We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more›
Peeling raw beets is the pits. Preparing potatoes once ranked among my least-favorite chores. And if a recipe required a skinless squash, I might have skipped making it entirely. All because I had an inferior tool for those tasks. Vacuum Sealer Machine
But spending a few dollars on a peeler changed my attitude. The Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler is a super-sharp Y-shaped peeler that my colleagues on Wirecutter’s kitchen team have recommended for 10 years. It’s why I cook—and why my family eats—more squash and a wider variety of root vegetables more often than before.
It hasn’t, however, changed my opinion of preparing uncooked beets (which I still largely avoid, because of all the staining).
Preferred by pros, this super-lightweight peeler offers an extra-sharp blade at a bargain price—and it’s worth the bit of extra care it requires.
I enjoy the process of preparing a meal, but until I invested in a quality peeler, I all but avoided recipes that required peeling most vegetables and even some fruit. I’m only so-so at peeling with a paring knife, and the decades-old straight peeler I’d inherited had dulled to the point that not even a professional sharpening could save it. (I now use its pointed tip to hull strawberries.)
By comparison, the blade of the Kuhn Rikon peeler glides through eggplant, carrot, and squash skins of varying thicknesses. And while it cuts deeper than our straight-peeler pick, the OXO Good Grips Pro Swivel Peeler, it still sends delicate ribbons into the compost bin without wasting too much flesh.
This peeler is also surprisingly comfortable to hold, considering that it’s mostly made of lightweight molded plastic. Though that plastic can seem flimsy at first, the peeler has lasted me four years without issue. And supervising editor Marilyn Ong of Wirecutter’s kitchen team has owned and used a set of the Kuhn Rikon peelers at home for almost 10 years and has never seen one break.
This peeler’s shape gives me more control as I rotate my wrist around whatever I’m peeling. Combined with the sharp blade, that control and flexibility helps me shave minutes off prep time, so I can more quickly progress to the slicing or chopping stages I savor.
The Original Swiss Peeler has a carbon steel blade, which is more susceptible than stainless steel to developing rust. So I take care to wash it as soon as I’m done using it, and I dab it fully dry with a towel immediately after that—leaving no trace of moisture that could hasten oxidation. As you might guess, the Kuhn Rikon peeler isn’t meant for the dishwasher.
If that seems like a dealbreaker for you, or if you know that you prefer a straight peeler, you may want to spend a little more for Wirecutter’s other pick, the OXO Good Grips Pro Swivel Peeler.
When it’s time to sharpen my Kuhn Rikon peeler’s blade, I’ll need to outsource that task. It’ll likely be a while (Marilyn’s nearly decade-old blades are still plenty sharp). By then, I’ll have more than gotten my money’s worth on the initial investment.
In the meantime, I’ll be simmering quarts upon quarts of butternut squash and green curry soup.
This article was edited by Marilyn Ong and Catherine Kast.
Tracy Vence is a supervising editor covering health, fitness, and personal care at Wirecutter. Previously she was a news editor for science magazines. She has degrees in biology and journalism, plus continuing-ed certificates in horticulture and end-of-life doula care.
Even if you bake one apple pie a year, you’ll want this old-fashioned apple peeler , which peels, cores, and slices apples faster than anything else we’ve tried.
by Christine Cyr Clisset, Michael Sullivan, and Raphael Brion
After testing peelers for over a decade, we prefer the Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler and the OXO Good Grips Pro Swivel Peeler .
You can do a surprising amount of work on an iPad with the right gear. These are the best accessories for turning your iPad into a mobile work space.
Don’t buy junk at the dollar store if you can buy better-quality, inexpensive items elsewhere.
Vacuum Packing Machines Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).