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Comment by radlad | Hacker News Reader

This is a bit of a random place to mention it, but while I very much like OXO goods, IKEA makes the best (in my opinion) potato peeler for $5 - cheaper than anything OXO makes: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/ikea-365-vaerdefull-potato-peel...

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Brilliant write up. I remember using the old ones, and only last year found the oxo model. truly amazing. Many important lessons in product design in that article; with the most important in the last sentence - it has to work!

I think you meant to respond to your grandparent https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42686370, not your parent https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42686583.

Why are they peeling those beautiful golden potatoes? Skin is the best part.

I've tried swivelling peelers a few times and every time I return to my forty year old Lancashire peeler with its blade held on the plastic handle with tightly wrapped cotton string. A bit like this one: https://www.pattersons.co.uk/lancashire-peeler.html

0.96 GBP including VAT.

I had to replace the string this year though.

that's something i never understood: why do they sell peelers with a movable part? like we are meant to peel in curves and expect the knife to follow the curve beautifully? the fixed ones are easier to use and easier to clean!

The hinge allows you to peel in both directions (i.e. forwards and backwards across your potato/carrot/etc. without lifting the peeler.) It also means it can track a rough surface more easily. I haven't had any issues with the hinge, and I use a dishwasher for cleaning - what issues have you run into?

i'm almost never using a movable one but:

- on the practicity: i can do exactly what i want with a fixed one, without risk for the blade to slip

- small dust and bits tend to gather at the junctions and sit there

Which also makes it usable for left-handers.

I find the movable ones cut a thinner peel, probably the blade is held at a more optimal angle if it can find its own position, or maybe my particular movable one is just better-made than my fixed one.

For produce with a tougher skin than innards, the blade will deflect off the inside of the skin and steer itself along that interface.

Fair enough, I don't usually encounter that. I'd probably use a regular knife in that case.

The movable blade makes peeling oddly shaped veggies or fruits so much smoother

The ikea one mentions peeling asparagus. Is that a thing?

Yes, sometimes, especially on larger spears. The skin can get tough and/or stringy and some folks really don't like it.

Yes, not the wild asparagus but the ones you can shop have thick hard stalks at the base!

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