Have you ever tried making pastry at home, from scratch? it's got to be one of the most therapeutic things you can do to spend your time. Of all the things you can make, I feel like making donuts has got to be one of my favorites!.
There's just something about making the dough, cutting it into perfect circles, frying them into golden-brown beauties, and then of course decorating them with icing and sprinkles, which is so engrossing. The entire experience feels very rewarding, from start to finish.
Now I know, baking donuts isn't exactly everyone's cup of tea but fret not!. In this day and age, there are so many baking tools and recipe tricks you can use to master the skill in no time.
When it comes to getting that perfectly round, hollow-in-the-middle shape right, you no longer have to look for bottle caps and small bowls. Enter donut cutters! simply roll your donut dough onto a surface and cut it away with a donut cutter. That way, you don't have to waste time shaping each donut and you can get uniformly sized donuts in no time.
7 Best Donut Cutters
Now that we know what to look for in a donut cutter, here is a roundup of my 7 favorite donut cutters.
Best Basic Donut Cutter: Ateco Donut Cutter
If you're a beginner and want to invest in one basic tool to try making donuts; this Ateco Donut Cutter is what you should begin with. It's made with stainless steel, which we know to yield a sharply cut donut. The material is also super sturdy, so it will last long enough for all your kitchen adventures, or at least most part of them. To make things easier, it's also dishwasher safe!.
The dimensions are 3.5 x 3.5 x 1.8 inches, so it yields standard-sized, perfect-shaped donuts, which is good enough for a beginner.
Pros
- made with stainless steel
- sharply cut edges
- standard sized
- dishwasher safe
- easy to use
- low cost
Cons
- not as sturdy, prone to bending
Overall, it's a good, basic donut cutter. But that's all there is to it, which can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it.
Most Versatile Donut Cutter: K&S Artisan Round Cookie Cutters Set
If you're a routine home-based baker and need something a little more advance or something that caters to more of your baking needs, you might want to get this K&S Artisan Round Cookie Biscuit Cutter Set.
The set comprises 11 round biscuit/donut cutters along with 4 decoration stencils, all packed in a steel box. Each of the cutters and stencils are made of 18/8 food-grade 304 stainless steel. The material promises to be sturdy as well as rust-resistant.
You can play around with the 11 differently-sized circular cutters and make smaller or bigger donuts if you want to. You can even use the smallest of the set to make donut holes exclusively if that's something you want to do.
Investing in this set might come in handy since you can make more than just donuts with this!. You can also use the round cutters to make burger patties, pancakes, cookies, scones, and a lot more!.
The stencils can be used for many decorative purposes, such as to decorate biscuits or to decorate the lattes and cappuccinos you will have with your freshly-made donuts!. (boy do we love us some fresh homemade donuts and coffee!).
Pros
- multiple sizes in one set
- additional decorative stencils
- can be used for a lot more than just donuts
- made with stainless steel material
- heavy duty material, it's also oven safe up to 500F
- thickly made cutters; that don't bend out of shape
- kid-friendly cutters, no sharp parts
- comes with a storage tin
- reasonably priced
Cons
- a little tricky to clean where the edges are welded
- even though it's less prone to bending, it may dent easily
In surmise, this set is a pretty good deal for anyone that wants to venture into making more than just donuts and wants to invest in one toolset that does it all. I feel like there are so many uses for all the different-sized rings, it will come in pretty handy!.
Best Designed Donut Cutter: Nopro Steel Donut Cutter
If you're in the market for a basic, beginner-friendly donut cutter with a little more innovation, look no further than the Nopro Steel Donut Cutter.
There are two things about this design that just might make this the best donut cutter out there. First is the built-in handle for easy cutting, second is the detachable center hole cutter. Because the central hole is detachable, you can use it for both traditionally shaped donuts or whole donuts that you can fill with custard or jam.
Not only that, but since it converts into a simple circular cutter you can also use it for cookies, mini bagels, ravioli, pastry, buns and so much more!. You can also use the detachable hole cutter to cut small circles for pasta, chips, bite-sized cookies, and donut holes.
It's made of polished stainless steel and measures 1.5 x 2.75 x 2.75 inches. So it's a little smaller than the standard donut size but that's not that big of a flaw unless you're big on size accuracy (which as a beginner, you shouldn't be!).
Pros
- non-flimsy material
- built-in handle
- sharp cutting edge for the perfect donut shape
- can be used with sticky dough
- detachable central hole cutter making it more versatile
Cons
- the central hole cutter does not fix into place very tightly
- the donuts might be a little smaller than the standard size
- the depth of the cutter is a little shallow and since it's covered on top that might an issue with thick dough
Overall, this is a pretty solid donut cutter except that it's a little smaller, and the central attachment could be better designed. However, these issues don't make much of a difference especially if you're a beginner. If you want a basic yet innovative donut cutter for a steal price, get this.
Kid-friendly Donut Cutter: Yamazi Donut Cutter
This particular donut cutter is great for kids that love being in the kitchen and want to try their hand at donut making. It comes as a set with a donut mold plus a plastic dipping plier to dip the donuts into the icing (which is honestly the best part about making this delicious treat!).
The donut cutter itself is made of high quality, food-safe ABS plastic and is designed with a dome-shaped cutter, with a central hole, complete with a small handle on top. It measures 3.15 x 3.15 x 3.35 inches, close to the standard donut size.
Despite of plastic cutters being notorious for their blunt edges, this one pleasantly surprises with its super neat dough cutting powress. However, you might have to make a bit of an effort to get it right, which is easier with the built-in handle. The dipping pliers on the other hand are super convenient! they make the whole icing ordeal a lot quicker and a lot less messy.
Pros
- made with ABS plastic
- easy to use
- convenient dipping plier for easy icing
- ergonomic soft-grip handle
- yields neatly cut uniformly-sized donuts
Cons
- not as sturdy or durable as metal cutters
- dipping pliers can not be used to fry the donuts
- a little tricky to clean
On the whole, this set is pretty great for beginners that have no plans of sustaining their donut-making habits and don't need something very long-lasting.
Alimat pluS Round Cookie Biscuit Cutter Set
Add some color to your baking tool collection with this versatile set of cookie/donut cutters by Alimat PluS. A set of round cutters in multiple sizes is great to have around in the kitchen. You can use them for making pancakes, fried eggs, cookies, burger patties, shaped fondant, and of course, donuts!.
The set contains 12 different-sized round cutters ranging from 0.9 inches to 4.4 inches in diameter all packed in a storage case with ring diameters of each cutter displayed on the top lid. Using these, you can make donut holes exclusively or you can make giant donuts. Who says donuts have to be size policed anyway?!.
The cutters are made of food-grade stainless steel 304 that is corrosion-resistant and super durable. While the cutters have a sharp edge to neatly cut through the dough, the upper edge is covered with silicone in different colors to protect your fingers from injury and also to make it easier to distinguish each size. The silicone used is BPA-free and also oven safe!. You can also take off the silicone lining for easy cleaning.
Pros
- Variety of sizes available
- comes in a neat storage case with dimensions written on the lid
- sharp cutting edge
- has a silicone covering to protect fingers
- easy to clean
Cons
- not very sturdy
- may bend easily
If you're looking to equip your kitchen with a set of round cutters for donuts or pastries in a variety of sizes, this one's a pretty good option.
Most Innovative: Sweet Crafty Tools Donut Cutter
Now if you're planning to make a whole lot of donuts in one go, this sweet crafty tools donut cutter is the best invention out there!. It is designed as a rolling-pin style donut cutter with 6 donut cutters attached to it.
All you need to do is roll the dough onto a wide enough surface, then using this crafty donut cutter, cut 6 donuts in one go by simply rolling it onto the dough!. With minimum effort and minimum time, you'll be cutting dozens of donuts before you know it!.
The handle is made of wood, while the cutters themselves are made of aluminum, attached to a steel axel. The diameter of the outside cutter is 2.75 inches, while the diameter of the donut hole space is almost 1.25 inches.
Pros
- super convenient!
- well built
- great for making a large batch of donuts
- great for beginners and experts alike
Cons
- the ring cutter might be a little smaller than the traditional donut size
- while the cutter and the axel are sturdy, the wooden handle is prone to breaking
This is by far the most innovative donut cutter design I have come across. Might I say, it's pure genius!. You no longer have to manually cut each donut but instead, you can cut 6 donuts in one go, with minimal effort!. If you can be a little gentle with the wooden handle and can make do with smaller donuts, definitely get this cutter!.
Mrs. Anderson's Baking Donut Cutter
We're going back to the basics with this Mrs. Anderson donut cutter but for good reason. With over 800 reviews on Amazon, 60% being 5-star ones, this donut cutter boasts being one of the most sought-after donut cutters for beginners.
It's a 3 x 2.75 x 3 inches cutter, with a built-in handle. The whole thing is made of stainless steel. It's easy to use, and easy to clean. Which is everything you want from a good donut cutter as a beginner. The inner hole cutter support is attached to the overhead handle, so it provided superimposed strength and prevents the cutter from bending when you press onto it.
Pros
- easy to use
- affordable
- dishwasher safe
Cons
- the circle itself is prone to bending out of shape
- it's a little smaller than the traditional donut size
Donut Cutter Buying Guide
The market is riddled with so many options for good donut cutters, it can be a little intimidating to choose which one to get. But don't sweat it! There are a few set features that you need to take into account while choosing your donut cutter. We'll break it down for you to make things easier. Let's go!
Material
When you go out to pick a donut cutter, you'll notice that they're available in a variety of materials. From hard silicon to metal- you'll find them all. But which one is actually the best?. Well, it depends.
Materials like plastic and silicon are usually easier to clean and are rust-proof so they last longer in that aspect. However, they might not give you clean-cut edges like metal cutters might. Plastic donut cutters are also more prone to breakage.
On the other hand, metal donut cutters are sturdier, last longer, and give you super neat edges with sharply cut donut holes. However, not all metals are rust-proof creating a health hazard if you continue to use a rusty donut cutter. If the cutter is made of steel, you need to make sure it's stainless steel, more particularly food-grade stainless steel.
However, the material is just one aspect of overall performance. It also depends on the quality of the material, as well as the overall design of the donut cutter. In general, metal cutters are the usual go-to for most people.
Size
The ideal size for a donut cutter is - 3.5-inch diameter, with a 1-1.5 inch hole in the center. However, some people might like bigger donuts while some might like smaller donuts. So it's mainly a matter of personal preference.
You can also get one of those cookie-cutter/donut cutter sets that have a variety of sizes to choose from, so you get it all in one place. But if you want traditional donuts or don't want a whole set of cutters, go with the standardized size for starters.
Durability
When seeking the best donut cutter, you got to make sure it will last long enough to live up to the title!. This is where durability comes in. Durability depends on the material, quality of the material, and also the design of the cutter.
Even if you have the best food-grade stainless steel, but it's not well built the cutter obviously won't last long. Similarly, if you have solid construction but poor raw material, to begin with- again, your cutter won't last.
Convenience
Convenience refers to how easy it is to use the donut cutter. This isn't limited to how easily it can cut a donut shape but also how easy it is to care for the tool. Is it easily cleanable? is it dishwasher safe? can it deal with sticky dough? These are a few of the questions you should keep in mind when shortlisting your favorite option.
Distinguishing Feature
Since the market has quite a bit variety of donut cutters, you want to look for an option that sets it apart from the rest. This could be anything you consider useful. It could be a handle, a detachable donut hole cutter, a rolling-pin style cutter with multiple donut cutters attached to it, or even an adjustable cutter where you can change the size of your donut.
This is really a matter of personal preference and varies with every person. If you're a beginner, I suggest starting with a basic donut cutter and move to more advance once you get a hang of it.
And that's a wrap on all the best donut cutters I could find in the market!. I'd recommend starting your donut-making journey with a basic, cheap donut cutter to see how you like it. Then move to fancier, more advanced options if you want to.
Remember that as a beginner, you should really be focusing on how easy to use the cutter is and if you can maintain it easily. Factors like versatility and durability are a bonus, but shouldn't be your top priority as a beginner. Happy donut making!.
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