People amazed as they only just learn what fourth side of cheese grater is for

The trusty grater – it’s an essential in our kitchen arsenal and yet we're probably scratching just the surface of what this multipurpose gadget can actually do. Are you unleashing the full potential of your box grater?

Chances are, you might be missing out on a grating game-changer, but don't sweat it – guidance is at your fingertips.

Kitchen tools hold a treasure trove of secret functions, from nailing the precise amount of spaghetti using that hole in the spoon, to tweaking dishwashers for lofty stemware. Making waves across the web, one Reddit user's revelation about the mysterious side of their box grater with minuscule holes could stand out as the most ingenious tip, reports the Mirror .

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"All this has ever done is hurt my hand, but I've literally never used those small hole graters ever. Pretty much just use the other side for making grated cheese," the perplexed user said. The comments section lit up with similar misadventures, with another adding: "I have this exact one... and I've also assumed it was to make the cheese a bit smaller after grating. All it does though however, is f*** your hand up when you misshold it!! ...scrapes a good knuckle..."

One culinary wizards said: "Yea but took years to figure out, Parmesan and lemon/ orange / lime zest is best shredded on those 2 sides."

Another savvy foodie recommended: "Zest hard cheese or garlic, nutmeg, maybe ginger to make like a paste."

Another added: "Potato pancakes come out great with this side! " Martha Stewart's culinary gurus over at Marthastewart.com threw in some extra flair about grating techniques by declaring: "The smaller shredding holes are designed to finely grate cheese, chocolate, vegetables, and more."

They note that the tinier perforations create delicate cheese strands perfect for blending into dressings or sauces and also ideal for zesting lemons or grating soft nutmeg, as pointed out by the keen Redditors. For slicing tasks, the experts suggest using the side equipped with large slots, and when it's time for semi-hard cheeses, carrots, and apples, opt for the side bursting with the largest holes—a crowd favorite.

In a moment of kitchen enlightenment, a clever chef on TikTok revealed the correct way to open a bottle of olive oil, which took the internet by storm. The little ring cap that many toss aside should be kept; in a trending TikTok video, the cap gets flipped and reinserted to control the flow of oil like a champ.

Users on TikTok were flabbergasted, with one proclaiming: "So I have been living a lie my entire life." While another confessed: "How didn't I know this until right now?!".