Best Electric Potato Peeler (And the Crank Peelers That Beat Most of Them)

An electric potato peeler promises to peel a sack of potatoes while you stand back. Some come close.

But most handheld electric peelers sold online come from brands with no store of their own. There is nowhere to check stock, warranty or spare parts.

So this guide takes a wider view. It recommends one powered peeler from a major brand, plus two hand-crank peelers that handle potatoes fast and cost little. Every pick was confirmed on its maker’s own store.

The short version: If you own a KitchenAid stand mixer, the KitchenAid 7 Blade Spiralizer Plus With Peel, Core and Slice is the best electric potato peeler. It runs off the mixer’s power hub. Without a stand mixer, the Norpro Apple Master With Vacuum Base and Clamp is a hand-crank machine that peels potatoes and costs $21 at Norpro’s price.

Our Picks at a Glance

• Best electric (stand mixer owners): KitchenAid 7 Blade Spiralizer Plus With Peel, Core and SliceJump to review ↓
• Best crank peeler for potatoes: Norpro Apple Master With Vacuum Base and ClampJump to review ↓
• Best lightweight crank peeler: Johnny Apple Peeler VKP1210 Aluminum BodyJump to review ↓

Every peeler above was available to buy on its maker’s own store when we checked. Norpro listed its peeler as “In stock,” Johnny Apple Peeler’s maker showed “Add to cart,” and KitchenAid showed an add-to-cart button. Prices change often.

Peeler	Power	Mount	What It Does	Maker’s Price
KitchenAid Spiralizer Plus KSM2APC	KitchenAid stand mixer power hub	Attaches to mixer	Peels, cores, slices, spiralizes	Not shown on the page we checked
Norpro Apple Master 865	Hand crank	Vacuum base plus clamp	Peels, cores, slices; curly fries	$21.00
Johnny Apple Peeler VKP1210	Hand crank	Suction base	Peels, cores, slices	$24.99

1. KitchenAid 7 Blade Spiralizer Plus With Peel, Core and Slice: Best Electric (Stand Mixer Owners)

This is the only powered peeler in this guide from a major brand. It is an attachment, not a standalone machine. It plugs into the power hub on the front of a KitchenAid stand mixer. The mixer’s motor turns the potato while the blade peels.

KitchenAid says it works with all KitchenAid stand mixers. So if you already own one, you get an electric peeler without adding another appliance to the counter.

It does more than peel. The kit includes spiralizing and slicing blades, so you can make spiral potatoes, curly fries, zucchini noodles and sliced apples. You can peel only by fitting just the peeling blade.

Push the potato onto the skewer, set the peeling blade against it, and switch on the mixer. The blade follows the curve as the potato turns.

It works best on regular, oval potatoes. Very knobby potatoes can leave patches of skin.

Who should buy it: KitchenAid stand mixer owners who want powered peeling and spiralizing without another appliance.

2. Norpro Apple Master With Vacuum Base and Clamp: Best Crank Peeler for Potatoes

The name says apple, but Norpro sells this as an apple and potato machine. It says the Apple Master handles potatoes, pears, onions and root vegetables like russets and sweet potatoes.

Turn the crank and the potato moves past a spring-loaded blade. It peels in a spiral. Remove the coring and slicing blade and you get a whole peeled potato. Leave it on and you get spiral slices for curly fries.

Norpro says it makes curly fries, potato chips on a stick, scalloped potatoes and onion twists. That makes it more useful than a peeler alone.

The clamp is the big advantage. It grips a table edge or rough counter where a suction cup would slip. It is also the cheapest pick here.

Who should buy it: Anyone who peels potatoes in bulk and does not own a KitchenAid mixer.

3. Johnny Apple Peeler VKP1210 Aluminum Body: Best Lightweight Crank Peeler

The VKP1210 is a lighter take on the classic crank peeler. Its maker says the adjustable peeling arm adapts to produce, and it mentions potatoes as well as apples.

The peeling blade can be set for thick or thin peels. You can remove the coring and slicing blade to peel only.

Aluminum is lighter than cast iron and does not rust in the same way. That suits potato peeling, which is wet work.

The spare blades are useful. Potatoes can carry grit that dulls a blade faster than apples do.

It uses a suction base, so it needs a smooth, non-porous counter.

Who should buy it: Anyone with a smooth counter who wants a light, easy-to-store crank peeler.

Why Handheld Electric Peelers Are Not Picks

Handheld electric potato peelers usually work one of two ways. Some spin the potato inside a bowl lined with a rough surface. Others clamp the potato between two points and turn it past a blade.

The best known is the Starfrit Rotato Express. We could not confirm it on Starfrit’s own store, so it is not a pick. The many other models sold online under changing brand names have no maker store at all. That makes it hard to know whether you can get a replacement blade, a warranty repair or even the same product next year.

They also have practical limits:

• Shape matters. Round, smooth potatoes peel well. Long, knobby or oddly shaped ones leave patches.
• Size limits. Very large or very small potatoes may not fit the clamps.
• Waste. Some take off more flesh than a sharp hand peeler.
• Speed. One potato at a time, often no faster than a skilled cook with a Y-peeler.

If you have arthritis or limited grip strength, a powered peeler can still help. Look for one from a brand that lists a warranty and sells spare blades.

Other Fast Ways to Peel Potatoes

You may not need a machine at all. These methods work well.

The Boil-and-Slip Method

Boil potatoes whole in their skins until tender. Drain them and drop them into ice water for a minute. The skins slip off with your fingers. This is the fastest way to peel a lot of potatoes for mashing or potato salad.

A big pot helps. Our guide to the best stockpot with a lid covers pots large enough for a family batch.

A Sharp Y-Peeler

A Y-shaped peeler takes wide, even strips and is fast once you get the rhythm. Keep it sharp. A dull peeler skids and tears.

Do Not Peel

Many recipes do not need peeled potatoes. Roasted potatoes, baked potatoes, smashed potatoes and fries all work with the skin on. Scrub the potatoes well and skip the step.

Use a Pressure Cooker

Pressure-cooked potatoes peel easily. Our guide on what an Instant Pot is explains the basics, and a steamer basket for Instant Pot keeps potatoes out of the water.

Commercial Potato Peelers for Restaurants

Restaurants that peel potatoes by the sack use a different kind of machine. A commercial potato peeler is a drum lined with an abrasive surface. Potatoes tumble inside while water sprays in. The rough lining scrubs the skin off, and the water carries it away.

These machines are large, plumbed into water and a drain, and priced for food service. They are sold through restaurant supply dealers rather than home kitchen stores.

For a home kitchen, even a big family, they are overkill. A crank peeler or a stand mixer attachment covers holiday batches. If you cater events or run a small food business, ask a restaurant supply dealer about abrasive peelers sized for your volume.

Which Potatoes Peel Best

Potato type changes how easily a machine peels.

• Russets have thick, rough skin and an even oval shape. They peel well on crank machines and attachments.
• Yukon Golds have thin, smooth skin. They peel easily, and many cooks leave the skin on.
• Red potatoes are small and round with very thin skin. They are usually cooked unpeeled.
• Fingerlings are too small and narrow for most peelers. Cook them whole.
• Sweet potatoes are often long and tapered. Norpro lists sweet potatoes among the vegetables its Apple Master handles. Cut very long ones in half first so they sit straight on the fork.

Old potatoes with wrinkled skin peel poorly on any machine. Fresh, firm potatoes give the cleanest result.

If you are cooking a big potato dish on a small stove, plan your burners. Our guide on how to cook a full meal with only two burners shows how to time sides like mashed potatoes.

How to Prep Potatoes for a Crank or Attachment Peeler

A little prep makes machine peeling much smoother.

1. Pick the right potatoes. Smooth, oval potatoes peel best. Russets and Yukon Golds work well.
2. Scrub them. Grit dulls blades.
3. Trim the ends flat. A flat end helps the potato sit straight on the fork or skewer.
4. Center the potato. Push it on straight so it turns evenly.
5. Set the blade lightly. Start with a thin peel. Adjust if skin is left behind.
6. Finish by hand. Use a paring knife for eyes and dark spots.

Drop peeled potatoes into cold water right away. That stops them from turning gray.

What to Make With Peeled and Spiral-Cut Potatoes

Once you can peel and slice quickly, a lot of dishes get easier.

• Mashed potatoes. Peel, cube, boil and mash. A hand mixer makes them fluffy.
• Curly fries. Spiral-cut with the Norpro or KitchenAid, then cook in an air fryer. Our guide on how to cook frozen french fries in an air fryer gives times you can adapt, and our best air fryers under $100 covers models.
• Scalloped potatoes. Thin, even slices bake evenly. Our guide to the best bakeware sets covers baking dishes.
• Roast potatoes. Cube and roast on a sheet pan. A cast iron pan also works. See our Lodge cast iron skillet review.
• Potato chips. Thin spiral slices crisp up well. Check oil choices in our guide to the best oil for an air fryer.

For dicing and slicing more than one vegetable, a food processor is faster. Our guide to the best food processor under $100 covers affordable models, and our best vegetable choppers guide covers hand tools.

Storing Potatoes Before and After Peeling

Unpeeled potatoes keep for weeks in a cool, dark, dry place. Peeled potatoes do not.

Store peeled potatoes covered in cold water in the fridge, and use them within a day. For longer storage, blanch and freeze them. Our guide on how long potatoes last covers raw, cooked, fridge and freezer times.

Sealed containers keep peeled potatoes from picking up fridge odors. See our guide to the best airtight food storage containers. For freezing, a vacuum sealer helps prevent freezer burn. Learn how to use a vacuum sealer.

Cleaning and Caring for a Peeler

Potato starch dries hard and sticky. Clean the peeler right after use.

• Rinse right away. Starch sets fast.
• Hand wash crank peelers. Norpro recommends hand washing its Apple Master.
• Dishwasher for KitchenAid blades only. KitchenAid says the blades are top-rack dishwasher safe. Hand wash the body.
• Dry fully. Water left in gears and crank joints causes stiffness and rust.
• Replace dull blades. A dull blade tears skin and wastes potato.

Keep your other knives sharp too. Our knife sharpener guide covers the options, and a magnetic knife strip keeps blades safe and handy.

Peeler Safety

Peelers are simple tools, but the blades are sharp and the parts move.

• Mount it firmly. A crank peeler that slides while you turn it can pinch fingers. Check the suction lever or clamp before each batch.
• Keep fingers off the fork. The prongs that hold the potato are sharp. Push potatoes on with the palm, not the fingertips.
• Switch off the mixer first. With the KitchenAid attachment, stop the mixer before you remove a potato or change blades.
• Watch loose sleeves. Keep sleeves and cords clear of a turning attachment.
• Store blades covered. Keep spare blades in their case, not loose in a drawer.

Children can help by loading potatoes into a crank peeler, with an adult turning the handle. It makes a big batch go faster and keeps the blade in adult hands.

Fitting a Peeler in a Small Kitchen

The KitchenAid attachment stores in its case in a drawer or cabinet. That is its big space advantage. It adds almost nothing to what you already own.

Crank peelers are awkward shapes. Store them in their boxes on a high shelf if you use them seasonally. Our ideas for small kitchen cabinet organization help you find room for odd-shaped tools.

Peel over the sink to keep mess down. An over-the-sink cutting board gives you extra prep space right where the scraps fall.

Which Potato Peeler Should You Buy?

Buy the KitchenAid Spiralizer Plus if you own a KitchenAid stand mixer and want powered peeling plus spiralizing.

Pick the Norpro Apple Master 865 if you want the cheapest, most versatile crank peeler with a clamp for any counter.

Choose the Johnny Apple Peeler VKP1210 if you want a light crank peeler with spare blades and have a smooth counter.

Peeling apples too? Our guide to the best apple peeler corer slicer covers the cast iron Johnny Apple Peeler as well.

Related Guides

• Best Electric Apple Peeler Corer Slicer
• How to Use a Mandoline
• Best Mandoline Slicers
• Best Knife Set Under $100
• Small Kitchen Gadgets Worth Buying When You Cook for One
• How to Stock a Small Kitchen for Solo Cooking

Frequently Asked Questions

Do electric potato peelers work?

Some do, within limits. Handheld spinning peelers work best on round, smooth, medium-size potatoes and struggle with knobby or long ones. Many are sold by brands with no store of their own to check support or parts. A stand mixer attachment like the KitchenAid Spiralizer Plus, or a hand-crank machine like the Norpro Apple Master, is a more dependable way to peel in bulk.

What is the best electric potato peeler?

If you own a KitchenAid stand mixer, the KitchenAid 7 Blade Spiralizer Plus with Peel, Core and Slice is the best pick in this guide. It runs off the mixer's power hub and includes a peeling blade. Without a stand mixer, a hand-crank peeler like the Norpro Apple Master peels potatoes quickly and costs $21 at Norpro's price.

Can an apple peeler peel potatoes?

Yes. Crank apple peelers peel potatoes well. Norpro says its Apple Master handles potatoes, pears and root vegetables, and can make curly fries and potato chips on a stick. Remove the coring blade if you only want peeled whole potatoes.

What is the fastest way to peel a lot of potatoes?

For boiled or mashed potatoes, boil them in their skins, then shock them in ice water. The skins slip off by hand. For raw peeled potatoes, a crank peeler or a stand mixer peeling attachment is fastest. A sharp Y-peeler is fine for a few potatoes.

Should you peel potatoes before boiling?

It depends on the dish. Peeled potatoes cook a little faster and absorb seasoning well, which suits mashed potatoes. Unpeeled potatoes hold their shape and keep more flavor, which suits potato salad. You can also boil them whole and peel them afterward.