Gadgets: The Apple Peeler/Corer
Seeing as it's tradition to eat apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah, (the Jewish New Year coming up tomorrow night), it only made sense to whip out the baddest, most awesome apple gadget I've come to know: the Apple Peeler/Corer by Williams Sonoma ($28). Unlike most of the gadgets featured here, this is one of the most traditional, old-school toys around. No matter how many apple-centric tools appear on the market, there aren't any others I know that perform all three functions—peeling, coring, and slicing—at once.
The first time I saw the Apple Peeler/Corer, I honestly had a hard time wrapping my mind around how it worked. I got this much: You stick the apple into the spokes and crank. What happened between there and my perfectly sliced apple, I couldn't tell at first. Turns out there are three blades at work--the corer is the most obvious, and the slicer is built into its side. The peeler clearly works off the side rather than top-down, but is cleverly designed to adjust to the curves of the fruit. Each component is removable or adjustable for added uses. Sound like there's a lot going on? There is. And when it's in motion, it happens too fast for you to see it all.
This is definitely a sophisticated machine, but I do have two minor complaints. Those lacking kitchen space will agree that a more compact tool can be found (albeit not such an efficient one), and though the included recipe book suggests adjusting the peeler to make shoestring fries, I've found that it's best to let this guy do what it does best.
I know what you're thinking: Why bother spending the money when a handheld peeler and knife work just fine? I certainly couldn't fault that logic, but I'd suggest finding a friend with one to let you try it. What you'll find is that sometimes gadgets are just about making cooking fun, and that's exactly what this does.
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22 Comments:
I have one of these and really like it. And it is fun. My husband gets upset if I use it when he's not around, because he loves to do it. If you're doing several apples, it's much faster.
pianolady3 at 10:07AM on 09/17/09
It's also good for potatoes...
I got mine at Amazon.com for about $10 less.
gb944 at 10:20AM on 09/17/09
that does look fun!
gastronomeg at 10:29AM on 09/17/09
it looks fun, but i'd have no space to store it. I'll do it the old fashion way with a knife.
gargupie at 10:33AM on 09/17/09
I have had one of these for 2 years and I love it! Every fall we pick bushels of apples for pies, chutneys, sauce, etc. Without this, I'd either go crazy or just leave the skin in for everyone to pick out. Not to mention that it is so much fun that the kids do all the work for you anyway ;)
sarahdlr at 10:39AM on 09/17/09
this is actually really useful. Just like gb944 said, it's great for potatoes. Before thanksgiving we take out the piece that cores the apples and use it to peel all of our potatoes.
banana at 10:49AM on 09/17/09
I also love this peeler! I normally don't like single use tools, but I have muscular dystrophy that makes my hand coordination almost nonexistent and using a hand peeler is a tremendous source of aggrevation for me.
For the cheap price, this is one investment well worth it. Though I only used it for potatoes once because I feel the time it takes to adjust the screws is hard to get it back to the right place for apple coring, but if I had to do a large amount I'd use it.
For anyone who loves apple pies/desserts, but won't make them because of all the prep needed, this is the tool that makes apple pies fun! And it's true, people always love watching this gadget in action!
bobcatsteph3 at 11:42AM on 09/17/09
I've always wanted one... the Williams-Sonoma version looks nice, but I'm a little hesitant about the suction-cup bottom.
SSG Snuffy at 11:48AM on 09/17/09
the stock photo looks like the machine takes a large chunk of the flesh off with the skin. Is the peeler adjustable?
erich214 at 11:50AM on 09/17/09
It does tend to remove some flesh, but it is well worth it! For just one pie, this thing can make a juicy messy. However, the mess is well worth it when canning!
tomthewombat at 12:53PM on 09/17/09
use this with valencia juice oranges for mexican-style oranges sold 3 or 4 to a bag.
avisualperson at 1:35PM on 09/17/09
i only have two single-use tools in my kitchen - an olive/cherry pitter and this. Family holiday dinner preparations (for usually upwards of 20 people) are much more tolerable since this marvellous tool came into my life! Three apple pies and usually a few potato dishes are done in half the time.
plus, like pianolady3 said, at least 3+ family members (my mom, my grandmother, and my brother are some of the usual suspects) LOVE using it, so i can pass off menial tasks such as apple peeling/coring/slicing to them while i make ravioli for the masses!!
Golden at 1:43PM on 09/17/09
Oh, and SSG Snuffy - i was hesitant about that as well, but the suction cup has never failed me.
Golden at 1:44PM on 09/17/09
My mom had a Pampered Chef one growing up, but it clamped to the counter top.
meleyna at 2:19PM on 09/17/09
What you'll find is that sometimes gadgets are just about making cooking fun, and that's exactly what this does.
No way. I'm with Alton Brown: The only unitasker I want in my kitchen is a fire extinguisher. And maybe an olive pitter. I'll figure out another use for it, and justify it to myself that way.
RunningWithScissors at 2:49PM on 09/17/09
SSG, the suction bottom actually works pretty well! It's one of those things that you might have to do two or three times to get it right, but once you get it right, it's not going anywhere.
Erich, the peeler is adjustable--it has a little screw that you loosen and you can change the positioning on it to control how much you want to take off. The largest setting will be wide enough to theoretically cut shoestring potatoes (it's a little hit or miss in my experience) but the thinnest setting will just skim the surface. What Tom says about the juicy mess is entirely true, though!
Nikki Goldstein at 3:54PM on 09/17/09
I saw one of these at the Christmas Tree Shop this weekend...probably not as good of quality as WS but less expensive
lollie at 5:05PM on 09/17/09
@SSGsnuffy: I have one of these not from Williams-sonoma, which looks like it in every other way. Got it from the hardware store. Has a screw clamp on the bottom, so it has to attach to the edge of the table. That's sometimes inconvenient in terms of the juice that gets created, but on the other hand, I don't have to worry about the suction cup going (I've had other gadgets where the suction cup failed eventually).
@eric214. On my model and it appears on this model there's a wingnut screw that lets you adjust the amount of peel that's removed. This is way more peel than needs to be removed - unless it's an old, punky apple, which won't give a thin peel.
lemonfair at 6:46PM on 09/17/09
This is not a really NEW invention. My grandmother had one exactly like it iver 50 years ago. Works well and it's fun to crank it when you're having to stand on a stool to reach the cutting board..
suegsf at 7:27PM on 09/17/09
Why add more clutter to your kitchen if you can just use a paring knife? The time saved is really not that much.
PattyCho at 1:03AM on 09/18/09
This gadget (available in many places other than the overpriced WS) is a lifesaver at holidays. You can stick the kids working the apple slicer while you prepare the pie crust. Apple pie is not the same without this thing!
lefteyeislazy at 6:56AM on 09/18/09
Unlike other commenters, I have one of these and after trying it a few time, decided I hate using it. I'm going to have to give it away.
If your apples are slightly bumpy or misshaped, it doesn't work well. Adjusting the wingnut to change how much peel is coming off is harder to do than you would think. The suction cup on mine has never satisfactorily attached to any surface I've used. The metal parts started rusting after the first use.
The last time I used it, I decided a paring knife would have taken me about half the time. Good riddance!
disbelief11 at 1:11PM on 09/22/09