It has been brought to my attention I collect peelers. I thought I collected wind chimes & fridge magnets but I have been assured I collect peelers. I am unsure of how 3 of one item constitutes a collection but I have chosen to view this situation as an opportunity. The opportunity to compare my overwhelming accumulation of kitchen gadgetry for your benefit.
What made two of these peelers so great I had to have them; even though there was already a functional peeler in my kitchen? Why do I seem to use a specific peeler when peeling certain items? Is an epidemic of peeler hoarding sweeping the nation? All I know is if my post can prevent just one more person from developing this affliction then I will consider it a success. Mellow dra-what?
Standard Peeler: This peeler is the eldest of the three. Its possible this peeler dates back to my knife kit in culinary school, that is 10+ years. The blade is stainless steel and has remained sharp, no rusting in spite of several years of abuse. The handle is comfortable and gauging potato eyes are a breeze. It is a great all purpose peeler.
Ceramic Peeler: This peeler is special because of its ceramic blade. The blade is fragile but stays impeccably sharp. This peeler is great for peeling delicate items and produces very little waste. It works great on thin skinned vegetables like celery, carrots & Yukon gold potatoes . Not so much for root vegetables or anything that requires excessive peeling. Nothing to write home about as far as the handle goes but over all a good peeler. You do have to be careful storing it in the drawer so you don’t chip the blades.
Ring Peeler: If you need to peel a bunch of stuff quickly and you don’t care about perfection, this is the peeler for you! I like the concept of this peeler but you can not see the blade making it a little more time consuming - if you cherish your finger tips. The blade tends to shave a thicker peel than my other peelers, so I like to use it to make carrot ribbons for salads and to peel thick skinned vegetables like cucumbers & beets. This is the peeler I use for preparing apples for pie. Plus, by design, the peeler is hidden under your hand. I like to make it look like I am magically removing the skin from the apple by just a waive of my hand -to keep the little one entertained.
All in all, I don’t plan on parting with any of my peelers anytime soon and I can think of 4 reasons, aka nail guns, why I won’t have too. ;)
