To Find the Best Rasp-Style Graters, I Zested Loads of Citrus

A Microplane is a rasp-style grater, but not every rasp-style grater is a Microplane. (Microplane is a brand name.) But whether you call it a grater, zester, or Microplane it serves the same purpose: zesting citrus, grating hard cheeses, processing garlic, and even turning spices like nutmeg into freshly ground stuff for your favorite eggnog.

However, the tool's actually only about 30 years old, and it was first used in carpentry—yes, it was used to shave wood. It wasn't until 1994 that it was marketed as a cooking implement. Nowadays, though, it's ubiquitous in many kitchens, home and professional alike.

So, I was curious: How do other rasp-style graters stack up against the classic Microplane? To find out, I tested 12 of the most popular models (including several Microplanes), using them to zest citrus, grate garlic and cheese, and more.

The Tests

• Zesting Citrus Test: I zested two medium-sized lemons to see how long it took and whether each grater was capable of removing just the zest and not the bitter, underlying white pith.

• Grating Hard Cheese Test: I grated one-and-half ounces of Parmesan cheese to see how long each rasp-style grater took and what the resulting texture of the cheese was like.

• Grating Garlic Test: With each grater, I grated three medium cloves of garlic. I looked at how easy it was to clean the grater after using it with such a sticky ingredient.

• Freshly Ground Spices Test: I grated two grams of nutmeg to see how coarse the resulting grated nutmeg was. I also evaluated whether grating a hard nutmeg dulled each grater's teeth.

• Usability and Cleanup: After each test, I noted hand fatigue, how easy the rasp-style graters were to grip and hold onto, and how simple it was to remove zested or grated food from the undersides of the graters. I also cleaned each grater after every use, evaluating any factors that contributed to how easy or difficult this was.

What We Learned

Rasp-Style Graters Can Be Too Dull, But They Can Also Be Too Sharp

While some of the rasp-style graters were razor-sharp, others struggled at basic tasks like zesting lemons.

These lower-performing graters had too-small holes (like the OXO model, which had teeth that were 3/32-inch wide compared to my favorite Microplane's 1/8-inch width) or the teeth weren’t angled high enough to grate and zest easily. Zest came out mushy and wet, and cheese took longer to grate and required more effort.

Surprisingly, though, some graters were too sharp...or perhaps had teeth that were just angled too sharply upwards. These graters removed the pith as well as the zest, leaving the fruit with striations and grate marks. Parmesan cheese grated coarser, too, instead of the wispy flakes of the higher-performing models. And, possibly worse, food would get caught in or stuck on the grater's teeth, needing more force to run them across the blade. This is potentially dangerous and could increase the chance of injury.

Width and Length Differences in Rasp-Style Graters and Microplanes

In general, I liked rasp-style graters that were one to one-and-a-half inches wide, which gave me a nice surface area to work with. And I preferred graters that were about 12 inches long—anything more than that and the grater felt awkward and unbalanced to use. Plus, longer graters aren't particularly useful anyway, as when you're zesting or grating, you’re only really using a three- to four-inch area and processing food back and forth in short runs.

Handle Material Mattered

Almost all of the rasp-style graters that I tested had handles, but not all handles were comfortable to hold. Some handles were made from hard plastic and were slippery and tough to grasp, creating hand fatigue. The best handles had a soft grip and were made of a non-slip material.

Angled or Bent Rasp-Style Graters Weren't As Versatile (or Ergonomic)

The majority of rasp-style graters are designed completely straight, but a few were bent, for “ergonomic” reasons. However, during some of my tests (like zesting lemons), this bend made the grater awkward to use.

Lemons and other citrus are typically zested by holding the grater in your dominant hand and holding the fruit in your non-dominant hand. The rasp-style zester is then turned upside-down with the sharp teeth pointing downward. You run the tool over the lemon, removing the zest and letting it accumulate on top of the grater. Once you have finished zesting, or after enough zest has accumulated, you can use a finger to swipe the zest into a bowl or just turn the grater over and tap the grater to remove the zest.

But a bent zester, which is more comfortably held right-side up, forces you to hold the tool in an awkward position upside-down. This means bent zesters aren’t as versatile. Unless you plan on only using the zester to grate cheese or nutmeg, right-side up, avoid getting a rasp-style grater with a bend in it.

The Bottom of the Grater Was Also Important

Finally, though you wouldn’t think of it immediately, the underside of the rasp-style grater is just as important as the top. If you're zesting the grater by holding it upside down, you want the underside to have tall enough sides or walls to catch the zest, but not so tall that it’s awkward or tough to clean it out.

Narrow, channel-like undersides made it harder to retrieve zest and were more difficult to clean. I also found that rasp-style graters with thick, plastic frames tended to have deeper inset undersides, which also posed a usability and cleanup challenge.

What's the Difference Between a Rasp Grater and a Box Grater?

Rasp graters only have one set of small holes that produce finely grated results. This limits what they can be used for. You wouldn't, for example, use a microplane to shred carrots (it would take FOREVER), and a soft cheese, like mozzarella, would smush into a pulp. Box graters are bigger and can feature holes of varying sizes for various purposes: Big holes for shredding carrots or cheddar, and small holes for parmesan or zest. Some even sport a slicer, though they are often not as sharp as a good mandoline.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Rasp-Style Grater

The best rasp-style graters have teeth that are large and high enough that they zest and grate with ease, but not so raised that they dig into the white pith of citrus or require you to use more force when grating or zesting. A good rasp-style grater should be comfortable to hold (whether it has a handle or not), but my favorite model from Microplane has a soft, non-slip grip. It should be easy to remove zest from the undersides of the grater, too. It's also worth noting that my top pick, the Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester/Grater, has teeth that wrap around the edges, giving you an all-over useable surface.

Our Favorite Rasp-Style Graters

The Best Rasp-Style Grater

Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester/Grater

$18

$17 at Amazon View on Williams Sonoma View on Sur La Table

What we liked: This grater easily grated and zested, removing lemon zest efficiently and without disturbing the white pith underneath. It had teeth that wrapped around the edges of the rasp, allowing you to grate and zest small or hard-to-reach spots.

I didn't see any noticeable dulling after grating hard nutmeg. This grater's handle comes in an array of fun colors, and the handle offers a nice, soft grip, minimizing hand fatigue. The rasp's end also had two small rubber feet, which added stability when used at an angle on a surface like a cutting board.

What we didn’t like: The underside of the grater was a bit narrow, which made it harder to clean than the stainless steel model below.

Key Specs

• Blade length: 7 7/8 inches 

• Blade width: 1-inch 

• Teeth width: 1/8-inch

• Materials: Stainless steel, TPE plastic handle

• Dishwasher-safe: Yes, but I wouldn't recommend it

• Additional features: Cover; handle available in a variety of colors/patterns

The Easiest-to-Clean Rasp-Style Grater

Microplane Classic Series Stainless Steel Zester

$12 at Amazon View on Microplane.com

What we liked: The larger, flat surface area of this grater made it simple to balance on a bowl and grate larger pieces of cheese or hard spices that required more pressure and leverage. Its lower profile walls made it easy to collect zest as well as remove it (and clean it). And like all the Microplane graters, its teeth were razor-sharp.

What we didn’t like: There was no handle to this rasp-style grater, so its metal edge started to dig a little into my hands after extended use. Its cover also fit a bit tight, but I found it loosened over time.

Key Specs

• Blade length: 12 1/2 inches

• Blade width: 1 1/4 inches 

• Teeth width: 1/8-inch wide 

• Materials: Stainless steel
  

• Dishwasher-safe: Yes, but I wouldn't recommend it

• Additional features: Cover; holes for easy hanging (on a peg board, for example)

The Competition

• Microplane Classic Zester/Grater: This rasp-style grater had the same quality and functionality as the Premium series, but the handle was made from hard plastic. It also had indentions where the blade was inserted into the handle, where food could get caught.

• Deiss PRO Stainless Steel Grater: This was a good grater with a nice, soft, grippy handle. It had a little extra tooth and bite in the blade, but the extra length of the grater made it feel slightly off-balance in hand.

• Zyliss SmoothGlide Rasp Grater: This grater didn’t have enough teeth and the bend in the handle made grating lemons awkward and uncomfortable when held upside down.

• OXO Good Grips Etched Zester and Grater: This rasp-style grater was one of the worst-performing graters I tested, with small holes and teeth not raised high enough. Lemons took a longer amount of time and effort to zest and the resulting zest was wet.

• Zulay Kitchen Cheese Grater & Citrus Zester: The Zulay had the opposite problem of the OXO with teeth that were raised too high, resulting in coarsely grated cheese and bitter pith in the zest.

• Microplane Elite Series Grater: Like the other Microplane graters, this rasp-style grater performed fine, but the plastic frame that the blade was set in felt clunky and took up more space in the cabinet.

• IC Integrity Chef Pro Citrus Zester: This rasp-style grater looked and felt similar to the Zulay grater but with slightly fewer teeth. It still had a lot of friction and needed more effort and care when grating, though. It has been discontinued since testing.

• Jofuyu Lemon Zester & Cheese Grater: The grater was easy to clean, but longer and unwieldy.

• Microplane EcoGrate Series Fine Grater: This was another great-performing Microplane model with a wider plane and the ability to swap out blades. Because of its width, however, it takes up more drawer space and is less versatile than my top picks. 

• Cuisipro Surface Glide Technology Deluxe Dual Grater: While this model grated cheese and citrus easily, its lack of a dedicated handle made it difficult to hold.

FAQs

What's the best way to store a Microplane?

Rasp-style graters are razor-sharp, so always store the grater with the cover on to prevent injury and the grater from dulling. You can store the grater in your kitchen drawer, in a utensil crock, or by hanging it up.

How often should you replace a Microplane?

This depends on how often you use it. If you notice that you need more pressure and effort to grate hard cheeses like Parmesan, or your citrus zest is coming out wet and mushy, as opposed to fluffy and dry, then it’s likely time to replace your Microplane.

Can you put a Microplane in the dishwasher?

No, you shouldn't put a Microplane in the dishwasher, as it'll dull the blade faster. It's also a safety risk. You can read more about this here.

What's the difference between a Microplane and a box grater?

A Microplane has small, sharp notches that result in finely grated results; they are commonly used for zesting citrus or getting fluffy flecks of hard cheeses, like Parmesan. A box grater is bigger and often has multiple grating surfaces, with the primary side having much larger holes.

Can you use a Microplane for chocolate?

Yes, you can grate chocolate with a Microplane (or any rasp-style grater). For fluffy, not gummy or sticky, grated chocolate, make sure the chocolate is chilled.

Why We're the Experts

• Irvin Lin is a food blogger and writer who has written many reviews for Serious Eats, including stand mixers, half-sheet pans, and bowl scrapers. 

• He is the author of the cookbook Marbled, Swirled, and Layered, which was chosen as one of the best baking cookbooks of 2016 by The New York Times. 

• He is an IACP-award-winning photographer, an IACP-nominated blogger, and a blue-ribbon baker. 

• For this review, Irvin tested 12 rasp-style graters.