What kitchen tool is used to peel the skin off fruits and vegetables?

The kitchen tool used to peel the skin from fruits and vegetables is a vegetable peeler.

A vegetable peeler has a sharp blade set into a handle, usually with a narrow slot that removes a thin strip of skin as it moves across produce. Common designs include straight peelers, where the blade runs parallel to the handle, and Y-shaped peelers, which are held across the hand. Swivel blades can follow curved surfaces more easily.

Peelers are useful for potatoes, carrots, apples, pears, cucumbers, and many other foods. They usually remove less flesh than a knife, which helps reduce waste and makes preparation faster. A paring knife can perform the same job, but it requires more control and is more likely to cut deeply into irregular produce.

The tool is sometimes confused with a zester or grater. A zester removes fine strips of aromatic outer rind, especially from citrus, while a grater shreds food into small pieces. Some specialized peelers also create julienne strips or remove tough vegetable skins, but their basic purpose remains peeling.