Cutting and slicing cheese was never so easier before the invention of some excellent kitchen tools. Chopping a cheese cube with the help of a knife requires a lot of hard work, time, and is quite risky too. Cheesy dishes have a special corner in the heart of every person.
Though some health-conscious people try to avoid it; however, you never succeed completely. We know that people have immense love for different kinds of cheese. However, cutting the cheese cubes could be quite tricky! Wouldn’t it be better to prepare cheese dishes at home instead of spending money on costly restaurants?
The two most commonly used kitchen tools for chopping cheese are cheese slicer and grater. Many people use these two terms interchangeably as they are not aware of their specificities. To save you from feeling embarrassed in front of the shopkeeper while buying these tools; we are here to clear out this confusion.
Both these instruments are designed for cutting the cheese cubes. However, several points differ in these kitchen tools. Let us look at the distinguishing features between a cheese slicer and a cheese grater:
1. Let us start with the definition of Cheese Slicer and Grater:
- Cheese slicer:
A cheese slicer is a kind of cheese cutting knife that is exclusively designed to slice the hard or semi-hard cheese into thin slices. You can also adjust the thickness of slices depending upon the kind of slicer you are using.
- Cheese grater:
A cheese grater is a kind of grater that helps to process the cheese into small pieces. It is made possible with the help of fine grating slots present on its surface. You can choose a grater according to the slot size. The cheese grater cannot customize the size, unlike the slicer.
2. Structural differences:
A cheese slicer is usually a piece of blade/wire attached directly to the handle, or a cutting board. On the other hand, a cheese grater has a small handle with a pyramidal or a semi-cylindrical body. The body has fine grating slots that help to shred the cheese into fine pieces.
3. Types of cheese slicer and grater:
A cheese slicer usually comes in three different types:
- a) Plain slicer
- b) Cutting board slicer
- c) Wire slicer
While a cheese grater has the following types:
- a) Microplane grater
- b) Rotary grater
- c) Handheld Grater
- d) Box grater
- e) Boska grater
4. The outcome after processing:
A cheese slicer cuts the cheese cubes into thin slices. The slices can be of varied thickness depending upon your customization. A cheese grater will cut the cheese into small even pieces. These pieces are thinner at the end and thicker in the center. It helps the cheese to melt readily even at low temperatures.
5. Which one is more cost-effective?
Both the cheese slicer and grater are cost-effective kitchen tools. They usually start from $10 and charges increase according to their quality.
6. Purpose of use and dishes to prepare with them:
Cheese slices are commonly used to lie in between the burger, on top of pizza, or sandwiches. On the other hand, shredded cheese is sprinkled over the pizza, lasagna, salad, and a few more savory dishes to enhance the appearance and taste of the meal.
We hope that you have a clear idea about the difference between a cheese slicer and grater. Thank-you!
Also read: How Italian Beef Recipe Varies In Different Regions Of Italy?
