Kitchen utensils were invented for our convenience. The noodle spoon? Designed to better grip spaghetti noodles without having them slide off. The pizza cutter? Faster than trying to cut a 12-inch pizza with a 6-inch kitchen knife. And the potato peeler? It obviously exists to speed up (and safen) the potato peeling process for those delicious carby spheres. Before it came along, folks just used a knife. And while the knife method is still handy in a pinch, nothing makes you feel more like a Top Chef champion than gliding that $1 potato peeler over your future dinner and speedily stacking up a pile of peel strips. Believe it or not, though, you probably aren’t using this super simple kitchen gadget as effectively as you could.
How could you possibly use a potato peeler differently? Well, TikToker @Jenniabs3 illustrates the surprising way to use one with maximum efficiency. Spoiler alert: The tool is — wait for it — multi-directional.
“Fun kitchen facts,” starts @Jenniabs3 in her quick tutorial. “Did you know the reason why potato peelers swivel back and forth is so that you can not only go down but forward when you’re peeling so that you can peel the entire thing super fast? Without having to actually lift up the peeler off of the vegetable.
Suffice it to say, people’s minds are blown. “I’ve always gotten mad ‘cause I thought mine was just always loose,” admitted one commenter. Lamented another, “This is why we need cooking classes back in high school! How am I just finding this out at 26?”
A few commenters countered that potato peelers swivel to accommodate both left- and right-handed users. No official ruling on that, though, so just file it under “additional potato peeler hacks you never knew.”
In response to commenters claiming this multi-directional method is dangerous, @Jenniabs3 posted a follow-up video to explain why it isn’t. “OK, the reason why it’s literally impossible to cut yourself by doing it my way is because you’re never really lifting the blade off of the potato. So, you’re not actually putting the blade in a position to cut you.”
In fact, according to @Jenniabs3, you have a greater chance of cutting yourself using the OG way of peeling then lifting, peeling then lifting, and repeating.
Also worth mentioning: You can always wear thick utility gloves when peeling if you’re prone to accidental nicks in the kitchen.
Want to save even more time when cooking potatoes? Don’t peel them. If the texture isn’t a problem for you, keeping the peels intact will save many minutes. Plus, eating the skins or peels also adds up to more nutrients. According to PotatoGoodness.com, “the skin does contain approximately half of the total dietary fiber.” You’ll also get added potassium.
While bigger “baker” potato peels are thicker, smaller potatoes come with thinner, easier-to-eat skins. If you’re looking for an easier potato side dish, try the smaller potatoes. The ones from Little Potato Company actually come washed and ready to microwave. Talk about a time saver! But, really, any bag of little red or golden (or purple) potatoes will come with more manageable peels and cook up much faster.
