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What tool looks like a cheese grater?

Author

Emily Dawson

Published Apr 03, 2026

What tool looks like a cheese grater?

Hear this out loudPauseA surform tool (also surface-forming tool) features perforated sheet metal and resembles a food grater. A surform tool consists of a steel strip with holes punched out and the rim of each hole sharpened to form a cutting edge. The strip is mounted in a carriage or handle.

What is a rasp style grater?

Hear this out loudPauseA rasp-style grater (also sometimes referred to as a zester) is a long, skinny tool. Attached to the handle is a blade covered in tiny U-shaped teeth. Imagine your box grater but on a much smaller scale. It’s beautiful in its simplicity and utility, really.

What is the equipment of grater?

Hear this out loudPauseA grater, also known as a shredder, is a kitchen utensil used to grate foods into fine pieces. The modern grater was invented by François Boullier in the 1540s, originally to grate cheese.

What is a Microplane?

Hear this out loudPauseA microplane is a rasp-like grater, developed by the Microplane Company, that hit the market in the 1990s. For those interested in multipurpose kitchen products, a microplane can also be used to grate hard cheeses, like Parmesan, and to grate spices, like nutmeg.

What are the 4 sides of a cheese grater for?

Obvious, and not so obvious, ways to use all four sides of your box grater

  • The largest shredding holes. These typically take up one of the wide sides of the grater.
  • Smaller shredding holes.
  • Rough, raspy holes.
  • Slicing holes.
  • The entire tool.
  • More from Voraciously:

What’s the difference between a Microplane and a grater?

Hear this out loudPauseA Microplane requires a cook to grate food from up in the air, while a Japanese grater is designed with a flat bottom that rests on cutting board, creating a triangular shape that’s far more stable.

What can a Microplane be used for?

9 Unexpected Uses for Your Microplane

  • CITRUS. Zesting citrus fruits like lemons and limes is probably the most common use for a Microplane.
  • HARD CHEESES.
  • NUTS.
  • WHOLE SPICES.
  • FIBROUS ROOT VEGETABLES.
  • GARLIC.
  • CHOCOLATE.
  • LEMONGRASS.

What kind of grater do you use to grate cheese?

A microplane cheese grater consists of a handle attached to a long, flat grate with small, sharp teeth. Although they are usually used for zesting lemons or grating garlic, they are perfectly serviceable when it comes to grating cheese.

Can you use an electric cheese grater in a dishwasher?

For adding a sprinkle of Parmesan to weeknight pasta or salads, this is the common-sense kitchen tool that you’ll want to keep on hand. The dishwasher-safe drum and handle separate for easy cleaning, and the handle can be switched from side to side for comfort depending on the user’s dominant hand.

What’s the best way to grate a wedge of cheese?

Simply position your wedge of cheese into the drum, secure the top lever, and crank the side arm to grate cheese to the desired consistency. For adding a sprinkle of Parmesan to weeknight pasta or salads, this is the common sense kitchen tool you’ll want to keep on hand.

What kind of cheese do you use to grate mozzarella?

Because microplanes tend to produce smaller pieces of grated cheese, they are best used with hard cheeses such as Parmesan or Pecorino. Grating a soft cheese like mozzarella with a microplane would only give you a mushy mass instead of cleanly grated cheese. 2 Unwrap your block of cheese.

How do you use a hand held cheese grater?

To use it, you simply load thin strips of cheese into the etched stainless steel drum, and then, gripping the top of the tool with one hand, use the other hand to turn the tool’s crank to begin shredding.

What kind of tools do you use to make cheese?

Cheese is often used as an ingredient rather than a standalone food. You can discover a variety of different tools necessary for prepping cheese for ingredient applications. Planers, slicers and graters tend to be the best tools to use for these purposes as they help make precise cuts and small pieces for easy melting.

What kind of cheese grater is best for shredding?

When shopping for a hand held cheese grater, you should take into consideration the volume you’re expecting the tool to handle. A rasp-style grater is great for shredding cheese directly over food or a pot.

What’s the best way to grate a block of cheese?

Raise the top handle of the grater, place a small block of cheese into the compartment, and lower the handle. Apply some pressure to the top of the handle with your thumb. Grip the handle normally with your other fingers. Turn the handle with your other hand while aiming the grating compartment at a nearby plate or bowl.