A crucial part of sharpening skates is making sure you’re getting the right edge. We’ve used a handful of edge checkers throughout the years and are quite convinced we know a thing or two about the best edge checker for sharpening skates.
Before we get further, if you’re in the market for a top quality at home skate sharpener, make sure you do your research. They’re not all created the same, and it’s critical that you get that part of your buying process right. The best edge checker in the world isn’t going to fix a bad skate sharpening.
Here are the best skate blade edge checkers on the market today.
- Sparx Edge Checker
- A/R Edge Checker
- Wissota Edge Checker
Best Skate Blade Edge Checker
When it comes to these handy little skate sharpener accessories, we recommend that everybody who owns a sharpener gets one. There aren’t a ton of options on the market, so we’re comfortable recommending just a few of them. With that being said, whenever we recommend goalie gear or gear in general, we’d like to clarify that we’ve actually used it. We will happily recommend things we’ve used, because it’s our reputation on the line.
Sparx Edge Checker
This will be the best money you spend on skate sharpening outside of your actual machine. Sure, we’re covering a couple other units here, but the Sparx Edge Checker is the best we’ve ever found (and used).
The Sparx Edge Checker is the single best skate sharpening edge checker on the market today.
A/R Edge Checker
A/R makes a variety of hockey accessories and the edge checker they carry is no different. The biggest advantage this edge checker has is that it comes with a hard sided case. If Sparx could do anything different, I’d tell them to get a case.
Is it that big of a deal? Not really. But if you’re anything like me, you spend money on something and want your investment to be protected. I’d rather they came with a case like the A/R edge checker does, but it’s not the end of the world.
The A/R edge checker is NOT better than the Sparx Edge Checker, but it’s hard sided case and color dots for checking make it a good purchase if you’re not a fan of Sparx products.
The A/R Edge Checker comes with a carrying case, which makes it a better buy than the Wissota, but it's not better than the Sparx Edge Checker.
Wissota Edge Checker
The Wissota Edge Checker is a quality tool that does exactly the same thing as the Sparx Edge Checker. Similar to the Sparx, the Wissota will check edges to the smallest amount of change. If you’re needing to get any more accurate than that (which, for most of us who do not sharpen Sidney Crosby’s skates.. we don’t), you’ll need what’s called an HDI.
What is an HDI for skate sharpening?
And HDI stands for Height Depth Indicator. HDI tools are used by professional hockey teams to get the exact measurements needed to achieve a perfect hollow when sharpening skates. It’s not necessary that you get an HDI when using an at home sharpener like the ProSharp or the Sparx.
More information is available on the Wissota website.
So for Edge Checkers, which one should I buy?
Buy the Sparx Edge Checker and do not look back.
We’ve had ours for several years with no issues, the edge checker works exactly as it did day one and to this day, it’s never been wrong. Buying an edge checker will save the life of your grinding stone, preventing over use, and save you money in the long run.
The Sparx Edge Checker is the single best skate sharpening edge checker on the market today.
