An improved hand-held, hand-crank operated rotary drum-type grater (74) for cheese and the like is provided which has a housing that has portions which are slidably engageable with mouth adjacent lip portions (76) of a predetermined collection vessel (75) for grated material. The grater (74) preferably utilizes a cage-type drum body (51) having a cylindrical surface defined by a metal sheet having blade perforations (56). The drum (51) is insertable into either end of a cylindrical cavity defined transversely in the unitary housing of the grater hopper rotary drum (51) and thereafter the drum (51) is engageable with a crank (63). The vessel (75) can be associated with either opposite side of the housing and the association of this vessel (75) with either housing side does not interfere with grater (74) operation.