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See why.Tomato Corers
We put five tomato corers to the test, but would any of them work better than a paring knife?
Published June 1, 2014. Appears in Cook's Country TV Season 8: Grilled Salmon and Stuffed Tomatoes
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See Everything We TestedWhat You Need To Know
Tomato corers help you hollow out the stem and the tough, tasteless core of a tomato. But do they work any better than a paring knife? We tested five models, all priced under $8, and rated each on speed, precision, and comfort compared with our winning paring knife.
Surprisingly, every model but one went through tomatoes faster than a knife; this is because they make a continuous scoop instead of several angled cuts. The lone slowpoke is actually a strawberry huller, but the manufacturer claims that it works on tomatoes, too. We found that it plucked out the stem with ease, but its metal prongs were too short to reach the bottom of the core, about halfway down a large tomato, and we had to clean up with a knife; we’ll stick with strawberries and small tomatoes with this huller.
The remaining four corers look like small spoons with serrated edges. Some had uncomfortable handles that were too thin and slick or flat and sharp; others were dull, and we had to force them through the flesh, beating up our tomatoes. The best model was deft and lightweight; it made the cleanest, easiest cuts and has a rounded-off plastic handle that was comfortable in hands large and small. A knife works well, but this inexpensive corer cut our prep time in half—handy when you’re working with large quantities of tomatoes for stuffing, canning, or making sauce.
Everything We Tested
Recommended
- Speed: 3 stars out of 3.
- Comfort: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Precision: 3 stars out of 3.
This lightweight winning corer has the best head-handle combination for comfort and sharp, neat scooping. It made tidy cuts and went through tomatoes twice as fast as a paring knife did.
- Speed: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Comfort: 3 stars out of 3.
- Precision: 2.5 stars out of 3.
This corer had the best handle: big, grippy, and comfortable. But it had a slightly duller serrated edge than our winner, so we had to use a bit more force, though not enough to mangle our tomatoes.
Recommended with reservations
- Speed: 3 stars out of 3.
- Comfort: 1 stars out of 3.
- Precision: 3 stars out of 3.
This cheap, deft little corer expertly sliced through tomato flesh, but the flat metal handle was sharp, too, and dug into our hands after a while. We found this tool useful for projects with five tomatoes or fewer but would likely just use a knife.
- Speed: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Comfort: 3 stars out of 3.
- Precision: 2 stars out of 3.
This huller’s pincer-style prongs plucked out the stem with an easy twist, but it couldn’t retrieve bits of core left deeper in the body of the tomato. This tool works best with small tomatoes and strawberries.
Not Recommended
- Speed: 2 stars out of 3.
- Comfort: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Precision: 1.5 stars out of 3.
This corer was the dullest and turned out ragged tomatoes because we had to use more force to push through the skin. It also had a thin, round handle made of smooth metal that was slippery and cramped our hands.
Reviews you can trust
Reviews you can trust
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