Kitchen Grater Types

Graters are useful in the kitchen for more than just cheese. Discover the many varieties of kitchen graters that every home chef should have in their toolbox.

What are the applications of kitchen graters?

The most typical application is, of course, grating cheese. However, there are various other applications. Cauliflower rice may be made using a household grater (and then turned into cauliflower pizza crust). If you don't have a zester, grate citrus peels instead.

A grater can be used to shred carrots for carrot cake or to sprinkle over salads. Other vegetables can also be grated for salads. When I make this nutritious zucchini bread or these spicy vegetable cakes, I also grate zucchini.

Grate potatoes to make hash browns. When you don't want to chop onions, garlic, or ginger, grate them instead. If you prefer to buy whole nutmeg, shredding fresh nutmeg is another option. When baking, some people grate butter as well. Discover which sort of grater can assist you with various kitchen preparation duties.

grater box

This is a four-sided kitchen grater with various-sized holes on each side. It frequently has a slicing side as well. The grater features a handle to keep it stable. Grating hard cheeses like Cheddar and Mozzarella, shreddng potatoes for hashbrowns, grating chocolate for desserts, cutting butter for biscuits, shredding cucumbers and carrots, and ricing cauliflower are all possibilities. The sole disadvantage of a box grater is that it takes up more space in the kitchen than other types of graters.

grater for the hands

These are single-sided paddle graters. While they only have one size choice (unlike the four-sided box grater), they're great for grinding directly into the bowl. They usually feature big, highly sharp holes and a rubber-lined base to keep them from sliding. They're also easier to store because they're thinner. Grate cautiously as you come closer to the holes; they may easily cut your fingers!

Rasp grater

Rasp graters are the long, thin graters that are frequently mistaken for zesters. While it may be used to zest, it can also be used to season hard-aged cheeses such as Parmesan for pasta and pizza. This may also be used to grate ginger into sauces and stir-fries to enhance pungency. They have highly sharp, tiny holes, and their slim design allows them to easily travel around round fruit or irregular shapes.

Mandoline

Fruits and vegetables are swiftly sliced into small, uniform pieces, or matchsticks, with the mandoline. This comes in handy for preparing potatoes au gratin, chopping potatoes for french fries, or creating apple chips. The size may be changed from this to thicker, and pricier mandolines offer additional form possibilities. It's far less laborious than using a knife.

Grate rotary

The rotating grater makes grating hard, dry cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano a snap. Instead of pushing the cheese down the grater, the concept here is to spin a blade along the cheese. Using a spinning crank, the pressure presses the cheese against the grating drum, resulting in a rapid and safe grating alternative. The size of the grated product may differ across brands. It's great to use this to top pasta with additional cheese, exactly like in a nice restaurant.

grater for spices

You may purchase a specialist spice grater (much narrower than a rasp grater), but you can also shred spices with a rasp grater or hand grater. Because of the incredibly narrow breadth, the user is prevented from accidentally grating their fingertips for a more exact grate. Freshly grated spices such as whole nutmeg, cinnamon, or star anise have a significant taste influence on baked goods or dishes.