Handheld or Countertop? Finding the Best Cherry Pitter

A cherry pitter is a seasonal tool, but when the season comes it saves a lot of sticky work. In a restaurant kitchen, pitting is the slow part of cherry prep for an agua fresca, a compote spooned over flan or a garnish for a drink, and the same little plunger handles olives for a picadillo, a Veracruz-style sauce or a cocktail pick. Doing it with a paring knife works for a handful; for a pound or more, a pitter is faster, keeps the fruit whole and keeps the juice off your shirt.

Pitters come in two main kinds. Handheld pitters work like a hole punch, one cherry at a time, and most also take olives. Countertop pitters, or cherry stoners, feed fruit under a spring-loaded plunger and drop the pits into a container, which is quicker for big batches. This guide compares eight of them and explains which kind suits the amount you pit.

Julia’s earns a commission on purchases made through links on this page, at no cost to you. Recommendations are based on what a restaurant kitchen looks for in a pitter, the makers’ own specifications and the details on each Amazon listing.

Quick verdict: which cherry pitter to buy

The table below compares our five standout pitters, one for each kind of cook. All eight are reviewed in full after it, followed by what to look for and answers to common questions.

Five cherry pitters side by side

One pick for each kind of kitchen, with the type and olive use each maker or listing states.

Product images from Amazon. Types and olive use are as stated by each maker or listing; check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best cherry pitter

These eight cover the jobs a pitter actually does: a few cherries for a garnish, a pound for a compote, a crate for preserves, and olives for the sauce pot or the bar. Each pick says who it suits, what the maker or listing states, and one honest reason to skip it. None of the multi-cherry pitters that pit six or more at once were both in stock and from an established maker when we checked, so every pick here pits one cherry per press.

Handheld or countertop: which kind of pitter you need

Handheld pitters work like a hole punch. You set a cherry in the cup and squeeze, and a plunger pushes the pit out. They are small, cheap to store, and most take olives too. They are the right choice if you pit up to a pound or so at a time.

Countertop stoners sit on the counter, clamp or suck onto it, and feed cherries under a spring-loaded plunger, dropping the pits into a container. Makers rate the fastest at 25 to 33 pounds an hour. They are bulkier, but they turn a flat of cherries into an afternoon’s job rather than a weekend’s.

Multi-cherry pitters push several plungers at once through a tray of cherries. When we checked, none from an established maker was in stock, so they are not included here.

How to choose a cherry pitter

Match it to the amount you pit. A garnish or a dessert needs a handheld pitter. Pies, preserves and a big batch of agua fresca are where a countertop stoner earns its space.

Check the cherry size. Large sweet cherries like Bing and Rainier need a generous cup; small sour cherries need a recess that holds them. OXO’s pitter states it handles both.

Decide whether you need olives. Olive pits are a different shape, and not every pitter is designed for them. If you will pit olives for a sauce or for drinks, choose a pitter whose maker says it handles olives, such as the OXO, Westmark Kernex, Chef’n or Mrs. Anderson’s.

Think about the juice. Dark cherries stain. A splatter shield on a handheld, or an enclosed pit container on a countertop model, keeps most of it in check. Wear an apron either way.

Check the care. Some pitters go in the dishwasher; others, especially the countertop models and the Steinex-Combi, should be hand washed. Rinse right after use so juice and pulp do not dry in the plunger.

Keep a knife for odd jobs. For cherries you want halved, or fruit too large for the cup, a sharp small knife still does the job. Our guide to the best paring knife covers that tool.

How we chose these eight pitters

We started from the pitting jobs a working kitchen has: cherries for drinks, compotes and baking, and olives for sauces and the bar. We then looked for pitters sold on Amazon in the United States from identifiable makers, across handheld, clamp-on and suction-base countertop designs, and checked each one’s stock with Amazon’s product data before writing. Capacities, materials, olive use and care come from each listing; where no source states a figure we say “not stated”, and throughput figures are the makers’ own. OXO’s Quick Release Multi Cherry Pitter was not in stock when we checked, the other multi-cherry pitters we found came from lesser-known sellers, and we avoided unbranded listings. We did not use these pitters for this guide, and we have not cited published reviews from America’s Test Kitchen or Serious Eats, because we did not read them for this page.

Cherry pitter questions, answered

What is the best type of cherry pitter?

For most home cooks, a handheld pitter with a splatter shield, such as OXO’s. If you pit several pounds at a time, a countertop stoner with a pit container, such as Leifheit’s, is faster.

What is the best quality cherry pitter?

For durability, look at metal pitters. Westmark’s Kernex is cast aluminum, made in Germany and carries a five-year guarantee; its Steinex-Combi is also aluminum.

Can a cherry pitter pit olives?

Many can. OXO, Westmark (Kernex), Chef’n and Mrs. Anderson’s all say theirs work for olives. Others do not state it, so check before you buy.

Do cherry pitters always get the pit out?

Not always, especially with small or soft cherries. Check a few as you go, and give the whole batch a quick look before cooking or serving.

How do you pit cherries without a pitter?

Halve the cherry with a small knife and twist out the pit, or push it out with a sturdy straw or chopstick. Both work for a few cherries but are slow for a batch.

Our final pick for pitting cherries and olives

Buy the OXO Good Grips Cherry & Olive Pitter if you want one pitter for cherries and olives with the least mess. Choose the Leifheit stoner for big batches, the Westmark Kernex for a metal tool that lasts, the Chef’n QuickPit for quick one-handed garnishes, and the Westmark Steinex-Combi if you also pit plums and apricots.

Pitted fruit usually ends up in a glass or on a plate. Our guide to the best cocktail glasses covers what the garnish goes on, margarita accessories rounds out the home bar, and after the washing-up, the best dish drying mat gives the pitter and glasses somewhere to dry. Rinse the cherries first in one of the picks from our best colander guide.

Related guide: Best strawberry huller.

And if you would rather someone else made the drinks tonight, see the drinks list or call to order.