Best Pitters
Canning, freezing, dehydrating, baking, making jams, jellies, preserves, and tapenades–all things that require prep work with the ingredients being used, first. Stone fruits especially require some management, as their hard pits have to be extracted before using the fleshy exterior of the fruit–the same is true for olives. Pit removal can be done with a paring knife, but it's both time consuming and potentially dangerous. Thankfully, tools exist to make quick work out of pitting cherries, olives, and other pitted delights. So the next time you're in the mood to make a homemade cherry pie or whip together some olive tapenade, consider adding a pitter to your arsenal of kitchen tools. Not sure where to start? Check out some of the best–and easiest to use–pitters we could find below.
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Most Compact
OXO Good Grips Cherry and Olive Pitter
Space-Saving Pit Removal
This compact design features a soft, comfortable handle and accommodates both small and large varieties of cherries and olives for easy pit removal.
What We Liked
Compact and ergonomically designed, the OXO Good Grips Cherry and Olive Pitter makes it easy to remove stubborn pits with a single, one handed squeeze. Though you have to insert each fruit one at a time, it saves a ton of time and maintains the shape of the fruit much better than hand cutting. The tool’s splatter shield helps prevent excess juice from tarnishing your cutting board or work surface, and the soft, non-slip handles help absorb pressure for quick, stress-free work. Order Online.
Most Effective
Prepworks by Progressive Cherry-It Cherry Pitter
Pit 4 Cherries At Once
With a simple tabletop design and four integrated pitting prongs, this handy tool takes the mess out of pitting four cherries or olives, simultaneously in one motion.
What We Liked
Why settle for a handheld cherry pitter that you have to reload after each fruit, when you can pit four cherries in the same amount of time? The Cherry-It pitter allows you to load four fruits onto the internal tray, apply downward pressure on the outside cover, and seamlessly pit four cherries in one motion. The pits and excess juice drop right into the tray so no mess is left on your board or counter–everything is self-contained inside the unit. The Cherry-It offers a non-skid base to keep it stable on your work surface and the whole thing disassembles for easy cleanup. Get Yours Here.
Best Design
Talisman Designs Chomper Cherry Pitter
Makes Pitting Cherries Fun!
The Chomper Cherry Pitter from Talisman Designs resembles a bobble head character that conveniently sits atop your counter with its mouth open, ready for you to pop in a cherry and let it ‘chomp’ down to remove the pit.
What We Liked
Who says kitchen tools can be friendly and fun? Not us! The Chomper features an open mouth where you can individually insert a cherry or olive, press down on the head, and see the pit fall in to the Chomper’s ‘body’ collection tray. The Chomper’s mouth has a large upper tooth that protects fingers from accidentally being chomped, making it safe and kid-friendly. The device is made from food grade, BPA-free plastic that easily pulls apart and can be cleaned in the top rack of your dishwasher. Purchase Yours Here.
Most Professional
Norpro Deluxe Cherry Pitter
Speedy, Mess-Free Pit Removal
Ideal for canning, freezing, baking, dehydrating, and a variety of other cooking needs, this cherry pitter from Norpro allows you to quickly and conveniently remove pits from large batches of fruit.
What We Liked
With its high vacuum suction base, spring-loaded plunger, and automatic feed tray, you can load handfuls of cherries into this Norpro Deluxe Cherry Pitter and quickly remove their pits with a downward pumping motion. The device is designed to extract the pits of large quantities of fruits quickly without bruising or crushing the fruit or leaving any excess mess, everything is self-contained in the unit. It’s lightweight, user-friendly, and disassembles for easy cleaning and storage. Buy Here.