Best Citrus Zesters
Updated How we research
OXO Good Grips Citrus Zester With Channel Knife
OXO Good Grips' citrus zester with a channel knife for both fine zest and long cocktail twists.
Deiss PRO Lemon Zester & Heavy Duty Cheese Grater
Deiss PRO's heavy duty lemon zester and cheese grater with sharp stainless blades for fine citrus zest.
Fresh citrus zest is one of the cheapest ways to lift a cocktail, adding aromatic oils that a bottle of juice simply cannot. The right zester pulls fine shavings for rimming or long, elegant twists to drape over the glass. A fine grater style gives you fluffy zest for cocktails and cooking, while a channel knife carves those bartender-worthy spirals. Look for a sharp, comfortable handle and a blade that bites without digging into the bitter pith. Below we compare zesters that make garnishing quick, so more of your citrus ends up in the drink.
The short version
We compared 8 picks. Our scores range from 6.7 to 9.2 out of 10.
- Best overall:OXO Good Grips Citrus Zester With Channel Knife. Highest overall score in this guide at 9.2/10.
- Also great value:KITCHENDAO Citrus Lemon Peeler Zester Tool to Save Effort, Ultra Sharp Lemon Rind Twist Peeler Tool Bar Bartender Lime Stripper for Cocktails Kitchen, Yellow. Value score of 9/10, overall 7.2/10.
- Solid build:Deiss PRO Lemon Zester & Heavy Duty Cheese Grater. Build and materials score of 8/10, overall 7.8/10.
- Feature-rich:Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester 18/8, Black - Lemon Zester & Cheese Grater & Vegetable Grater - Citrus, Parmesan Cheese, Garlic, Ginger, Nutmeg, Chocolate - Stainless Steel Grater. Features score of 7/10, overall 7.6/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.OXO Good Grips Citrus Zester With Channel Knife9.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Deiss PRO Lemon Zester & Heavy Duty Cheese Grater7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester 18/8, Black - Lemon Zester & Cheese Grater & Vegetable Grater - Citrus, Parmesan Cheese, Garlic, Ginger, Nutmeg, Chocolate - Stainless Steel Grater7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.HAMOER Lemon Citrus Zester Channel knife for Lemon Twist Grates 2in1 Tool7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.OXO Good Grips Etched Zester & Grater | Microplaner, Blade Cover, Comfortable Grip, Citrus, Lemon, Lime, Orange Peel, Chocolate, Hard Cheese, Dishwasher Safe7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.KITCHENDAO Citrus Lemon Peeler Zester Tool to Save Effort, Ultra Sharp Lemon Rind Twist Peeler Tool Bar Bartender Lime Stripper for Cocktails Kitchen, Yellow7.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.Cambom Lemon Zester Grater Three-piece Suit - Heavy Duty Kitchen Tool for Parmesan Cheese, Ginger, Garlic, Nutmeg, Chocolate, Vegetables，Fruits，Stainless Steel Grater Dishwasher Safe Black7.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 8.RSVP Citrus Keeper and Zester6.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1OXO Good Grips' citrus zester with a channel knife for both fine zest and long cocktail twists.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Channel knife cuts long citrus twists for Old Fashioneds
- + Zester holes give fine strands for garnish or syrups
- + OXO Good Grips handle is comfortable and non-slip
- - Zester creates strands rather than fine powdery zest
- - Channel knife needs practice to cut clean twists
#2Deiss PRO's heavy duty lemon zester and cheese grater with sharp stainless blades for fine citrus zest.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Heavy duty build handles frequent zesting
- + Sharp blades create fine zest with little effort
- + Works for both bar prep and kitchen cooking
- - No channel knife, so cocktail twists need a separate peeler
- - Very sharp blades need careful cleaning with a brush, not fingers
#3Microplane Premium Classic Series zester in black, a stainless steel blade grater for citrus, parmesan, garlic, ginger and nutmeg, dishwasher safe.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Photo-etched blades listed to remove zest while leaving the bitter pith behind.
- + 18/8 stainless steel blade listed as made in the USA and dishwasher safe.
- + Also handles hard cheese, ginger, garlic and nutmeg.
- - At $17.95 it costs more than generic zester graters.
- - A zester only, with no channel knife for making cocktail twists.
#4HAMOER 2-in-1 lemon zester with channel knife, with five zesting holes and a channel knife for citrus strips, rubber-covered handle and dishwasher safe.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Combines a five-hole zester and a channel knife for twists and strips.
- + Ergonomic handle covered in soft rubber, with stainless steel blades.
- + Listed as dishwasher safe, and priced under $10 for both tools.
- - Not the OXO tool it replaces; HAMOER is a less established brand.
- - Plastic handle and no blade cover are listed.
#5OXO Good Grips etched zester and grater with a blade cover, non-slip foot and soft handle, for citrus, hard cheese, chocolate, garlic and ginger.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Etched surface for zesting citrus and grating hard cheese, chocolate and ginger.
- + Comes with a blade cover, non-slip foot and a hanging hole.
- + From an established kitchen brand and dishwasher safe.
- - A zester and grater only, with no channel knife for twists.
- - Listing gives little detail on blade material.
#6KITCHENDAO 2-in-1 citrus tool with a five-hole zester and a channel knife, suited to lemon zest and twists for cocktail garnishes.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 9/10
- + Combines a five-hole zester and a channel knife, covering both zest and long twists
- + Channel knife is described as aligned with the handle for easier garnish cutting
- + Priced under $10, an inexpensive way to add garnish tools to a bar kit
- - Two tools in one means neither is as specialized as a dedicated Microplane-style zester
- - Listing does not state the blade material in detail, so check the full description
#7Cambom three-piece grater set with fine, coarse and extra coarse holes plus a cleaning brush, handy for lemon zest, ginger and garnishes.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 8/10
- + Three grating grades in one set, so you can pick fine zest or coarser shreds
- + Includes a cleaning brush, which helps clear zest from the small holes
- + Priced under $10 for the full set, good value for bar and kitchen prep
- - Unknown brand with limited detail on materials in the listing
- - Built as a general kitchen grater set, not a bar-specific citrus zester
#8RSVP's citrus keeper and zester combo that stores cut citrus while giving a simple zesting tool.
Fit for the job 6/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 7/10
- + Citrus keeper preserves cut lemons and limes for later
- + Zester adds garnish flexibility for syrups and drink toppings
- + Handy combo for minimizing citrus waste between cocktail nights
- - Keeper takes fridge space for a single piece of fruit
- - Zester is less specialized than dedicated tools
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Zester creates strands rather than fine powdery zest (OXO Good Grips Citrus Zester With Channel Knife)
- No channel knife, so cocktail twists need a separate peeler (Deiss PRO Lemon Zester & Heavy Duty Cheese...)
- At $17.95 it costs more than generic zester graters. (Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester...)
- Not the OXO tool it replaces; HAMOER is a less established brand. (HAMOER Lemon Citrus Zester Channel knife for...)
- A zester and grater only, with no channel knife for twists. (OXO Good Grips Etched Zester & Grater |...)
- Two tools in one means neither is as specialized as a dedicated Microplane-style zester (KITCHENDAO Citrus Lemon Peeler Zester Tool to...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among citrus zesters?
OXO Good Grips Citrus Zester With Channel Knife is our top overall pick. OXO Good Grips' citrus zester with a channel knife for both fine zest and long cocktail twists. It earns our score of 9.2/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Deiss PRO Lemon Zester & Heavy Duty Cheese Grater is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Deiss PRO's heavy duty lemon zester and cheese grater with sharp stainless blades for fine citrus zest.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Cocktail Gear Hub independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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