As I’ve posted our holiday recipes over the last few days, I’ve noticed lots of sentences that include the phrase “cut with a pizza cutter.”

I’m telling you, I would not be able to get through the holiday candymaking season without this tool. It allows me to neatly and painlessly slice up sticky logs of caramel candy, make beautiful and perfect squares of fudge, zips through both raw and baked doughs, and does all I ask of it with minimal arm and shoulder effort on my part. (As a torn rotator cuff survivor, this is more important than I could have imagined.)

The photo here is of the Zyliss version – I have two, and they’re cheap, pop apart to be washed, and have so far lasted through at least five years of seasonal candymaking in addition to pizza cutting. OXO also makes a version which is probably equally delightful; I have lots of OXO tools in my kitchen, and haven’t found a dud among them yet.

And, yeah, the picture is probably copyrighted, but on the other hand, Zyliss and OXO are getting some free press and much love here. If you insist, send me a cease-and-desist letter.

One warning: I don’t know about the OXO, but the Zyliss blade is as sharp or sharper than any of my precious kitchen knives, so I store and use it with extreme caution. I don’t like trips to urgent care and I don’t like stitches in my fingers.