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The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
Peelers might be one of the most common kitchen gadgets, right alongside wooden spoons. Unlike spoons, though, there are a lot of differences between models. From the general shape of the peeler and the blade material to the handle material and the color, there are a lot of options from which to choose. There are two basic shapes for handheld potato peelers: straight or Y-shaped. Which shape you choose is all about personal preference.
With a few exceptions, peelers are among the least expensive kitchen gadgets, so it’s not unusual to see several different peelers in the gadget drawer—each with its own purpose—because peeling carrots is much different than peeling tomatoes. Since they’re inexpensive, it’s also nice to have a spare, so you’re not waiting for the dishwasher to finish before you can peel the Yukons.
To help you figure out which potato peeler or peelers are right for your needs, we tested them out at home side-by-side and evaluated each on its design, performance, versatility, ease of use, and ease of cleaning. Dozens of potatoes were peeled, as well as other fruits and veggies to test out the peelers' multitasking capabilities, in order to make sure these peelers are truly the best.
Here, the best potato peelers according to our at-home testing.
Best Overall: OXO Good Grips Pro Swivel Peeler
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Blade is very sharp
Peels smoothly and easily
Comfortable to hold
Peels in both directions
Slightly pricier than competitors
The upgraded version of a classic OXO peeler, this one has a slightly better grip, a sharper blade, and is built to be even sturdier than the original. The swiveling blade moves at exactly the right angle to peel vegetables with ease, and after peeling a virtual produce bin’s worth of vegetables, we couldn’t find anything this peeler couldn’t handle. We tested it with potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, tomatoes, and we even zested some limes. No matter what, it cut easily and felt smooth.
Our tester found that the handle was comfortable to hold even after a long session with potatoes, and the blade cut in both directions, making it ideal for any cutting method and for both left- and right-handed users.
The metal eye at the top lets you remove eyes from potatoes without reaching for a knife, and the hole in the handle can be used for hanging this peeler on a hook. For easy cleaning, it can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher. In fact, this has been our tester's go-to peeler for three years and she always throws it into the dishwasher when she's done with it.
Dimensions: Overall length: 7.25 inches; blade length: 2 inches | Materials: Soft grip handle, stainless steel blade | Dishwasher Safe: Yes
"It took an average of 30 seconds per potato to peel average-sized potatoes. The peeling felt smooth, and the peels fell away from the peeler rather than getting stuck in the blade."
Best Straight Blade: Spring Chef Premium Swivel Vegetable Peeler
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Swiveling blade peels smoothly
Solid, comfortable ridged handle
Peels soft fruits well
Great customer service
Grip may not fit all hands
This black and silver peeler looks good, and works well. It cuts in both directions, and we had no issues when peeling any vegetables, including super-hard sweet potatoes and delicate tomatoes. This cuts well in both directions, so it’s great for left- or right-handed users and vegetables can be peeled using any method. We did find that sometimes peels got caught in the blade rather than falling away, so it slowed our peeling time a bit, particularly with potatoes.
The grip has finger-hold ridges, but they may not be perfect for every user. We found them a little off for the way we wanted to grip the peeler, but other users may love it. The blade swivels, so it’s at the right angle for cutting, and when all the work is done, cleanup is easy since it’s dishwasher safe.
Dimensions: Overall length: 7.75 inches; blade length: 1.75 inches | Materials: Stainless steel blade, plastic body | Dishwasher Safe: Yes
"The peeler managed to remove the peels in one swipe, and didn't remove an excess amount of the actual potato."
Best High-End: Spiralizer Apple/Potato Peeler Corer
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Peels and cores quickly
Fun to use
Rubber suction on the bottom is sturdy
Not as sturdy as some models
Built for peeling, coring, and slicing apples, this can be converted to peel-only mode for potatoes or for other fruits and vegetables that don’t need to be cored or sliced. The peeling blade is adjustable to two settings for smaller foods or deeper peeling, or for larger foods or less aggressive peeling. We successfully peeled and cored apples, and moved on to peeling potatoes and sweet potatoes. This worked best with foods that were more round rather than uneven or oval. With some potatoes, we had to do a little trimming to remove sections of peel. We also had to cut our long sweet potatoes to fit.
Peeling is easy, fast, and fun, though, and once we got the hang of inserting vegetables onto the spikes that hold them we got quicker. However, jamming super-hard sweet potatoes on the spikes was a bit more difficult than apples or regular potatoes.
The rubber base has a lever that suctions the peeler to the counter, and that worked well during tests. The peeler didn’t move at all until we released the lever. While this peeler won’t work with every vegetable that normal peelers could handle, it’s a particularly useful tool for apples.
Dimensions: 9.75 x 4.5 x 5.5 inches | Materials: Metal body, rubber base | Dishwasher Safe: No
"This is fun to use, and fast. It took 15 seconds, on average, to do the actual peeling."
Best Stainless: LINDEN SWEDEN Original Jonas Vegetable Peeler
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Rust-resistant blade
Left- and right-handed
Easy to use
Compact, classic design
Handle is small
Made entirely from stainless steel, this classic-looking peeler isn’t the same as the rusty peeler in the back of your gadget drawer. This is made in Sweden from high-quality 18/10 stainless steel, and it’s guaranteed not to rust for 10 years. Not only will it resist rust, but the blade will remain sharp, even if you opt to wash it in the dishwasher. The slim design is great for small kitchens with limited storage space.
The handle isn’t uncomfortable, but it's not as comfortable as peelers with larger or soft-grip handles. While this cut well in testing, the cutting felt rough rather than smooth because of the way it’s sharpened. Although it isn’t a serrated peeler, a close inspection showed that the sharpening is slightly rough. During cutting the peeler rattled a bit, which made it seem less sturdy, but it still got the job done. Since it has two sharp cutting edges, we could cut in either direction, and it’s great for both left- and right-handed users.
Dimensions: Overall length: 6.75 inches; blade length: 1.88 inches | Materials: Stainless steel | Dishwasher Safe: Yes
"This cleaned up easily by hand, and it came out of the dishwasher with no obvious issues. This is supposed to be all stainless and it has a long warranty, so it should perform well over time."
Best Multifunction: KitchenAid Spiralizer Plus
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Blades are dishwasher safe
Great for peeling bushels of apples
Multiple blades for different uses
Vegetable length is limited
Storage box is a bit bulky
Lopsided fruits might be hard to position
People who already own a stand mixer will love this multifunction peeler, spiralizer, and slicer. Much like hand-cranked peelers, but motorized by the mixer’s power hub, this will make short work of a pile of potatoes. When it’s apple season, you can peel, core, and slice bushels of apples with little effort. Change the blade, and you can spiralize potatoes, zucchini, beets, and more. Our tester liked it for its speed when compared to handheld options.
The upgraded KitchenAid Spiralizer Plus includes two more quick-change blades (an extra-fine spiralizing blade and a thin-slice blade) than the older KitchenAid Spiralizer, which we also tested, but other than that the models are extremely similar. Our tester liked all of the blade options and found the attachment useful for everything from peeling lots of potatoes quickly to coring apples and zucchini to spiralizing a cucumber. You will have to trim longer foods to fit the attachment, though, she warns.
While you might not want to bother with an attachment when you’ve got a single vegetable to peel, this will come in handy for large families. Plus, it’s just fun to use, and kids will enjoy watching the magic happen. The blades are top-rack dishwasher safe, but they’re small, so washing by hand may be a better option. The rest of the device doesn’t make direct contact with food, so it’s simple to wipe down after use.
Dimensions: 5.8 x 12.4 x 2.9 inches | Materials: All metal | Dishwasher Safe: Blades only | Includes: (1) extra fine spiralizing blade (1) fine spiralizing blade (1) medium spiralizing blade (1) thin slicing blade (small core) (1) slicing blade (small core) (1) slicing blade (large core) (1) peeling blade (1) fruit and vegetable skewer (1) convenient storage case
"I definitely recommend this attachment to anyone who spiralizes a lot or who needs a super fast and handy peeler for batches of potatoes, apples, or similar foods."
Best for Julienne: Messermeister Pro Julienne Peeler
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Smooth, easy cutting
Great blade cover
Comfortable to hold
Can be used for peeling in a pinch
Not the best for zesting
Julienne peelers are designed for making thin strands from vegetables like carrots for salad or potatoes for hash browns. This peeler excelled at those tasks in our tests, cutting smoothly and easily. We also tried it for zesting limes, and although we had to use more pressure than when cutting vegetables, it got the job done. If we had more than a few citrus fruits, though, we might look for another method.
The handle was comfortable to hold, and thumb rests were in the perfect position for a proper grip. While julienne peelers aren’t used for normal peeling, this one can be used in a pinch. Since it cuts deeper, you’ll use a bit more of the fruits and vegetables, though. Still, if the plan is to peel and julienne one item, it might make sense to just use the julienne peeler for the whole job instead of dirtying a separate one just to do the peeling.
The blade cover on this one is worth a mention. While many peelers include one, they may be considered disposable packaging. This one is designed for easy removal and replacement, making it more likely someone will keep it for storage use.
Dimensions: Overall length: 6 inches; blade length: 1.75 inches | Materials: Stainless steel and plastic | Dishwasher Safe: Yes
"The handle is comfortable to hold, and the cutting is smooth, so this is an easy peeler to use when there's a need for julienning or emergency peeling."
Best Ceramic: Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Horizontal Y Peeler
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Very sharp, rust-resistant blade
Lightweight
Easy to hold and use
Easy to break when dropped or used roughly
Kyocera is known for its incredibly sharp ceramic knives, so it’s no surprise that it also offers peelers with ceramic blades. This Y-shaped peeler won’t rust or corrode, and the ceramic material minimizes food browning, which is great when you’re peeling large quantities of apples or potatoes. Like Kyocera’s ceramic knives, the blade on this peeler is made from the company’s proprietary zirconia material that will stay sharp much longer than similar metal knives.
In testing, this felt very smooth when peeling. Unlike some of the metal peelers, this required very little force to get a good cut. It performed best when used with a light touch, which made it less tiring to use. While this worked well peeling tomatoes, we found that it was best to move the peeler side-to-side rather than pulling it in the direction of the cut.
The potato eye removers jut out from the sides of the peeler and are hollow circles, so they can also be used for getting a strand of zest from citrus fruits. When you’ve accumulated a pile of potato, apple, tomato, and zucchini peels, you can wash this in the dishwasher.
Dimensions: Overall length: 6 inches; blade length: 1.75 inches | Materials: Plastic with ceramic blade | Dishwasher Safe: Yes
"This had no trouble at all with sweet potatoes, slicing through them easily and efficiently."
Our top pick is the left- and right-hand compatible OXO Good Grips Pro Swivel Peeler (view at Amazon) because it has a comfortable grip, sharp blade, potato eye remover, and hanging hook. It also has a nice swiveling action to achieve all the angles for easy cutting. We also recommend the Spring Chef Premium Swivel Vegetable Peeler (view at Amazon) with dual, straight blades, a ridged handle for optimal, non-slip finger placement, and prime swivel action.
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The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
How We Tested
We sent eight potato peelers to our experienced home chef and product tester, who tried each out with potatoes of different kinds as well as other fruits and vegetables, including carrots, zucchini, and apples, to determine which peelers are truly the best. Each peeler was rated on design/comfort, versatility, performance, ease of use, ease of cleaning, and overall value. Our tester then offered additional insights on each peeler's strengths and weaknesses.
Other Options We Tested
- Kuhn Rikon Julienne Peeler: While this is a good julienne peeler, in testing we liked the Messermeister just a little bit more for this category. In particular, the Messermeister was better at zesting limes and felt smoother when cutting and peeling. Because it's a julienne peeler, the Kuhn Rikon took an average of 1 minute, 5 seconds to peel a sweet potato, which is significantly longer than a regular peeler. It was, however, good at its primary function: julienning.
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What to Look for When Buying a Potato Peeler
Type of Peeler
There are two types of manual potato peelers: straight and Y-shaped. Straight peelers have vertical blades that can usually swivel, and they peel in a back-and-forth motion. This type is ideal for peeling around potato ends and handling smaller produce. Y-shaped peelers, on the other hand, have horizontal, fixed blades (hence their slingshot look), and they peel from one end of the potato toward you. This type gives you more control, thus putting less strain on the wrist. There are also electric peelers, which are the easiest to use but have a larger footprint.
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The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
Blade and Handle Grip
Potato peelers typically have either a stainless steel or carbon steel blade, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Stainless steel blades are rust-resistant and less prone to breakage, but they can dull faster than carbon steel. The latter is a pro favorite due to how sharp it is, but it's also easy to break when dropped and can rust if not dried properly after washing. When it comes to peeler handles, they come either flat or rounded and are made of either plastic or metal—though many do come with a rubber cushion.
Uses
The best way to know which potato peeler is right for you is to figure out what you're mainly going to use it for and how often. If you're mainly using it to peel potatoes, perhaps a swiveling one with a comfortable rubber grip works best. If you're going to use your peeler for other purposes, such as julienning, something dual-purpose with extra-sharp blades may be more your speed. If you'd rather the tool do all the work (and you have the kitchen space), consider an electric peeler.
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The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
FAQs
Can potatoes be peeled ahead of time?
When you’re prepping for a large dinner, it’s always nice to do some of the work ahead of time. Yes, you can peel your potatoes ahead, but after peeling they should be submerged in cold water to keep them from turning brown. They can be peeled up to 24 hours in advance and kept submerged in cold water in the refrigerator.
How do you keep peeled potatoes from turning brown?
Using a ceramic peeler can delay browning for a short while. However, if there is a large pile of potatoes that will take time to peel, or if you want to peel an hour or two ahead, the potatoes should be submerged in cold water to keep them from browning before you’re ready to use them.
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The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
Should you peel sweet potatoes?
It depends on how the potatoes will be used. Many people like to slice the potatoes in half horizontally and bake them in their skins. If the peels won’t be desirable for serving, the potatoes should be peeled before cooking.
Can you freeze peeled potatoes?
Potatoes can be frozen for longer storage, but they should be blanched or fully cooked before freezing, whether they are whole peeled potatoes, chunks, wedges, or shreds.
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Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Donna Currie is a product tester and writer for The Spruce Eats and she personally tested eight potato peelers for this roundup. She's also a cookbook author and lover of kitchen gadgets in general—the KitchenAid Spiralizer Plus, which she tested and reviewed, is one of her all-time favorites.
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