You Should Be Replacing This Kitchen Tool Way More Than You Think

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A good zester is Ina Garten's favorite kitchen tool for a reason. This miracle worker skims across citrus skin and shreds through cheese with no effort at all. But those sharp little teeth don't have as long a lifespan as you may imagine, and with regular use they can dull, yielding much stringier shavings.

So if a zester, also known as a microplane, is part of your weekly recipe rotation, all this grating action can eventually grind down the teeth. And just as wooden spoons don't last forever, you must occasionally replace your zester. Fortunately, cleaning it properly can help, as that impacts how long it lasts. They're a bit tough to clean, which you'll know if one has ever shredded your kitchen sponge to bits. That's why people tend to resort to giving it a hard brush, but that can also dull the blades. Instead, handwash your zester by soaking it in hot water and swapping it for a new one once a year to keep its grating power much more effective.

If you're worried about the waste aspect, you don't need to throw your zester in the trash the minute its lost its edge. Older tools may not have the same precision they once did, but they can be given jobs that require less precision, such as shaving craft wax, sharpening tailor's chalk, or scraping the burned bits off toast. 

You could skip replacing it and just use the small side of a box grater — that's why chef Richard Blais thinks zesters are useless. But if you use it often enough, it might be worth it. They're inexpensive and small enough to stow away easily. A straightforward zester with sharp teeth, a comfortable handle, and stainless steel construction will suit nearly every cook and cooking style. You can buy a Microplane-brand zester on Amazon for under $20. If you use them a lot, you could even keep two on hand — one for citrus and one for spices, which may be a good method for keeping each tool sharper for longer.