Avocado Slicers and Tools to Avoid Cuts and Injuries

All my life, I’ve only ever heard about the health benefits of avocados. They’re rich in unsaturated fats, fiber, magnesium, potassium, all that good stuff. But recently, I learned about the hazards of it. Avocado hand is the term used for an injury caused by the reckless cutting or pitting of avocados. Despite its somewhat amusing name, avocado hand is a very serious phenomenon — even Meryl Streep has fallen victim. It’s become so common that, according to a 2018 study, roughly 24 emergency room visits per day were attributed to the fleshy green fruit. 

The good news is that with the right method and tools, avocado hand is preventable. For starters, don’t hold the avocado in your hand when cutting or pitting. Instead, Food & Wine culinary director-at-large Justin Chapple recommends placing the avocado on a cutting board, then slicing the fruit on its diameter and turning it as you cut. Next, rotate the avocado 90 degrees, and repeat. The avocado will split into even wedges, and you can remove the pit without the aid of a blade. 

However, if, like me, you now have a newfound fear of avocado hand and don’t want to use a knife for the task, rest easy. We found five game-changing gadgets to split, pit, and slice avocados with ease. 

Best Avocado Tools and Slicers at Amazon

OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer

Give the OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer a hand. It’s earned nearly 5,000 five-star ratings from Amazon customers. The mini multitasker has a tough plastic blade to easily halve an avocado, yet it has no sharp angles to cut your skin. A stainless steel pitter in the center removes the seed with a quick twist, and a plastic fan blade at the bottom lets you scoop out seven creamy slices in a snap. “The blade cuts perfectly and the fins scrape and cut everything out cleanly,” said one shopper, while another praised the tool’s ergonomic design. “The comfortable non-slip grip makes it easy to handle even when my hands are a bit slippery,” they said. 

Little Cook Onion Slicer

Don’t be fooled by the name. The Little Cook Onion Slicer also functions as an avocado slicer. A comfortable handle and sharp stainless steel prongs help prevent avocado hand by keeping the fruit secure on a cutting board as you halve it. Once the pit is removed, use the prongs to guide your knife and create even slices for salads, sandwiches, and so much more. “Works well to keep slippery foods (like avocados and onions) pinned to the cutting board while I chop,” an Amazon reviewer said of the tool. “I do like that the prongs are fairly close together, allowing me to make thin slices without worrying about slicing a finger by accident.” 

Jiangli 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer

Amazon shoppers agree that this sleek stainless steel avocado tool is both a game-changer and a space saver. “Works like a breeze, easy to clean, and doesn't take up a ton of room in the drawer,” a reviewer said. The shoehorn-shaped slicer has a long, serrated side for cutting, a narrow, pronged tip for pitting, and a wide, pronged base for slicing and scooping. “It replaces the spoon, fork, and knife I normally use,” said a shopper. 

Chohey Avocado Slicer

“When a friend cut herself trying to remove an avocado pit, I bought her this slicer,” an Amazon reviewer said. While the tool doesn’t halve avocados, it does make pitting and slicing effortless thanks to an ergonomic nylon handle that doubles as a pit remover and a wide, stainless steel head with sharp wires. “The metal end is used to drag against the inside of the rind/peel, slicing avocado into neat, perfect slices as you go,” explained a reviewer. “Finally, something to cut the avocado with and not to worry about cutting your hand,” said another.

Microplane 3-in-1 Avocado Tool

Leave it to Microplane to come up with another chef-loved kitchen gadget. “I use this tool in my restaurant, and it’s a great item to have,” a reviewer said. “It makes working with avocados super easy and efficient.” The tool has a rounded, straight-edge blade that won’t slice your skin if it slips, and the soft-touch handle provides a solid grip for added stability. Once the avocado is cut, use the concave pitter at the base of the handle to pluck out the pit, and the spoon-shaped side of the blade to scoop out the halves. It’s “way less scary than using a knife,” said one “amazed” customer. “After my daughter ended up with stitches from an injury removing the avocado seed, we tried this. awesome tool,” another reviewer wrote. “The knife part works well, too, and you don’t waste anything! Highly recommend!”