The all-in-one question arises again and again in the kitchen.

Do hobby cooks need a single food processor, or are individual devices sufficient?

Another example are graters, which are available in a variety of designs and fill the drawers.

Microplane has filled an entire catalog with its products.

If a collection of different graters is too much for you, you can get a multifunctional model with several possible uses.

Marco Dettweiler

Editor in business.

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In many kitchens you will find a tower grater in the drawer, which has holes of different sizes on its four sides, so that you can grate potatoes roughly as well as finely grate parmesan.

The tower, which is usually provided with a handle, is ideal to put on a board, plate or bowl.

However, depending on the size of the food, the longer it takes, the more confusing the shredding process becomes, because the shredded clippings collect in and around the tower.

This problem can be avoided with a bowl grater such as the new one from Microplane for 20 euros.

It has a thick, slightly curved rubber rim at the ends so that it can be placed horizontally on the bowl.

Or as Microplane would say: The grater has "soft-touch and anti-slip handles".

At first we were skeptical whether it would fit in or on the bowl. She did it - and even on our favorite metal model. Microplane recommends bowls up to 16 centimeters in diameter. The grater can be wedged inside or placed on the edge. Because the plastic sits firmly on the edge, the grater does not slip to the side. In this respect, zucchini, potatoes, cauliflower, beetroot or apples can easily be pulled back and forth with one hand. The position of the hand takes getting used to, because you usually tend to push the food diagonally or completely downwards.

For example, the adjustable V-plane with julienne blade insert from Microplane for 50 euros. This has a handle and a rubberized surface. On the back there is a large adjusting wheel with which the distance between the blade can be adjusted. The larger you set this, the thicker the slices of carrots, peppers, apples or cucumbers become. The adjusting wheel reacts flawlessly, thanks to its size you can take exact measurements. The blade unit has a turning function. With a little pressure it releases from the frame, then you turn it and put it back in place. The planer insert becomes one with a julienne blade. If you rub the vegetables and fruits on it, they break up into thin strips.

To a certain extent, the V-planer is already a 2-in-1 device. If you take the food in your hand and rub it, it works fine - as long as you stop when your finger is dangerously close to the blade. Microplane has included finger protection for this purpose. This piece is used to grasp the piece of fruit or vegetables at the rear end like a pair of tongs. Small thorns provide additional hold. What sounds good in theory has worked badly in practice. The pieces did not grip well. In addition, the thorns kept getting into the blade because it was difficult to estimate how close you were to it. With a little momentum you can even shorten it.

Otherwise, both graters convince once again with the very sharp blades that Microplane produces using the photo-etching process. However, it takes a little more practice to stay in rhythm than with other classic graters such as the Zester model or the grater for coarse. The drawer is not overflowing yet, so we are still ignoring all-in-one solutions in this area.