Rotary grater vs. box grater: which one belongs on your counter?

A box grater is the tool everyone owns. A rotary grater is the tool everyone who has used one keeps talking about. Here is an honest comparison.

Speed

For a block of cheddar, the rotary wins comfortably. Drop a chunk into the hopper, crank, and a cup of shredded cheese comes out in about fifteen seconds. A box grater is faster for a single tablespoon of parmesan over pasta, because there is nothing to assemble.

Verdict: rotary for volume, box for a sprinkle.

Safety

A box grater is responsible for a huge share of kitchen first-aid. The last inch of cheese is the problem; your knuckles get closer to the blade with every stroke. A rotary grater keeps the food in a chamber and your hand on a crank. Kids can use it.

Verdict: rotary, and it is not close.

Versatility

Our rotary grater ships with three drums. Fine for parmesan, chocolate and nuts; coarse for cheddar, carrots and potatoes; slicing for cucumber, zucchini and radish rounds. A box grater has four sides but most people only use one.

Verdict: even. Both do more than you use them for.

Clean-up

Box graters trap cheese in the teeth and take a brush and patience. Rotary drums are open cylinders that rinse clean under the tap. The hopper and base rinse too.

Verdict: rotary.

Storage

A box grater is a hollow block that takes up a cabinet corner. A rotary grater is about the size of a coffee press. The suction base means it lives on the counter without sliding.

Verdict: depends on your cabinet.

Our take

Keep the box grater for zesting and the odd tablespoon. For every job bigger than that, the rotary grater is faster, safer and cleaner. Most people end up using it for carrots and potatoes more than cheese.