Best Peeler for Oranges and Other Citrus Fruits

After spending over 5 hours peeling hundreds of Valencia and Navel oranges we can safely say that the Tupperware orange peeler is the best citrus peeler available. If you are looking for something a little more upmarket then the Alessi Apostrophe might be just the peeler for you and also comes highly recommended.

There is nothing better than biting into the juicy flesh of a fresh orange. Not only are oranges delicious but are also loaded with Vitamin C, the perfect fruit for flu season.

The problem is that the good stuff is often hidden behind tough skin. If you frequently find yourself reaching for an orange you will know just how difficult they can be to peel.

And if you have kids like me who also have a taste for oranges you can find yourself peeling far more than your thumbnails can take.

That’s where citrus peelers come in. A citrus peeler is essentially a tool that allows you to easily remove the skin from oranges or any other citrus fruit you enjoy eating such as grapefruits or mandarins.

And boy do citrus peelers make life easier. Just check out how easy it is demonstrating our favorite orange peeler from Tupperware.

How to peel an orange with a citrus peeler

1. Grab your peeler – Whether you are using a metal or plastic peeler you are going to want to find the part with a sharp hook.

2. Pierce the skin – Insert the hook of the peeler into the skin at the top of your orange(or other citrus fruit).

3. Make a slice – Slice down the orange from top to bottom. You may need to apply pressure when peeling tougher orange skin.

4. Repeat– Repeat these slices on each quarter of your orange. The peel of the orange should now have 4 slices in it.

5. Get peeling – Now you can simply lever your fingers in between each slice and pull the skin away, a quarter at a time. While many peelers have a thin piece that you can slide under the skin of the orange to assist with removing it we found it much easier to use our hands.

6. Enjoy – And just like that you have peeled your orange. Now all that is left to do is devour it.

Testing citrus peelers on more oranges than we could count

But not all citrus peelers are created equally. That’s why we rounded up some of the most popular citrus peelers on the market and set to work testing them out.

As you can see, the orange peelers we tested come in all different shapes and sizes. While all achieve the same function, peeling an orange, they perform the task quite differently.

Let’s start with our favorite orange peelers:

Stick Citrus Peelers

These orange are essentially small hooks that you hold in your hand. They don’t take up much room in storage and were the most effective way of peeling an orange

Our two favorite citrus peelers came from this bunch, one of which we outright award as the winner of best orange peeler:

Tupperware – Best All-round Citrus Peeler

When it came to peeling an orange the simple yet sturdy design of Tupperware’s stick peeler could not be beaten. Sturdy, washes well and effective. Believe it or not, this design has stood the test of time, Tupperware consultants used to give these out for attending Tupperware parties back in the 70’s.

Whether the rind was thick or thin, the Tupperware peeler had no trouble scoring the skin without damaging the flesh beneath, which would result in a juicy mess. We tested the peeler on oranges and grapefruits and were impressed each and every time.

Coming in a pack of ten you will have more than you could ever need in one life time. Give the spares as gifts to your orange munching friends. Just be mindful that they do ship in random colors.

Alessi Apostrophe – Best Looking Citrus Peeler

Alessi is well known for their gorgeous Kitchen products and their orange peeler is no different. Functional and good looking, you can keep this peeler on display on your kitchen counter and it looks like a small piece of art.

Held between the forefinger and thumb, the Alessi Peeler easily scored the skin of oranges and grapefruits for easy removal. Cleaning was as simple as running the peeler under warm water after use.

The only downside is that the Alessi orange peeler comes at a price and is the most expensive peeler that we tested. But if you are a sucker for well designed kitchen products then you can’t go past it.

Stick Citrus Peeler Runner-Ups

Progressive Citrus Peeler GT-3339 – Essentially a modern version of the Tupperware orange peeler. Unfortunately it falls short in comparison. The plastic blade was more difficult to score oranges with than our top pick. While the knife end was a little too wobbly to effectively lever the skin off tougher oranges. The price is also too high considering you only get a single citrus peeler.

Pampered Chef Citrus Peeler – Identical to the Progressive Citrus Peeler above but at a cheaper price.

WingKnife orange Peeler – The serrated edges of the WingKnife just didn’t work as well as the hook style found on other plastic peelers. The angle and pressure required to make the right slice took trial and error. While it may be functional it just isn’t practical.

Bird Citrus Peeler – A popular citrus peeler in Japan with a cute bird design. The beak of the bird scores the rind while the tail can be used to remove it from the flesh. The wing can be removed and becomes second citrus peeler. However the wing kept falling out when we put it into storage.

Large Handled Citrus Peelers

These citrus peelers work the same as the stick styled peelers above except that they have a larger handle, making them easier to grip. Whether or not you prefer a larger handle all comes down to personal preference.

One tester with arthritis commented that the larger handle made peeling much easier while others were not particularly impressed. The larger size makes these peelers easier to find at the bottom of your kitchen tool drawer. But on the flipside they also take up more space.

Chef’N ZeelPeel – Best Large Handled Citrus Peeler

Both adult and kid friendly, the Chef’N Zeel peal not only allows you to easily slice the skin of an orange but peel it too. Since it’s made of durable plastic, you can expect this tool to last for many years. Plus, you won’t have a hard time keeping it clean because you can just toss it in the dishwasher along with your other kitchen tools.

Simply use the point to score the rind of your orange into quarters. With that done you insert the base of the head into the gap and pull down, completely removing the section of the skin from the orange without tearing it. Works on mangos too!

Large Handled Citrus Peeler Runner-up

The following stainless steel citrus peelers fell short in one way or another.

Oxo Good Grips Citrus Peeler – While we loved the curved handle of the Oxo citrus peeler, the blade piece digs too far into the skin. When peeling citrus fruits we kept cutting the flesh inside, resulting in a juicy mess. A delicate touch is required in order to only cut the rind and pith while leaving the flesh intact. That said, we expect the steel blade to far outlast plastic peelers and can even be sharpened with a file when it begins to dull.

Ring Citrus Peelers

Pull out ring peeler, slid it over your finger and move your hand over the orange to peel it. Sounds simple, right?

Unfortunately ring peelers were the least effective when it came to removing the skin of an orange. The main problem comes from the length of the spike used to pierce the skin of the orange. It’s too short.

As you might have guessed, this makes removing thicker skin of larger oranges an impossible task, the spike just isn’t long enough to cut through both the skin and pith of an orange.

Testers also found using a ring on your hand much more awkward when it came to applying pressure to cut the skin of the orange.

Evriholder – Best Ring Citrus Peeler

If you have to have a ring peeler then the Evriholder was as good as they come. The pointed piece of plastic is the sharpest out of the ring peelers we tested and the over-all build quality of the plastic was thick and burr free.

You can use this simple fruit peeler for peeling all kinds of citrus fruits and scoring vegetables. The finger hole lets you get a good grip, so you’ll find it easy to maneuver. Unfortunately, the small cutting point may not be enough to peel oranges with thicker skin.

Ring Citrus Peeler Runner-up

The following stainless steel citrus peelers fell short in one way or another.

Fox Run Orange Peeler – Cheap and nasty, there is no other way to put it. Don’t be fooled by the cheap price, this is the most ineffective way to peel an orange. The plastic is thin, has sharp, scratchy seams from manufacturing and the blade is blunt.

Chef Craft Orange Peelers – While it may look similar to the Fox Run peeler, the Chef Craft peeler is at least capable of peeling an orange. Coming in a pack of four at a bargain price they may be a fun way to keep your kids entertained while encouraging healthy eating. Just don’t expect them to last.

Generic Orange Skin Remover – We found this orange remover available under many different generic brand names. Surprisingly the two-ring design actually made holding the peeler more difficult than a single ring.

Stainless Steel Citrus Peelers

Technically you could call these barware. Stainless steel citrus peelers are better suited to cutting fun shapes out of both the peel of the orange and the flesh inside. The included channel knife allows you to make long ribbons or twists of orange rind to use as a garnish.

While this peeler may be perfect for cocktails, it’s design makes it less friendly for regular orange peeling. The blade makes a slice that it too thin to properly get your fingers inside, instead requiring you to use the side of the peeler to pry the skin from the orange which proved to be a more fiddly than our other top picks.

However, since many people use these tools as orange peelers we simply had to compare them to our other top picks.

Westmark – Best Stainless Steel Citrus Peeler

The Westmark citrus peeler blew the competition out of the water. The stainless steel head was a showcase of German workmanship. The serrated teeth are finely honed, the channel knife has been sharpened and the handle is easy to grip.

We particularly liked how Westmark had honed one edge of the knife, making it thinner and better suited to leveraging up orange peel and separate it from the flesh. What’s more, the soft-touch handle makes it comfortable to use.

Stainless Steel Citrus Peeler Runner-up

The following stainless steel citrus peelers fell short in one way or another.

Mercer Culinary Orange Peeler – While it may look similar to the Westmark orange peeler above, the Mercer Culinary is poor quality in comparison. The serrated teeth are smaller, the channel knife is blunt and the handle is slippery. This is a prime example of how Chinese metalwork just can’t compete with that of Germany. Given that it is more expensive than the Superior Westmark orange peeler above, we recommend you avoid this.

Paderno World Cuisine Orange Peeler – Our least favorite of the Stainless steel citrus peelers. While it may be heavy and well built, the design is less than ergonomic. The all-stainless steel handle was slippery and prevented our testers from keeping a good grip. The blade is better described as a grapefruit knife than a dedicated citrus peeler, requiring a sawing motion to remove the skin.

Rosle Grapefruit/Orange Knife A two-in one device that fails succeed at either. Do not be fooled by the claims that the Rosle Orange knife is designed and engineered in Germany, it is manufactured in China. Unsurprisingly, this product also fell short when we tested and reviewed grapefruit knives.

Which Peeler Is Best for Oranges?

In the end, your choice of fruit peeler will depend on your personal preferences. For many, the most effective are stick peelers. An excellent example of this is the one from Tupperware.

Having been around for decades, it’s no surprise that many households prefer this kind of orange peeler. It’s easy to use, and you won’t have to find a special storage space for it. It also comes in a set, so you can easily give some to friends and family.

On the other hand, you’d be better off with the Chef’N ZeelPeel if you want an orange peeler with a secure grip. Its larger and comfier handle gives you more control, allowing you to maneuver the tool easily and safely. As the ultimate all-purpose Y peeler, you can use it on other kinds of fruits too.