About

Patent pending star blade design for finely grating hard cheese

18/8 Stainless steel blade made in the USA

Ergonomic design

Non-slip hand grip and thumb rest for added comfort and stability

Effortlessly squeeze and turn handle to grate

Microplane's Parmesan Rotary Grater has a unique contemporary design. This drum grater has a non slip hand grip and thumb rest for added stability, and can be used left or right handed. Constructed out of 18/8 stainless steel the patent pending star blade is perfect for grating hard cheeses.

  • Type: Cheese grater
  • Color: Black
  • Weight: 7 oz
  • Made In: Blade made in US; Assembled in Mexico
  • Warranty: 30-day
  • Dimensions: 8-3/4" x 4" x 3-1/4"
  • Composition: Plastic body; blade made of surgical-grade stainless steel
  • Manufacturer: Microplane

Ambitions

Apparent goal: kids gift/registry home kitchens restaurants everywhere
Intended audience: novice advanced beginner good home cook gourmet professional
Diet/nutrition: does not apply scary empty promises helpful essential
Green?: not especially neutral mixed blessing earth friendly green!
Innovative: step back standing still trendy progress genius
Problem solving: no better baby steps solid steps giant steps a revelation
Competition: outclassed follower in the pack strong challenger likely champ

Utility/Quality

Ease of use: impossible frustrating OK simple child's play
Intuitive: Ph.D. required barely logical effortless brilliant
Instructions: missing incomprehensible adequate unnecessary excellent
Quality: cheesy questionable good years of service impressive
Parts to lose: inevitable some/many one-piece self-storing not a problem
Power source: none hands batteries outlet green
Clean-up: nightmare wipe clean soap & water scouring pad dishwasher
Does it work?: not at all adequately well very well perfectly
Availability: airfare required online kitchen store department store supermarket

Packaging

Easy to open?: impossible maddening tolerable good opens itself
Green?: fills a landfill huge waste passable minimal waste impressive

Economy

Time saving: time wasting not really modest substantial huge
Labor saving: less efficient marginal a bit noticeable remarkable
Money saving: money wasted none $ $$ $$$
Beats the old way: worse no change better definitely entirely new
Where will it live?: garage/attic drawer cabinet countertop elsewhere

Summary

Fulfills ambitions: falls short almost there satisfies exceeds home run
How often used: once/twice ≥daily ≥weekly ≥monthly ≥yearly/holidays
Worth the space?: no does not apply w/unlimited space w/limited space absolutely
Need it?: a luxury discretionary basic equipment for serious cooks get it
Value: ouch! a little pricey worth splurging on the money a deal
Overall rating: skip it fair good very good excellent

Comments: Can you afford space in your kitchen for a tool that only grates Parmesan and other dry, hard cheeses? lf so, this is the grater to get! It makes absolutely fluffy grated cheese – certainly the finest grated Parmesan we have ever seen. We are smitten (can you tell?)

The blade is made of surgical-grade 18/8 stainless steel. Like all Microplane kitchen tools, the tiny razor-like edges are formed by a process called photo-etching, in which holes are dissolved with a chemical, leaving edges that finely slice instead of tearing or shredding. The company says the star design etched in the blade is "specially engineered for superior results and long-lasting use without dulling." We think it's pretty.

The grater can be set for right- or left-handed operation. Unlike some rotary graters we have used, this does not require (or want) a lot of pressure on the handle to press the cheese against the blade. Put in the cheese, hold the grater in one hand, turn the handle with the other, and it simply snows Parmesan cheese.

The grater is dishwasher-safe, but the manufacturer recommends that you take it apart first so that it gets a thorough washing. If you wash it by hand (and even in taking it apart for the dishwasher) you must take care not to hurt yourself or the blade.

A restaurant that grates Parmesan at the table and feels the need to "stretch" its cheese, would be very happy – and save money – with this grater. (It cuts too finely to be of any use with soft cheeses and would be very hard to clean). Whether or not you are trying to stretch your Parmesan, you will appreciate the sheer luxury of such finely grated cheese.