I Asked 4 Food Editors To Name the Best Vegetable Peeler—They All Said the Same Thing

Few kitchen tools are as underrated as the vegetable peeler. They are essential for removing the skin of carrots, potatoes, and other produce, not to mention creating garnishes from citrus peels. So they need to be sharp, efficient, and safe.

I don’t know how anyone puts up with the flimsy design of a traditional straight peeler, let alone use it to work through large amounts of vegetables. It only takes a few attempts at peeling potatoes at home to realize there must be a more effective alternative.

There are at least five peeler styles that differ from the ubiquitous straight peeler: swivel peelers with moveable blades; serrated peelers with sawlike blades; julienne peelers with their U-shaped heads and toothed blades; rotary peelers and Y-peelers, named for their shape. Each serves a slightly different purpose, but I still can’t help but feel like there has to be one best choice among the bunch for everyday use. 

I reached out to Simply Recipes editors, who I figured would have some pretty strong opinions on the vegetable peeler front. I was curious to find out which yields the best results while also being comfortable to use. To my surprise, when asked what the best vegetable peeler available on the market was, everyone named the same brand.

The Simply Recipes Editors I Spoke To

• Emma Christensen: General Manager at Simply Recipes
• Megan Scott: Senior Editor News & Trends at Simply Recipes
• Haley Scarpino: Newsletter Editor at Serious Eats, Simply Recipes, and Real Simple
• Myo Quinn: Associate Editorial Director at Simply Recipes

The Best Vegetable Peeler, According to Food Editors

Each of the food editors I spoke with named Kuhn Rikon as their preferred brand of peeler. Typically sold in a multi-color three-pack for $14, these peelers are fairly well-known as the ultimate all-purpose Y-peelers, perfect for a wide range of both soft and hard fruits and vegetables.

Each peeler sports a razor-sharp blade made of carbon steel that cuts smoothly and precisely every time, minimizing waste. A potato-eye remover is built into the design, and the handle is a comfortable fit for both right- and left-handed users. Located in Rikon, Switzerland, the brand has sold over 20 million Y-peelers worldwide and captured the hearts of chefs and home cooks everywhere. 

“I looooove my Kuhn Rikon Y-Peeler,” Emma raved. “It feels so much more ergonomic in my hand than other types of vegetable peelers, allowing me to easily peel everything from knobby potatoes to thick-skinned apples.”

“It would take a truly impressive vegetable peeler to pull me away from Kuhn Rikon peelers,” Meg said. “They have such a simple design, and the wide handle makes big peeling jobs so much easier on the wrist.” 

Praising its lightweight handle, Haley declares her Kuhn Rikon always reliable for “peeling fruits and vegetables, shaving cheese or chocolate, and even descaling fish”—even though she’s owned her “for at least eight years” and used it heavily. 

In fact, Myo claims to have bought a pack of three Kuhn Rikon peelers over 10 years ago, and the one she uses “is still as sharp as when I first bought it,” she says, “so I gave away the other two to friends.”

Though they stay sharp over long periods of time, the Kuhn Rikon Y-Peelers’ gentle price means Meg can afford to buy a new three-pack every few years. “I've never had one of these peelers get truly dull, but working with newer, sharper ones is such a treat.”

It’s hard to argue when a product is backed by such positive reviews. I’m planning on snagging a pack myself, so I can enjoy my Kuhn Rikon peelers through years of precise and reliable use.

_{This story is not sponsored. Our editors, writers, and experts recommend products we genuinely love and would spend our own hard-earned money on. When a story is sponsored or if we earn a commission on sales of products we link to, we label them clearly.}