282681 Wed Jan 25 11:46:21 -0800 2006 15 31 Home Cooking 0 1507105 Having priced microplanes at various kitchen supply stores...I have a question. Wouldn't it be much cheaper to purchase one at a local hardware store? Or are they made from a different material that would react with the acidity in citrus? Wed Jan 25 11:46:21 -0800 2006 0 phoebe 1 1507110 I have a $1.39 rasp grater from the Home Despot that works great as a microplane grater. It even came with a plastic cover. Wed Jan 25 12:11:40 -0800 2006 1507105 0 Das Ubergeek 2 1507114 What kind of material is your rasp/grater made of? I would think nothing would be acceptable to use other than stainless steel because of the reactivity. If the HD rasp is not s.s., have you experienced any problems with it? Wed Jan 25 12:27:52 -0800 2006 1507110 0 phoebe 3 1507143 It's metal... couldn't tell you if it's stainless steel, but I've never noticed any problems with it colouring my food or rusting. If it rusted I'd throw it out and buy another. Wed Jan 25 14:26:41 -0800 2006 1507114 0 Das Ubergeek 1 1507111 Rasps are the closest tool I can think of that resemble a microplane, but they don't have holes, just teeth for grinding away excess wood. The shavings aren't saved, like you are trying to do with a microplane. If you see something at the hardware store that IS like a microplane, you'd want to make sure it's stainless (not cast steel)like a microplane, for ease of cleaning and for non-reactivity with foods. Microplanes are pricey, but reasonable for the quality of the job they do. They are SO sharp and should remain so forever with decent care. I think overall they're a real bargain. Below is a link to some microplane products. I see that most are now ON SALE. I love my nutmeg grater! (I didn't buy it here) Link: http://www.chefsresource.com/tools-microplane-graters.html Wed Jan 25 12:16:03 -0800 2006 1507105 0 toodie jane 2 1507116 Actually the original microplanes WERE from hardware stores, and they do have holes. Think Stanley Sure-Form tools. THe relatively low price of these hardware items was appealing to cooks. Now available as a houseware item they cost considerably more. Link: http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp?TYPE=CATEGORY&CATEGORY=SURFORM+TOOLS+AND+BLADES Wed Jan 25 12:30:38 -0800 2006 1507111 0 Two Forks 3 1507147 It's been too long since I was in the right section of the store, evidently!!! I wonder how come I've never seen these....I love to noodle around in hardware stores! Wed Jan 25 14:36:05 -0800 2006 1507116 0 toodie jane 3 1507280 i have that one. my only complaint is that it doesn't have a handle, but that's not a major complaint for me. works great, no bad reactions. Thu Jan 26 07:50:46 -0800 2006 1507116 0 hobokeg 1 1507122 I purchased my stainless steel microplane years ago from the Lee Valley woodworking tools catalog. They still offer them, and they're less expensive than most online cookware sources. Link: http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=32458&cat=2,40733,44734 Wed Jan 25 13:01:19 -0800 2006 1507105 0 ld 1 1507176 I did just what you mentioned. Went to Sears and bought one from the hardware department. Oh brother,what a mistake. Not at all the same. I finally, after having gone to Mar/Ro/TJ/WMt/Tarjay, bought mine at Bed/Bath/Barnyard for $12.99 I love it. It is so useful and worth every cent. Wed Jan 25 16:33:14 -0800 2006 1507105 0 CookinFool 2 1507179 ..........I didn't mention the one I got from Sears was a rasp. It was made of cast iron or something (black and heavy) like that. It did have holes but they were so small nothing came out. A lemon rind isn't hard enough to 'push' through the teeny weeny holes. It DID rust after that first try at washing and I returned it with dried lemon rind still in tact. Couldn't get it out. But put it back in the card board sleeve it came in and thankfully, no one noticed. They placed it in the box, 'return to vendor' so it wouldn't get resold. Wed Jan 25 16:41:23 -0800 2006 1507176 0 CookinFool 3 1507308 They come with different sized holes, depending on the mfg. Genereally if you clean and dry them they will not rust. You didn't feel guilty about returning something that you ruined? How is that any different from stealing? Thu Jan 26 10:39:04 -0800 2006 1507179 0 Two Forks 4 1507393 TwoForks, please! Stealing, I think not. I worked in management in a huge department store for 7 years. I got returns all the time and know how that all works. The vendor comes in a scoops up their stuff, the store gets credit. I think we own stock in Sears. We have bought everything major from their over all of these years as has our parents, both sides. We have a preferred card. With all the money we've spent there, stealing, not even close. How many things have we purchased there that were dumb or didn't meet our needs that we kept? I knew someone would comment on my post. Thanks for not disappointing me TwoForks. Thu Jan 26 15:14:07 -0800 2006 1507308 0 CookinFool 5 1507407 You stole from the vedor, simple as that. You knew you were being deceitful and you admit to as much when you say, 'thankfully no one noticed', you had used the product. You can justify all you like but you know what you did was wrong. Thu Jan 26 16:11:13 -0800 2006 1507393 0 Homer J 6 1507428 wow, for once I completely agree with Two Forks. You indeed appear to be begging to be called out on bad behavior . . . Return the thing, fine but to pass it off as unused merch in the original packaging . . . you know you done wrong. Send it to The Ethicist column at the New York Times if you have any doubts. (boy, sure hope I spelled 'Ethicist' right) on the topic of culinary microplanes, which have handy rubberized handles to make things easier . . . Wasn't the stainless hardware store version the original that inspired the eventual zester/hardcheese version? Thu Jan 26 17:51:05 -0800 2006 1507407 0 pitu 1 1507195 My husband is a woodworker. I've "borrowed" several of his hardware store microplanes. They are wonderful and come in many more sizes than those available from cookware stores. A rasp is NOT a microplane -- these are not interchangable items. It would be like using a meat saw for a paring knife. Granted, each will cut but have very different applications. Wed Jan 25 17:59:07 -0800 2006 1507105 0 Sherri