In our “Buy It For Life” posts we feature products that are built to last a lifetime. We also give preference to products that are very durable, are warrantied for life, and are made in the U.S.
The Microplane rasp was invented in 1990 by brothers Richard and Jeff Grace in Russellville, Arkansas. They originally produced the rasp as a woodworking tool, and it took four years before people started using it in the kitchen as a grater (you can read the whole story in this New York Times article).
The Microplane Professional Grater is made with surgical grade stainless steel. The microplane teeth are particularly sharp because the edges are created with ferric chloride instead of stamping.
The home version of the grater has a plastic handle which will crack eventually, and it cannot be considered a Buy It For Life product.
The Microplane Professional Grater is available at Amazon for about $14.