A cheese grater has always been a kitchen essential in my house. I am a cheese addict and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
Cooking has never been my forte so I spent the duration of my time at university eating pasta and cheese in some form or another and I’d love to tell you that it ended there.
But throughout my time exploring cheeses from around the world, there was always one thing that hindered my full enjoyment and this was the grater. Invented in the 1540s by François Boullier, innovation has taken its sweet time. The models of time gone by required a huge amount of elbow grease to get the desired result and became a nightmare as you got to the smaller morsels, while pre-grated options somehow just don’t taste the same.
No matter your level of cooking prowess, every kitchen will no doubt have some form of cheese grater and yet they are never a truly considered purchase. They will likely be an afterthought and the cheapest and most proximate will be sourced, resulting in a rusted, broken and ineffective item that will need to be thrown away a few months later.
Buying mindfully will save you in the long run. There are so many to choose from - whether you prefer a box grater, electric or a zester. While it may sound unusual, professional chefs have been known to use the latter from brands like Microplane for their simplicity and efficacy. These models allow you to get a lot of cheese in a very short amount of time, but hardcore fans may prefer an option that yields thicker shavings. You’ll have a large pile but it will be very fine slices.
The design that you are likely to be most familiar with is the hand box grater that will have a variety of different slicing slots so you can adapt the shape and size. If you have one of these larger styles but are only using one side, you can minimise storage space and go for one of the more compact zester options. Variety is one of the many perks of these models and shorter designs do exist. There’s also electric and rotary models. The former is the most efficient and adds to your kitchen gadget collection, while rotary designs use a manual crank handle - you will have likely spotted them at Italian restaurants the world over.
Alongside all your cheese grating needs, you can also use these kitchen utensils for lemon, lime or orange peel zesting, as well as shredding potatoes, carrots, chillies, ginger and basically any variety of hard produce.
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SINGLE GRATERS
Microplane Citrus Fruit Zester / Cheese Grater
For a light sprinkling of cheese on any and every meal - be it spaghetti bolognese or lasagna - the legendary Microplane grater is on hand to make light work of the grating process. If you’re not yet familiar with the brand, let this be your official introduction as the US-born label has totally revolutionised the once challenging process.
This particular grater is ideal for hard cheeses like parmesan as well as citrus fruits; lemon, lime and oranges to give your desserts a zesty kick. But there are different shapes and thickness levels depending on your needs. There’s the Microplane Coarse Grater (£29.95) and Microplane Fine Grater (£29.99) for garnishes as well as a range of colours to suit your kitchen aesthetic.
You won’t know how you ever grated without one.
Buy now £23.95, John Lewis
Joseph Joseph Multi-Grate 2-in-1 Paddle Grater
Joseph Joseph has taken the ease of the Microplane and run with it by offering this two-in-one grater so you can mix and match on the size of your cheesy goodness. The paddle style comes complete with an easy-grip handle and non-slip to help avoid that dreaded finger grating mishaps. The stainless steel blades will allow you to get your dairy fix for years to come, while the cleaning process is simplified as its dishwashable.
Buy now £15.00, M&S
GRATER SETS
Tenta Kitchen 4 Piece Cheese Grater Set
Variety is the spice of life after all so if you like your cheese or grated items to come in a range of shapes and sizes, investing in this four-piece set will come in handy. Despite that it comes with an array of slides, it remains compact where each piece can be stored within the box to minimise much-treasured cupboard space. Not only does the base act as a storage area and a place to hold the cheese mid-grate, but it also has a non-slip design to keep it firmly in place on your workspace throughout the process. The colourful frames adds a playful edge.
Buy now £10.39, Amazon
Debo Cheese Grater
You can get the whole family involved in creating the evening’s meal by recruiting your little ones to get grating. With this twofer model, there are different patterns to suit all hard cheeses, chocolate, root vegetables and even potatoes with a bowl to catch all the shavings. It’s also dishwasher-safe and has a handle where you can hang it up if space is at a premium.
Buy now £13.91, Amazon
Alessi Parmenide grater with cheese cellar
A cheese grater for interior buffs, Alessi always steps up in the style stakes with its kitchen essentials. The Italian brand is known for transforming everyday items into luxury design objects - and this grater is no different. It was thought up by Argentinian interior designer and decorator to combine grater and serving bowl as one. The modern curved look gives a chic appearance that makes it worthy of any stylised tablescape.
Buy now £19.50, Selfridges
BOX GRATERS
KitchenAid 4-Sided Cheese Grater
Box graters are often the option of choice due to their immense versatility. You have a variety of different shaving sizes at your finger tips that make them suitable for all your cooking needs and for a seemingly endless array of produce. This hard-wearing model from beloved appliance label KitchenAid is designed to stand the test of time with a dishwasher-safe construction and a year replacement and lifetime warranty. It’s a no brainer.
Buy now £19.11, Amazon
OXO Good Grips Box Grater
Much like the KitchenAid grater above, OXO’s box design also features different sized shaving styles including an option for slicing the likes of cucumber and carrots to enhance a simple salad.
But it has earned its place in our roundup due to the storage box attachment that features measured markings for your grated ingredients. Taking the guesswork out of following recipes, you can make sure you are adding the exact quantities, while reducing on the washing up.
Buy now £14.00, M&S
KICHLY Cheese Grater Vegetable Grater
The sheer level of choice on this hexagonal box grater from KICHLY gives you serious bang for your buck. There are six different sized graters including a snazzy wavy option. Adding to the safety and security of the process, there’s a comfortable but firm handle at the top as well as an anti-slip rubber base. The stainless steel construction is also rustproof so this kitchen accessory should stand the test of time.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
ROTARY CHEESE GRATERS
SEYODA Rotary Cheese Grater
This is the top rated rotary cheese grater on Amazon with almost 2,000 five star reviews - and it is clear why. The compact size makes it not much bigger than the box graters above and yet almost eliminates the elbow grease required to add cheese shavings to your dishes. Secure the base onto your surface and place the cutter to suit the size you are looking for. Attach the handle and simply turn to slice, grind, and Julienne to your heart’s content. There are three blades included that should make it easy to shred the likes of carrots, potatoes, cheese, garlic and even hard nuts like peanuts and almonds.
Buy now, Amazon
Zyliss All Cheese Grater
When it comes to transforming the grating process, this is one of the most efficient systems. The Zyliss All Cheese Grater comes complete with two interchangeable blades that can tackle any food item that is put in its way - be it soft items like cheese or the harder stuff of chocolate and nuts. The entire system is ergonomically designed to make it as quick and seamless as it can be for right and left handed people alike. For easy storage, it also fold into itself.
Buy now £24.99, Lakeland
ELECTRIC CHEESE GRATER
Solis Slice & More Grater - Stainless Steel
New cheese grater on the block, this electric option removes any form of manual labour. It comes with five cutting drums with razor-sharp constructions to suit all manner of chopping, grating and more. Once placed inside, it gets to work at the press of a button. There are different speeds - normal or high speed - as well as non-slip feet so it stays firmly atop your counter.
Buy now £89.99, Robert Dyas
