Life
There's Any Easier Way To Cut Corn Off The Cob — & It'll Change Your Grill Nights
Cutting corn off the cob with a knife sends kernels flying, and can be dangerous and inefficient. You’ll find dozens of gadgets that promise to do the job of removing corn kernels from the cob, but they range widely in how they work. Here are some things to look for as you shop for the best tools for cutting corn off the cob.
Peeler-style removers (sometimes called “strippers”) put your hands in a familiar position to remove corn kernels in strips, similar to peeling a carrot or cucumber. Depending on your preferences, you can find strippers on a Y-peeler body or a traditional straight handle.
Y-peelers have a curved bottom blade that removes the kernels from the cob, and a metal guard to prevent kernels from flying away. On a straight-handled peeler, you’ll generally find one sharp curved blade, and the back of the peeler itself contains kernels.
Circular strippers feature a plastic housing that surrounds a circular center blade. The housing serves as a grip for your hand, and these let you remove kernels from the cob in a single sweep.
Whichever tool you choose, it should be comfortable and safe to use. These are the best tools for cutting corn off the cob. Bonus: None of them involve a knife.
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1The Best Tool For Cutting Corn Off The Cob: Kuhn Rikon Corn Zipper
This “Corn Zipper” from Kuhn Rikon features stainless steel blades and a long ergonomic handle that’s easy to grip, thanks to a tapered neck and textured corn-inspired surface. The teeth on the curved blade are serrated and cleanly remove strips of kernels from the fibrous cob (do yourself a favor and watch the video demonstrating it in action). You can use the zipper on a cutting board or directly over a bowl for mess-free corn removal. It’s easy to clean by hand or in the dishwasher, and there’s a plastic blade guard to keep fingers safe if stored in a drawer with other utensils.
According to one reviewer: "OK, my husband and I are not much for gadgets, particularly very specialized gadgets. But this thing now holds a place of honor in our kitchen tool drawer. We grew corn two years ago and our biggest beef was trying to get it off the cob quickly and effectively. The knife was (pardon the pun) just not cutting it. Enter the zipper! We could get all the kernels off an ear with just four effortless passes of this mighty fine little tool. Thank you for offering it! Readying our corn for the freezer just got much, much easier."
2The Runner-Up: OXO Good Grips Corn Peeler
Featuring a straight-handled design, this corn peeler from OXO has a curved serrated blade that removes kernels in a sweeping motion away from the body. The generous handle is made from soft, nonslip material to give you control while using it, and since the blade has a serrated edge on both sides, it’s appropriate for right- and left-handed users. Depending on the size of your corn cob, the OXO can remove up to five rows of kernels in a single swipe. Like the Kuhn Rikoh, the OXO comes with a plastic blade guard for safe storage.
According to one reviewer: "This is an awesome little tool. Simple, neat, efficient. What more can you ask for. Takes the corn off the cob easily and neatly. I use to use a knife to do this, but the kennels would fly everywhere. This little tool gets right to the cob and smoothly takes the kennels off no mess. Love it."
3The Best Circular Stripper For Cutting Corn Off The Cob: Chef'n Cob Corn Stripper
This round stripper from Chef'n has a textured plastic guard that surrounds the entire ear of corn, and an inner ring blade that separates kernels from the cob. Simply hold the corn cob in your hand or place it upright on a flat surface, then use a twisting motion to push and pull it through this stripper. For best results, reviewers noted that it’s better to start on the tapered end of the cob. Instead of taking multiple passes like with a peeler, the Chef’n removes all of the kernels in a single twist and swipe. One thing to note: The corn cob needs to be the proper size to fit inside the outer guard.
According to one reviewer: "This is an awesome tool to decorn your cob. When I first seen it, I thought this is way to simple looking to work, but soon I was amazed at how simple it was to work. Fresh corn off the cob simply!"
