Mandoline or grater: what’s the difference and when should you use each?
Slicing or grating: what each tool does, the right choice for each preparation, and the right appliance when you need cubes.
By Mohamed El Manssouri Kebriti · Updated October 23, 2026
Mandoline or grater: the mandoline slices, the grater shreds. The mandoline cuts neat, even slices or julienne sticks; the grater shaves fine strands, from coarse grating to zest. The two therefore do not produce the same dish: a gratin requires slices, while grated carrots or Parmesan require a grater. This guide compares the results, indicates which tool to choose for each preparation, and answers the questions we often ask ourselves before buying, right up to the right appliance for cubes. Mandolines and graters are featured in our kitchen mandoline and vegetable cutter collection.
The essentials
- Mandoline: slices, julienne, waffle cuts, custom thickness.
- Grater: coarse, medium or fine grating, zest.
- Grated carrots: grater or fine julienne, depending on the desired texture.
- Cubes: neither, a dicing cutter or a chopper.
Table of contents
- What is the difference between a mandoline and a grater?
- When to use the mandoline, when to use the grater?
- What is the best appliance for making grated carrots?
- What is the best appliance for cutting vegetables into cubes?
- What is another name for the mandoline?
- Mistakes to avoid
- For more information
What is the difference between a mandoline and a grater?
Take the same carrot and pass it over both tools: the result says it all about their difference.
The mandoline slides the vegetable over a fixed blade. Each pass removes an entire slice, at the chosen thickness. With a comb, the slice comes out in sticks: that's julienne.
The grater passes the food over a surface perforated with small teeth. Each tooth shaves off a strand. Depending on the size of the holes, you get coarse, medium or fine grating, or zest.
The motion is not the same either. The mandoline requires a long, steady movement; the grater, short back-and-forth motions.
Result: a clean cut that keeps the crunch on one side, and shredded fibers that melt or blend on the other.
Some graters have a slicing side, and some mandolines have a grating blade. These hybrid tools are useful in a pinch, but each remains best at its main task.
When to use the mandoline, when to use the grater?
The following table starts with the preparation, not the tool. It complements the drawing above with everyday dishes.
| Preparation | Recommended tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Potato gratin | Mandoline | Slices of the same thickness, which cook together |
| Vegetable chips | Mandoline | Very thin slices, around 1 mm |
| Cucumber, radish salad | Mandoline | Thin and neat rounds |
| Grated carrots | Grater, or fine julienne | Soft grating with the grater, crunchy sticks in julienne |
| Cheese for gratin, Parmesan | Grater | Strands that melt quickly |
| Lemon, ginger zest | Fine grater | Only the colored surface is taken |
| Shredded cabbage for a salad | Mandoline | Long and even strips |
If you mostly cook gratins and sliced raw vegetables, start with a mandoline. If you grate cheese and carrots every week, a good grater will serve you more.
What is the best appliance for making grated carrots?
It all depends on the texture you like. "Cafeteria" grated carrots are fine and soft; those from the deli are often julienne, crunchier.
- For soft grating: a coarse or medium-toothed grater. A collection box under the grater prevents making a mess.
- For a crunchy julienne: a mandoline with a 2 or 3 mm comb.
- For large quantities: a rotary, crank, or electric grater will be faster and keep fingers away from the teeth.
The 4-sided stainless steel grater with collection box does coarse, medium, fine grating and slices, and the grated food falls directly into a graduated box.
The 5-in-1 mandoline with julienne and grater offers a 2 mm julienne for fine carrots and a 3 mm one for zucchini, on a folding support.
For grated carrots that do not release water, season them just before serving, not the day before.
What is the best appliance for cutting vegetables into cubes?
Neither the mandoline nor the grater makes real cubes. The mandoline can cut sticks, which then need to be cut with a knife.
- For even cubes of firm vegetables: a pressure dicing cutter or a french fry cutter with a dicing grid.
- For small pieces of onion, garlic or vegetables for sauce: a vegetable chopper, manual or electric.
Our vegetable choppers are made for this job. Our guide how to chop vegetables quickly compares methods, from the knife to the electric chopper.
What is another name for the mandoline?
The mandoline goes by several names depending on the store and region, which sometimes causes confusion.
- Vegetable cutter: the broadest term, which also designates models with interchangeable blades.
- Slicer: often used for mandolines that slice thinly.
- Vegetable slicer: for models that mainly make slices, like the cabbage slicer.
- Mandoline grater: for models that add a grating blade.
Mistakes to avoid
Whether you choose one, the other, or both, these mistakes ruin the result.
- Grating a vegetable that is too soft: it gets crushed instead of being cut. Keep the grater for firm ones.
- Forcing on a poorly adjusted mandoline: raise the plate rather than pressing harder.
- Finishing the vegetable with your bare hand, on one or the other.
- Letting starch or cheese dry on the teeth: rinse right after use, with a brush.
For more information
Take a mandoline for slices and julienne, a grater for grating and zest. If you only want one tool, a mandoline with interchangeable blades and a fine grater covers most needs. Compare models in our kitchen mandoline and vegetable cutter collection.
- To choose yours, read how to choose a kitchen mandoline.
- To use it safely: how to use a mandoline without cutting yourself.
To discover all our other appliances, go to hachoir-cuisine.fr.