Lakeland Ltd 3 in 1 Pineapple Corer/Slicer

Lakeland Limited Pineapple Corer

Kitchen gadgets come and go in most homes as many are tempted by items that are used a few times, and then are resigned to the back of the cupboard and ultimately the local bootie. However one item that I really love, and which I use several times a week is the Lakeland Pineapple Corer which is absolutely fantastic, so let's take a look in detail at this product.

All About The Product

Retailing for £8.99 from Lakeland Limited this item has for many years been one of their top sellers. Mine is quite old now and the version they now sell has a tool to allow you to make wedges, whereas mine removes the pineapple in one continuous spiral, so I am sure the newer model would be an improvement. Lakeland also sell The Oxo Good Grips version of this now which I am sure would be equally good, as most of their equipment is to a high standard and this retails for the same price.

I wish I could point you to a cash-back site that deals with Lakeland but sadly the last one they used- Give or Take no longer offers this, so it is a question of ordering online or popping into your local branch.

My pineapple corer is identical to the new Lakeland version in every aspect except for the ability to create wedges, but this is easily done after coring with a knife. The tool is very simple to use, it consists of a long handle and three adaptors that you can use to cope with different size pineapples.

The bottom is serrated, and to use you simply cut off the top of the pineapple check to see which adaptor is needed, this is easily done as you can gauge the size of the fruit. Then you simply press the tool into the pineapple and turn the handle several times clockwise until the tool reaches the base, after which you pull firmly and the pineapple comes out in one long spiral leaving all the skin and core behind. It operates like a giant corkscrew pulling the flesh away from the core and skin.

I absolutely adore this tool. Pineapples have long been one of my favourite fruits, and I think many are put off them by the preparation needed. Using this tool allows you to really harvest all the pineapple, and it is amazing how much there is from even one small fruit. Many of the large supermarkets have taken advantage of the love shoppers have for pineapples but the hatred of preparation, and they now offer ready prepared fruit in plastic containers. This is so uneconomical compared to buying the fruit, and it only takes seconds to harvest it using this method. Added to this pineapples are so often reduced in stores now, and you can often buy really large ones for less than a pound, and they make a lovely simple dessert with yoghurt or ice cream.

Any Negatives?

I think the only slight problem with this tool would be if you let the fruit become too ripe, and then you may encounter the problem of the fruit coming out in pieces rather than spirals, and this will create masses of juice everywhere. It all gets rather messy so the ideal thing is to pick the pineapples in perfect condition. The trick here is to understand how they are grown and harvested. They are picked when perfectly ripe and they do not ripen with age but rather rot with time, and also can be bruised in transit. This is why my daughter doesn't like them in the UK because she has eaten them in Thailand straight from the tree, and says it is a different taste altogether. To try to ascertain which fruits are the best you need to look for a good golden colour at the base, no red or brown discolouration and no wrinkling of the skin. You can also smell the base and if it has a light pineapple aroma it should be fine, but if it smells of vinegar leave it on the shelf as it is rotting. The flesh should also be firm when pressed lightly and the foliage at the top should look healthy and fresh.

Some people on the Lakeland Limited website have pointed out that this is difficult to use if you are left-handed. It can be done but it is quite hard to master so this may be a consideration to bear in mind.

Pineapple preparation is in full swing in my house at the moment as my son is home from university and these are his favourite fruits. It means the tool is being heavily used but it is easily cleaned in the dishwasher or by hand in seconds. If you wish to you can make use of the shell of the pineapple and use it as a beautiful bowl for exotic desserts, or to house a tropical fruit salad for example at a party as the tool preserves this in one piece. I always feel sad throwing it away as there is something so lovely about the way it looks!

Final Thoughts

I highly recommend this gadget as it allows ease of preparation for pineapples and saves a fortune if you have been tempted by those plastic dishes of ready prepared fruit. The gadget has longevity on its side- I can verify this as my tool is over five years old and is still functioning perfectly. It is a wonderful little tool and happily earns its place in my kitchen!

Summary: A kitchen tool that is really worth buying.