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The 6 Best Vegetable Peelers to Food Prep Like a Pro

Peel pounds of potatoes like a machine.

kuhn rikon original swiss peeler 3 pack Kuhn Rikon

By Tyler Chin

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You never realize how important it is to have a good vegetable peeler until you’re faced with peeling a five-pound sack of potatoes. At least, that’s how I learned the importance of owning a primo vegetable peeler. And the thing about vegetable peelers is that even the best ones cost under $10. They’re worth the price, especially since the alternative is using a paring knife to peel skins, and that can lead to cuts, while cutting off too much of the produce’s flesh.

There are two styles of vegetable peelers: the straight peeler, which has a blade that extends straight out from the handle, and the “Y-peeler,” which has a blade that runs perpendicular to the handle. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, and choosing between the two is a matter or preference. But if you’ve ever seen the inside of a professional kitchen or asked a chef for their preferred vegetable peeler shape, Y-peelers seem to be the way to go. Regardless of your stance on the straight peeler versus Y-peeler debate, here are the best vegetable peelers to shop right now.

The Best Vegetable Peelers of 2021

Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss PeelerAmazon

Best Overall Vegetable Peeler

Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler, Set of 3

Pros

  • Ergonomic design
  • Incredibly cheap
  • Sharp blade

Cons

  • Prone to rusting
  • Plastic body feels cheap

By and large, Kuhn Rikon’s Y-peelers are the leading favorite among professional chefs and home cooks. They’re cheap, easy to use and, most importantly, effective. The peeler uses a razor-sharp carbon steel blade, which removes just enough skin off produce without taking off too much of the flesh. While the peelers can be cleaned in the dishwasher, we highly recommend you hand wash them. The carbon steel blades are extremely prone to rusting, and you should make sure to dry them as soon as possible to keep the blades rust-free.

Pros

  • Easy to control
  • Grippy handle
  • Stainless steel blade prevents rusting

For those looking to get a straight peeler, get Oxo’s. It has a soft handle that’s nice to hold, and it’s grippy so it won’t slip and slide in your hand even if it gets wet. The blade is made of stainless steel so it won’t rust as easily as the Kuhn Rikon vegetable peer, and you can more safely throw it in the dishwasher. The swiveling blade moves to adjust to the contours of whatever you’re peeling for more control over the process.

Pros

  • Attractive design
  • Non-slip handle

Cons

  • Expensive

This peeler is dumb expensive, but it’s also really nice to look at. For a peeler, it does the job just fine, but $20 for a tool like this is unnecessary unless it’s a multipack. The stainless steel blade is sharp, and the silicone-encased handle prevents slippage. It’s a bit more form than function, but if that’s your vibe, get this little beauty.

Joseph Joseph Tri PeelerAmazon

Best Multipurpose Vegetable Peeler

Joseph Joseph Tri-Peeler

Pros

  • Ergonomic, comfortable handle
  • Includes multiple blades
  • Grippy handle

Cons

  • Overkill for those who just want a simple peeler

A straight-forward vegetable peeler is great, but there are also peelers specifically made for soft fruit or peels made to julienne produce. Instead of getting a bunch of different peelers, opt for Joseph and Joseph’s Tri-Peeler, which is a Y-shaped vegetable peeler with three blades: a standard blade, a soft-fruit blade and a julienne blade. Like other peelers, it also includes an attachment to remove eyes on potatoes.

Pros

  • Lightweight construction still feels substantial
  • Sharp blade

Cons

  • Might be too lightweight for some

Victorinox is known for its knives, so it makes sense its vegetable peeler is equipped with a super-sharp blade, too. The REX peeler has been around since the late ’40s, and its barebones construction makes this easy to use speedily. The handle is made of lightweight aluminum, and the peeler fits perfect in any hand.

Pros

  • Doesn't take off too much flesh
  • Easy to use on soft-skinned fruit

Cons

  • Too-soft skins may still get clogged in the blade

For those who need to skin tomatoes or kiwis (or any other soft fruits or vegetables), the serrated blade of the Zyliss Soft Skin Peeler will do the job. It doesn’t get jammed up by the skin, because of the serrated blade, and it keeps the flesh underneath intact. 

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