Spring has begun! Trees are budding and blooming, and before long, summer fruits will begin coming in. The cherry season will be here in a few short weeks.
Having a cherry pitter ready to go as they start coming in makes taking advantage of the season much easier. So now it’s time to find which among the best cherry pitters is the top choice for your kitchen. Which one should you choose to remove the cherry pits from the fruit making up your seasonal best?
Anyone who has ever had the bad fortune to bite into (what they believe is) a pitted cherry only to hurt a tooth, knows a quality cherry pitter is essential for home goods made from fresh cherries.
View The Best Cherry Pitter Below
1. OXO Good Grips Cherry and Olive Pitter
A couple of small adjustments to a classic, time tested design make this one of the best cherry pitters available. The holder is large enough to hold the bigger cherry varieties secure. The inner design does the same for smaller cherries or olives, so there’s no need for different sized pitters for different varieties.
The holder and dowel are constructed of die-cast zinc to stand up to years of use, and the non-slip grips absorb some of the pressure needed and ensure you keep your hold for easy, one-hand use. Also, it has a splatter shield to help keep your workspace clean.
Pros:
+ Spatter shield keeps workspace clean
+ Non-slip handles provide a secure grip and pressure absorption
+ Locks closed for storage
Why We Like It – The holder is designed to make it work well for large and small cherry varieties, and the splatter shield keeps things clean.
2. Norpro Delux Cherry Pitter
If you plan on pitting cherries by the bushel, this may be the pitter for you. Save your hands by using this table mounting cherry pitter with a spring-loaded plunger to remove pits quickly and cleanly with minimal waste.
The Norpro 5121 Deluxe attaches to any table or counter with a vacuum suction base for consistent leverage and secure footing. A spring-loaded plunger makes it easy to remove pits quickly, and a container attached to the bottom of the device catches pits, fruit remnants, and juices to keep your kitchen mess-free.
Pros:
+ Vacuum suction base secures to table or counter
+ Catches pits and juice for mess-free use
+ Easy to use
Why We Like It – If you have tons of cherries to pit, a tabletop pitter is easier on the hands. This one vacuum seals itself to the work surface for stable use.
3. Progressive Prepworks Cherry-It Cherry Pitter
If your time in the kitchen is limited, here is a cherry pitter that can handle up to four cherries at a time. The tray has four large wells and four small ones, making it work for any variety. A base container catches the pits and juice for easy cleanup. Non-skid grips on the base keep the pitter from sliding, and the zinc prongs are made to last.
The entire device disassembles and is dishwasher safe, which makes clean up simple, fast, and easy. Then the entire thing locks into the closed position for compact storage.
Pros:
+ Pits up to 4 cherries at a time
+ Catches pits and juice for mess-free use
+ Dishwasher safe
Why We Like It – Cooks with limited time will appreciate the fact this pitter can handle up to four cherries at once. It includes holders for large varieties and holders for small varieties.
4. Triangle Germany Cherry Pitter
This simple triangular blade makes it quick and easy to remove cherry or olive pits without wasted fruit. Simply insert the blade at the stem end of the fruit and scoop out the pit without bruising, crushing, or otherwise wasting fruit the way some dowel pitters can.
The blade is made from 100% stainless steel to last a lifetime, and the handles are made from fiberglass-reinforced polyamide to be durable and lightweight. No moving parts mean it will never stick or break, and the entire pitter is dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.
The blade also makes it an excellent tool for pitting or coring any fleshy fruit. Users report success with strawberries, apples, pears, and many other fruits.
Pros:
+ Compact and easy to use
+ Stainless steel blade
+ Dishwasher safe
Why We Like It – Sometimes simple is best. This triangular bladed cherry pitter quickly and easily removes pits without bruised or wasted fruit.
5. ProTensils Premium Cherry Piter Stoner
Sometimes you just cannot bet the combination of ease and durability. The ProTensils Premium Cherry Pitter Stoner has a simple but effective design constructed from zinc alloy to last you through multiple cherry seasons. It’s dishwasher safe for easy cleanup, and it comes with a 120-day replacement warranty and an E-book full of cherry based recipes to try.
The leverage provided by the ProTensils Premium cherry pitter’s design makes it simple to use with one hand while lowering the risk of hand fatigue. It locks closed for safe storage. Also, superior leverage means you can pit cherries or olives without danger of crushing, bruising or wasting fruit in the process.
Pros:
+ Zinc alloy is durable
+ Dishwasher safe
+ 120-day replacement warranty
Why We Like It – Simplicity and durability combine in this easy to use, one hand cherry pitter. Also, it’s dishwasher safe and comes with a replacement warranty.
6. Westmark Cherry Stoner
The Westmark Cherry Stoner is a compact handheld cherry pitter built to last. It is constructed of powder-coated, cast aluminum of high quality. This makes it both durable and dishwasher safe while being lighter than similar steel models.
Ergonomic handles add to its ease of use, making it quick and easy to handle even large quantities of cherries without a problem. A built-in stabilizer helps hold large fruit in place for accurate pitting, but the holder is sized to work for smaller varieties as well. Also, the star-shaped blade removes the pit with minimal damage to the cherry, meaning more fruit ends up in your jams, cakes, and pies.
Pros:
+ Ergonomic handles
+ Dishwasher safe
+ Lifetime money-back guarantee
Why We Like It – What is not to like about a pitter that is compact, easy to clean and use, and also comes backed by a lifetime money-back guarantee?
7. Obecome Cherry Pitter
Why stone cherries one by one when you can pit six cherries at once? The Obecome Cherry Pitter saves time by pitting six fruits with each use. Plus, it also catches the pits and juice in a tray within the base to keep your space clean and stain free.
The main body of the pitter is constructed of plastic with zinc prongs to push the pits through each cherry. The non-skid base keeps it stable as you work, and the entire thing disassembles for easy cleaning in the dishwasher. Then it locks away from compact and secure storage from one cherry season to the next.
Pros:
+ Pits up to 6 cherries at once
+ Base tray catches the mess
+ Dishwasher safe
Why We Like It – Who would not want to get a job done as quickly as possible? This cherry pitter speeds the process by six times!
8. Talisman Designs Chomper Cherry Pitter
Encouraging children to help out in the kitchen is a terrific way of helping them learn about nutrition. It helps them try new foods as well. However, the idea of small hands near stoves or sharp tools prevents many parents and grandparents from encouraging eager little helpers. This cherry pitter is a fun way to keep teeny fingers safe while letting them help stone cherries or olives for tasty treats.
Plunger action makes the pitter child’s play to use. Simply place the cherry or olive in the “mouth” and press down. Built-in guards keep fingers away from the blade, and all pits and juice get caught in the splatter guard “belly.”
Pros:
+ Child safe design
+ Belly compartment catches the mess
+ Dishwasher safe
Why We Like It – If you want to let your children help in the kitchen, the Talisman Designs 1286 Chomper Cherry Pitter makes stoning cherries fun and safe for the smallest chefs.
9. CUISIPRO Cherry Pitter
One of the most frustrating things that can happen when using cherry pitters is fruit waste due to fruit shifting during the process. That is why CUISIPRO includes a silicone cup equipped with flexible silicone fins to hold each cherry or olive still while you push the dowel through.
A built-in splatter guard helps keep your space clean, and the cherry pitter is dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. The design includes a scoop just in front of the silicone cup for easy single-handed operation perfect for multitasking.
Locks closed for compact storage, so there is no need to worry about kitchen drawers becoming stuck on the pitter.
Pros:
+ Silicone cup to hold the fruit in place
+ Locks closed for compact storage
+ Dishwasher safe
Why We Like It – Both cherries and olives can be prone to slipping during the pitting process. CUISIPRO’s cherry pitter solves this through the silicone cup designed to hold them in the proper position.
10. Prepsolutions Progressive Cherry Pitter
Cooks on the go do not have room in their schedules to remove cherry pits singly, so Prepsolutions PS-5001 Progressive Cherry Pitter is built to stone six olives or cherries with a single press. Speeds work by up to six times while also making clean up fast and easy. A built-in tray catches all the seeds and juice, so there’s no risk of staining your hands, clothes, or kitchen. Plus, the pitter is dishwasher safe.
The lid covers the blades, making the Prepsolutions PS-5001 Progressive Cherry Pitter an ideal tool to allow older children to help out in the kitchen. Locks closed for compact storage.
Pros:
+ Pits up to 6 cherries at once
+ Easy on hands
+ Mess-free design
+ Dishwasher safe
Why We Like It – Make speedy work of bushels of fruit and save your hands in the process with this light touch pitter built to handle up to six fruits at once.
Cherry Pitter Buyer’s Guide
How does a cherry pitter work?
Cherry pitters all work using a simple principle. They plunge a dowel through the middle of a cherry or olive, to push the pit out through the other end of the fruit.
Cherry pitters take advantage of a cherry’s features to make pitting them more time-efficient, which is why they are also useful for olives with their similar fruiting type. Both cherries and olives are relatively small fruit with medium density flesh and single, stony pits. Because of this, they are able to stand up to the pressure of a dowel being pushed through to remove the one, stone-like seed in the middle without becoming mushy and with limited fruit damage and waste.
Most cherry pitters consist of two parts. One cradles the fruit and holds it in position, stem end up. Another uses a lever to press some type of dowel through the fruit and out the other side. The best cherry pitters are capable of holding the fruit in position without slipping or damage, a dowel that is large enough to collect each pit whole, and are also easy to clean.
What should you look for when buying a cherry pitter?
Certainly, there cannot be too much someone must consider when shopping for such a simple, virtually single-use tool, right? Not quite. If you are looking for a simple plastic cherry pitter, Walmart, or similar stores, likely have one sitting on the shelf at any given time, but looking for the best cherry pitters demands a little more research.
The main benefit of using cherry pitters is the time and effort they save you from doing the same job by hand. Good pitters will save you significant time when pitting many cherries at a time. However, this does not mean the device must be able to handle multiple cherries all in one go. After all, high efficiency with removing each pit with one movement beats removing the pits from a half dozen cherries at once but missing some, or all, of the pit in several of those same fruits.
Why are pitters designed to handle one cherry at a time more accurate than a model that can pit six cherries at once? As with any living thing, cherries are not uniform. Some will be larger than others, or they may contain a larger than average pit. Some may have grown larger on one side than another, causing them to sit tilted more to one side than another.
These small differences can be adjusted with relative ease in single cherry pitters. The same cannot be said for models designed to handle a half dozen or more fruits at once. Even if you spend extra time trying to load each individual fruit as perfectly as possible, the cherries may shift once you begin moving the lever. With this shifting comes the risk of part or all of a pit being missed. They save time overall, but you may find yourself having to go back through and check your cherries as you pit them, which can overtake the time saved versus using a single fruit pitter.
One feature a multiple cherry pitter often has, that one designed to handle one cherry at a time usually does not, are trays and shields to gather the pits and prevent splatters of cherry juice. Why is this a consideration? Cherry juice can be highly staining. While acids, such as vinegar or lemon juice, are often able to remove such stains, they can also cause damage to fabrics or surfaces. So for some, preventing these messes is a significant benefit. Yet, for most kitchens, using a cherry pitter is a tall sided bowl is enough to contain any mess and juice splatters.
Pitters often come in a few different materials: plastic, zinc alloy, or stainless steel. Plastic is generally less expensive and much less durable than either zinc alloy or stainless steel, but it is often dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. Stainless steel and zinc alloy or die-cast zinc are more expensive and may require hand washing, but they are far more durable. If you simply want a tool for a few batches of pitted cherries, a plastic cherry pitter may be all you need. If you own a cherry tree and want to make use of its yields each year, a metal pitter will last you for many seasons to come, making it a better investment in the long run.
Next, consider the styles of pitters available today. The majority of the available models are handheld. Once the individual cherry is loaded into the pitter, you squeeze the lever to press the dowel through each cherry. This process does not take a huge amount of hand strength, but it can become tiring quickly when you have more than a couple of dozen cherries to pit in a sitting, especially if you have relatively poor hand strength or can foresee yourself pitting cherries for hours at a time due to having several trees.
Or if you’ve purchased a few bushels of sour cherries to make pies, a self-standing pitter may be a better option. These models utilize the table or counter they are set on to help provide leverage when used. This lowers the amount of hand strength required, whether you need to pit one cherry or a few bushels of them.
How do you pit cherries without a pitter?
Having a good cherry pitter in your kitchen arsenal can make the task of pitting a lot of cherries take a lot less time and effort, but maybe you do not use enough fresh cherries in your kitchen to really need one. What then? How can you pit cherries without a pitter?
Depending on the results you want, you can simply slice the cherry’s flesh away from the stone. This method works well enough, but it is also very messy and time-consuming. For this method, use a paring knife to cut around the cherry, slicing it in half around the stone. Twist the halves apart. Then remove the pit with your knife or fingers.
If you would prefer the fruit to remain as whole as possible, or a method to save time while also mitigating the needed clean up, get a sturdy, small necked bottle, and a chopstick or small cake dowel. If you use chopsticks, one with a more broad tip will be easier to use than ones with pointy, tapered ends. For cake dowels, stick to the ones with a medium diameter. Too small, and you risk the end slipping off the pit or missing it altogether. Use one that is too large, and you will lose much more of the fruit.
After washing, remove the stem from each cherry. Place a cherry onto the top of the bottle – stem end up – and simply press the chopstick or dowel through the middle of the fruit. The pit should be pushed through to the other side and clink into the bottom of the bottle along with any juicy mess.
A plastic straw may be used in place of a chopstick or dowel; however, they have a higher chance of bending, warping, or cracking throughout the process if you have a large number of cherries to pit.
How do you use a cherry pitter?
Cherry pitters are quite simple to use. Make sure to wash your cherries first and remove their stems. Place a cherry onto the cradle of your cherry pitter stem side up. To contain any mess, hold the pitter over a bowl or cup to catch the pits and any fruit and juice that comes with it. Then simply plunge the cherry pitter’s dowel through the middle of the fruit and out the other side.
The pit should fall out of the fruit and into whatever container you have ready and waiting. Remove the now pitted cherry and repeat the process with the rest of the cherries.
Can you use a cherry pitter to pit olives?
Olives are physiologically similar to cherries, so the question of whether or not a cherry pitter and an olive pitter are interchangeable is a natural one. The answer is yes, and no.
The major difference between the two fruits, aside from flavor profile and the need for olives to be cured to remove the oleuropein found within them, is olives have much tougher flesh than cherries. While a cherry pitter may be used to remove pits from olives, the process is harder and slower than it would be with a pitter made specifically for olives. However, attempting to use an olive pitter to pit cherries usually results in mashed cherries since they are designed to work with tougher fruit.
Therefore, if you want a device to be used with both cherries and olives throughout the years, you will be best served by a high-quality cherry pitter. Pick a model with good leverage and sturdy design, preferably composed of steel or zinc. These will last longer through heavy usage and make the process of removing stones from olives easier while not destroying your cherries.
What to Look for in Cherry Pitters at a Glance
Unlike a variety of other single job kitchen gadgets available on today’s market, a high-quality cherry pitter is a tool many home cooks, amateur chefs, and professional chefs alike can get a lot of utility from throughout the year. Instead of simply taking up precious kitchen space, cherry pitters make using these seasonal fruits faster, simpler, and much less frustrating than performing the same job with a paring knife.
The best pitters are generally constructed of food-safe, durable metals and are designed to be used on single fruits for the highest efficiency overall. Pitters designed to stone multiple cherries or olives at once can speed the process, but many sacrifice accuracy for speed, which can backfire if you have to double-check and potentially stone each fruit again. Additionally, splatter guards can help make the job cleaner overall.