The KitchenAid Gourmet Box Grater is the best stainless steel cheese grater for most kitchens. It has four stainless grating and slicing surfaces, a detachable measuring container, and the second-largest review count in this list. If you mostly grate hard cheese like Parmesan, a long rasp such as the Microplane Premium Classic is the tool built for that job.
A box grater has four sides for coarse, medium and fine shreds plus slicing, so it covers cheddar, mozzarella and vegetables. A rasp has one fine blade and makes light, fluffy piles of hard cheese, citrus zest and spices. Many cooks end up owning one of each. This page picks the best of both shapes and says which part of each tool is stainless steel and which part is not.
Ratings and review counts below are Amazon snapshots from October 23, 2026. We show no prices because they change daily.
Our top picks at a glance
| Pick | Shape | Best for | Stainless surfaces | Container |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KitchenAid Gourmet Box Grater | Four-sided box | Most kitchens | Grating surfaces and slicer, per the listing | Detachable, material not stated |
| OXO Good Grips 4-Sided Box Grater | Four-sided box | Tight drawers | Grating and slicing surfaces, per the listing | Detachable, material not stated |
| Cuisipro 4-Sided Box Grater | Four-sided box | Ginger and large batches | 304 stainless, per the listing | Detachable base, material not stated |
| Microplane Premium Classic | Handheld rasp | Hard cheese and zest | 18/8 blade, per the listing | None |
| Norpro Stainless Steel Grater | Four-sided box | A plain grater with no container | Food-grade stainless, per the listing | None |
1. Best overall box grater: KitchenAid Gourmet Box Grater with Measuring Container
The KitchenAid has coarse, medium and fine grating surfaces and a slicer blade. The listing says all four surfaces are stainless steel. A detachable container catches what you grate and has markings from half a cup up to two cups, so you can measure cheese as it falls.
It holds a 4.7 rating from 11,408 reviews. The listing says the grater, container and lid are dishwasher safe, and that the container and lid are also freezer and microwave safe. Those are the seller’s statements, and we did not confirm them on a maker page.
The listing does not name the material of the container, lid or soft-grip handle. Only the grating surfaces are documented as stainless, so treat the rest as unverified.
KitchenAid Gourmet Box Grater with Detachable Measuring Container and Lid
4.7 out of 5 (11,408 ratings, as of October 23, 2026)
A full-size four-sided box grater with stainless grating and slicing surfaces, a soft-grip handle, and a detachable measuring container with a lid.
- Coarse, medium and fine grating surfaces plus a slicer blade
- Detachable container with half-cup to two-cup markings and a lid
- Soft-grip handle
- Listing says the grater is dishwasher safe
Pros
- Stainless grating and slicing surfaces named in the listing
- Container measures and stores what you grate
- Large review base at a 4.7 rating
Cons
- Container, lid and handle materials are not stated
- Full-size body takes more drawer room than a slim grater
Considerations
Choose it when you grate by the cup and want a container that doubles as storage. Check the live listing for current care wording.
2. Best slim box grater: OXO Good Grips 4-Sided Box Grater with Container
The OXO has four stainless surfaces, two wide ones for coarse and medium grating and two slimmer ones for fine grating and slicing. Its main trick is shape. The listing says the slim build fits into drawers, which matters if your KitchenAid-size grater never fits anywhere.
It holds a 4.7 rating from 7,665 reviews. The detachable container has a non-slip base, measurement markings and a lid, and the handle is non-slip. As with the KitchenAid, the listing names stainless for the grating and slicing surfaces and says nothing about what the container, base or handle are made of.
OXO Good Grips 4-Sided Box Grater for Cheese and Vegetables with Container
4.7 out of 5 (7,665 ratings, as of October 23, 2026)
A slim four-sided box grater with stainless grating and slicing surfaces, a non-slip handle, and a detachable container with measurement markings.
- Two wide surfaces for coarse and medium grating, two slim ones for fine grating and slicing
- Detachable container with a non-slip base, measurement markings and a lid
- Slim build that the listing says fits into drawers
Pros
- Stainless grating and slicing surfaces named in the listing
- Slim shape suits crowded drawers
- Container catches, measures and stores grated food
Cons
- Container, base and handle materials are not stated
- Listing does not give care instructions we could cite
Considerations
Choose it when drawer space is the limit. Confirm care instructions on the box before putting it in a dishwasher.
3. Best box grater with ginger base: Cuisipro Stainless Steel 4-Sided Box Grater
The Cuisipro is built differently from the punched-hole graters most people own. Cuisipro’s own page says the edges are made by photo-etching, with a repeated groove pattern across each face meant to cut friction. The maker lists five grating surfaces, which are fine, coarse, ultra-coarse, shaver and ginger.
The Amazon listing says the body is 304 stainless steel and describes a detachable base that works as a ginger grater or as a catch container. The maker’s page says only “stainless steel” and gives dishwasher care as top rack only, with hand washing recommended. We use the maker’s care advice here.
The rating is 4.7 from 3,801 reviews. Cuisipro’s product page describes a non-slip handle and base, but does not name the plastic or rubber used for them.
Cuisipro Stainless Steel 4-Sided Box Grater with Ginger Base
4.7 out of 5 (3,801 ratings, as of October 23, 2026)
A four-sided box grater with photo-etched stainless surfaces, a non-slip handle, and a detachable base that grates ginger.
- Photo-etched edges with a grooved pattern, per Cuisipro
- Detachable base that grates ginger and acts as a catch container, per the listing
- Listing names 304 stainless steel
- Maker lists dishwasher care as top rack only and recommends hand washing
Pros
- Maker page documents the blade process and care
- Ginger base adds a surface the other box graters lack
- Strong 4.7 rating
Cons
- Base and handle materials are not stated
- Maker says stainless steel only, so the 304 figure rests on the listing
- Cuisipro recommends hand washing
Considerations
Choose it when you grate ginger or large batches. Use the maker's top-rack and hand-wash advice rather than the listing's dishwasher wording.
4. Best for hard cheese and zest: Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester and Grater
The Microplane is a rasp, not a box grater. It has one long photo-etched blade, and it is sold for fine grating of hard cheese such as Parmesan and for zesting citrus, which is why it also shows up in our guide to zesters and rasp graters.
It has the highest rating in this list at 4.8 from 49,118 reviews. The listing says the blade is 18/8 stainless steel. Microplane’s Premium Classic page calls it a surgical grade stainless steel blade, says the handle is TPE plastic, and lists the care as dishwasher safe. The blade is made in the USA and the tool is assembled in Mexico. We report the 18/8 figure because it is the grade that is stated, and “surgical grade” is marketing wording.
A rasp makes no shreds for tacos or a slicer for cucumbers. If you want cheddar for a casserole, pair it with a box grater.
Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester and Grater, 18/8
4.8 out of 5 (49,118 ratings, as of October 23, 2026)
A long handheld rasp with a photo-etched stainless blade, a soft-touch plastic handle, a protective cover and non-scratch end tabs.
- Photo-etched blade that the listing describes as 18/8 stainless steel
- Soft-touch handle and non-scratch end tabs
- Includes a reusable protective cover
- Microplane lists dishwasher safe care
Pros
- Highest rating and review count in this list
- Blade grade is stated in the listing
- Handles hard cheese, citrus, ginger, garlic and nutmeg
Cons
- One fine blade only, so no coarse shreds or slicing
- Handle is plastic, not stainless
Considerations
Choose it for finishing dishes with hard cheese and zest. It does not replace a box grater for cheddar or mozzarella.
5. Best simple box grater: Norpro Stainless Steel Grater
The Norpro is the plain option. It has four sides, with coarse shred, medium shred, fine shred or zester, and a wide slicer, plus a reinforced top handle. There is no container, so you grate onto a board, plate or into a bowl.
The listing says it is built from food-grade stainless steel and recommends hand washing to keep the blades sharp. It holds a 4.5 rating from 2,198 reviews, the lowest rating here, and we could not load a Norpro maker page to check against. Treat the stainless claim as the listing’s word.
Its dimensions are listed inconsistently in different parts of the Amazon page, so check the live size before buying if drawer fit matters.
Norpro Stainless Steel Grater
4.5 out of 5 (2,198 ratings, as of October 23, 2026)
A four-sided stainless box grater with a reinforced top handle and no container, made to sit over a board or bowl.
- Coarse shred, medium shred, fine shred or zester, and a wide slicer
- Listing describes a food-grade stainless build
- Reinforced top handle for leverage
- Listing recommends hand washing
Pros
- No container or removable parts to lose
- Four surfaces in one plain body
Cons
- Lowest rating in this list at 4.5
- Stainless claim rests on the listing alone
- Listing gives inconsistent dimensions
Considerations
Choose it when you want one simple tool and do not need to measure or store what you grate. Hand wash it.
How we chose
This is a research-based comparison, not a hands-on or side-by-side test. We did not grate anything with these tools, so nothing here is a measured result about sharpness, speed or durability.
On October 23, 2026, we pulled the exact Amazon record for each ASIN to record the rating, review count and listed materials. We then checked Cuisipro’s and Microplane’s own pages where they were available, and used the maker’s wording when it differed from the listing. For OXO, KitchenAid and Norpro we could not load a maker page, so those entries rest on Amazon text.
We kept graters whose grating surfaces are listed as stainless steel, because those surfaces touch your food. We treated containers, bases, lids and handles separately. None of the three container designs names the material of the container, so we say that plainly instead of calling it food-grade plastic. Ratings and review counts will change, so check the live listing before you buy.
Food-contact materials
| Surface | Verified material | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cuisipro grating surfaces | Stainless steel | Cuisipro product page |
| Microplane blade | Surgical grade stainless steel (18/8 per the Amazon listing) | Microplane Premium Classic page |
| KitchenAid, OXO and Norpro grating surfaces | Stainless steel per the Amazon listing, no maker page checked | Amazon listing |
| Containers, bases, lids and handles on the box graters | Not named by any source we checked | Not stated |
Box grater or rasp grater, and do you need the container?
Pick a box grater if you grate cheddar, mozzarella, potatoes or carrots, because it gives coarse shreds and a slicer. Pick a rasp if you finish dishes with Parmesan, zest or spices. A rasp is also easier to store and to wash, since it has one flat blade.
A container helps when you measure by the cup or want to grate ahead and refrigerate. It also adds a plastic part that can crack or stain. If you grate onto a board or into a bowl anyway, the Norpro shows that you can skip it. For the rest of your prep tools, see our guide to stainless steel kitchen utensils.
If you grate for a big pan of baked pasta, a coarse box grater pairs well with one of our lasagna pans for cheese-heavy bakes.
How do you clean a cheese grater?
Rinse it right after use so cheese does not dry on the teeth. Scrub with a brush along the teeth, not across them, and rinse from the back so food pushes out the way it came in. Cuisipro and Norpro recommend hand washing, so follow that for those two. For general advice on keeping stainless tools clean and spot-free, see our guide to cleaning stainless steel pans and tools.
Graters cut skin easily. Wash them with the teeth facing away from your hand and let them air dry on a rack.
Frequently asked questions
Is a stainless steel cheese grater dishwasher safe?
It depends on the model. KitchenAid’s listing says its grater is dishwasher safe, and Microplane lists dishwasher care. Cuisipro says top rack only and recommends hand washing, and the Norpro listing recommends hand washing. Hand washing is the safer choice for any grater if you want the teeth to last.
Which side of a box grater grates Parmesan?
Use the fine side for hard cheese such as Parmesan. Cuisipro says its fine surface grates Parmesan and other hard cheeses into light, fluffy piles, and its ultra-coarse surface suits soft cheeses such as mozzarella and cheddar. Other brands label their sides differently, so check the shape of the holes.
Do stainless steel graters rust?
Stainless steel resists rust but is not rustproof. A grater left wet, or left sitting with salty or acidic food on it, can spot or stain over time. Rinse it soon after use and dry it, and avoid harsh scouring on the teeth.
