A grater or shredder is an essential kitchen tool for people who like to cook and bake.
The main thing a grater is used for is to cut food into small pieces.
Francois Boullier made the cheese grater in 1540, the first grater ever made.
As time passes, there are more and more different kinds of graters, each with its shape, model, size, and purpose.
Here are the different kinds of graters based on their needs and functions, shape/model, and the size of the results they make.
Types of Graters According to Their Needs/Functions
Most people use the same grater to grate a wide range of foods, but different types of graters are made for other tasks and needs.
1. Grated Cheese
When the first grater was made, it was used to grate Cheese.
This cheese grater can be used to grate lemon peel and other light foods, among other things.
Cheese graters are versatile because, in tropical countries, they can also be used to grate coconut meat.
Cheese graters can also be used to grate potatoes when making Slavic dishes.
2. Grated Nutmeg
For people who are used to grating nutmeg by hand, there are special graters for nutmeg.
Chefs usually don’t use nutmeg powder but use special tools to grate the spice.
Powdered nutmeg is easy to find, but the flavor of nutmeg that has been grated with a nutmeg grater is usually stronger for cooking.
3. Zesters/Zesting Shredders
Most of the time, zesters, also called zesting shredders, are used to grate nutmeg, cinnamon, or orange peel.
This kind of grater can make the extracts and smells from the grated food stronger.
Zesters are better for lime and lemon peels because they are slim and have small holes to grate.
Most zesters don’t have holes big enough to get the pith or bitter white part of the peel.
Types of Graters by Model/Shape
Here are the different types of graters that can be used depending on what you want to do.
1. Standard Type
The standard type is a cheese grater that is relatively small in size for easier storage.
The shape of the standard cheese grater is also simple, whether straight and flat or curved.
Using a standard type of grater allows the grated Cheese to go directly into the dough or dish.
Usually, after making food or dishes, sprinkling Cheese on top as a garnish is easier using this standard grater.
However, as the standard grater is used by hand, sometimes the user has to exert extra strength when grating.
2. Lever Type
The other type of grater widely used today is the lever type. You can turn it to grate Cheese, vegetables, or onions.
This kind of grater is safe even if a child wants to use it.
Even though this grater has a grating blade, it does not hit the hands directly.
A lever-type grater, on the other hand, will let you grate less.
Also, the lever type will be harder to clean, so consider this before making your choice.
3. Multi-sided Types
Most of the time, this type of multi-sided grater combines different kinds of graters into one.
So, when using this multi-sided grater, it’s easy to switch to the right type of grater for different results in one dish, for example.
Most multi-sided graters on the market have either 4 or 6 sides, and it’s easy to switch which sides are used.
This type of grater with many sides is very useful for people who like to cook or make cakes or breads.
With just one of these graters, you can do many different things.
This grater can be used for more than just Cheese and other light foods. It can also be used to grate vegetables.
This grater is worth considering if you want to change the texture of different dishes, especially when adding cheese.
4. Type with Container
A containerized grater, also called a box-style grater, is another kind of grater.
At the bottom of the grater, there is a box that connects to the grater.
This container box can store the grated results, so it will be very helpful if you want to sprinkle many things.
Types of graters by size
Apart from functions and models, the types of graters are divided into three according to the size of the grater.
1. Long Grater Yield
For graters that produce long graters, there are usually several blades at the end.
If you want to produce a grater that is not easily broken, choose a grater with long results.
2. Small Grater Yield
The grater usually has a small blade for graters with small, almost powder-like results.
Besides being small, the grated result will also be very soft in terms of texture.
3. Large Grater Yield
For graters with large results, there are usually knives that are also large and have blades that are spaced apart.
Get to know the types of graters to be able to choose according to the function, model, and desired grating results.