if you dont love the woodgrain vibe"
"Panasonic KP-110. You can pick one up for not that much and it will last forever."
"I swear by this one! It was the pencil sharpener we had in my house for as long as I can remember growing up. I brought it with me when I started teaching and it’s still going strong! Works for regular and colored pencils."
"Panasonic KP-150. Not as iconic as the 110 for 80s+90s nostalgia, but it works the same as it ever did since the day I found it in the thrift shop."
"For the sharpener, Panasonic KP33 series from eBay. Japanese, AC caliber motor just like they don’t do anymore."
#9
Blackwing
3.8
(6)
"The Blackwing One-Step sharpener is worth the extra few bucks of your price point."
"I second the black wing sharpeners. In my experience they work great."
"The one step is a little funny to use because the blade inside is purposefully bent."
"Go get a blackwing sharpener, the hand held ones are $15 - $20."
"BW one-step (BW Amazon store). I'm pretty sure it was returned merchandise because it barely sharpened. I returned it for a refund and wrote a (honest) review. BW reached out and offered to send a free replacement, which is very cool."
"Personally I also like the Blackwing 1-step — but the curved point can be rough on some pencils (esp softer leads), it is too narrow for some full-hex pencils, and there are some QC problems with the stock blades so some people have needed to replace"
#10
Bostitch
4.2
(5)
"Your standard old fashioned pencil sharpener is the bomb!! It will never wear out, it will sharpener colored pencils, and it is so easy to diagnose if it gets jammed. I bought a Bostwick 5 years ago and it's amazing!"
"Bostitch defo doesnt devour your stuff, but it does get shit done"
"I paid less than $3.00 for it on clearance locally."
"For an electric that works great, though is not long point, I would recommend the Bostitch Quiet Sharp Executive."
"As for electronic, Bostic 6 size is the best I tried."
#11
Faber-Castell
4.0
(5)
"I am sticking to my little FC metal two hole sharpener for now - cheap and simple and it's the one that gives me the least grief."
"Smaller faber castell metal pencil sharpeners are more advantageous."
"I find the Faber-Castell 9000 Pencil Sharpener works very well with Prismacolors, closes up securely, and doubles as a pencil stand!"
"Faber-Castell Trio sharpener."
"The Faber-castell brand pencil sharpener is pretty good has a hole for regular pencils & a larger hole for colored pencils."
#12
Apsara
4.8
(4)
"The Apsara long points are perfect, no drama."
"Apsara long point is the only sharpener you'll need."
"For a sharpener, the Aspara Long-Pointe can't be beat. They are something like 25 cents when you buy a few of them."
"For a long point, you can get 20 apsaras for like 7 bucks on Amazon."
#13
Urban Decay
4.8
(4)
"The UD Grindhouse one has a back cover, plus a little pick to help clean it out! I've been really happy with it."
"Urban Decay Grind House. No comparison."
"Grindhouse! By urban decay or the ULTA one"
"Urban Decay Grindhouse"
#14
Prismacolor
4.5
(4)
"I use the prismacolor sharpener and don’t even use prismas anymore! I find they truly do the best job."
"I have the prismacolor sharpener. The blades are german so it’s great for colored pencils."
"Prismacolor makes a pretty good pencil sharpener as well."
"As for the sharpener I believe Prismacolor has their own brand of sharpener (Prismacolor Premier Pencil Sharpener)"
#15
NARS
4.3
(4)
"The only makeup sharpener I own is the NARS one & I have never had any issues with lipliners, regardless of the brand :)"
"I like the Nars one. Only for $7"
"Nars, ulta and urban decay!!"
"I like the nars and its only $7!"
#16
Boston
4.3
(4)
"I luv a Boston crank sharpener. Will sharpen anything, easily."
"Living room desk- Boston Model 21. No issues."
"That's why I like the ol Boston hand crank."
"Boston crank sharpeners."
#17
Carl
4.3
(4)
"Carl Angel 5 Royal (endgame crank sharpener)"
"Also for a good desktop sharpener, look into the Carl Angel 5"
"CARL angel-5"
"Suggestions are: dahle 133, Carl angle 5 or the Derwent super point. These give nice points without damaging the pencils."
#18
Mobius & Ruppert
5.0
(3)
"Any mobius & ruppert brass sharpener. Hefty and work beautifully."
"COMPLETE SET 4 Styles of Mobius + Ruppert (M+R) Brass Pencil Sharpeners + 10 Replacement Blades - Finest in the world"
"Mobius + Ruppert (M+R) brand brass pencil sharpener. They're the only hand held ones I've ever found to be decent."
#19
X-ACTO
5.0
(3)
"Xacto Wall Mount manual. I travel classrooms. Have used a million. This is the best"
"Now, for my home office, I splurged and bought the X-ACTO sharpener. It’s been great."
"My X-Acto TeacherPro has been bulletproof."
#20
NJK
4.7
(3)
"The NJK Sharpener is great! I think it’s the 531s long point sharpener."
"Hands down, NJK’s 531s long point sharpener. Inexpensive, durable, stores shavings, excellent long point, and readily available replacement blades."
"For portable I like the NJK Long Point Sharpener."
#21
Amazon Basics
4.7
(3)
"I've been through a few that haven't lasted but got an amazon basics one which is plug in (not battery) and it's been like new for 2 years now!"
"I bought an amazon basics one and im in love with it."
"Amazon Basics Portable Electric... Not cheap but going strong for me for 2 years now."
#22
El Casco
5.0
(2)
"The El Casco is a great choice and can also recommend the Caran D’Ache pencil sharpening machine."
"If you really want to go fancy, the answe is not an electric but a crank double burr sharpener called the El Casco M430."
#23
Ulta
4.5
(2)
"I actually love the ulta store brand one! the one that has different sizes :)"
"The Ulta one is just fine! Same as the 40 nars one"
#24
M+R
4.5
(2)
"I like the M+R Nr 0603 it is my go-to sharpener at home, and on the road. Best by test. I've been using it for years."
"M&R Triple Function Three Hole Pencil Sharpener"
#25
Benefit
4.0
(2)
"I love the benefit one and it’s only $5"
"I really like the benefit one!!"
#26
Deli
4.0
(2)
"Any cheap Deli crank sharpener from AliExpress (works just as good)"
"I prefer a helical hand crank sharpener. Brand doesn't matter that much. I have the Deli one."
#27
Blacktail
5.0
(1)
"Blacktail manual sharpener. One blade cuts the wood, the other sharpens the lead. It works great."
#28
Classroom Friendly
5.0
(1)
"If you want a desk sharpener take a look at Classroom Friendly. The points are amazing."
#29
Elmer's
5.0
(1)
"The elmers/xacto crayon sharpener has changed my life LOL. i never have to peel little papers off the crayon anymore - just insert like a pencil and it does it all AND makes the top look fresh - highly recommend"
#30
Caran d'Ache
5.0
(1)
"I use both an extremely overpriced but beautiful Caran D’ache sharpening machine, and a wonderfully dirt cheap but well made KUM Brass Wedge Double Hole hand sharpener."
#31
IT Brushes for Ulta
5.0
(1)
"I recently got the IT brushes for ulta sharpener and I really like it! The NARS one is also pretty good."
#32
Milky by Sacamoto
5.0
(1)
"The $4 Milky by Sacamoto has a terrific dual sharpener."
#33
Muji
5.0
(1)
"Muji hand cranked sharpener. Thank me later."
#34
Mitsubishi Uni
5.0
(1)
"My advice would be to have a look around for something like the Mitsubishi Uni ES-10. It's now somewhat of a vintage item now (you'll only be able to find it on eBay), but it's made in Japan and built like a tank."
#35
Bruynzeel
5.0
(1)
"I've got a Bruynzeel Design brass sharpener too and there's nothing like it, it just sharpens so well."
#36
Mobius & Rupert
5.0
(1)
"Mobius & Rupert #0602 is a great sharpener for on the go drawing away from home. The blades can be replaced when it gets dull. Cost is about $10. Had mine for 4+ years and still use it."
#37
L'Oréal
5.0
(1)
"I have the L’Oréal one and UD Grindhouse, and they are literally the same thing except different colors. They’re amazing."
#38
Anastasia
5.0
(1)
"Anastasias is like $6 and i havent broken an eye or lip pencil with it ever."
#39
Teacher Pro
5.0
(1)
"Looooove my teacher pro"
#40
Derwent
4.0
(1)
"Suggestions are: dahle 133, Carl angle 5 or the Derwent super point. These give nice points without damaging the pencils."
#41
Nataraj
4.0
(1)
"The Nataraj (or Apsara) long points have served me well and are cheap as chips."
#42
ZMOL
4.0
(1)
"The ZMOL long point pencil sharpener is not a hand held but is a manual and works well too."
#43
AFMAT
4.0
(1)
"The AFMAT long point electric pencil sharpener is a great option that won't break the bank at all."
#44
Stanley
4.0
(1)
"The first one is Stanley Electric Pencil Sharpener. Easy-to-remove shavings tray has a safety monitor to prohibit operation when cutting blades are exposed."
#45
Coloris
4.0
(1)
"The Coloris is plastic, but it is so reliable."
#46
Westcott
4.0
(1)
"I'd suggest a hand-crank sharpener like the ones Westcott make."
#47
Helix
4.0
(1)
"I use a Helix mechanical pencil sharpener. Hasn't let me.down yet"
#48
Classroom Friendly Supplies
4.0
(1)
"Classroom Friendly Supplies makes good manual pencil sharpeners and the blades can be replaced once worn out."
#49
Chanel
4.0
(1)
"Chanel makes lip liner sharpeners. They used to come with lip liner, but like everything else, they stopped putting a Sharpener in."
#50
Makeup by Mario
4.0
(1)
"My favorite is the one that comes with the Makeup by Mario lip liners but I know that’s only sold at the black and white store"
#51
Swordfish
4.0
(1)
"Not cheap but going strong for me for 2 years now. No issues. Easy for little children to use as well."
#52
Jakar
4.0
(1)
"I use a Jakar helical crank-shaft mechanical pencil sharpener which I attached to my desk with the provided clamp. I’ve had it for years now and it’s still going strong."
#53
Mobius & Rupert (M+R)
4.0
(1)
"Mobius and Ruppert (M+R) BULLET SHAPED BRASS Pencil sharpener w KEYHOLE (0604-90)"
#54
Tenwin
4.0
(1)
"I have this one and love it."
#55
Dux
4.0
(1)
"Dux adjustable pencil sharpener"
#56
General Pencil
3.0
(1)
"General Pencil All-Art Sharpener, Pack of 3, Little Red (S6503BP)"
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