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While you can peel most vegetables with a good paring knife, most cooks will want to have one or more vegetable peelers. You will likely find that you like one particular type of peel the most, but there are actually different types of peelers and the differences are not necessarily arbitrary. For example, it took me years to figure out that there was a reason that some straight peelers have a blade that swivels and others have fixed blades. I’ll discuss each type along with their suggested uses below, but keep in mind that these are just guidelines, not rules. Any vegetable peeler will work for most vegetables but some specific types are best for certain jobs. There are three basic types I will list here: the straight-handled swivel peeler, fixed-blade peeler, and Y-handle peeler.
Swivel-type Vegetable Peeler
Recommended Product: Oxo Good Grips Swivel Peeler
Swivel-blade vegetable peelers have a blade that is able to pivot a bit. These peelers are best for smaller vegetables with thin and delicate skins like carrots and asparagus. Of course, you can use them to peel potatoes, cucumbers, and most other vegetables. Many people do not think they need to peel carrots or asparagus. However, carrots will be more attractive when peeled, and asparagus will be more tender and cook more evenly.
A straight-handled swivel peeler, the Oxo Good Grips Swivel Peeler, is shown below. The black tip is a slightly sharpened cut that is used to remove eyes from potatoes but fair warning, this doesn’t work very well. Straight-handled peelers, whether swivel-type of fixed blade, below, are best for vegetables that you can hold in your hand while peeling.
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Fixed-blade Vegetable Peeler
Recommended Product: Victoronix Double Edge Fixed-blade Peeler
While you can use a swivel peeler for the same tasks, a fixed-blade peeler is actually better for vegetables with tougher skins like potatoes, turnips, eggplants, or celery roots. Most cooks like swivel type peelers for most jobs but for the toughest jobs, a fixed-blade peeler is less likely to get hung up.
As well, the fixed design makes them stronger and, in my experience, they tend to be sharper. Make sure you look for a peeler with a double-sided blade so that you can peel by pushing it away from you or pulling it toward you. The Victoronix Double Edge Fixed-blade Peeler, shown in the picture below, is a good choice.
- High carbon stainless steel head
- Polypropylene handle
- Dishwasher safe
- NSF approved
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Y-Handled Peeler
A y-handled peeler has a blade that is at a right angle to the handle so that the peeler forms a T shape. They are called Y-handled because the handle and its attachment arms form the shape of a Y. Most y handle peelers have swivel blades and come in smaller and larger sizes. If you buy a y-handled peeler you may not need straight handle swivel peeler.
While this may seem an awkward shape, it is handy when you want to peel a vegetable that is sitting on a cutting board rather than being held in your hands. For example, a large Y-handled peeler like the Oxo Good Grips Large Y Peeler, is good for peeling large eggplants and other very large vegetables, as in the picture below.
The wider space between the blades make this peeler better for thick-skinned vegetables but it also will allow you to do things like shred cabbage for coleslaw.
However, I find that I can use a Y peeler comfortably for both vegetables and fruits I hold in my hand and ones I place on a cutting board. You may have different ergonomic preferences and find a y peeler uncomfortable to use for smaller vegetables and fruits you hold in your hand. In this case, you may need both a y-peeler and straight handle swivel peeler.
The Oxo Good Grips Assorted Blade Y-Peeler set gives you three different blade options, a regular blade, a julienne blade, and a serrated blade. While the julienne will cut long strips of vegetables like zucchini, the serrated blade can actually be used to peel very delicate skin fruits like tomatoes without having to first dip them in a hot water bath. The serrated blade peeler is shown below.
