How to Peel Tomatoes and Kiwi with a Serrated Peeler
By triangle - gute Küchenhelfer und Werkzeuge für passionierte Köche | Published: 2026-10-28
Category: How-to Guides
Learn why a serrated stainless steel peeler is your best tool for peeling soft fruits like tomatoes and kiwi, plus step-by-step technique and troubleshooting.
Quick Answer
Use a serrated stainless steel peeler for soft fruits like tomatoes and kiwi – the teeth grip the skin without crushing the flesh, making peeling quick and neat.
Why a Serrated Peeler Works on Soft Skin
A standard smooth-blade peeler tends to slide over soft, slippery skins, often mashing the fruit. A serrated blade bites into the skin, giving you the control needed to remove thin layers without digging into the flesh.
The serrated edge is especially useful for tomatoes with delicate skin and kiwi with fuzzy, thin skin. It works on both left- and right-handed users, so it's a versatile addition to your kitchen tools.
Choosing the Right Peeler for the Job
While a serrated peeler is ideal for soft fruits, it's not the best choice for thick-skinned vegetables like butternut squash or for tasks requiring precision, such as making long decorative strips. For those, a smooth-blade peeler or a Y-peeler might be better.
If you frequently peel both soft fruits and firm vegetables, consider having both types on hand. But for the specific challenge of peeling tomatoes and kiwi, a serrated stainless steel peeler is your go-to tool.
Step-by-Step: Peeling Soft Fruit Without the Mess
- Symptom: The peeler slides off the fruit, or the fruit gets mushy when you try to peel it.
- Likely Cause: Using a smooth-blade peeler on soft, thin-skinned fruit. The blade cannot grip the surface, so it pushes into the flesh instead of cutting the skin.
- Corrective Action: Switch to a serrated stainless steel peeler. Hold the fruit firmly but gently, and use short, light strokes from top to bottom. For tomatoes, you can also score the bottom and blanch for 30 seconds to loosen the skin, but a serrated peeler often makes blanching unnecessary. If the skin still tears, try a lighter touch or a sharper angle – the serrated teeth should do the work.
- Stop or Choose Another Option: If you are peeling very ripe or soft tomatoes that are nearly falling apart, consider using a blanching method instead of a peeler. For kiwi, if you prefer to eat the skin, you can skip peeling entirely – just wash thoroughly. For large batches, a serrated peeler is still faster than a knife, but if you need perfectly smooth, unbroken strips, a smooth-blade peeler may be a better choice for firmer fruits.
Product Spotlight
- Schäler Edelstahl mit gezahnter Klinge: The triangle Schäler Edelstahl mit gezahnter Klinge is suitable for both left- and right-handed users and is available with a serrated blade. Its serrated edge grips soft skins like tomato and kiwi, preventing slipping and reducing waste.
Schäler Edelstahl mit gezahnter Klinge
