Top 7 Graters Tested and Recommended

Best Overall

All four sides of this box grater excelled in our tests. We effortlessly created uniform shreds of both hard and soft cheeses using the coarse and fine blades. Zesting results were also exceptional with the fine blade, making this grater a worthy alternative to a dedicated zesting tool. Built from high-quality surgical stainless steel, we were impressed with the larger grating holes compared to other box graters we've used.

This Microplane grater also includes a dedicated slicing area, perfect for slicing cucumbers for a salad or potatoes for a potato gratin, along with a bi-directional blade that creates ribbon-style shreds. We also tested it on smoked mozzarella, and it performed exceptionally well. Additionally, we never experienced discomfort or fatigue, thanks to its stable base and ergonomic, soft-grip handle. Cleaning is a breeze, too (it's dishwasher-safe!). Just be aware that the exposed blades are incredibly sharp, and it doesn't come with a guard, so cut-resistant gloves are advised.

Material: Stainless steel | Blade Types: Coarse, fine, ribbon, and slicing | Care: Dishwasher-safe

Best for Zesting

Both of our experts, like many home cooks, swear by the Microplane. It has earned a reputation for producing fine grates, and after testing, we can confirm it lives up to its reputation. The long, narrow blade made zesting an orange a breeze, even reaching the smaller sections, while the canal on the back of the grater caught most of the zest, allowing us to effortlessly remove it with a simple sweep of our finger.

It performed impressively with hard cheeses, effortlessly grating Parmesan into fluffy, curving flakes. However, soft cheeses proved to be more challenging. We had to press harder and didn't achieve great results, with much of the cheese sticking to the back of the grater or breaking off prematurely. Additionally, cleaning this grater by hand wasn’t as straightforward as other models. The smaller holes made it difficult to remove food, and we eventually gave up and tossed it in the dishwasher.

Material: Stainless steel | Blade Types: Fine | Care: Dishwasher-safe

Best Box

Box graters are a favorite for many home cooks due to their versatility and stability. This particular box grater lived up to those qualities and impressed us with its performance, making us confident that it will last for years. This durability is thanks to its robust construction and sharp, rust-resistant blades, which are so effective that we recommend using cut-resistant gloves for safety.

Despite the sharpness, the grating process was incredibly efficient, with an ergonomic handle and non-slip finish ensuring safety during use. Both soft and hard cheeses shredded easily, and the zesting part of the tool perfectly zested an orange without touching the pith (although the zest was slightly moist). Overall, we were impressed with the value of this grater, and it required almost no effort to use.

Material: Stainless steel | Blade Types: Ultra coarse, coarse, fine, and slice | Care: Dishwasher-safe

Best for Cheese

Some may initially think this grater requires more effort to use than a traditional box grater due to its design. However, we found it to be surprisingly easy to use. The handle is sturdy enough to hold with one hand, and we didn’t need to apply much pressure to successfully shred and zest food.

We achieved excellent results with both soft and hard cheeses. The coarse blade quickly produced larger, thicker shreds, while the fine blade created small, delicate ribbons. Both blades also worked well for zesting: the coarser blade produced thick, ribbon-like zest that would work well as a garnish, while the finer blade yielded tiny, circular flakes. The only downside is that the smaller surface area doesn’t offer as much space to grate compared to standard box graters.

Material: Stainless steel | Blade Types: Coarse, fine | Care: Dishwasher-safe

Best Flat

Flat graters provide a level of convenience that other graters simply can't offer. By using the grater flat on a surface, there’s less need for the pressure required to keep an upright grater in place. We found this to be true in our tests, as we were able to place it directly over our plate while grating. It worked particularly well with hard cheese, thanks to the rubber feet providing excellent stability. However, when grating soft cheese, we had to apply more pressure, and the cheese tended to break off during the process.

We had positive results when zesting an orange, though the holes on this grater aren’t as fine as those on the Microplane or other rasp-style graters. Still, its clever design, strong performance, and durable build make it a solid option in our opinion.

Material: Stainless steel | Blade Type: Medium (between fine and coarse) | Care: Dishwasher-safe

Best Rotary

Rotary graters are perfect for anyone concerned about finger safety, as the blade is enclosed within the plastic housing. Simply place your food in the hopper and turn the crank to achieve perfectly grated food. This particular grater has a larger hopper than most others we've tested, meaning less frequent refilling was required.

We were impressed by the results with hard cheese, as it grated large amounts of fluffy, light cheese with each turn, and it produced shreds far thinner than what you’d find pre-grated at the store. Soft cheese, however, was more challenging—it required more pressure to achieve decent shreds. This wasn’t unexpected since the grater isn’t designed for soft cheeses.

This rotary grater includes two blades and handy storage tubes that attach while grating. However, keep in mind that this grater requires more effort to use, as it cannot be placed on a countertop for support during grating.

Material: Plastic, stainless steel blades | Blade Types: Fine, coarse | Care: Dishwasher-safe

Best With a Container

Meal prep enthusiasts will love this practical box grater from KitchenAid. It comes with a storage compartment that attaches to the grater, allowing you to easily transfer the shredded ingredients directly to the fridge without needing an additional food storage container. This compartment can hold anywhere from 1/2 cup to 2 cups, making it perfect for sprinkling cheese over a salad or covering a small pizza.

We appreciated the stability of this grater on the counter, and it delivered great results, especially with cheeses. It shredded both hard and soft cheeses with ease, and the mozzarella looked just like store-bought. However, the fine blade didn’t fare as well when grating citrus; it left a wet, clumpy result. For zesting, we would likely opt for a rasp-style grater, such as the Microplane, for better results.

Material: Stainless steel | Blade Type: Coarse, medium, fine, slicer | Care: Dishwasher-safe

Final Verdict

The Microplane 4-Sided Stainless Steel Professional Box Grater stands out as our top choice, effortlessly producing consistent shreds of hard cheese, soft cheese, and citrus—something that was challenging with other graters we tested. It was also very user-friendly, and the sharp blades required minimal pressure to get excellent results.

Our Testing Process

We tested 22 different graters in our lab, assessing them based on ease of use, performance, ease of cleaning, and overall value. The initial evaluation involved looking at each grater’s features, including versatility, size, weight, and comfort of use. For box and rasp-style graters, we tested their efficiency with hard cheese (Parmesan), soft cheese (mozzarella), and citrus (an orange). We noted how much effort was needed for each type of food, how well the grater shredded, and the quality, size, and texture of the results. For rotary graters, we conducted similar tests using just the cheeses.

Additionally, we paid attention to any special features or accessories that enhanced the grating process. After completing the tests, we cleaned each grater and evaluated how easy it was to wash, including the ease of removing food stuck in the blade holes. Using all this information, we selected the top-performing graters.

How to Shop for a Grater Like a Pro

Grater Type

The box grater is the most popular type, praised for its versatility with four grating options (some brands even offer more). The next most common type is the rasp grater, which is sometimes called a Microplane (a brand name that produces rasp graters). Rasp graters with fine blades are particularly effective at zesting citrus, which is why many home cooks own both a box grater and a fine-bladed rasp grater. Some rasp graters feature larger holes that produce medium or coarse shreds.

Other types of graters include flat graters, which can be used horizontally, and rotary graters, which have no exposed blades. With rotary graters, you place your cheese into a hopper and turn a crank to feed it into the internal cylindrical grinders.

Choosing the best grater depends on the types of foods you want to grate and how frequently you’ll use it. Box graters are a great all-around option, but some perform better for zesting than others. Our tests showed that box graters are particularly effective for shredding soft cheeses, so if you often shred soft cheeses but also want to zest citrus, we recommend pairing a box-style grater with a rasp grater that has fine blades.

Rotary graters are ideal for grating cheese, nuts, and chocolate, offering a safer option for those worried about cutting their fingers. On the other hand, flat graters are convenient as they don’t require the effort of keeping them upright like traditional graters.

Blade Types

Graters come with different blade types: coarse (the largest), medium (in between coarse and fine), fine, and slicer. According to Flores, "A general rule of thumb is that a coarse blade grater is best for ingredients like cheese or vegetables that will be cooked—think hash browns, zucchini fritters, or mozzarella and cheddar cheese that should melt during cooking."

"A fine grater is best for finishing touches, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or lemon zest, or for ingredients where only a small amount is needed, like spices (whole nutmeg, horseradish, or grated ginger)," she adds. "A medium grater can be versatile, but in my opinion, it’s not essential in the kitchen. Coarse and fine graters are generally sufficient!"

Box graters typically come with all three of the main grating options and often include a slicer, making them a valuable tool to have. However, if you do a lot of fine grating, investing in a separate rasp grater might be worthwhile. During our testing, we found that rasp graters often performed better when zesting compared to box graters.

For Flores, owning a separate rasp grater is a must. "I believe everyone should own a Microplane," she says. "It’s one of the top five items I use in my kitchen. I use both a box grater and a Microplane, but if I had to choose just one, it would be the Microplane."

Comfort

It's important to choose a grater that feels comfortable in your hand, especially since grating can be a bit labor-intensive, and depending on how much you need to grate, it could take a while. Box graters usually have a sturdy base, so you don't need to apply much pressure to keep them steady while grating.

Rasp graters, on the other hand, require you to balance the grater on the counter to keep it steady, which can make them less stable than box graters. Rotary graters require holding the grater with one hand while turning the crank with the other, which can become tiring after a while.

Flat graters are ideal for minimal effort as they can be laid horizontally on a counter and remain in place, allowing you to grate with one hand. A great example of a well-crafted flat grater is the Rösle Stainless Steel Medium Grater.

More Graters to Consider

Zwilling Z-Cut Tower/Box Grater: We were impressed with the built-in storage compartment in this grater, the ability to use it horizontally, and the two-way blades, which provided consistent and professional-looking cheese shreds. However, it comes at a higher price point compared to other similar models.

Utopia Kitchen Stainless Steel 6-Sided Grater: This grater stands out with six grating options, including a zester, coarse blade, small blade, large blade, and two slicers. It performed excellently for grating cheese but unfortunately didn’t fare well with orange zest.

Questions You Might Ask

Will the blades on a grater dull overtime?

Yes. According to Slagle, 'Graters are essentially lots of little knives. Imagine your knives if you never sharpened them—that’s the grater you’ve had for five years.' Unlike knives, however, there is no way to sharpen a grater's blades. Unfortunately, this means that over time, you’ll need to replace it.

Slagle points out that the most common mistake people make with graters is not replacing them when the blades start to wear down. 'If grating becomes a struggle or the ingredients come out in mushy clumps instead of individual shreds, it’s time to get a new one,' she advises.

You can extend the life of your grater blades by hand washing them, as dishwashers are known to dull blades over time. Slagle also suggests being mindful of your grating technique: 'It’s tempting to grate quickly up and down in a small area, but longer, more consistent swipes across the full grater will help preserve it,' she advises.

Do I need a separate grater for zesting?

It really depends on your cooking habits. In our tests, we found that rasp graters with fine blades, like the Microplane Classic Zester, excel at zesting. If zesting citrus or grating spices is something you do often, both Slagle and Flores recommend having a rasp grater along with your box grater.

Slagle calls a rasp grater 'one of the most essential kitchen tools.' While you can use a box grater for zesting, she warns that it may produce larger pieces, which could be more intense than you want, and might even pick up some of the bitter pith, for better or worse.

If you prefer to stick with just one grater, you can certainly try zesting with whatever grater you have, provided it has a fine blade. During our testing, we found that some graters, like the Microplane 4-Sided Stainless Steel Professional Box Grater, did a surprisingly good job of zesting.

Trust Our Expertise

This article was authored by Rachel Center, a home product review writer at Mytour. We researched and tested 22 of the top grater models, evaluating them for ease of use, performance, cleaning, and value. Additionally, we consulted with Ali Slagle, recipe developer and cookbook author, and Cristina Flores, VP of Product at Eataly North America, for their expert insights.