Sourcing rotary cheese graters from China

UK duty on hand-cranked rotary cheese graters

Heading 8210 covers hand-operated mechanical appliances weighing 10 kg or less for preparing, conditioning or serving food or drink. This guide covers cheese graters with a crank-driven rotating drum. See the manual kitchen gadgets guide for the wider heading.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 November 2026, the supplied commodity line carries 2% duty for goods from China. The file lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. It contains only the commodity line shown in the table.

Confirm the complete product's mechanism, materials and weight against the commodity code guide, especially when ordering spare drums separately or mixing rotary and simple fixed graters.

Specify the drum, crank and food-contact parts

Specify a handheld or countertop design, the cheese types to be grated, drum hole pattern, desired shred texture, hopper opening and discharge direction. Agree the crank position, handle grip, drum locking method and how the drum comes out for washing. For countertop models, test the clamp or suction base on the surfaces your customers will use.

Confirm applicable food-contact materials requirements with the relevant authority, including whether plastic food-contact parts require a declaration of compliance and supporting evidence. Match any evidence obtained to the supplied hopper, pusher and housing materials, rather than accepting a report for a different model.

UK businesses importing or selling consumer products are responsible for their safety. Assess access to sharp drum teeth, finger trapping around the crank and accidental drum release. Agree protective packing, clear English handling instructions and evidence for any dishwasher-safe claim.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative carton order of hand-cranked rotary cheese graters under 8210 00 00 00, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £960 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,960. Duty at 2% is £79.20. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,039.20, so it is £807.84. Import taxes total £887.04; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £79.20 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Drum: check steel against the ordered grade, inspect punched teeth and seams for burrs, and grate the agreed cheeses to assess cutting and clogging.

Crank and retention: check smooth rotation under load, handle movement, locking engagement and whether the drum can loosen during use.

Food-contact evidence: match declarations and supporting evidence to the actual plastic grades, colours and food-contact parts supplied.

Cleaning and packing: remove and refit the drum, check for trapped cheese, inspect washed samples for rust or cracking, and confirm sharp surfaces remain protected inside the pack.

What goes wrong

A drum that cuts well when empty can clog with softer cheese or rub against the housing under pressure. Weak crank joints work loose, poorly formed teeth smear cheese, and rough seams retain food. A suction base can also hold on a smooth sample bench but slip on the buyer's worktop.

Test production samples with the intended cheese and work surface, then dismantle and wash them. Compare drum fit, cutting results and handle movement with the approved sample. Reject unsupported material substitutions and dishwasher-safe claims before shipment.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.