You don’t need much equipment to make great ceviche — but the right tools make the process dramatically easier and the results consistently better. Here’s everything we actually use in our test kitchen, with honest opinions on what’s worth spending money on.
Must-Have: A Sharp Chef’s Knife
Everything starts here. Precise cuts mean more even curing — irregular pieces cure at different rates, leaving some over-cured and some under-cured. We use and recommend the Victorinox Fibrox 8″ chef’s knife ($50) for everyday use, or the Mac Professional 8″ ($150) if you want a lifetime knife.
Non-Reactive Bowls
Citric acid reacts with aluminum and uncoated cast iron, leaching metal flavors into your food. Always use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel. A large glass mixing bowl ($15–25) is the classic choice and works perfectly.
A Great Citrus Juicer
Freshly squeezed lime juice is non-negotiable. The Chef’n FreshForce citrus juicer ($30) is the most efficient we’ve tested — it gets 20–30% more juice out of each lime than most alternatives.
