Whether you’re cracking a few nuts for a snack or shelling way more for a recipe, standard nutcrackers can give your hands a workout—and test your patience as you pick shells out of crushed nutmeats. Fortunately, we found a gadget that does all the work for you.
Gadget name: Get Crackin’ Heavy Duty Steel Lever Nutcracker
Price: $35.99
It looks like: A small, solidly built torture device, with two dark steel bars and an ominous-looking lever.
How it’s supposed to work: Just place the nut in the appropriate-sized ridge between the two bars and use the lever to pull down, cracking the shell and leaving the meat intact.
How we tested it: We chose testers of different sizes and hand strengths, then evaluated the nutcracker on its ease of use and ability to crack all nut types, including tiny round hazelnuts and rock-hard Brazil nuts. And, for the ultimate test, we timed how long it took to crack and shell 1 pound of walnuts.
How it actually works: This gadget’s extra-long handle made the hardest nuts easy to crack, leaving the meat intact. It was also easy to operate and required no adjustment when we changed the type of nut.
Good to know: Entering a nutcracking competition? This workhorse cracked 1 pound of walnuts in 9 minutes.
My favorite part: This model controls its cracking and keeps the shells contained, making cleanup a cinch.
Overall: If you’re in need of a serious nutcracker, look no further.
About the Author: Lisa McManus
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