Good Thinking

Butter knife that grates cold butter means no more ripped bread

Butter knife that grates cold butter means no more ripped bread
The ButterUp butter knife has a built-in grater to make cold butter easier to spread
The ButterUp butter knife has a built-in grater to make cold butter easier to spread
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The ButterUp butter knife has a built-in grater to make cold butter easier to spread
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The ButterUp butter knife has a built-in grater to make cold butter easier to spread
The ButterUp has a row of holes along the non-serrated edge of the knife
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The ButterUp has a row of holes along the non-serrated edge of the knife
According to DM Initiatives, the grater aerates and softens the butter
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According to DM Initiatives, the grater aerates and softens the butter
A variety of similar prototypes were test before the ButterUp design was finalized
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A variety of similar prototypes were test before the ButterUp design was finalized
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Many a sandwich has been ruined by overzealous buttering with fridge-cold butter. The anguish of torn bread may now be a thing of the past, though, thanks to a newly-designed butter knife. The ButterUp knife has a built-in grater to soften butter for spreading.

Given that cutlery is something we use every day, you'd have thought the potential for its innovation might have been exhausted. Nonetheless, a number of projects have shown that it's still possible to innovate this most simple of tools. Recent examples include the HAPIfork, which monitors the speed at which people eat, and Piltz Design's Picnic Cutlery, which is a modular set of eating utensils for easy storage and portability.

The ButterUp sets its sights on the difficulty of spreading butter straight from the fridge. Typically, cold butter won't spread easily and a single chunk of cold butter on a knife will serve to rip the bread to which it is being applied.

The ButterUp has a row of holes along the non-serrated edge of the knife
The ButterUp has a row of holes along the non-serrated edge of the knife

DM Initiatives created and tested a number of prototypes to see how the butter knife could be improved. The designs were based upon a cook's tip that cold butter is easier to spread if it has been run through a grater. As such, a grater was built into the knife. A row of holes on the non-serrated edge of the knife allows the user to pull thin ribbons of butter onto the blade. The knife can then be flipped over to allow the buttering to commence.

According to DM Initiatives, the grater aerates and softens the butter, making it easy to spread. In addition, the company says that a wider blade is used to better collect the grated butter and to provide more surface area for easier spreading. The ButterUp is made from stainless steel and is dishwasher-safe.

According to DM Initiatives, the grater aerates and softens the butter
According to DM Initiatives, the grater aerates and softens the butter

A Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign is underway for production of the ButterUp knife, and its target has already been met. Individuals can pledge from AU$12 (about US$11) to receive a ButterUp knife, assuming all goes to plan with the production and roll-out process.

The video below is the Kickstarter pitch for the ButterUp knife.

Source: Kickstarter

View gallery - 4 images
7 comments
7 comments
Bob Flint
Guys, funny video, and it no doubt works well with that large pound of butter/margarine, but the second swipe at that large block will inevitably bring with it the bread/toast crumbs.
Does it work for a normal small pad of butter on one's bread plate?
P.S. I hope that wasted food was put to good use
Philip Morgan
Or they could use spreadable butter from NZ
fsa0033
Why not wait 10 mins for the butter to soften? Here in AZ that would only take 10 seconds.
Alan Novakowski
Grate idea!
Bruce H. Anderson
A person could leave their butter in the cupboard rather than in the refrigerator.
warren52nz
Cheezy video. Great idea though.
esar
Fell for this one hook line and sinker. Think about it, grated cheese is still hard, the butter is the same. They'd have been better off with a heated knife!