Everything You Need To Know About Dalstrong’s Cheese Graters
Professional Ribbon Wide Cheese Grater Dalstrong
Cheese graters are one of the most versatile kitchen tools a home cook can own. Whether it’s shredding hard cheese or soft cheese, finely grating a tough block of cheese, or needing a makeshift garlic press, these portable kitchen tools can get the job done with ease, all while being incredibly easy to clean.
In this blog, let’s talk about everything you need to know about working with cheese graters and the best of the best Dalstrong graters that are here to make your life easy.
1. What Is A Cheese Grater?
Professional Zester Narrow Grater Dalstrong
Cheese graters are used for changing the texture of hard cheese like parmesan cheese and soft cheese for a variety of cooking techniques. They’re used for finely grating and zesting other foods, too. If you want to shred sizes of multiple blocks of cheese, handheld graters, classic rotary cheese graters, and dual graters are phenomenal kitchen tools to own.
Most professional box graters or classic rotary graters can be used to shred carrots, potatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and other foods. Some etched box graters are great if you’re looking to shred large batches of vegetables. This is a box grater with detachable storage, often known as an etched coarse grater. It all depends on the desired level of thickness or ‘shred sizes’ that you’re looking for.
It isn’t necessary to shred and slice foods with a mandoline slicer or a food processor, thanks to the variety of professional graters available today. Some detachable graters can also be used as removable zesters that can be used for zesting citrus.
Since graters and zesters are used interchangeably, it only makes sense to learn about the different types of grating tools that are out there.
2. Types Of Graters For A Variety Of Foods
Professional Fine Wide Cheese Grater Dalstrong
There are 4 types of cheese graters that can change the way you shred and slice.
- Fine wide cheese graters
- Coarse-wide cheese graters
- Extra coarse-wide cheese graters
- Professional ribbon-wide cheese graters
If you’re not sure what the right cheese grater is for you, keep reading. Here’s everything you need to know about handheld graters and professional box graters.
Fine wide cheese graters
Fine wide graters are not only perfect for a variety of cheeses but also for other foods such as garlic, ginger, cloves, chocolates, nuts, and citrus fruits. This grater is used to shred the food for a more intense and moist flavor since the texture is very puree-like – Making them perfect for soups, broths, sauces, and curries.
These graters are perfect for home cooks who are just starting out their culinary journeys. Unlike dual graters, these come with one shredding size and are compatible with softer cheeses and for grating hard cheeses, too.
Handheld graters like these are true and tried kitchen tools for grating cheese without making a mess. The price at times can be a smidge overwhelming for newbies, but Dalstrong has you covered, so don’t forget to check their graters out. They’re tested and reviewed, which is an added perk!
Coarse-wide cheese graters
Coarse-wide graters are used when you need strings and strands of food, usually for garnish. They’re ideal for hard cheeses like Romano and Parmesan cheese as the shred size can enhance the taste of foods. These graters are used for working with carrots, cucumbers, garlic, nuts, ginger, onions, and some fruits.
Extra coarse-wide cheese graters
Extra coarse-wide cheese graters offer a thicker shred size than the coarse-wide kind. They’re ideal for potatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and chunks of fruits like apples and pears for pies, muffins, and cookies. Since these are chunky pieces, they have a lot of flavors and are quite solid in texture.
Professional ribbon-wide cheese graters
By far, my favorite kind of grater! Ribbon-wide graters are quite ergonomic and can offer strips and slices of food without taking away their texture. They’re great for softer cheeses like gouda and cheddar. If you’re looking to shred chunky coconut pieces or chocolate bars, this is the perfect grater for you.
Most folks use this grater for making kimchi because it is an excellent kitchen tool for shredding cabbage. They’re great for shredding potatoes, yams, and carrots for chunky garnish on your favorite foods or when you’re cooking up stuffing for turkeys and roasts.
3. How To Shred Cheese
Professional Extra Coarse Wide Cheese Grater Dalstrong
Here are some steps on how you can make the most of your grater and leftover blocks of cheese. Grate away!
Boxed Graters
Steps:
- Start by placing a clean grater over a sturdy and robust cutting board.
- Hold the cheese at a comfortable angle and gently glide on the grating surface.
- Continue this process by twisting and turning the cheese, so you have a grip on the chunky parts. This will help in keeping your fingers from touching the sharp teeth of the grater.
- Glide the block of cheese at an upward and downward angle until you achieve precision on each shred size.
- Gently tap the grater over your cutting board to nudge the stuck-on cheese directly onto your dish or plate.
Handheld Graters
Steps:
- Hold the handle of your grater with a firm hand. Make the most of the curved feet and get comfortable.
- Place a cutting board with a saucer or deep dish on top of it to keep tiny shreds and slices of cheese from flying away and creating a mess.
- Hold the block of cheese at a downward angle over the plate and gently ‘scrape’ or oscillate until the cheese can smoothly pass through the teeth of the grater.
- Next, you want to gently tap the grater on the cutting board by holding it horizontally. This will keep the cheese in one place instead of sticking to the grater, which is always a struggle to get out.
- Lastly, place the grated cheese in a storage container to keep it from hardening, melting, or losing its texture.
Kitchen Tip:
- You can also spray a little olive oil on the grater or brush the teeth/blades with it to keep the cheese from sticking to it.
- Home cooks can also grate cheese with zesters. All you need to do is hold the zester upright and the block of cheese horizontally. It might take a few extra minutes, but it is possible to shred and grate cheese with zesters if you don’t have boxes graters to work with.
Read about internet cheese grater hacks and how to get it right, here.
4. How To Care For Your Cheese Graters
Professional Coarse Wide Cheese Grater Dalstrong
Zesting citrus fruits like lemons are one thing, but here’s how you can clean your grater with one, too.
Steps
- Use a measuring cup to measure about 20-25 grams of salt.
- In a bowl, add the salt and some dishwashing liquid.
- Cut half a lemon and dip the cut-up end into the bowl to pick up the salt and soap solution.
- Hold the lemon with a dry hand and rub it along the grating surfaces of all your zesters and graters.
- Let the grater sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Rinse it in hot water to clean the lemon residue.
- Let the grater or zester dry on a rubber rack.
5. Dalstrong vs. Oxo Good Grips – Finding Great Graters
Professional Ribbon Wide Cheese Grater Dalstrong
Dalstrong and Oxo are great contenders for kitchen tools. Let’s talk about some of their graters and their reviews.
Oxo Good Grips
Oxos etched box graters are known for their price point and size. Their handheld grater and slicers can be used for soft cheeses when cooking soups, marinades, and sauces. The only drawback is that the surface can be a smidge brittle when placed on the hard corners of blocks of cheese.
Oxos good grips etched grater seems to work tremendously for thin and coarse shred sizes, but it can be a tad bit challenging to get medium-sized shreds and strands for garnishing foods.
If you’re looking for their removable zester and box grater with removable storage container, it’s wise to note that large batches of food might be a little inconvenient to work with, given the fact that it isn’t as wide as you would require.
Dalstrong
Dalstrong has five graters available to choose from, making them a versatile fit for home cooks who are looking to expand their culinary skills while adding a bit of their personality to the kitchen and the tools they use regularly.
Dalstrong’s graters were tested and reviewed and came out in flying colors. The graters come with durability as you’ve never seen before. Since the graters are made with high-quality materials, they’re quite sturdy and can take on juices from citrus fruits and other acids. The handle is also corrosion and rust-resistant, which is a phenomenal benchmark for kitchen tools in general.
Dalstrong never fails to deliver excellence, thanks to the black blade guard that comes with their graters and zesters, ensuring safety for you and your loved ones. Moreover, since the blades are made with rust-resistant materials, the graters keep you away from mishaps and accidents in the kitchen.
6. Dalstrong’s Cheese Graters
1. Professional Fine Wide Cheese Grater Dalstrong
This professional, fine-wide cheese grater is your best tool in the kitchen for flavor-packed food. It’s perfect to work with hard cheese like parmesan cheese and whole spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Perfect for ginger roots and garlic bulbs to add a smidge of zest and spice to your food.
PROS:
- The handle is a textured G10 handle that has anti-slip features for a safe and secure grating experience.
- This grater is made with 304 stainless steel for all the durability you need.
- Grate with ease, thanks to the curved feet on the handle that is ergonomic and comfortable to hold.
- The slim profile of this kitchen tool is perfect for folks who are looking for storage-friendly kitchen essentials.
- The shred size is clean, precise, and textured.
CONS:
- If you prefer boxed graters with a storage container, the handheld design of this grater might not work for you.
- You may prefer a different shred style.
2. Professional Ribbon Wide Cheese Grater Dalstrong
Made with 304 stainless steel, this ribbon-wide cheese grater is what every chef’s dreams are made of. This grater is ergonomic, safe, quick, and portable, thanks to its handheld design. This grater is perfect for soft and medium cheese like gouda or cheddar. If you’re looking to serve a charcuterie board, make the most of it with this grater, as it shreds nuts, chocolates, and chunky coconut pieces.
PROS:
- This grater is perfect if you’re looking to whip up a quick dinner and need to shred and slice yams, cabbage, and zucchini.
- The grates are safe and work in both directions, so you don’t need to twist and turn while grating food.
- The textured G10 handle is an anti-slip with curved feet to give you all the traction you need.
- The blade guard and sheath included with this grater are an added benefit to encourage a safe cooking experience.
CONS:
- You could be looking for paring knives or vegetable peelers instead of graters.
- Some folks prefer box graters instead of handheld ones if they’re working on large batches of food.
3. Professional Coarse Wide Cheese Grater Dalstrong
This coarse-wide grater is the ultimate kitchen tool for grating, slicing, zesting, and shaving. Whether it’s cheddar or parmesan cheese, or shredded vegetables for a stir fry dinner, this is all you need. Made with 304 stainless steel for resistance to corrosions, acids, and other cooking elements.
PROS:
- Equipped with a black blade guard and protective sheath for safety as you grate.
- The curved feet on the handle are comfortable and ergonomic, minimizing wrist and hand fatigue.
- Designed to keep dust and germs away.
- Made to hang comfortably on magnetic knife bars.
- Elegant to hold and striking to look at, especially when hung on magnetic strip bars.
CONS:
- Some folks prefer working with swivel peelers and Y peelers.
- If you’re not big on shredding or zesting, you might not be making the most of this grater.
4. Professional Extra Coarse Wide Cheese Grater Dalstrong
Grate, zest, slice, and shave with the best of the best. This extra-coarse wide cheese is perfect for laying out a charcuterie board with your favorite tidbits of hard and soft cheese, along with chocolate bars, nuts, and fruits. Slide this grater into your kitchen drawers without fretting about hurting yourself when you get it back out, thanks to the protective sheath that comes along with it.
PROS:
- Designed for an easy-to-clean function. This grater is portable and slim for you to pack and move.
- The 304 stainless steel frame and blade of this grater give it all the durability that you could ever think of.
- Bid farewell to germs, dust, and other debris with this phenomenal kitchen tool.
- Textured G10 handle for an ergonomic fit in the palm and a comfortable grip.
CONS:
- You could be looking for a zester for citrus fruits, and Professional Zester Narrow Grater might be a better fit.
- If you’re looking to achieve finer textures on ginger, garlic, and other hard kitchen spices, I suggest the Professional Fine Wide Cheese Grater Dalstrong.
5. Professional Zester Narrow Grater Dalstrong
Citrus peels make everything better. Use this zester-grater combo to introduce depth to the yummiest flavors in your food. This tool is perfect for coffee, desserts, and hard spices like cinnamon. Perfect to add aroma to food with veggies like ginger, shallots, and garlic.
PROS:
- Made with 304 stainless steel for all the robustness you need.
- The curved feet design on the handle offer you comfort in the palm of your hand.
- The blade guard that comes along with this zester/grater is all you need in a house with kids or pets.
- The perfect touch of elegance for magnetic knife holders.
CONS:
- This zester could be a little too narrow for folks looking to zest big batches of food.
- You may prefer working with other professional boxed graters.
7. Frequently Asked Questions
Which grater is best for cheese?
Professional handheld graters are excellent choices for shaving or shredding cheese. This is because they’re much more ergonomic and don’t shift or slide when working with medium to large-sized fruits and vegetables like yams, potatoes, and cabbage. This also makes them incredibly safer.
What are graters used for?
Graters are used for grating, shaving, slicing, shredding, and zesting food. Vegetables like heads of cabbage, carrots, zucchini, ginger, garlic, and potatoes are some common food choices for this. Additionally, graters are also used for shaving chocolate and hard spices like nutmeg or cinnamon.
What is the easiest way to shred cheese?
The easiest way to shred cheese is with a professional grater or Microplane. Start by angling the block of cheese over your grater and place it directly over a cutting board, dish, or plate. You can also spray a little olive oil on the grater or brush the teeth/blades with it to keep the cheese from sticking to it.
What is a rotary cheese grater?
Rotary cheese graters are larger than handheld graters and are used over dishes for shaving, zesting, shredding, or grating hard cheeses with even harder corners. They’re great for when you’re working on larger batches of food.
