Best Sharpener for Colored Pencils: 6 Sharpeners Worth Buying

Introduction

Few art supply questions come up as often as this one: what is the best sharpener for colored pencils? To answer it properly, we put eighteen manual sharpeners through a series of challenges using more than 250 pencils, covering everything from dollar-store brands to premium soft-core sets. The tests covered ease of use, point quality, how much core each sharpener wastes, which pencil sizes and shapes fit, and how each one holds up over a long sharpening session.

Not every sharpener earned a spot in our final recommendations. Below are the six that stood out, split between handheld and desktop crank options, each with a clear reason to buy.

What We Tested

Every sharpener went through five challenges: the “goof proof” first-use test, point quality, core wastage, pencil compatibility, and a long-session marathon. We looked only at manual sharpeners, both handheld and desktop crank, since these are what most colored pencil artists actually reach for.

One theme ran through everything: crank sharpeners turn blades around the pencil rather than turning the pencil itself, which makes them noticeably gentler on fragile cores. And brand matching is no guarantee of quality, as the dedicated Prismacolor, Faber-Castell and Staedtler sharpeners produced rougher points and more breakage than several less obvious contenders.

Handheld Sharpeners Worth Considering

Best Handheld Long Point: KUM Masterpiece

The KUM Masterpiece is a two-step long point sharpener, and it works differently from anything else in this group. Its two holes are not for two pencil sizes. The first blade removes the wood around the core while keeping the core itself untouched, leaving a long exposed core that looks odd the first time you see it. The second blade then gently shaves that core to a very long, very sharp point.

This design gives you a lot of control. You can stop early and save pencil if you do not need an extreme point, or take it all the way for the longest point of any handheld here. Alongside the Uni KH 20, it produced the best points in our testing. If you want a handheld long point sharpener, this is one of the two to consider, with the choice between it and the Uni mostly coming down to budget and whether you want an attached shaving compartment.

Best Overall Handheld: Kutsuwa Stad T’Gaal

At first glance the T’Gaal looks like a cheap novelty sharpener. It feels light and flimsy, and so does the K’Zool adjustable sharpener that shares its general design. Yet both outperformed most of the big-name brands through nearly every test.

What sets the T’Gaal apart is its five-position wheel. Almost every adjustable sharpener we tested only changes how sharp or dull the point is, without changing the actual angle. The T’Gaal is the only one that offers genuinely different point angles, giving it the biggest range of point styles in a single sharpener. It was also the most gentle of the handheld sharpeners on pencils, which matters enormously for soft cores like Prismacolor Premier.

The trade-offs are real but manageable. The shaving compartment is small, and it is easy to overfill it to the point the sharpener stops working. On the plus side, it is simple to empty, and choosing a clear version makes the fill level obvious.

Best Budget Pick: Apsara Long Point

The Apsara long point sharpener is the cheapest entry in this entire comparison, sold in a pack of 20 for the price of a single one of the other sharpeners here. It performed better than its price suggests, placing close behind the KUM Masterpiece and Uni in point quality, and it produces genuinely beautiful shavings.

The main caveats: thicker-barrel pencils like the Derwent Colorsoft, Caran d’Ache Luminance and Polychromos fit only snugly, and it cannot handle square or jumbo pencils. If you can find friends to share a pack with, it is an outstanding value long point option.

Desktop Crank Sharpeners

Crank sharpeners sit on a desk, are less portable, and cost more. In exchange they include built-in shaving storage, are easier on your hands over long sessions, and are far more forgiving on fragile pencil cores. After hours of testing, they were some of the nicest to use, even if they are the most confusing at first because almost none come with complete instructions.

Twin Picks: Dahle 133 and M+R Crank

These two are, for practical purposes, the same sharpener. Everything about them is identical, from the body and the clamp to the point they produce, and any difference in day-to-day performance likely comes down to how broken-in each unit is. If you cannot find one, look for the other.

Among the crank options, these were the two favorites. They handled every type of pencil in testing, including jumbo sizes like the Lyra Giants and Cretacolor Megacolor, which only six of the eighteen sharpeners could accommodate. The auto-stop feature is a useful convenience, but treat it as a guide rather than a guarantee. Nearly every crank sharpener in testing failed its auto-stop at least once, occasionally eating an entire pencil, so watch your sharpening regardless of what the mechanism claims.

Long Point Specialist: Uni KH 20

The Uni KH 20 was one of the quiet surprises of the testing. It produced one of the best points of any sharpener, handheld or crank, and it feels remarkably gentle in use, far more so than its closest comparison, the Derwent Superpoint. In the wastage test it outperformed the Derwent by a wide margin, while the Derwent was the only crank sharpener to leave bite marks on pencils, which is a genuine concern for anyone who treasures a special pencil collection.

If you expect to sharpen often and want a crank-based long point, the Uni is the pick. The same caveat applies as with all long point sharpeners: very sharp points do not suit every pencil, so soft-core brands like Prismacolor may be better served elsewhere.

What to Check Before Buying

Pencil compatibility matters as much as sharpening quality, because the best sharpener in the world is useless if your pencils do not fit. Standard-sized pencils, including Prismacolor, Crayola and most hexagonal barrels, fit every sharpener tested. Slightly thicker barrels such as Holbein, Derwent Colorsoft, Caran d’Ache Luminance, Arteza Expert, Derwent Lightfast and Polychromos fit most sharpeners but were a tight squeeze in the Apsara and did not fit the Black Wing at all.

Square pencils like the Brutfuner eliminated six sharpeners outright, including the T’Gaal. Jumbo pencils like the Lyra Giants shrink your options to just a handful, notably the Staedtler, Faber-Castell, KUM 4-in-1, and the Dahle 133 and M+R crank. Only those last two handled every single pencil type we tried.

Buying Advice

Your choice between handheld and desktop comes down to where you color and your budget. If you mostly sharpen at a desk, or you are breaking in a large new pencil set, a crank sharpener like the Dahle 133 or the M+R is the most comfortable and gentle option, and the Uni KH 20 is worth it if long points are a priority.

If you color away from a desk or want something affordable and portable, the Kutsuwa Stad T’Gaal remains the standout handheld, with its adjustable point angles and gentle treatment of soft cores. The KUM Masterpiece is the pick for handheld long points, and the Apsara is the budget wildcard that punches far above its price.

One final tip regardless of which you choose: do not rely blindly on auto-stop. Even excellent sharpeners can fail and consume a full pencil, so stay attentive while sharpening.

Conclusion

The best sharpener for colored pencils depends on your pencils and your habits, but these six cover the realistic bases. For desk use and large sets, the Dahle 133 or the identical M+R crank are the most gentle and capable. For handheld long points, the KUM Masterpiece and Uni KH 20 lead the field. For an everyday portable sharpener, the Kutsuwa Stad T’Gaal is hard to beat, and the Apsara is an unbeatable budget addition. Pick the one that matches your pencil collection, and your cores will thank you.