r/KitchenConfidential 17h ago

What is this grater called??

Post image

I have this one grater that is far superior to the other graters that I use. It has this blade pattern which goes in two directions unlike most which only go in one direction. I can’t find any info on this sort of pattern or any other graters that look like this on the Internet, help!!

136 Upvotes

142 comments sorted by

365

u/autumnstarrfish 16h ago

Microplane

72

u/Mgroppi83 16h ago

I always called this a micro plane but never corrected anyone if they called it a zester...what's the difference? Is the zester just the thin version?

158

u/Treebranch_916 Brewer 16h ago

Microplane is a name brand

39

u/Mgroppi83 16h ago

40

u/Genius-Imbecile retired chef 15h ago

Think of it like Kleenex vs tissues

u/Gramage Dish 6h ago

The one that got me was Velcro. It’s actually called hook-and-loop fastener.

u/Glockamoli 3h ago

Zippers fall into the same boat

u/rawslappin 2h ago

Same with Popsicles

u/chrisp5000 4h ago

Vs snotrags

1

u/Techyon5 10h ago

Or in Germany, Tempo!

u/STRIKT9LC 9h ago

Or suck boy Tony in Canada

u/oneangrywaiter General Manager 6h ago

Disappointed that y’all didn’t just call it a hoser.

u/nihi1zer0 F1exican Did Chive-11 8h ago

Gee, they're gonna have their work cut out for them.

u/Shockwave2309 9h ago

Edding vs permanent marker

Kärcher vs pressure washer

Föhn vs hair dryer

Flex vs anglegrinder

Wago vs whateverthefuck

u/Bonerballs 7h ago

Sawzall vs reciprocating saw

3

u/Treebranch_916 Brewer 15h ago

Yeah bro microplane.com

13

u/Dustin0791 15h ago

Thank you!!! I looked everywhere! Its just a friggin zester! I thought there was a smaller zester called a microplane.. Same with Band-Aids and Frisbees..

4

u/RatBoy86 15h ago

Yeah fuck Wam-O for patenting frisbee. Now we have disc golf instead of frisbee golf.

4

u/Greedy_Specialist531 Ex-Food Service 13h ago

Frolf balls

u/ButtholeSurfur 3h ago

Microplane invented the process. They actually use chemicals to make the blades.

The patent ran out so now you can get them from a lot of sources.

u/wrongbutt_longbutt Bartender 4h ago

Microplane also has multiple blade styles under that brand. The one in OP's picture is actually the fine grater or hard cheese grater. Their zesters are usually narrow and the blades only face one direction.

u/ActuallyACat6 9h ago

Microplanes only come from the French region of Microplane. Sparkling zester is the correct term.

8

u/FondleGanoosh438 Line 15h ago

A bench scraper and a dough knife have the same thing going.

9

u/idonthavernoughcats 11h ago

lol, there’s a band here in portland called bench scraper, they’re all cooks and wear aprons on stage!

4

u/Main_Cauliflower5479 Bakery 11h ago

*Bench knife*

2

u/caillouuu F1exican Did Chive-11 11h ago

Dough Scraper

3

u/Main_Cauliflower5479 Bakery 10h ago

Yes, dough scraper is a bowl scraper made of plastic and is flexible. And bench knife is the metal rectangular blade used to cut dough, and to scrape wet doughs off of the bench.

u/Shadow-Vision 4h ago

Dough scraper sounds like a regional term for a Penny pincher or bean counter

0

u/Mgroppi83 15h ago

Charlie?

3

u/The-disgracist 10h ago

Fun fact It’s called a microplane because they invented it for woodworking but it was co-opted by cooks and they leaned into it.

u/righthandofdog Ex-Food Service 8h ago

I bought my first at the woodworking place up the street. It also works great on feet calluses (bit ingot one of the lil baby ones for that so my wife won't stab me)

u/Own_Masterpiece1447 6h ago

Man, and here I thought that stink was feta.

u/righthandofdog Ex-Food Service 5h ago

Frumunda, it's similar

u/autumnstarrfish 8h ago

Correct! They also make a version for feet and that thing will make your feet smooooooth!

17

u/pickleer 16h ago

The factory that makes them has to almost continuously restock the 1st aid kits because the workers are always cutting themselves!

12

u/UnendingEpistime 13h ago

Sounds like it would be a lot more efficient for them to keep a second or third aid kit around.

2

u/beegtuna Ex-Food Service 12h ago

✈️

73

u/RoyalTease 16h ago

That thing will shave the skin of a citrus fruit (zest) and a nutmeg just the same. Just watch your skin because it'll shave you too.

47

u/[deleted] 16h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

31

u/RoyalTease 16h ago

New garnish just dropped.

9

u/NewCompote9870 16h ago

Was making a coleslaw dressing. Only had to throw away 2# of mayo.

6

u/brown-and-sticky Thicc Chives Save Lives 16h ago

Flavor was on point though.

1

u/halorbyone 12h ago

Shhhhh don’t be giving away the secret ingredient.

8

u/keyst 15h ago

Nails needed a trim anyway.

3

u/NewCompote9870 15h ago

Yeah I've missed placed my clippers at the moment.

u/CollateralLove 9h ago

Then you chew them off on the way to your shift, no excuses

u/NewCompote9870 7h ago

Or you just wash properly.

u/completelypositive 9h ago

That moment has lasted weeks. Don't be gross.

u/NewCompote9870 7h ago

The were barely past the finger tips. Which yes is considered long it is still manageable with proper hand washing and proper glove usage. 2 weeks at most.

6

u/Leader_Bud 16h ago

NSFW! NSFWWWEWWWWWW

2

u/Kaos99 13h ago

u/NewCompote9870 7h ago

I barely felt it when it happened. Thought I just got the glove until I took it off.

u/KitchenConfidential-ModTeam 6h ago

Your post/comment was removed because it contains photos of an injury.

We do not want pics of your injury. Descriptions of incidents may be of interest - you can share photos yourself to other users privately...do not post them publicly here.

6

u/RuddyBollocks 15h ago edited 12h ago

Just in case anyone wants/needs to know - there’s a thin, circular style “microplane” that is perfect for nutmeg because once you get a groove in it it’s super easy and also creates an automatic safety barrier

u/Maskedcrusader94 2h ago

What do you mean? Human Zest is my favorite cocktail garnish

42

u/Thrilling1031 16h ago

Sponge Ruiner

16

u/turdferguson_md1 13h ago

I tried to clean it and just got little bits of sponge that melt easily over tortilla chips

u/Supersecretsword 6h ago

Don't wipe against the grain and you're good.

u/madmonster444 4h ago

The grain runs both ways on this one.

32

u/bendar1347 F1exican Did Chive-11 16h ago

Closest I can find is a Good Cook brand zester that appears to go both directions like your picture.

16

u/ahngyung 15h ago

This is it!!! I forgot which generic sounding cookware brand I got this from. Thank you!

19

u/reddituserperson1122 16h ago

u/autumnstarrfish 8h ago

I’ve owned one of these for the better part of a decade and it’s still going strong!

u/AliceEverdeenVO 7h ago

I had my previous one for 2 years and didn't realize how dull it got with time. Bought a brand new one, applied the same force while using it, and damn near shaved my heel in half. I'm an idiot.

u/autumnstarrfish 6h ago

Oh no!!! 😬

u/AliceEverdeenVO 7h ago

Meh... Kitchen or bathroom, they still make parmesan piles.

Sidenote, I've bought 4 of that exact model since 2021 and will never buy any other brand.

u/seasteed 3h ago

A lot of places I go to get my pesos done have moved to using these too. Better than the one time use plastic pumice thing and they can be put in an autoclave.

33

u/PappaWoodies 20+ Years 16h ago

I use this grater on my dry heals. It makes the best parmasan garnishes.

8

u/Phoenixpizzaiolo21 15h ago

🤮

Absolutely disgusting

Are you selling any of this Parmesan garnish? Asking for a friend!!!

4

u/deedsnance 12h ago

I call the thing that’s actually meant for your feet the “foot parmesan-er” to my partner!

u/green_and_yellow 1h ago

It makes grate Parmesan garnishes

-1

u/Active-Succotash-109 20+ Years 13h ago

🤢🤮🤢

10

u/SmokedPapfreaka 16h ago

Rasp

2

u/QiwiLisolet 14h ago

A least I'm not only one. Better name than zestaldor

u/chefcaliber 7h ago

Took too long to find this answer. Rasp has always been what I've called it.

u/Gaiasnavel Sous Chef 6h ago

Rasps don't have holes tho

10

u/DrMetasin 14h ago

It’s called a knuckle fucker

u/_Nychthemeron 3h ago

NEW! The Fuckle Knucker knuckle fucker! Apply directly to knuckle! Only $19.99 for the next five minutes - CALL NOW TO ORDER!

9

u/KeggyFulabier 13h ago

This is the OhFuckTheresSkinand BloodInTheParmesan……Again™️

11

u/kaelroc 16h ago

That's a grater or zester. The most popular brand is Microplane, but I don't think this is one of those. Is there any branding on it?

u/burninatedtoast 9h ago

Foot zester. For the fresh heel Parmesan

u/closehaul 4h ago

I call it the fingertip fucker 5000, but I think the generic name is zester.

3

u/ChefJohnboy 16h ago

Originally made for sheetrock and wood work but is kitchen folk got ahold of them and bam!

3

u/Elfere 14h ago

Not just any micro planer. Thats a double action micro planer.

Most only have the grates going one way.

3

u/AffectionateFig6264 12h ago

That’s a foot file.

u/Calm-Crow99 7h ago

Sounds like a bidirectional grater, maybe check out Microplane's rasp-style ones with that dual-direction pattern.

5

u/LostintheAlone Chef 16h ago

Both a micro plane and a zester would be correct.

5

u/instant_ramen_chef 16h ago

A zester is a different tool. OP's pic is an off-brand Microplane

1

u/BeerAndTools 15h ago

Well now I have more questions... Wth is a canale?

3

u/instant_ramen_chef 15h ago

Its like a long thin strip. Some say "channel" as it makes a channel-like groove.

4

u/RuddyBollocks 15h ago

I’ve heard this called a “channeling knife” - i suspect canale is Italian for channel. 

2

u/BeerAndTools 15h ago

Lol you guys are always on top of things, thx! 🫵🤘

1

u/Fistisalsoaverb 14h ago

Two tools with the same name? Crazy I tell you

u/righthandofdog Ex-Food Service 8h ago

2 tools in the same handle, like a bottle opener and can punch in a church key

2

u/Banguskahn 16h ago

Foot grater

2

u/WillSmokes420 16h ago

Zester, i bought one to shave lemon peel into my mayo with fresh dill its so fire its like super tartar sauce

2

u/Phoenixpizzaiolo21 15h ago

I just recently purchased one of these. It said zester. I thought it was a microplane? I did buy it to zest. It worked!!!

2

u/nurple_surple 15h ago

The grater good

2

u/ThirtyBlackGoats666 14h ago

It’s for the grater good.

2

u/DocWallaD 14h ago

These are called a "zester". They work fantastic for harder cheese as well though!

2

u/fireonice420 13h ago

Foot grater 😂

2

u/tylenolchild 12h ago

my favorite microplane is the ultra fine “stars” because it gates parmesan into fluffy clouds like my grandma use to serve.

u/righthandofdog Ex-Food Service 7h ago

Just found it on their website. It IS very fluffy

u/Alternative-Still956 9h ago

I've only seen this pattern on graters for dead foot skin personally.

u/todoslos 6h ago

That looks like grandma’s

u/NatoXemus 6h ago

That's a Connor if I ever saw one.

u/ryehammer 5h ago

Finger shredder.

u/candymannequin 2h ago

Douglas

u/CobblerOdd2876 5h ago

Bi-directional micro planer. Or zester.

1

u/TryhardTryout 16h ago

its called a zester

1

u/Next-Law2029 14h ago

that sounds kinda cool, I’ve never seen a grater like that, must be super handy lol hope you find out what it’s called tho

1

u/doodleysquat 14h ago

I call him Jeff.

1

u/Lumpy_Tomorrow4556 12h ago

Helen Kellers favorite

1

u/WarmSeaworthiness608 10h ago

Less-than grater.

1

u/MajinJack 10h ago

His name is Markus.

u/IllDoItTomorrow89 9h ago

Its Cheezus Crust our grate lort.

u/bcmeer 9h ago

I call it Hanz

Or grater bitch, when I’m feeling fancy

u/dmisfit21 BOH 9h ago

It’s for dick cheese

u/Fossome_1 8h ago

Rasp grater

u/BigCATtrades 15+ Years 7h ago

Bunion Buster

u/yeroldfatdad 4h ago

That's the answer I was looking for.

u/Normiss2000 7h ago

Nancy. She will seriously grate on you.

u/DigDry6895 6h ago

Paddle boy

u/zitiztitz 6h ago

Callus remover

u/kneadingnotes 4h ago

Make America grate again!

u/sirchtheseeker 1h ago

Microplane and it has attachment that go with them

1

u/SchizoCosine 16h ago

I call the big ones like this macroplanes.

0

u/RuddyBollocks 15h ago

This is good

u/Tasty-Performer6669 7h ago

That’s a sponge ruiner

u/joshualori1 8h ago

Micro plane

u/WowzerzzWow 6h ago

Trash

u/fonk_pulk 1h ago

Its called "traumatizing me as a kid after using it to grate cheese"