5 Essential Kitchen Tools for Every Fruit Fan

Whichever way you slice it, you don’t want anything getting between you and your fruit. Especially if you eat as much fruit as we do!

In addition to shipping unusual and hard-to-find fruit directly to your door, FruitStand loves showing you how to get the most out of every juicy bite. So we took a look at the kitchen tools we rely on most when developing recipes for the FruitStand Blog, and listed them here for you. Adding even one of these multi-tasking tools to your kitchen will open you up to whole new worlds of fruit enjoyment. 

Here are the top five tools every fruit fan should have in their kitchen:

Ceramic Knife

Have you ever sliced a fresh head of lettuce, only to see brown spots appear at the edges moments later? That’s caused by an oxidation reaction of the fruit coming into contact with oxygen and the metal of the knife. It’s harmless, but doesn’t look appetizing. With a ceramic knife, this browning is drastically reduced.

A ceramic knife is a great choice when cutting lettuce, delicate fruits, avocados - you name it! Just call it your new favorite fruit knife.

Next best thing: Lettuce Knife. Often made of plastic, a lettuce knife is a durable, serrated knife that is designed to cut leafy vegetables without causing oxidation. 

Mesh Strainers

If you already use mesh strainers, you probably keep them within reach at all times in the kitchen. Mesh strainers are used to make juices less pulpy, syrups more smooth, and adds overall consistency of texture to viscous liquids. Use it to strain fresh juices to catch runaway fruit seeds and minimize pulp for a different juice texture.

Usually made of stainless steel or other food-safe materials, mesh strainers have a rounded basket made of different gauges of screen depending on how finely you want to sift your ingredients. This basket or cup is then attached to a handle. They are more petit than most colanders, so cooks rely on them as a one-handed tool for precise sifting and straining needs.

Having a medium and a small mesh strainer is a great place to start since they will have the capacity you’re most likely to need. Look for one that ranges in diameter from about 7-10” for all purpose needs, and one that’s about 4-6” for smaller jobs. There are endless sizes and shapes of mesh strainers that you can add to your collection over time for more niche fruit applications. 

Next Best Thing: Nut Milk Bags. This is not an apples-to-apples comparison (see what we did there?) but in a pinch, nut milk bags made of cheese cloth or finely woven threads can work for some jobs where straining fruit is necessary.

Paring Knife

A sharp, well maintained paring knife will serve you for a lifetime. A paring knife is an essential kitchen tool that allows you to peel, carve and slice fruit with precision. A paring knife can be used to create curls of citrus zest, peel a ripe pear, and even carve away unwanted spots or blemishes. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be supreming blood oranges with the best of ‘em.

Selecting a knife is a personal experience. We recommend investing into the best knife you can for your budget. Look for one that feels weighty yet comfortable in your hand, and check that the knife is constructed with a full tang. This means that the knife and handle are constructed of one entire piece of metal, which is generally believed to offer better handling and overall knife quality. 

Next best thing: A small chef knife. Even a small chef knife won’t be as precise as a paring knife, but it can be easier to handle on delicate fruits than a standard chef knife.

Wooden Cutting Board

A well maintained wooden cutting board is considered to be among the best for preparing fruits and vegetables. Select a board that’s large enough for you to work, but not so heavy that it’s difficult to pick up and use. Start with a cutting board that’s roughly 12x18 inches to 15x20 large. You’re likely to collect more than one cutting board over time, but this will be a size you’ll use often. 

Next best thing: A similarly sized plastic cutting board fitted with a wet towel underneath for sturdy traction.

Citrus Juicer Dish

No matter what kind of citrus life gives you, this tool can squeeze it. Perhaps the most practical of citrus tools, a classic juice squeezing dish that holds about eight ounces of juice will get you far. 
A citrus juicing dish has a pointy part in the middle, called a reamer, that is used to squeeze juice from citrus fruit pulp. Often made of glass or ceramic, the reamer is surrounded by a high-walled dish to capture the fresh juice. The dish typically features a built-in spout and handle made perfectly for your pointer finger to make juice easily pourable after squeezing.   

While we love handheld juice presses for squeezing lots of lemons and limes at once, you can’t beat a juicing dish for the range of citrus it accommodates. In a citrus juicing dish, bulbous grapefruits will be just as easy to juice as plump little limes. Try putting a pomelo half into a hand press and see how far you get.

Next best thing: Citrus reamer. A citrus reamer is the pointy part in the center of the citrus juicing dish. Instead of surrounding it in a dish with a spout, the reamer stands alone on a handle to be used as a tool. It’s practical and can be stored in a drawer, but you’re on your own with the seeds.

Tell Us What You Think

Adding even one of these multi-tasking tools to your kitchen will open you up to whole new worlds of fruit enjoyment. Did we miss one? Tell us your go-to kitchen tools that make fruit-prep easy on Instagram @fruitstandcom!