Peelers can be used in a variety of ways, not only for peeling vegetables but also for julienning cabbage and the like. There are so many peelers out there on the market in all different shapes and sizes so just which ones stand out above the rest?
Our editors searched Japanese e-commerce sites like Amazon, Rakuten, and Yahoo! Shopping for the 13 most popular peelers. Then we put them to the test!
With the help of 3 kitchen goods specialists, we examined each peeler for the following 3 criteria.
Finally, we created a buying guide to help you choose the best peeler out there. So, which one will stand out above the rest? Use this article as a reference to help you make your purchase.
Here are the results of each of our tests and a ranking of the best 13 Japanese peelers to buy online!
Each product has been given a ranking from A+ to D in each category and the ones that received the highest are our choices for best of the best!
DH-3000
$11.90
Peeling ability (carrots) | A+ |
---|---|
Peeling ability (potatoes) | A+ |
Peeling ability (tomatoes) | B |
Easy to hold | A |
Ease of maintenance | B |
Overall rating | A |
CP-99
$6.62
Peeling ability (carrots) | A+ |
---|---|
Peeling ability (potatoes) | A |
Peeling ability (tomatoes) | B |
Easy to hold | A+ |
Ease of maintenance | A |
Overall rating | A |
DH3001
$11.01
Peeling ability (carrots) | B |
---|---|
Peeling ability (potatoes) | A |
Peeling ability (tomatoes) | A |
Easy to hold | A |
Ease of maintenance | A |
Overall rating | A |
$7.90
Peeling ability (carrots) | A+ |
---|---|
Peeling ability (potatoes) | A |
Peeling ability (tomatoes) | C |
Easy to hold | A |
Ease of maintenance | A |
Overall rating | A |
$3.77
Peeling ability (carrots) | B |
---|---|
Peeling ability (potatoes) | A |
Peeling ability (tomatoes) | B |
Easy to hold | A |
Ease of maintenance | A |
Overall rating | A |
CP-NA08GR
$4.32
Peeling ability (carrots) | A |
---|---|
Peeling ability (potatoes) | B |
Peeling ability (tomatoes) | C |
Easy to hold | C |
Ease of maintenance | A |
Overall rating | B |
Image | 1 ![]() KAI Group | 2 ![]() KYOCERA | 3 ![]() KAI Group | 4 ![]() MUJI | 5 ![]() Nitori | 6 ![]() KYOCERA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | SELECT 100 T-Shaped Peeler | Ceramic Peeler | SELECT 100 I-Shaped Peeler | Stainless Steel Peeler | Stainless Steel Peeler | Tilted Ceramic Peeler |
Features | A Thinly Slicing Peeler by a Trusted Cutlery Maker | A Ceramic Peeler Recommended for Amateur Cooks! | A Sharp and Smart Design That's Super Easy to Hold | A Top Class Peeler for Carrots and Potatoes | A Simple Peeler That's Easy to Use and Easy to Clean! | A Ceramic Blade That's Easy to Clean |
Price | $11.90 | $6.62 | $11.01 | $7.90 | $3.77 | $4.32 |
Peeling ability (carrots) | A+ | A+ | B | A+ | B | A |
Peeling ability (potatoes) | A+ | A | A | A | A | B |
Peeling ability (tomatoes) | B | B | A | C | B | C |
Easy to hold | A | A+ | A | A | A | C |
Ease of maintenance | B | A | A | A | A | A |
Overall rating | A | A | A | A | A | B |
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And why they didn't quite make it.
Wada Shoten's Pro Peeler (11) moves widely and smoothly with its plastic surrounded blade. You won't have any problems with it getting caught on your vegetables so you'll be able to get a smooth peel without exerting too much power.
Since it's a bit larger than most peelers, it's recommended for those wishing to cut or julienne larger vegetables like cabbage. That being said, not recommended for those with hands on the smaller side.
Heart Made's U-Shaped Peeler (12) is the best peeler for children or for those who wish not to injure themselves since there's no risk of cutting your hand on the blade.
However, this safety comes at a price; it's not that comfortable to use. Using it for a prolonged period of time will tire out your hands and even mark your hands with its paint.
Marna's Peeler (14) was designed with a wider blade in hopes of preventing peels from flying out all over the place but we really couldn't feel that and, in actuality, just resulted in bits and pieces getting caught in it.
It peeled potatoes and carrots satisfactorily but couldn't get all the way through the tomatoes. Although, if you make small cuts into your vegetables causing tiny curls in the shavings, you could potentially use them to decorate salads, etc.
Daiso's Kawamuki-kun (15) was a bit difficult to use and crushed the tomatoes during the test with just a little bit of strength put into it. With a light body, you'll need to use some force for the harder vegetables but if you exert too much force, you run the risk of breaking it.
Kanda's 18-8 Stainless Steel Edger/Peeler No. 3 (16) takes a little bit to get into a tomato but overall has a decent cut. However, its 2-in-1 edger/peeler makes cleaning it quite a hassle.
The narrow space gets things easily caught in it so using a sponge to clean it would be unwise. We find the only way to clean it properly would be to use something like a toothbrush. The edger itself is decent but not recommended as a peeler.
Daiso's Peel-Catching Peeler (17) was a hard sell for our specialists. Peels easily get caught inside and taking the cover off to clean it is a real hassle. Rated a D in all cutting ability categories. The only thing attractive about this peeler is the price, which is around $1.00.
Happy Shop's 3-Way Peeler (18) seems convenient at first glance but once you use it you'll see just how difficult and uncomfortable it is to use.
The blade doesn't cut into the vegetables well, making you have to use a ton of power in order to get it to work. You'll also never be able to get it cleaned properly unless you use a toothbrush or something similar.
We purchased the top 13 best-selling Japanese peelers from Japanese websites like Amazon and Rakuten and put them to the test!
We tested each product for the following 3 criteria.
①: Peeling Ability
②: Handleability
③: Ease of Maintenance
First, we tested each peeler for how well they peeled certain items. In order to get a better idea of each peeler's cutting ability overall, we chose items of different shapes and hardness (carrots, potatoes, tomatoes).
Our experts checked to see if the peelers were able to smoothly peel each vegetable all the way to the end with no problems, whether the vegetables (mainly the tomatoes) would be crushed under the pressure, and the thickness of the peels themselves. We then scored each category from A+ to D.
When we tested each peeler on the carrots, even though the cheaper and more roughly-peeling peelers scored lower than the others, all of them were able to properly peel them. However, we found a big difference in cutting ability amongst peelers when peeling the tomatoes.
The peelers that scored an A+ in this category were all I-shaped peelers. Also, we found that those priced over $7.00 were the best ones, whereas the cheaper ones' blades wouldn't get under the tomatoes' skin or wouldn't be able to peel the full length.
Much like with the carrots, we didn't encounter any overall problems when peeling the potatoes but we did when it came to removing their eyes. As long as the peeler's eye remover was sharp and made of metal, we found it easy to remove the eyes of the potatoes.
Next, we tested each peeler for how easy they are to hold.
Our experts checked their shape and size and whether or not prolonged use would take a toll on their hands. We then gave each of them a score of A+ to D.
The peelers we found with an appropriate thickness that fit our hands well and whose edges didn't hurt our hands were given the highest scores in this category.
The peelers that were praised for their handleability was KYOCERA's Ceramic Peeler. The reason it all received an A+ was that we couldn't find any flaws in the body's design. People of all hand sizes can enjoy the comfort and stability of this peeler with little to no strain at all!
Lastly, we tested each peeler for how easy they were to clean.
After using each peeler, we washed them to see if pieces got caught between the blade or if there were any places in which were difficult to get completely clean. We then gave each a score of A+ to D.
We found that the simpler the design, the more difficult it was for peels to stay stuck between the blade and the easier it was for the sponge to reach every nook and crevice, thus taking less time to wash. The ones that scored the lowest in this category were the ones that had extra parts or functions to them.
We understand that you many, at first glance, find these extra parts or functions to be rather useful but we assure you they are not worth the time it takes to clean them. When purchasing a peeler, take into account that you may also need to purchase a brush in order to clean it.
We would like you to take the following 4 points into account when deciding to purchase your peeler.
Peelers out there are either made of stainless steel or ceramic but we found that those made out of stainless steel cut better overall.
However, stainless steel blades have the possibility of rusting causing it to lose its cutting ability over time. Those of you worried about your peeler rusting or losing its edge should instead choose one made of ceramic.
Peelers tend to come in either an I-shape or T-shape (also known as a U or Y-shape). T-shaped peelers are better for peeling longer items, such as Japanese radishes, carrots, or burdocks. However, they aren't easy to use when peeling smaller, rounder items.
The best type to use for smaller, rounder items is the I-shape peeler, which looks and works much like a fruit knife. They can be used by both right or left-handed people and are great for making long, thin strips of vegetables.
Peelers easy to hold take the least amount of strength to use causing you less stress. In other words, even if you have a ton of fruits, vegetables, etc. to cut, your hand won't easily tire.
So check to see if your peeler is the right size or if the grip makes it less likely to slip from your hand. Also, families with children or who have older members living with them, take the peeler's safety into account.
Since peelers are used quite often, try and choose one that isn't a hassle to clean. Ones with simpler designs are easier to clean and will allow you to continue using a pristine peeler for longer.
There are of course things you won't be able to know unless you actually use one firsthand; but if you can check beforehand if shavings easily get caught between the blade or whether or not the potato eye remover is easy to clean, you'll be able to purchase yourself a more hassle-free peeler.
For those of you out there wondering if you're using your peeler in the best and most effective way possible, we have quite the trick for you. And that trick is in using the bottom blade, or chin, of the peeler.
The chin is to be used to fix the placement of the peeler on whatever it is you are peeling. In other words, push it down on the item you are peeling. In doing so, you'll be able to slide the peeler across the outside of the fruit, vegetable, etc. with ease.
You might mistakenly have the upper blade come into contact with the item at times, but if you concentrate on using the bottom part instead, your peeling skills will increase dramatically.
There are a number of useful kitchen goods other than peelers to make your kitchen and food preparation experience even better! Being able to cut down on time spent preparing meals gives you more time to enjoy the finer things in life.
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