A touch of lemon zest in your cooking or baking can go a very long way - adding just a hint of acidity to your recipe. However, it’s pretty hard to get the right level of ‘zing’ if you don’t have a zester.
A zester is a special kitchen tool that is used to shave strands of the outer skin found on citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, or oranges.
However, zesters come in many shapes and sizes. That’s why we’ve scoured the web to find and compare the best zesters on the market.
One of the most famous products is the Microplane - a long, thin zester whose design has been mimicked again and again. We’ve reviewed the Microplane, along with other key players on the market such as the Diess Pro zester and Oxo etched box grater.
At the end of the article, you’ll also find a handy frequently asked questions section.
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How We Tested and Compared These Products
We searched online for the top-rated products, read reviews, and compared features to decide which products make it into our article. We assessed features such as the ease of use, durability, versatility, and how effective they were.
We’ve also categorized the products into the ‘most affordable,’ ‘most versatile,’ and so forth, so you can hopefully find exactly what you’re looking for much quicker. Basically, we’ve done all of the hard work so that you don’t need to.
Comparison Table
Best Zester
1. Most Affordable Zester: Deiss PRO Citrus Zester & Cheese Grater
Blade Material: Stainless Steel
Dimensions: 15.2 x 2.13 x 1.42 inches
Value for Money
Despite its low price point, the Diess Pro features a razor-sharp stainless steel blade and curved sides which reinforce it with extra rigidity to prevent breakage.
The non-slip ergonomic handle has been designed to ensure maximum grip while zesting, and overall the product has an impressive, premium feel which matches more expensive zesters.
It also comes with a snap-fit safety blade cover which provides protection during storage.
Ease of Use
The sharp teeth of this zester mean you can shear even the hardest cheeses with minimal effort. When zesting, the Deiss PRO will allow you to zest fresh ingredients minus the bitter plinth, providing optimal taste and aromas.
The design of the teeth is optimized to be easier to clean, as they promise not to clog up the way other graters do - so cleaning just involves running your zester under the tap.
About the Company
Deiss kitchenware is a small, family-driven company based in Germany, and they create products that aim to make your life easier.
Their products are designed to be straightforward for anyone to use, whether you’re a man or woman, young or old, left-handed or right-handed. They promise excellent customer service, and their president will even answer your letters personally!
Does it deliver?
The Diess pro is one of the highest-rated products on the market, however, it’s also one of the cheapest, meaning you get excellent bang for your buck. I love the design of the blades that make zesting easy and cleaning up a breeze.
The blade is also extremely rigid and can take a lot of force, while the handle is comfortable and provides good grip and control. For the price, this is an excellent product.
Pros
- Affordable price
- Rigid, stainless steel blade
- Teeth are designed to be efficient and easy to clean
- Snap-fit cover for protection
- Ergonomic handle
Cons
- We can’t find any!
- Comfortable to Use & Built to Last ✔ The Hand Grater has a razor-sharp stainless steel blade that won't rust and a comfortable, non-slip handle. Its unique curved sides make it extremely rigid and allow you to apply more force when it's needed.
- Save Space in The Kitchen And Drawer ✔ Replace your bulky, unsafe, and hard-to-clean box grater, cheese grater electric, cheese grater with container or heavy electric food processor with a single Deiss Classic Zester Grater & Food Shredder. The metal parmesan cheese grater teeth won't clog up the way other graters for kitchen do, so it's a snap to clean. Just pass your cheese grader under running water.
- Improve Your Cooking ✔ Amaze your friends with new, restaurant-like recipes. Add strong new flavours with fresh lemon zest without any bitter pith taste. When using the chef zester with hard cheeses such as parmesan, you'll get a nice pile of grated cheese that melts almost instantly on hot pasta.
- Zesting & Grating Have Never Been So Simple ✔ Shear the hardest cheese into grated fluff or get nicely shredded carrots using almost no pressure. Simply zip the zest grater cutter-knife across the rinds of oranges, lemons, and limes. In seconds, you can have finely grated garlic or ginger or treat yourself to a favorite dessert topped with fluffy chocolate flakes.
- Lifetime Warranty ✔ Deiss Kitchenware provides a lifetime warranty on its zesters for kitchen, grader for kitchen, rasp grater, zester grater with handle, carrot shredder, handheld cheese grater with handle. Plus you'll get the BONUS - exclusive "Healthy Cooking Tips" ebook - absolutely FREE!
2. Most Versatile: Microplane Premium Classic Zester grater
Material: Stainless Steel
Blade Material: Stainless Steel
Item Dimensions: LxWxH 12.8 x 1.02 x 1.38 inches
Ease of Use
Microplane is one of the leading brands on the market when it comes to zesters and graters. The specific tooth set takes the flavorful rind directly off the citrus fruit while leaving behind the bitter white pith.
Thanks to the Microplane’s super sharp, stainless steel teeth, food is grated or zested without ripping or tearing, improving the overall look of the final dish. Bruising is also avoided, preserving the flavors and enhancing the aroma.
The Microplane also has an ergonomic, soft-touch handle, and requires little pressure when grating - making the task faster and more efficient.
Versatility
If you’re looking for a highly versatile zesting or grating tool - the Microplane is it. While it is usually used to grate citrus for perfect lemon, lime, and orange zests or to create soft mounds of parmesan cheese, it can also be used to effectively grate spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and even chilies into powder.
It’s also ideal for grating ginger or garlic.
About the Company
Microplane began using this signature technology in the 1990s, and their photo-etching process takes place in Russellville, Arkansas.
All of their blades are made in the U.S., and, while most tools use stamped or cut metal, Microplane’s photo-etching technique creates a much finer point, which means the blades are more efficient and require less pressure.
Microplane has a great reputation, and is the standard for sharp, efficient grating and zesting in both home and professional kitchens. They’re regularly used by chefs and commonly used for grating cheese in restaurants.
Does it deliver?
Microplane has many different uses, with blades sharp enough to not only zest citrus, but grate cheese, garlic, ginger, and even fresh spices like nutmeg and cinnamon.
It does this by not ripping through the produce, but simply peeling away the most flavorsome layers to maximize the presentation, taste, and aroma of your dish.
Pros
- Sharp, photo-etched teeth for efficient grating
- Minimal pressure required
- Stainless steel for durability
- Ergonomic, soft-touch handle
- Preserves flavors and aromas
Cons
- It’s a little more expensive than other options - but worth it in our opinion.
- Zest citrus: the blade is designed with a specific tooth set that takes the flavorful rind directly off the citrus fruit, while leaving behind the bitter white pith. Zest adds flavor to vinaigrettes, stir fries, salads, and baked goods! Change your life, with a little zest!
- Grate cheese: grate Parmesan into fluffy mounds that melt quickly and look beautiful when treating yourself of family to Rustic bowls of pasta. Sprinkle fresh Parmesan over eggs, salads, or any dish for a burst of flavor. Grate other hard cheeses like Asiago, Pecorino and Padano.
- So many uses: grate ginger and garlic into a minced pastes to flavor many popular foods. Create ground spices from whole hard cinnamon or nutmeg. Use to shave a cork down to fit back into a bottle - even scrape off burnt or dark spots from cookies, scones, and toast. The possibilities are endless.
- Ultra sharp Made in USA blades: Microplane uses Photo-Etched technology to make Ultra sharp grating blades right here in America! Made of surgical grade stainless steel this material stays rust-free and maintains sharpness over time. True stainless steel is magnetic, so this item can be hung on your magnetic knife strip. Non-scratch end tabs help protect counter tops
- Dishwasher safe: The tool is easy to clean, Simply rinse Immediately after use. Use a kitchen brush on the underside of the blade to clean out tough to reach particles. The zester/grater can also be placed in the dishwasher.
3. Best 2-in-1 Grater/Zester: OXO Etched Box Grater with Removable Zester
Blade Material: Alloy Steel
Dimensions: 3.4 x 4.5 x 12 inches
Design
This box grater from OXO has multiple sides, each featuring a different sized grater: including medium and coarse graters, slicers, and a removable zester.
The product features sharp, etched stainless steel surfaces for fast, easy grating and slicing. Use the zester attached to the grater, or over bowls or cutting boards.
There’s also a convenient container to catch and measure your freshly grated food, as well as a lid for storing the grated or sliced food in the fridge.
Ease of Use
The box grater’s ergonomic design allows you to easily grip it by the handle for better control while you grate, while the non-slip feet provide extra grip on the surface.
The etched stainless steel blades stay sharper for longer, allowing you to zest or grate your foods more efficiently.
The four different sides also eliminate the need for multiple products, and the compact design with a built-in container means you can easily store it away.
About the Company
Oxo has been making kitchen wear for decades, and the brand is famous for the quality and durability promised by its products. Ergonomics are really important to the company.
The founder Sam Farber designed the first Oxo peeler after his wife Betsey’s mild arthritis made using an old-fashioned metal peeler a struggle.
His invention led to the now-iconic Oxo handle, which features a distinct, ergonomic form and signature non-slip grip paired with a sharp stainless steel blade.
Does it deliver?
I love the versatility of this product. The different graters cater to a range of soft and hard vegetables and cheese, while the zester can be removed for greater flexibility.
The sharp stainless steel blades make the task at hand easy, and the built-in container means you can easily measure out your ingredients, tip them straight into your recipe, or even store them in the fridge thanks to the convenient lid.
Oxo has a reputation for excellent quality, so while this is an expensive product, you can rest assured knowing that you’ll have it for years to come.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- 4 sides including a removable grater
- Etched stainless steel blades
- Non-slip feet for extra grip and control
- Built-in container and lid
Cons
- It’s expensive
- Each side of the Grater features a different surface: medium grater, coarse grater, slicer and removable zester
- Sharp, etched stainless steel surfaces for fast, easy grating and slicing
- Angled slicer for a smooth cut
- Removable zester can be used directly on grater, or over bowls or cutting boards
- Convenient container catches and measures freshly-grated food, and stores inside grater
4. Easiest to Clean: BelleGuppy Lemon Zester & Cheese Grater
Blade Material: Stainless Steel
Item Dimensions: 13 X 1.6 X 0.6 Inches
Ease of Use
BelleGuppy’s lemon zester has a similar design to the Microplane and is equally versatile: use it for lemons, oranges, coconuts, garlic, nutmeg, ginger, and even chocolate.
The zester’s handle is made of BPA-free, non-slip silicone that’s comfortable to hold, and it also features rubber feet so you can easily lean the grater on your kitchen counter without scratching or slipping.
It also has a hard steel frame to prevent bending, and a long and narrow rasp blade to produce maximum zest with minimum effort.
Cleaning and Storage
One of the best features of this zester is that it comes with a specially designed cleaning brush so that you can easily clean your zester and get out all the little bits of food that get stuck in the blades.
It’s also dishwasher safe, so you also have another option when it comes to cleaning.
The zester also has a snap-fit cover for the blade, which protects it from dirt and dust, and also keeps any little hands safe from the sharp blades!
About the Company
BelleGuppy isn't a well-known or established brand. From what I can see online they sell just two products - the zester being one of them - as well as a fish spatula.
According to their website, they offer high quality for a low price and promise great customer service.
Their products are made in China, so the zester is unlikely to stand up to the quality of the Microplane. That said, there are still many happy customers in the reviews section on Amazon, so the product clearly provides a good bang for your buck.
Does it deliver?
The BelleGuppy zester does what it sets out to do: it provides a tool to grate and zest a range of foods and is available for an affordable price.
I really like the fact that it comes with a cleaning brush and covers for storage, which makes it great value for money.
Pros
- Versatile enough to zest and grate a range of foods
- Ergonomic, silicone BPA-free handle
- Rubber feet to prevent slipping
- Comes with a blade cover and cleaning brush
- Affordable price
Cons
- Similar design to the Microplane but questionable quality
- A MUST HAVE KITCHEN TOOL: Our Zester Grater will work for fruits like lemons, limes, parmesan, ginger, coconut, orange, chocolate, even spices like nutmeg, cinnamon or garlic.
- HIGH-QUALITY STAINLESS STEEL BLADE: The blade of this grater lemon zester is made of a high-quality premium stainless steel, very sharp that will not rust over time.
- GREAT DESIGN: Our Food zester is built to last, this sturdy construction will never bend or break because of the stainless steel frame, and the non-slip silicone foot prevents slipping and scraping.
- EASY TO CLEAN& STORAGE: Cleaning it has never been easier, you can either do it by hand with a bit of water and the cleaning brush or in the dishwasher. The Grater zester comes with a protective cover easy to put on and off, to keep the micro blades safe. Easy to store due to the hole in the handle.
- OUR PROMISE: BelleGuppy Team offers complete costumers satisfaction. If you are not satisfied for any reason with your product, just let us know and we will replace the product or refund your order, no question asked. We always care for you.
5. Best Zester with Container: Lemon Zester with Storage Container
Blade Material: Stainless steel
Item Dimensions: 11.85 x 3.27 x 3.23 inches
Ease of Use
Zesting and grating can be messy, and this product aims to change that thanks to its built-in container which makes your meal prep more convenient and hygienic.
This zester also has a hand guard to protect your hands from cuts while you’re grating: simply place your items in the top container, replace the cover, and move the handguard up and down to zest or grate your items.
The blade of the grater is made from premium stainless steel to withstand rust, while the bottom TPE non-slip rubber grip provides assistance by preventing the grater from slipping when in use.
The ergonomic handle design is easy to use, and the detachable design enables you to easily clean the zester.
Convenient
The built-in container is a great aspect of this product as it means you can grate or zest your items, and then simply tip them into your recipe without having to touch them.
This not only makes the process mess-free and simple but also ensures maximum kitchen hygiene.
About the Company
The manufacturer of this product is Otevy Mos, and the product comes from China. There isn’t much information on this company online, though the product is sold on a couple of online retailers as well as Amazon.
Like many products on Amazon, this zester is likely to be of cheaper quality and less durable than other premium brands such as Microplane, but it also comes at a slightly more affordable price.
Does it deliver?
This is a well-thought-out design, and the handguard provides extra peace of mind and protection while grating and zesting, while the container minimizes clean-up and makes the whole process a lot easier.
The only drawback of this design is that the handguard means you’re slightly restricted in terms of what you can place inside it. For example, larger items may need to be cut down before grating, and this adds to the workload.
Pros
- Built-in container
- Handguard for protection from cuts
- TPE non-slip rubber grip
- Ergonomic handle design
Cons
- Larger items will need to be cut down in order to fit in the handguard compartment
- NO WORRY ABOUT FINGER HURT:the design of the hand guard can help you scraping a small pieces of food more easily, you do not worry about cut yourself when you zesting,allowing you to enjoy the time in the kitchen.
- PERFECT FOR MINI SIZE FOOD:perfect spice grater,garlic grater,just a few seconds you can easy zest nutmeg or little pieces of chaolate,best small grater with storage can keep food clean,zesting becomes easily,saying goodbye to the bulky machine.
- GRATE FRUITS AND VEGETABIES：vegetable grater and fruit zester are good graters for kitchen,if you like to make cakes or pie, you can use as chocolate zester, zest citrus fruits like lemon or orange，or you need to grater ginger and garlic when you are cooking,also a good parmesan cheese grater.
- TPE Non-slip Foot DESIGN:lemon zester grater with handle is made of stainless steel , not easy to rust, the bottom TPE non-slip rubber, provide more assistance when using, the handle design fits the palm, conforms to the ergonomics, and the detachable design is easy to clean.
- KEEP DRY:damp maybe cause grater surface oxidation, after use the grater,we suggest you can wipe and clean grater in tim.
Frequently Asked Questions
While a cheese grater might seem like a good option, often the grates are too deep or too shallow to get the best bit of the citrus, unless you have a grater with a built-in zester, which many multi-sided graters feature.
If you don’t have a zester, it’s best to use a vegetable peeler or paring knife and cut a strip of yellow skin off of the lemon and dice it into very small pieces, though this won’t be as effective as using a zester.
The zest of any citrus fruit is the thin, colored outer layer of the skin, while the rind includes the zest and the bitter white underlayer.
The peel includes all of these elements - everything but the flesh. Many baking recipes call for lemon zest as this contains the flavorful citrus oils that provide a delicious lemon aroma.
Often recipes only call for a pinch of lemon zest, which can leave you wondering what to do with the leftovers. While you can store the zest in the fridge, the flavor may diminish quickly, so it’s best to use it as soon as possible.
That said, the best way to store your lemon zest is in the freezer, as this maintains the flavor for up to 3 weeks.
The only downside of storing in the freezer is that the color will likely fade, so if you need to use the zest as a garnish, use fresh lemon zest instead.
Microplane is usually the zester or grater of choice in commercial kitchens, and it’s an equally great option for your home kitchen.
The Microplane can be used to zest citrus, grate cheese, or even create powders from ginger, chili, nutmeg, and much, much more. The materials are of premium quality, so a Microplane will last you for years to come.
A Microplane is a type of zester/grater. It’s also a registered trademark of Grace Manufacturing Inc., a company that makes photo-etched steel tools for grating, grinding, and sanding.
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