What is the biggest obstacle in making something with cherries? Pitting the cherries. Oh what a chore that is. I bet that has stopped many of us from trying out the cool cherry recipes we find on Pinterest or see on Food Network. It is a real pain in the butt that has caused many people to reach for canned or frozen cherries. As always you can't beat fresh. Therefore, I am going to help you by sharing the best tools to make this job easier.
These options are for the serious cherry lover. My goal is for you to not end up with another gadget filling up your limited kitchen space. I don't recommend buying a pitter if you don't think you are going to use it often.
The first thing you need to decide if you want a pitter that does one cherry at a time or one that can do multiple cherries at once. Then pick the pitter you believe will be easiest and more effective to use. I give you the pros and cons of all these cherry pitters that I think are worth your consideration.
Zyliss Cherry Pitter
Ever since Alton Brown introduced me to Zyliss products via his Good Eats show I have adored their products. I wouldn't dream of having a kitchen without their pizza cutter. I have used the Zyliss cherry pitter in the past.
Pros: The pitter does a good job of removing the pit without destroying or tearing the cherry. It has an ergonomic handle that makes it comfortable to use.
Cons: After extensive use some of the plastic on the pitter broke and was not fixable.
Squeeze 2 Pit Cherry Pitter
Squeeze 2 Pit Cherry Pitter is an all metal pitter that kind of looks more like something you would find in your dad's tool box. It can pit olives as well.
Pros: The pitter comes with a lifetime warranty. The reviews for it are pretty high. Squeeze 2 Pit can accommodate any size cherry.
Cons: I am someone who doesn't have very good dexterity. To pit cherries quickly with this pitter you need to be good with both of your hands at once.
Tovolo Cherry Pitter
If you want to pit more than one cherry at a time, the Tovolo Cherry Pitter allows you to do 7 cherries in one push of the hand.
Pros: I do enjoy being able to pit more than one cherries at a time. All the pits are held in the bottom and you simply have to remove the lid and dump the pits out. Holds plenty of pits.
Cons: Sometimes I have found that the pits still end up stuck in a cherry or two.
Prepworks by Progressive Cherry Pitter
Here is another cherry pitter than can do multiple cherries. This one is different because it has a hinge you push down on.
Pros: Quicker to use than the Tovolo Cherry Pitter because you don't have to remove so many parts to get the cherries in.
Cons: The push it down, like a lever approach might be user to use than the Tovolo Cherry Pitter, however I am not sure if enough pressure is applied with this method to remove the pits every time.
Amytalk Heavy-duty Cherry Pitter
The Amytalk pitter is a very simple design that you can use with one hand. This one is a plunger like device where you just push the button down and the pit comes out the bottom.
Pros: Not very expensive and easy to use.
Cons: It's another one at a time cherry pitter. I would imagine your thumb would get tired if you have a lot of cherries to pit.
TSM Products Cherry Pitter
This cherry pitter is for the serious cherry person. A large stainless steel device that can pit up to 5 cherries at a time. Comes with a container to store the cherries as you pit them.
Pros: This is one powerful pitter. Lots of force and easy to use as you don't have to remove anything to pit the next batch of cherries. The cherries themselves easily roll down the device so you don't have to remove them yourself to pit the next round.
Cons: Cost. This thing is expensive. This is the kind of pitter you get if you own your own cherry trees. I also read that one person had trouble pitting smaller, less firm tart cherries.
Stuffed Cherries
One of the best reasons for getting a cherry pitter is so that you stuff them with delicious things. Yogurt is a great idea, I especially recommend the Wallaby Greek Vanilla Bean yogurt - that stuff is so good. Vermont Creamery makes a Madagascar Vanilla Bean Creme Fraiche that is mind blowing stuffed into cherries. You could do chocolate as well if that is your kind of thing - I prefer my chocolate and fruit separate from each other.
george roze
A cherry pitter? Alton Brown today would tell you how a cherry pitter is a multi-tasker? Why do you need perfect cherries? In fact if your just eating them, half the fun is just spitting out the pits like your parents and grandparents or Romans did. Nobody cares how they look in a pie or fruit snack. Plus how will you know if your buddy could spit one further then you? I must be from the old school. That's right. I was born in 1949 sonny.
Eric Samuelson
I don't recommend anyone that is just eating cherries to buy a pitter. Only if you are doing vast amount of cherries each year to save yourself some time or if you want to try doing stuffed cherries where you need the pit come out cleanly. I said to only buy one if you are really going to use it a lot during the season.
Vicki Samuelson
I have one like the squeeze 2pit, I use it because don't want my son to bite into a cherry and break a tooth on a pit