Microplane began making micro-blades for woodworking use, but they diverged into making fantastic kitchen tools. Their kitchen graters will turn a little block of Parmigiano Reggiano into a huge cloud of billowy cheese wisps. Vegetables grate into little strips that almost melt in your mouth. My favorite use is with citrus zest. My lemon bars, lemon tarts and key lime pie have a much greater depth of flavor than ever before.

With most zesters, you end up with too much of the pithy white rind of the citrus fruit, but the Microplane takes off just the very thinnest layer of the outside of the fruit which contains the intense and volatile citrus oils. These are the best tools I've tried for fine grating and zesting.

--Jeff Zimmerman

[We use 'em in our kitchen, too. Get a model with a handle -- they are very SHARP. --KK ]

Microplane Grater/Zester
$11
Available from, among others, Amazon

Manufactured by Microplane