The Best Graters and How to Use Them
Tools (and tips) to suit your recipe, your grip, and your budget.
By Elisa Huang
Box Graters
Good for: Shredding soft cheeses (for tacos or mac-and-Jack) and harder foods (say, potatoes for hash browns); use the side with the large holes. The medium-size holes make smaller shreds of hard foods. The tiny holes turn out fine, crumblike Parmesan. The single horizontal sharp edge is for shaving thin slices of hard foods, such as carrots―it's great if you're slicing just one, but for a dozen consider a mandoline.
Related:The Best Chopping Gadgets
Look for: A comfortable handle; rubber at the bottom to prevent sliding across a counter.
Tip: Lightly coat the outside of the grater plate with cooking spray so the food glides more easily (this also makes cleanup easier). When you reach the end of a piece of hard cheese, put it in your palm and rub your hand flat against the grater to prevent knuckle scrapes.
Related: Choosing a Cheese for Your Pasta
Handheld Graters (Rasps)
Good for: Shredding directly into a bowl or a pot (rasps are much handier than box graters for this task). With only a single (medium to small) hole size, they work well for small quantities of hard cheese or other foods, such as baking chocolate and coconut.
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Look for: A handle with a grip that prevents slipping; a large grater plate (more surface area equals less effort).
Tip: If your hand tires, hold the rasp at a 30-degree angle against the counter for leverage. If cheese or chocolate starts to melt in your hand, place the food and the grater in the freezer for a few minutes, then grasp the food with a kitchen towel and continue to work quickly, says Linda Carucci, author of Cooking School Secrets for Real World Cooks.
Related: 25 Deliciously Decadent Desserts
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