A mandoline vegetable slicer by Japanese company Benriner is standard equipment in most Japanese homes and restaurant kitchens around the world. We prefer this tool’s simplicity, durability and efficacy over other more complicated models. It comes with three interchangeable blades: The fixed straight blade—which is also removable and replaceable, ensuring long-term durability—creates slices ranging from .5 mm to 5 mm. Use the dial on the underside of the mandoline to fine-tune and adjust the thickness of your slices. You can also screw in one of other two blades, which allow you to julienne or finely shred your vegetables. We especially love that the finger guard, which extends across the width of the entire blade, is easy to handle and keeps a firm grip on ingredients while slicing. Additionally, a non-skid base, safety handle and notches in the mandoline will keep the device steady whether you lay it across a bowl or prop it against a countertop.

Every kitchen needs a box grater, and this clever design by Danish company Eva Solo is a pleasure to use compared to other models. The large stainless steel cylinder acts like a cup to contain food as it is grated, so you can easily see how much you've grated and transfer the food to your dish when you're done—compare this to standard box graters that create untidy piles of shavings. About 60% of the grater's circumference is covered with grating holes, in traditional coarse and fine sizes, and we found it very easy to brace the tool with one hand while grating with the other. Eva Solo's product is also easy to clean, as it is dishwasher-safe and large enough to wash thoroughly by hand.

This unique serving spoon-knife combo tool is a must-have for serving. Right at the table (or the picnic blanket or the potluck), you can use the serrated edge to cut out your perfect portion of food and then use the dipped bowl of the spoon to easily scoop it into your plate. The concave shape and wider width actually lifts up the food and holds it there—it won’t go tumbling back onto the platter like it would with a classic narrow, triangular server. The blade is sharp enough to cut through pizza crust and it’s ideal for slicing through gooey lasagna without lopping off that top layer of chewy cheese trying to slice and serve. Plus, it’s made from durable, dishwasher safe stainless steel with a satin finish, which is great for camouflaging scratches after frequent use. (And we promise you’ll be using this tool quite a bit.)

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This compact set includes three bench scrapers to take care of every type of task: A dough cutter—which features a sharp stainless steel blade that’ll slice through even the stickiest doughs—a sturdy plastic spreader for making smooth layers of cake frosting or transporting ingredients from cutting board to bowl and a soft rounded scraper that’s perfect for sneaking into nooks and crannies. The stainless steel blade of the dough cutter is precise not only in its slicing, but also in its portioning—the ruler markings etched along the blade help cut uniform dinner rolls and more. The spreader has a beveled edge that can sneak cleanly under any ingredient, while the curved scraper boasts a sturdy yet flexible construction that easily wipes the sides of a bowl clean. Plus, each has an ergonomic handle and incredibly sturdy construction—even the smallest silicone scraper has a stainless steel core. Plus, they tuck together seamlessly for easy kitchen storage.

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The Garlic Slicer Mincer Set from Microplane perfectly marries form and function—with a shape that fits snugly in your hand and two different blades for mincing, grating and slicing notoriously unruly garlic into uniform pieces. Along with an integrated removable scraper and transparent collection chamber, it also features two different blades specially made for slicing and mincing. This tool can tackle three or more cloves at a time efficiently and safely without needing to contend with a heavy chef’s knife, precarious mandolin or even a cutting board, keeping your fingers away from danger (and that ever-lingering garlic odor).

And it’s not just efficient—thanks to Microplane’s thoughtful design, it’s also incredibly user-friendly: Simply attach the chute to your cutting plate of choice, then position both in the clear bottom cup. Add the peeled cloves to the chute and insert the plunger on the top handle into the shoot and then press gently with the lid and slide it back and forth along the cutting plate, watching as expertly-sliced garlic cascades into the cup—ready to be bloomed in butter to toss with pasta or pan-fried into savory garlic chips. When you’re done, use the scraper to sweep your fresh garlic from the cup and into your pan. Thanks to its stainless steel blades, the tool is dishwasher safe for easy cleanup—simply dismantle and toss in the top rack. You won’t have to worry about it’s pieces getting lost in your kitchen drawer either: Nestle the scraper back into the lid and click onto the base with the blades inside to compactly package the parts together.

This innovative peeler was developed with smart design elements after testing about 200 other different peelers. Don’t let its visual simplicity fool you—the Ever Peeler is a 2020 Good Design Award winner. The blade is made from 440A stainless steel, normally used for high quality knives, so it stays sharp with daily use and slices through produce with the utmost ease, unlike other flimsy brands. It makes quick work of even the toughest, hard-skinned foods like butternut squash, breaking it down into paper-thin shavings. Plus, it’s eco-friendly, too, featuring replaceable blade inserts that switch out easily. No need to throw away the whole peeler. Its handle also is ergonomically shaped and comes in different shapes for right handed and left handed users, making it comfortable to use no matter what.

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Milk Street Nakiri

What if we told you there is a Japanese knife specifically designed for vegetable prep that will make your cooking safer, easier and faster? It is vastly better than the all-purpose European chef’s knife, which is clunky, heavy and too thick to precisely slice and dice onions, cut carrots into perfect coins or reduce chard into feathery ribbons. The solution is the Milk Street Nakiri. It’s light, thin and sharp, with a design that resembles a mini cleaver—2 inches deep with a squared-off tip. A very thin blade, just 1.6 millimeters at the top, tapers down even thinner toward the end so it slices through even tough ingredients effortlessly without bending. The broad blade shields your fingers when you chop and works as a bench scraper to transfer chopped veggies to the simmering pot. With the help of veteran industrial designer David Lewin, we added a few special touches. The blade is embossed with a nonstick file pattern that replicates the kourochi (blacksmith) or tshuchime (pear skin) finish to traditional nakiris, so sliced ingredients fall right off. A gentle curve accommodates fingers when choking up tight for control, and the handle has been designed to provide a nonslip grip.

Most peelers do a lousy job. The blades are made of inferior steel so they do not peel easily and the peel itself is often too thick. The blades dull over time so you have to throw it out. Many designs have uncomfortable handles or the handles are awkward since they are not aligned properly with the blade. And when it comes to thick, tough skins such as butternut squash, you might as well give up before you start. That is why we just redesigned the peeler, using top-grade 420 stainless steel for the replaceable blade (why don’t all peelers have replaceable blades?) and a handle that is big enough for a firm, easy grip. Try it just once and you will find that it peels like cutting through butter. It’s that good!

Shredding vegetables into a fine julienne turns tough vegetables tender and opens up their flavor. However, it usually requires the hassle of hauling out the food processor—and finding the shredding attachments, or using a box grater, which will tear at your knuckles if you’re not paying keen attention. Or, you can try your luck with any number of the cheap, gimmicky shredders on the market, which dull quickly and buckle under use.

The Milk Street Julienne Peeler makes shredding vegetables easy, safe and effective. We married our confidence-inspiring, ergonomic 304 stainless steel handle to a razor-sharp, 16-tooth julienne blade for a lifetime tool. Shred your way through soft and hard vegetables alike for salads, slaws, hash browns and more. And when the blade eventually wears out, its easily replaceable with the turn of the screw.