A grater is a kitchen tool covered with sharp-edged holes that shreds food into tiny pieces when you rub it across the surface. Picture a flat or box-shaped metal tool with lots of small, rough holes. When you press a block of cheese against it and slide the cheese downward, thin strips come curling out the other side.

Graters work especially well for hard cheeses like Parmesan or cheddar, but cooks also use them for vegetables like carrots or potatoes, citrus peels for zest, chocolate, ginger root, and nutmeg. Different sides of a box grater have different sized holes: large holes make thick shreds for tacos or pizza, while tiny holes create an almost powdery texture perfect for sprinkling over pasta.

Using a grater requires some caution since those holes are sharp enough to scrape your knuckles if you're not careful. Many cooks keep a close eye on their fingers as the food gets smaller, sometimes switching to a fork to hold the last bit more safely.