Easy Eats

Initially designed to be a woodworking tool, clever chefs began buying these thin rods with hundreds of tiny stainless steel razors and used them instead in the kitchen. Although a bit on the expensive side (the Original Microplane, which I own, costs $12.95), I use mine virtually on a daily basis.

It’s compact and light shape make it great for grating hard cheeses, zesting lemons and limes, and allows you to add a little paste of garlic or ginger into sauces with minimal effort. What I really love too is with the big rubber handle, I’m infinitely less likely to grate myself as compared to a regular box-style grater. I think this fact alone makes my Microplane an Easy Eats Kitchen Essential. This is also often seen on various Food Network shows, such as 30-Minute Meals.

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On a more unappetizing note, they also make a Microplane foot file. Be sure to keep that away from the kitchen and somewhere clearly marked!