Food & Cooking Baking The Best Apple Corers, Slicers, and Peelers for Your Fall Baking Projects These tools will make prep as easy as pie. By Abigail Abesamis Demarest Abigail Abesamis Demarest Instagram Twitter Abigail is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Published on October 12, 2021 09:28AM EDT Share Tweet Pin Email We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Photo: Courtesy of Amazon Do you make pie after pie or do you prefer to make a mix of different seasonal recipes, like applesauce, apple crumble, and apple-cider doughnut cake? For those bushels of apples you bring home—whether you picked them yourself or bought them from your local grocery store or farmers' market—there are a variety of apple tools that will help you peel, core, and slice these fruits with ease. This is especially important when you're baking something like Martha's Mile-High Apple Pie, which requires prepping five pounds of apples. What tools are most useful? For Jürgen David, director of pastry research and development at the Institute of Culinary Education, a Y-peeler is a must. "I prefer the Y shape over a standard peeler shape because it gets a better grip on the apple and I have more control over the peeler," he said. David recommends looking for a peeler with a comfortable and ergonomically-designed grip. He also listed a melon baller as a must-have apple tool, as they can be used to core apples. "You can also use it to scoop apples for poaching or roasting, and the melon baller will create a really nice shape," David said. He recommends looking for one with two different sized scoops on each end to give you more flexibility on size. Khoran Horn, chef and owner of Stripp'd Juice and Guardhouse in Philadelphia, is all about multitasking tools like a rotary apple peeler and corer. "This will kill two birds with one stone and allow you to crank out peeled apples for a multitude of reasons: cider, pies, cobblers, or even to brighten up a salad," he said. "Also, you can't go wrong with the classic push down doohickey that wedges the apple with sheer brute force once they are peeled." Top Picks Best Peeler: Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler 3-Pack Best Multipurpose Tool: Microplane 2-In-1 Apple Tool Best Corer: Martha Stewart Collection Apple Corer Best Paring Knife: Linoroso Paring Knife Best Tabletop Tool: Williams Sonoma Apple Peeler/Corer Our Favorite Apple Recipes Best Peeler Courtesy of Amazon A solid peeler is essential for apple prep, but you'll also use it for other fruits and vegetables. If you're in the market for a new peeler, this Y-shaped option from Kuhn Rikon is the one to get: According to the brand, they've sold more than 20 million peelers around the world since they started making them in 1986, and each one has a razor-sharp carbon steel blade that's been designed to maximize smoothness and minimize waste. Shop Now: Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler, $14.29 for three, amazon.com. Best Multipurpose Tool Courtesy of Sur La Table Peel and core apples with this multipurpose tool made of stainless steel with a soft-touch handle. It has a serrated blade on one end for coring and a straight edge on the other for smooth peeling. There are protective covers included for both ends of the tool to ensure that the side that isn't being used doesn't hurt you. Shop Now: Microplane Two-in-One Apple Tool, $12.95, surlatable.com. Best Corer Courtesy of Macy's Bring a little Martha into your kitchen with her apple corer that's part of the Martha Stewart Collection available exclusively at Macy's. The serrated blade is made of stainless steel, while the comfortable handle is made of silicone and nylon. Hand washing is recommended to extend the longevity of this handy tool. Shop Now: Martha Stewart Collection Apple Corer, $17, macys.com. Best Paring Knife Courtesy of Amazon mincing, slicing, and dicing Useful for apples and so much more, a paring knife is perfect for mincing, slicing, and dicing smaller foods. This Linoroso Paring Knife measures 3.5 inches long, has a stainless steel handle, and a high carbon stainless steel blade. Shop Now: Linoroso Paring Knife, $19.95, amazon.com. Best Tabletop Tool Courtesy of Williams Sonoma pears This old-fashioned tool peels, cores, and slices apples, pears, and potatoes using a hand crank. It has a suction base that grips the countertop and keeps it stable, and makes a tedious task fun; you can even get the kids involved. It's made of sturdy enameled cast steel. Shop Now: Williams Sonoma Apple Peeler/Corer, $54.95, williams-sonoma.com. Best Wedger Courtesy of Sur La Table Slice up apples into eight equal pieces and remove the core with one downward push with this wedger and corer from Rösle. It's made of stainless steel and has wide handles that offer a good grip and help distribute the pressure when you're pushing down. It also comes with a lifetime warranty. Shop Now: Rösle Wedger/Corer, $36, surlatable.com. Best Melon Baller Courtesy of OXO melon ballers In addition to scooping out perfect little balls of watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew, melon ballers can also be used to core apples and scoop out spheres for poaching or roasting. This option by OXO is durable and double-sided, with edges that are sharp enough to scoop into firm fruits like apples. Like all OXO products, it has a comfortable non-slip handle. Shop Now: OXO Good Grips Melon Baller, $10.99, oxo.com. Best Mandoline Courtesy of Amazon a mandoline is a must For beautifully thin, perfectly uniform apple slices, a mandoline is a must. This one comes with six different blades for all your slicing needs: three millimeter mandoline, five millimeter mandoline, julienne, ribbon cut, grater, and spiral cut. There's also a finger guard and a protective glove to keep you safe while you're using the mandolin, and a cleaning brush and blade organizer for easy cleanup and storage. Shop Now: Fullstar Mandoline Slicer, $22.99, amazon.com. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit