Checklist · 12 picks · 4 categories
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Hanukkah runs Dec 4 to 12 this year, and if you're hosting, the latkes are the main event.
Frying for a crowd is all about the setup. America's Test Kitchen's top box and paddle graters make quick work of the potatoes, and its favorite food processors are the fast route for a big batch. A heavy Lodge cast iron skillet holds its heat when the next batch goes in. ATK also reviewed splatter screens, so the oil stays in the pan instead of on your arms. TechGearLab's top flippers handle the turning, and ATK's winning cooling racks give finished batches somewhere to drain. Each card shows the drawback the testers called out. Start with a grater, a skillet and a splatter screen, then add a food processor if you're feeding the whole family.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you're shopping for menorahs, gelt or presents; the Hanukkah Gifts list has those, night by night.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 30, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuisinart Box Grater | budget | $15-25 | shredding a few pounds of potatoes by hand | 1 outlet |
| Rosle Coarse Grater | mid | $25-50 | the sharpest coarse shreds | 1 outlet |
| Cuisinart Pro Custom 11 Food Processor | mid | $200-300 | shredding a party's worth of potatoes in minutes | 1 outlet |
| Cuisinart Custom 14 Cup Food Processor | splurge | $200-300 | big batches for all eight nights | 1 outlet |
Best graterbudget pick · Box grater
Best for shredding a few pounds of potatoes by hand
America's Test Kitchen's best box-style grater: it grated hard vegetables and soft cheese quickly and efficiently.
Heads up. Its teeth are slightly less sharp than ATK's top paddle grater
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Box-Style Grater.
$15-25
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mid pick · Paddle grater
Best for the sharpest coarse shreds
America's Test Kitchen's best paddle-style grater: it effortlessly shredded foods of all sizes and textures.
Heads up. Testers wished the wire handle were more comfortable
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Paddle-Style Grater.
$25-50
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Best food processormid pick · 11 cups
Best for shredding a party's worth of potatoes in minutes
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy food processor: it aced chopping, slicing and shredding.
Heads up. Weaker motor and smaller liquid capacity than the winner
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy food processor.
$200-300
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splurge pick · 14 cups
Best for big batches for all eight nights
America's Test Kitchen's winning food processor: powerful, precise and quiet, with a big bowl in a small footprint.
Heads up. Its new blade struggled with small batches of mayonnaise, and there's no mini bowl
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning food processor.
$200-300
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lodge 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet | budget | $25-50 | frying a full batch of latkes at once | 1 outlet |
| Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron Skillet | budget | $25-50 | a second pan so two batches fry at once | 1 outlet |
| BergKoch Splatter Screen, 13 Inch | budget | $15-25 | keeping hot oil off you and the stovetop | 1 outlet |
| Frywall Splatter Guard (12-Inch) | mid | $25-50 | seeing every latke while you fry | 1 outlet |
Best cast iron skilletbudget pick · Large
Best for frying a full batch of latkes at once
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy: it performed close to the winning skillet for a fraction of the price, with strong heat retention and browning.
Heads up. The rough, pebbly surface was sticky at first, and it's heavy
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy cast iron skillet.
$25-50
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budget pick · Medium
Best for a second pan so two batches fry at once
America's Test Kitchen's best buy 10-inch skillet: a great pan at a low price that browns food deeply and should last a lifetime.
Heads up. Some scrambled eggs stuck in reviews, and it needs oiling after every use
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy 10-inch skillet.
$25-50
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Best splatter screenbudget pick · 13 in
Best for keeping hot oil off you and the stovetop
America's Test Kitchen's best traditional splatter screen: it did an excellent job containing splatter in every cooking test and sat flush against the pan.
Heads up. Watching your food through the mesh is somewhat difficult
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best traditional splatter screen.
$15-25
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mid pick · 12 in
Best for seeing every latke while you fry
America's Test Kitchen's best innovative splatter screen: a silicone wall with no screen on top that excelled at keeping splatter at bay.
Heads up. Not one-size-fits-all, so buy the size that matches your pan, and the silicone got a little hot to handle
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best innovative splatter screen.
$25-50
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Best spatulabudget pick · Drawer
Best for flipping latkes and letting the oil drain through
TechGearLab's best bang for your buck spatula: its function plus its low price makes for strong value.
Heads up. Thicker head
1 outlet. TechGearLab best Bang for Your Buck spatula.
under $15
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mid pick · Drawer
Best for your one do-everything flipper
TechGearLab's best overall spatula: if you could only own one, this is the versatile pick for the most people.
Heads up. Low heat resistance
1 outlet. TechGearLab best overall spatula.
under $15
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Best cooling rackbudget pick · Small
Best for small kitchens and small batches
America's Test Kitchen's best quarter-sheet rack: strong, holds a dozen cookies, and goes in the dishwasher.
Heads up. It shifted a bit inside a small baking sheet
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best quarter-sheet cooling rack.
$15-25
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mid pick · Standard
Best for draining a whole night's latkes
America's Test Kitchen's winning cooling rack, reinforced with an extra support bar so it stays flat and lasts.
Heads up. Slightly wider grid, and a little wiggle room in baking sheets
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning cooling rack.
$25-50
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
Hanukkah 2026 starts at sundown on Friday, Dec 4 and ends on Saturday, Dec 12. Hosting a latke night on one of the weekends gives guests the most time.
America's Test Kitchen's crispy latke recipe drains each batch on paper towels set over a wire rack, then keeps them warm on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven while you fry the rest. Its biggest crispness tip is wringing as much water as possible out of the shreds first.
Either works. America's Test Kitchen prefers the large holes of a box grater, but says a food processor's large shredding disk works too (cut the potatoes into 2-inch lengths first so the shreds stay short). Either way, wring out as much liquid as you can before frying.