Microplane Revolutionary Patented Design Rotary Grater

by Microplane

Product Features

• Grates cheese, chocolate or nuts fresh at the table
• Patented razor-sharp cutting teeth for effortless grating
• Larger hopper; long handle for more comfort
• Pouring lip for more precise food placement
• Dishwasher-safe (top rack)

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 3.7 x 3.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00009OWEM
• Item model number: 39000
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,555 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

This rotary grater grinds cheese, chocolate, spices, or nuts right at your table from its sleek clear and black plastic body. Originally designed for shaving wood, the patented stainless-steel Microplane blade has razor-sharp teeth to make grating effortless. The grater also has a large hopper to fit bigger quantities of cheese or nuts and a lip on one side for better control when pouring your grated ingredients. A long handle provides more comfort during longer grating tasks. For cleaning, the drum slides out of the handle and both pieces can be washed in the dishwasher (top rack only). --Cristina Vaamonde

Product Description

This revolutionary rotary grater combines a razor-sharp blade with the ease and portability of a rotary grater

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Poor, Unfortunate Effort, October 14, 2003

By 

Stephen Foster (Seattle, WA United States, via Scotland) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Microplane Revolutionary Patented Design Rotary Grater (Kitchen)

A rotary, Moulinex-type grater was the obvious next venture for the Microplane people. It makes complete sense: the thin metal that is necessary for the Microplane process could be greatly strengthened by being formed into a cylinder, and the heavy work of grating large quantities might be made easier with the rotary action.

I'm an enthusiastic owner of two of the original Microplane graters, so I quickly ordered one of these. The first thing that gave me pause was the lip on one side. It serves no real purpose, and its presence makes the operation right-handed only. The grater certainly looks nice, but the plastic used is low-grade, and it doesn't feel durable at all.

The first problem I encountered was when grating a block of hard, old Parmesan. Even holding it sideways, the grated cheese clogs up inside the barrel, either eventually falling out in messy blobs or requiring a chopstick to extract it. Fresher Parmesan only compounds the problem.

Next is that it doesn't fit together very well - a thin sheet of cheese quickly slides around the outside of the barrel and jams it, requiring disassembly to remove. Also, on my particular grater, the end of the squeezing arm that is supposed to match the curvature of the barrel is seriously misaligned.

Next, it hurts to use it! The hand that holds the grater quickly aches from constantly counteracting the rotational action. That gets quickly tiring. I soon remembered why I gave my Moulinex grater away. That hand also has to squeeze the arm down into the hopper, made doubly painful by the weak, bendable plastic construction that requires extra force.

However, it got through its first grating job in one piece, though it took me a minute or two to straighten my left hand out. But next was cleanup: the flat Microplanes are a cinch to clean - a quick run under a hot tap and perhaps a wipe with a soapy sponge. This grater separates into two pieces, each with obnoxious nooks and crannies that food particles have to be chased out of.

Finally, on its second grating job, on a block of soft fresh Parmesan this time, the barrel simply broke apart. Upon investigation, I discovered that it is held together by seven tiny hooks - any lateral pressure on it causes the hooks to slip out. Further, the barrel is not actually attached to the rotary handle at all. It is held in place by two ¼" plastic protrusions, and those are only on one side - which explains where the lateral pressure came from. It was probably designed that way so that alternate barrels could be inserted - good idea, but the designers' solution is a shoddy one.

So, Microplane people - how about an all-metal, professional-grade, ambidextrous version? This one should be subject to recall.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost perfect, March 26, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Microplane Revolutionary Patented Design Rotary Grater (Kitchen)

The Microplane Rotary Grater does a great job. The person who had problems with pieces of black plastic didn't have the pieces fitted together properly, though the proper fit is fairly obvious.

I like that the grater opens completely for cleaning -- top shelf of the dishwasher.

That it grates the cheese a little too fine for my preference is the only reason I wouldn't give it 5 stars.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Get a Moulinex instead, January 28, 2008

By 

David Owens (La Mirada, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Microplane Revolutionary Patented Design Rotary Grater (Kitchen)

The best hand grater ever made is a metal, hand cranked grater by a French company called Moulinex. The grater is called a Mouli and is available on eBay. It comes with 4 or 5 metal wheels, and does a superb job.

Highly recommended.