Microplane Coarse Grater Review

Once you've tried the Microplane Grater/Zester, it's hard to go back to another brand when you're thinking of the need for a grater.  The substantial feel of the Microplane in your hand makes you want to forget the tinny stamped graters you used in the past.

Now I was in need for something a little more coarse than the Microplane Grater/Zester.  For zesting or grating things like hard cheese or nutmeg it worked superbly while cooking where the fineness of its results helped incorporate the ingredients into the dish.

But when grating a hard cheese for a topping I needed something that would produce more substantial pieces of cheese that would add texture and feel to the finished dish.

So, a little seach on-line turned up the Microplane Coarse Grater.  In honesty, the Coarse Grater should probably be called the Medium Grater.  Measuring 10.75" from the end of the handle to the top of the grater, it's working surface is actually 5 3/4" x 2 3/4".

Into the face of the grater there are approximately 180 cutting surfaces that have been photo-chemically etched.  And, like the Fine Grater/Zester, these cutting edges are extremely sharp.

This particular model is for grating Chocolate, Garlic and Hard Cheeses.  It produces an excellent consistency when I want to top my pasta dish with a grated Romano Cheese.

Likewise, when shaving chocolate, it produces chocolate coarse enough to feel good in your mouth but not heavy enough to sink into the top of a creme or meringue pie.

The stainless steel grating surface is framed in a clear plastic and as with the Fine Grater/Zester it comes with a plastic protective cover to both protect the cutting edges and your fingers when the tool is placed in a drawer.

Caution

When using the Coarse Grater on smaller pieces of ingredients such as garlic cloves or chocolate kisses extra attention has to be paid to the chore at hand.  The grater reduces the ingredient so quickly that if you're daydreaming you may shortly be grating your finger tips into the dish.

Cleaning the Microplane

As with the Microplane Grater/Zester, the Coarse Grater can either be hand washed or machine washed.  If machine washing I recommend placing it in its own compartment so that it doesn't get banged about by other cutlery.

Where to Buy

The Microplane Coarse Grater is available at several online sites in addition to stores such as Bed, Bath & Beyond.  It is usually priced at about $15.

My Viewpoint

If cooking is a passion rather than a chore, then you owe yourself this one.  Is it a "must have"?  No, but a creative cook will truly love this grater.  I recommend it.

Rudi