Zest, Cheese or Canela? Finding the Best Microplane Grater

A rasp grater is the smallest tool in a Mexican kitchen that gets used all day. It takes the green skin off a lime for agua fresca or a lime crema without the bitter white pith, turns a block of dry Cotija or añejo into a fine snow over elote and beans, and shaves a stick of canela straight into a pot of café de olla or champurrado. It does the same for garlic, ginger and nutmeg, faster than a knife and finer than a box grater.

Microplane made the style famous, and its name is now used for the whole category, but several makers build rasps with etched blades, covers and non-slip feet. This guide compares nine rasp-style graters, from the long, narrow zester that most cooks picture to wider paddles and a short spice grater, on the things that decide how well they work: the blade, the handle, the cover and how they clean up.

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 rasp grater, the makers’ own specifications, the details on each Amazon listing and a published equipment review from America’s Test Kitchen.

Quick verdict: which microplane grater to buy

The table below compares our five standout rasps. All nine are reviewed in full after it, followed by how to choose one and answers to common questions.

Five rasp graters compared

One pick for each kind of cook, with the blade and size each maker or listing states.

Product images from Amazon. Blade sizes, covers and origin are as stated by each maker or listing; most makers do not give a blade length, so check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best microplane grater

These nine rasps cover three shapes. Long, narrow zesters are the classic shape and the easiest to work around a lime or orange. Wider paddle rasps grate more cheese or garlic with each pass. Short spice graters give you control over a small nutmeg or a stick of canela. Each pick says who it suits, what the maker states, and one honest reason to skip it.

Etched or stamped: why the blade matters

The teeth on a rasp are tiny, and how they are made decides how it grates. Microplane, OXO, KitchenAid and Zyliss all describe their blades as etched. Etching uses a chemical process to cut each tooth, which leaves a sharp cutting edge rather than a punched hole with a burr. A sharp etched tooth slices zest and cheese into light shreds instead of tearing them, so you get fluffy Cotija and fine lime zest rather than wet, mashed bits.

Stamped graters, where the holes are punched through sheet steel, are common on box graters and cheap paddles. They work, but they need more pressure and tend to tear soft foods. Our guide to the best box grater covers the stamped and etched box styles, and the coarse paddles, for shredding Oaxaca cheese and vegetables in bulk; a rasp is the finer tool to keep beside it.

How to choose a rasp grater

Shape. A long, narrow zester is the most versatile: it works around a lime and still grates cheese. A wide paddle is faster for cheese and garlic. A short spice rasp is easiest for nutmeg and canela.

Blade. Look for an etched stainless blade from a maker that says so. Microplane states that its blades are photo-etched in the United States.

Handle. You will often be grating with wet or oily hands. America’s Test Kitchen’s reviewers preferred soft, grippy handles to hard plastic ones; steel handles are the most durable but the least grippy.

Feet and end tabs. A non-slip foot or end tabs let you brace the rasp on a board or across a bowl and grate with one hand on the food.

Cover. A rasp is sharp enough to cut a knuckle reaching into a drawer, and a cover also protects the teeth. Most picks here include one.

Cleaning. Rinse straight away, before cheese or citrus oil dries in the teeth, and brush the underside in the direction of the teeth rather than wiping across them. Several of these are listed as dishwasher safe; others do not say.

How to zest a lime without the pith

Wash and dry the lime. Hold the rasp in one hand, teeth up, resting its tip on a board or the rim of a bowl, and draw the lime across the blade in long, light strokes, turning it as each patch of green turns pale. Stop when you see white; the pith underneath is bitter. Tap the rasp or use a scraper to collect the zest from the underside, where much of it collects. Then halve the lime and juice it; our guide to the best citrus juicer covers presses for that step. If you are making agua fresca or a citrus syrup, a pass through a fine mesh strainer catches any stray zest you would rather not drink.

How we chose these nine rasp graters

We started from what a Mexican kitchen grates fine: lime, lemon and orange zest; dry aged cheeses such as Cotija and añejo; garlic and ginger for marinades; and whole canela and nutmeg for drinks and desserts. We then looked for rasp-style graters sold on Amazon in the United States from identifiable makers and checked each one’s stock with Amazon’s product data before writing. Blade type, sizes, covers, care and origin come from the makers’ listings and from Microplane’s own product pages; where a listing does not state something, we say “not stated”.

We read America’s Test Kitchen’s review of rasp graters and cite its findings where they apply. That review did not recommend the Deiss PRO zester, which its testers found too long and unwieldy, so we left it out. Several other candidates were nearly sold out when we checked, including Cuisipro’s single fine rasp, the black Microplane Premium Classic and the Microplane Master Series fine grater, and Rösle’s fine grater is a wide, stamped-style paddle that belongs with box graters. We did not use these graters for this guide, and we did not read reviews from Wirecutter or Serious Eats for this page, so we do not cite them.

Rasp grater questions, answered

Which microplane grater does America’s Test Kitchen recommend?

In its rasp grater review, America’s Test Kitchen named the Microplane Premium Classic Zester the best zester-style model and the Microplane Gourmet Series Fine Grater the best paddle-style model. It also recommended the Microplane Classic.

What about Wirecutter?

We did not read Wirecutter’s grater coverage for this guide, so we cannot tell you what it recommends. Our picks rely on maker specifications, listing details and America’s Test Kitchen’s review.

Is a Microplane the same as a zester?

Microplane is a brand; “microplane” is now used for any rasp-style grater. A traditional citrus zester has a few round holes that pull off thin strips of peel. A rasp grates the peel into fine, fluffy zest and also handles cheese, garlic and spices.

Can a microplane grater go in the dishwasher?

Many can. The Microplane, OXO and KitchenAid rasps here are listed as dishwasher safe, and the Gourmet Series on the top rack. The Cuisipro and Zyliss listings do not say. Rinsing immediately is still the best way to keep the teeth clear.

How long does a rasp grater stay sharp?

Makers do not give a figure, and it depends on use. America’s Test Kitchen found its top Microplane models impressively durable. Avoid grating straight onto a hard plate, and store the rasp with its cover on.

Can I grate Cotija on a microplane?

Yes. Dry, aged Cotija grates into a fine snow on a rasp, which is how it is often sprinkled over elote, beans and enchiladas. Soft, fresh cheeses are better on a coarse grater.

Our final pick for zest, cheese and canela

Buy the Microplane Premium Classic Zester if you want one rasp for almost everything. Choose the Gourmet Series Fine Grater for faster cheese, the Classic for the plain original, the Professional Series for an all-steel build, and the Specialty Spice Grater for canela and nutmeg.

A good rasp is a small tool that changes how much flavor ends up in a dish. If you are making horchata from scratch, a little freshly grated canela makes a difference; our guide to the best horchata mix covers both mixes and the from-scratch route. For garlic in bigger amounts, see the best garlic press.

Related guide: Best parmesan grater.

Related guide: Best nutmeg grater.

And if you would rather someone else zested the limes tonight, see the menu or call to order.