That would probably depend on how often you use cheese in your
cooking. For most individuals, a cheese or kitchen grater is a vital kitchen utensil that they
use quite often.
For a utensil that is used as much as a grater is used in most
kitchens, it is surprising that most people only own one. Did you know that there are different
graters that are ideal for different substances and different situations?
Here are some of the more common kitchen graters you should
consider when shopping around.
Electric Grater
The electric grater is the most efficient of all kitchen graters. These
devices will have no problem slicing through any cheese or vegetable, and are very reliable. They come in
many different shapes and sizes, and can come standard or cordless (battery powered).
Battery powered cheese graters are generally used in fast paced restaurants
where endlessly grating cheese can become tiresome. Most electric graters come with several settings to help
you achieve the grate you are looking for easily. Most electric graters have a plastic handle with a
stainless steel blade.
Cowbell Grater
The cowbell grater is the most recognizable design of cheese grater. Also
known as the box grater, this grater was found in most American homes for the last 50 years. Each side of
this grater dons a different blade style that allows you to grate your cheese several different ways with
the same device.
The arrangements differ in width, length and shape. This grater can handle
all of your grating needs, from long cheese strips to the finest of spices. While grating with a cowbell
grater, all of the grated material will fall into the middle of the grater, which you will collect when you
are finished.
Flat Faced Cheese Grater
The flat faced cheese grater is usually about a foot long, and six inches
wide. This grater has two different sides that usually offer you two different types of grates. On either
side of the flat faced cheese grater (also known as the mandolin grater) you will find two handles which are
provided to help you stabilize the device while you are grating your cheese.
When grating, you grab one end of the cheese grater, and press the other end
into the surface that you are cutting over. With your free hand, you run the cheese along thekitchengrater. Many people find these to be
slightly dangerous, as one slip would send your hand flying into the grater. In addition to these flat
faced graters, there are also a separate kind of specialized parmesan cheese graters.
Knife Style Grater
The knife style grater is aptly named because it is shaped just likea knife. There is a handle, with a blade that
extends as far as ten inches away from the handle. These graters are great when you do not have all that
much cheese that you need grated.
You place the cheese down on the surface that you are cutting on, and run
the grater’s blade over the cheese. One
complaint often issued about thesekitchengraters is that cheese can get caught on the blade and hinder further grating.
The video above shows a variety of graters that can be used for parmesan cheese.
The video above shows a few alternatives for kitchen graters.
Good luck shopping for the specific kitchen grater that meets your needs!
