Alexandra Ramirez
1. The Asian Slice
Best Overall Cheese Grater
5/5 Product Rating
This grater is easy to maneuver with its heavy-duty handle, sharp and effective grating surfaces, and rubber bottom ring which keeps it safely on your cutting surface.
In fact, this grater makes kitchen prep so much easier and faster than usual, you’re likely to find yourself using it far more often than you expected. Grated cheese and carrots are just the beginning once you find that this cheese grater will grate, slice, zest, and shred-with-ease anything you bring its way.
The body is made of durable stainless steel, and the handle was designed to be the strongest on the market – built to stand up to daily wear and tear. Not only is this grater perfect for home cooks, but it can withstand the rigors of commercial kitchens as well.
This grater weighs in at 8.8 ounces and is made of quality 18/10 .3mm stainless steel with a removable rubber molded bottom. The manufacturer utilized all four sides of the grater, and each offers a different grating style – one side each for slicing, grating, zesting, and shredding.
– Sarah Lytle
2. ZYLISS
Best Rotary Cheese Grater
4.8/5 Product Rating
The Zyliss Classic Rotary Cheese Grater has a sturdy housing which is made of hard plastic and has an ergonomic grip for easy handling. The compact size makes it very easy to store in either a drawer or cabinet. It has several removable parts that are dishwasher safe for a fast and easy cleanup.
The drum of this rotary cheese grater can also handle hard cheeses, chocolate, and nuts which makes it wonderfully versatile. Its dimensions are: 6 ½” x 3” x 5”. The blade of this grater is razor sharp and ready to effortlessly grate a variety of cheeses no matter how hard they are. It is a very suitable choice for grating hard cheeses easily and without much effort. This rotary cheese grater is a great addition to your existing kitchen gadgets and you will likely find that you use it quite a bit.
– Sarah Lytle
3. OXO
4.7/5 Product Rating
It has sharp blades that are made of stainless steel for easy grating of even the hardest cheeses. It offers you four grating options:
- Fine
- Medium
- Coarse
- Slicing
The slim, flat construction of this popular grater allows it to fit easily inside your kitchen drawer. This model also has a detachable container that you can use to measure or store your freshly-grated foods.
The soft-grip handle is comfortable and non-slip for safe, convenient, and easy use. The base of both the grater and detachable container are made from non-slip material that keeps the grater secure on your counter while using it. It is dishwasher safe and easy to store.
– Sarah Lytle
4. di Oro
Best Handheld Cheese Grater
4.5/5 Product Rating
This Chef Series coarse grater comes with a safety cover that protects the blades of this grater when not in use. The ergonomically designed handle is made from BPA-free silicone and is non-slip, even if your hands are wet which is a great safety feature.
The professional-grade, razor-sharp blade makes quick work of any grating job that needs to be performed. The food-grade, 18/8 stainless steel blade is FDA approved and measures 7 ¼” x 2 ¼”.
Clean up is easy with the dishwasher safe capability of this grater. The Di Oro company offers customers a lifetime, money-back guarantee on this product. If you are not happy for any reason, just let them know and they will refund your money with no questions asked, making this a perfect option.
– Sarah Lytle
Cheese Grater Buying Guide
Types of Graters
There are several different types of graters available, all of which can handle various jobs in your kitchen. These graters have different designs and are made from a variety of materials. We have listed the most popular and common types below.
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Metal – Metal graters come in a variety of styles, anywhere from the flat, hand-held varieties to box styles. Metal graters can grate hard cheeses effortlessly with their sharp blades and sturdy construction. Depending on the model and size, this grater can either coarsely or finely shred large blocks of cheese and can zest and take care of other cooking tasks.
This multi-function grater can take care of many of your kitchen jobs. The metal in cheese graters is made from stainless steel that is rustproof and hygienic. The cutting edge of the metal grater is very effective at cutting hard cheeses as well as other hard food items.
The flat, metal graters are good for smaller items that need to be grated and can also be used for zesting. Metal graters usually have silicone accents on the bottom and on the handle. These silicone accents are available in a variety of bright colors that will match almost any kitchen décor. These accents also make the graters easier to hold and safely use.
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Storage containers – Some graters have integrated storage containers that attach to the grater. These detachable containers can be used for both storing grated food and for measuring if you need a certain amount for a recipe. It is a great option to have this custom piece that fits securely on the grater.
This keeps you from fumbling around while grating into a container that isn’t custom made for the piece.
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Ceramic – These beautiful, yet functional, graters look fantastic in any kitchen. If you are grating foods that have a high, water content, a ceramic-style grater used together with a bowl is the way to go. Ceramic graters can be like a work of art in your kitchen and are available in several patterns, styles, colors, and shapes.
Whatever the artist dreams up. Many ceramic graters are made of a simple, white, glazed ceramic and will complement any color scheme.
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Rotary – Hard cheeses and chocolate can become warm if you need to hold them for an extended period of time. Once they are warmed, they are almost impossible to grate. You can bypass this problem by using a rotary grater. These little gadgets look and work just like a mini food processor. A rotary grater contains a small drum can be packed with the food you want to grate which keeps you from having to hold the food.
Just put the food you want to grate inside the drum and continue to rotate the handle until you have the amount of grated food you need. You don’t have to touch the food during the grating process except when filling the drum. Many rotary graters offer changeable drums that each perform a different function such as shredding or slicing. -
Electric – Electric graters can be either powered by batteries or they can be a plug-in style. The battery-operated models are portable and can be used anywhere but the stationary, plug-in models are better suited for handling large quantities of food.
These mechanical/electric graters often have parts that you can disassemble for cleaning. Most of these removable parts can be washed in the dishwasher.
Conclusion
Cheese graters are a necessary part of most every kitchen. If you don’t yet own one, you have likely found that there are many recipes you can’t make perfectly without being able to properly grate the ingredients you need. If you are looking for a cheese grater to add to your kitchen tools and aren’t sure which to pick, this is the review you’ve been looking for. We have described in detail the different types of graters on the market and are confident that our review will help you make the perfect choice.
By reading our review, you will learn about the different types of graters available and decide which models and types will work best in your kitchen. If you do a lot of serious cooking and baking, purchasing a rotary grater and a box style grater made of a metal and plastic combination will be the best choice for you. Some box graters are made of all metal with no plastic parts at all but this choice will be based on personal preference.
You want to base your choice of grater on picking one with the ability to help you tackle the recipes you cook most often. If you rarely have the need to grate foods you can probably make do with a simple, flat, hand-held variety. If you are an avid foodie who loves to cook every chance you get, you definitely want to invest in one or more graters that can handle all the different grating and slicing needs you have.
Rotary style graters are the overall best choice for cooks who grate foods on a regular basis. It works fast and does not require batteries or electrical power, just a bit of hand and arm power. The blades do all the heavy work as you just turn the handle and watch the grated cheese pile up. No need to touch the food which keeps it clean and safe. You will also find that the kids love to pitch in and help when using a rotary style grater.
Resources
- ZYLISS – https://www.zyliss.com/
- OXO – https://www.oxo.com/
- Di ORO – http://dioro-living.com/
