The 8 Best Cheese Graters of 2023
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You’ll never buy store-bought grated cheese again with the OXO Good Grips Etched Box Grater with Removable Zester.
Better Homes and Gardens / Brian Kopinski
For tried-and-true cheese lovers, there’s no question freshly grated cheese trumps the bagged kind any day. While you can always just grab a bag of shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese from the dairy aisle, learning how to shred cheese with a cheese grater will save you money and cut out the preservatives that are added to prevent pre-shredded cheese from clumping.
“I always recommend grating your own cheese,” says Yoav Perry, cheesemaker and founder of Perrystead Dairy in Philadelphia. “When you buy pre-shredded cheese, it is often laden with anti-caking agents like silicone dioxide or cellulose gum, which is a tree pulp byproduct, so you are not getting pure cheese.”
Cheese graters are small kitchen tools that offer incredible versatility in the kitchen. You can use them to shred soft chunks of cheddar for ooey-gooey nachos or grate Gruyère to add the finishing touch to pasta. They can also be used for much more than cheese, like shredding cabbage for coleslaw, grounding nutmeg, zesting citrus, or even easily stripping herbs from their stems. Since there are so many styles out there, we researched the best cheese graters, keeping in mind each grater’s style, whether its size would be cumbersome, and if it’s easy to clean.
Overall, the best cheese grater is the OXO Good Grips Etched Box Grater with Removable Zester. It stands out from the rest because of its removable zester and features that make food prep more convenient, like four stainless steel grating surfaces and a removable storage cup with measurements.
OXO Etched Box Grater with Removable Zester
Best Overall
Why You Should Get It: It has a removable zester, a four-blade design, and a storage cup.
Keep in Mind: It takes up quite a bit of space in the cupboard.
Overall, the best cheese grater is the OXO Good Grips Etched Box Grater with Removable Zester. The multi-functional design features four different etched grating surfaces: a medium grater, coarse grater, slicer, and a removable zester, which makes it a one-stop shop for grating, slicing, shredding, and zesting (or even de-stemming herbs).
Part of what makes the OXO Good Grips Etched Box Grater one of the best cheese graters is that it includes a 1-cup container to catch and measure food, which makes it easy to measure, and it cuts down on the amount of mess on your kitchen counter. Just snap the lid on and store it in the refrigerator to have fresh cheese all week.
If you need to make more than just 1 cup of shredded cheese, the non-slip base can be placed over a bowl. Its secure grip will keep it stable, and the sharp, etched stainless steel surfaces will do the work for you.
All the pieces are top-rack dishwasher safe, so cleanup is incredibly easy. One drawback worth mentioning is that this grater does not fold up, so it takes up a considerable amount of space in the cupboard.
Price at time of publish: $33
Product Details: Style: Box | Dimensions: 4.5 x 3.4 x 12 inches | Material: Stainless steel, plastic | Care: Top-rack dishwasher safe
Gorilla Grip Stainless Steel Box Grater
Best Budget
Why You Should Get It: This grater is dishwasher safe and comes with a container and lid.
Keep in Mind: The plastic on the base is slippery and doesn’t prevent it from sliding around.
This Gorilla Grip option is the best budget buy if you’re looking for something inexpensive that will still get the job done. The four-sided box grater, which is available in six colors, has sharp stainless sides that make grating, shredding, zesting, and slicing vegetables simple.
Its ergonomic design features a comfortable soft grip handle and a rubber guard. Although the guard makes it easy to rest the grater against your countertop for better leverage, it’s not entirely slip-resistant.
If you’re food prepping, the included detachable plastic container allows you to catch and store ingredients seamlessly. The measurements on the side of the container will save you from getting a measuring cup dirty. When you’re finished, all the pieces are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.
Price at time of publish: $16
Product Details: Style: Box | Dimensions: 10.28 x 5.35 x 3.31 inches | Material: Stainless steel | Care: Dishwasher safe
Joseph Joseph 2-in-1 Twist Grater with Adjustable Handle
Best Handheld
Why You Should Get It: It has a dual surface for both fine and coarse grating, comes with a protective sheath, and the handle can rotate down to provide additional leverage.
Keep in Mind: The blade and plastic feel slightly flimsy.
There’s a lot to like about the design of Joseph Joseph Twist Grater 2-in-1 Grater with Adjustable Handle. Its dual-surface features two styles of etched stainless steel blades, so switching from fine to coarse grating is very easy.
It's our pick for the best handheld cheese grater because of its non-stick grip—on the handle and the feet. Additionally, the flat grater’s handle can swivel and tilt 90 degrees to be propped up on the counter. This feature means you can get extra leverage when you need it, making this grater a particularly safe option. It also comes with a removable plastic sheath to protect the blade and can be flipped upside down to neatly collect ground nutmeg or the zest of a lemon.
Overall, this option has the most features and versatility of all the best graters on our list. The drawback is that the blade and plastic can be a bit flimsy, so it’s not the most durable option—though it is dishwasher safe.
Price at time of publish: $20
Product Details: Style: Flat | Dimensions: 11.5 x 4 x 1 inches | Material: Stainless steel, plastic | Care: Dishwasher safe
Presto Salad Shooter Electric Slicer/Shredder
Best Electric
Why You Should Get It: It has a lightweight and compact design, is easy to clean, and produces even slices in record time.
Keep in Mind: The motor is very loud.
The Presto Salad Shooter Electric Slicer/Shredder is one of the quickest ways to slice or shred vegetables, fruits, and cheese for delicious salads, soups, and more. It is basically a handheld food processor—only better—because it shoots food right into a bowl or pot, so you’ll have fewer dishes to do later.
It comes with two medium-grade cones with stainless-steel cutting blades, one for slicing and one for shredding. They are so sharp they can shred an entire block of cheese or slice a carrot into coins in less time than it takes to boil water. Thicker-grade and fine-grade options are available, but they’re sold separately.
To use the shredder, simply slip the cone into the main shoot and twist it to lock it in place. You’ll have to cut the food into blocks to fit into the food chamber. If you want shorter slices, place the food upright in the chamber. For elongated slices, place them horizontally. Either way, the slicer will shoot out uniform pieces, which is essential for certain recipes, such as cooking scalloped potatoes evenly.
Except for the base, where the motor is stored, all the parts can be washed in the dishwasher, and its small size makes it easy to store. It’s also worth noting that the motor is very loud.
Price at time of publish: $50
Product Details: Style: Electric | Dimensions: 7 x 3.5 x 9.5 inches | Material: Plastic, stainless steel | Care: Dishwasher safe (except for the base)
Zyliss Classic Rotary Cheese Grater
Best Rotary
Why You Should Get It: It’s easy to use for both left- and right-handed cooks, folds up for easy storing, and looks professional enough to be used table-side at a restaurant.
Keep in Mind: It’s intended for hard cheeses like Parmesan, and softer cheeses like mozzarella could clog it up.
The Zyliss Classic Rotary Cheese Grater gets our top vote for overall best rotary cheese grater because of its ability to grate Parmesan cheese as a server does in an Italian restaurant. Its classic design makes it ideal for a home cook who wants to recreate a fine dining experience at home.
Figuring out exactly how much pressure is needed to use the grater may take a few trials. However, once you get the hang of it, you’ll find that hard cheese, chocolate, and nuts are super easy to grate. Note that the grater is not intended for softer cheeses. Using mozzarella and cheddar could clog it—and make it very hard to clean.
The grater has a built-in feature that switches the crank from one direction to the other, so it’s easy to use whether you are left- or right-handed. Plus, the grip is comfortable to use. Once you’re done, the unit can be disassembled and placed on the top rack of the dishwasher. The drum handle can be folded into itself for compact storage.
Price at time of publish: $22
Product Details: Style: Rotary | Dimensions: 6.3 x 3 x 4.4 inches | Material: Plastic, steel | Care: Dishwasher safe
Utopia Kitchen Cheese Grater & Shredder
Best for Hard Cheese
Why You Should Get It: It has six different ways to grate, slice, and dice, making it a versatile grater for a variety of foods.
Keep in Mind: Its unique hexagonal shape is bulky to store.
Where most box graders offer two to four cutting styles, the Utopia Kitchen Stainless Steel Cheese Grater and Shredder shows them who’s boss with six different sides. Each side is made from rustproof, high-quality stainless steel to customize the shred size (slicer, wavy slicer, small grater, coarse grater, large grater, zester).
The razor-sharp blades are tough enough to grate fine Parmesan and uniformly slice through radishes and carrots for a salad. The rubber handle is easy to hold firmly and the anti-skid rubber base means you don’t have to worry about the grater sliding around.
This grater can be washed in the dishwasher if you can find space (its unique hexagonal shape can be bulky). To maintain the blades’ sharpness, hand-washing carefully is recommended.
Price at time of publish: $11
Product Details: Style: Box | Dimensions: 3.5 x 9.5 x 4.5 inches | Material: Stainless steel, plastic | Care: Dishwasher safe; hand-washing recommended
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Deiss Pro Citrus Zester & Cheese Grater
Best Zester
Why You Should Get It: It is lightweight with a non-slip ergonomic handle, so it’s comfortable and secure in your hand.
Keep in Mind: The blade is 15 inches long, which makes it awkward to store.
The Deiss PRO is the best zester on our list. The ergonomic handle has a textured grip that feels comfortable and secure in your hand. The stainless steel blade is sharp, lightweight, and durable, plus it’s safe to wash in the dishwasher. Its curved edges allow you to grate and zest upside down, so you can easily see how much you’ve grated as it falls neatly below.
The razor-sharp teeth produce finer shreds than a traditional box or rotary grater. Instead of hard granules, it slices through cheeses to produce ribbon-like curls that melt almost instantly on the plate. It can pierce through the exterior of nutmeg and coconut in one swoop. The super fine blades grab the zest of oranges, limes, and lemons without digging into the layers underneath, so you don’t have to worry about bitterness associated with the pith.
This grater’s bright yellow color is easy to find in a drawer, and it comes with a protective safety cover, but at 15 inches from tip to tip, it could be cumbersome to store.
Price at time of publish: $12
Product Details: Style: Zester | Dimensions: 15 x 2 x 1.5 inches | Material: Stainless steel, rubber | Care: Dishwasher safe
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KitchenAid Fresh Prep Slicer/Shredder Attachment
Best Attachment
Why You Should Get It: It comes with three different blades, works on both hard and soft cheeses, and makes huge batches in minutes.
Keep in Mind: It requires a KitchenAid Stand Mixer.
The KitchenAid Fresh Prep Slicer/Shredder is the best cheese grater for those who want high yields with minimal effort and already own a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. The appliance attachment is on the pricier side, but because it does all the work for you to create mountains of perfectly uniform slices or shreds in minutes, it’s well worth the investment.
The attachment comes with a food pusher that can handle small and large fruits and vegetables or blocks of cheese that are cut to size. Three stainless steel blades offer a variety of cuts: a 3-millimeter slicing blade that’s ideal for cucumbers and zucchinis, a 4-millimeter medium-sized shredding blade for cheeses and firm vegetables, and a 6-millimeter coarse shredding blade for cabbage and potatoes. The blades will not rust or stain. They are easily interchangeable, making it easy to switch from slicing potatoes to grating cheese.
Operating the grater is easy. Simply choose the size you need, select a speed, place a bowl underneath, and insert the food into the tube. When you’re finished, the unit disassembles easily. The blades can be washed on the top rack of the dishwasher, then stored in the included storage case.
Price at time of publish: From $60
Product Details: Style: Rotary electric | Dimensions: 8.2 x 4 x 6.9 inches | Material: Stainless steel, plastic | Care: Top-rack dishwasher safe
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The Bottom Line
Overall, the OXO Good Grips Etched Box Grater with Removable Zester is our pick for the best cheese grater. Its removable zester is a game-changer. Plus, it comes with a storage cup with a lid, and each side features a different surface: a medium grater, coarse grater, slicer, and removable zester. If you like the idea of a removable storage cup but prefer a less-expensive option, we recommend the Gorilla Grip Stainless Steel Box Grater.
What to Know About Cheese Graters Before Shopping
When selecting the best cheese grater for your kitchen, there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind.
Style
There are four different styles of graters: box, rotary, flat, and rasp (commonly known as a Microplane or zester).
A box grater is a standalone tool with four sides, each with different hole sizes to zest, grate, shred, or slice. The blades typically cut from top to bottom, so you should use long, downward strokes for best results. Box graters tend to be the most affordable option, though they aren’t always the sharpest. Most models have a handle on the top and rubber feet at the bottom to ensure a firm grip. Some have a removable storage container to catch and measure the granules of food.
A rotary grater is barrel-shaped with blades guarded by a shield to keep your fingers safe. You’ll typically see them table-side at restaurants so servers can offer freshly grated cheese to top pasta dishes. They are also used as attachments for small electric appliances. To use a rotary grater, insert the food into the hopper and close the lid. Hold down the lid with one hand and turn the crank with the other hand. Cheese aficionados swear by rotary graters and often keep them stored in the refrigerator pre-loaded with cheese.
A flat grater is the most affordable, but it’s less versatile because it typically only has one hole size. It can be held by hand vertically or horizontally over a cutting board, bowl, or dish, which cuts down on the amount of mess. Plus, it is easy to wash.
A rasp grater is more commonly referred to as a Microplane (which is actually a registered trademark). It is typically lightweight and comfortable to hold, making it a favorite for mincing garlic and grating Parmesan. This slim, long mini-grater is razor-sharp with holes that grate or zest foods into fine pieces. Although you could purchase a rasp specifically designed for spices and herbs to turn nutmeg or cinnamon into powder, most standard rasps can handle the job.
Size
Box graters tend to be the bulkiest of all graters because there’s no way to fold them down. Rotary graters have at least two parts—more if you have multiple-sized cones—so they also take up quite a bit of kitchen space. Most flat graters are long and flat with a hanging loop at the end of the handle, so they don’t have to take up space in your drawer. Rasp-style graters are the thinnest option, though they can be long.
Materials
Most graters are made with stainless steel blades. It’s safe and easy to pop them into the dishwasher because they are resistant to rust, though hand washing is recommended to keep the blades sharp. Many models also come with parts made of plastic.
Care
Always check the manufacturer’s suggested instructions. Most graters are safe for the top rack of the dishwasher, but some parts—plastic or motors—need to be cleaned by hand. Rinse off your grater as soon as possible after use to avoid bits of cheese drying in the crevices. If you get some food stuck in the holes, soak the grater in warm, soapy water, then use a small brush to get food bits out of the crevices.
Your Questions, Answered
What is the best tool for grating cheese?
Choosing the best tool for shredding cheese depends on what type of cheese you are grating, the end use, and your preference. If you need to shred a large quantity of a soft cheese like cheddar quickly, Yoav Perry, cheesemaker and founder of Perrystead Dairy in Philadelphia, suggests choosing a grater with a comfortable handle.
“Every household should have both a four-sided grater and single-sided, hand-held grater,” he says. “A four-sided style [with multiple grating patterns] is used for recipes that require a lot of cheese. A single-face, narrow handheld style with a medium pattern works well for grating over pasta, salads, et cetera.”
Can you shred cheese with a mandoline?
You can, but if the cheese is too soft or too hard, it is not recommended. “Hard cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano is way too hard and accident-prone with a mandoline,” says Perry. “While softer cheese like mozzarella is too soft or stretchy and sticks.”
Instead, he suggests sticking to a four-sided box cutter. (Pro tip: Place your blocks of cheese in the freezer to firm them up so the pieces won’t stick together or melt mid-shred).
Is it cheaper to grate your own cheese?
Buying blocks of cheese instead of the pre-shredded kind in a bag will save you money. Perry recommends always grating your own cheese, not only to save money but also to steer clear of preservatives.
“Pre-shredded softer cheeses often need preservatives not to spoil because of their high moisture,” he says. Plus, without the added chemicals, your cheese will melt and taste better, too.
Who We Are
Belle DuChene is an award-winning digital content producer and stylist who is often seen in Better Homes & Gardens home and garden videos. She is the agency director of a micro-influencer talent agency and teaches strategic digital communications at three colleges and universities.
For this article, she researched important factors to look for in a variety of cheese graters according to quality, performance, usability, and overall value to find the best cheese graters of all shapes and sizes. She also consulted Yoav Perry, cheesemaker and founder of Perrystead Dairy in Philadelphia.
