We tested the viral vegetable peeler hack, and here's what happened next...

A new viral video claims we've all been using our vegetable peelers wrong — and well, if there's a quicker way we could be shaving our veggies during meal prep then we want to know about it.

The footage first posted by Twitter user Giles Paley-Phillips, now featuring upwards of 694,000 views, shows as an unidentified man demonstrates a game-changing, two-way peeling technique — and really, the bloke's expression says it all.

"Oh my God, I've just figured out it does this!" he exclaims, holding up a veggie peeler, then sliding the blade up and down a carrot in a paint brush motion, without it leaving the vegetable once.

"I've been doing this," he adds, proceeding to demonstrate the way we all use a vegetable peeler; scraping downwards before lifting and starting again. Apparently a much more time consuming method.

Online critics have been praising the trick, with comments pouring in from the Twitterverse ranging from "Why isn't this taught in schools?" to "That literally changed my whole peel game."

Others have pointed out that this method, while quicker, might also be a bit riskier on the fingers. Begging the question — is the "wrong" method more popular for a reason?

The verdict

Look, we have to hand it to the mystery peeler — we gave it a try and his hack worked a treat. It definitely took less time to peel the carrot using the "paint brush" method, as you can see from our humble attempt in the clip above.

However, perhaps because our test carrots were thinner, and we were forced to stablise them by resting the tip on the chopping board and holding at the other end — as opposed to gripping underneath and out of harm's way, like in the viral video — we did feel we were tempting fate each time the blade shimmied towards our fingers. Don't think Mum would approve of this method, if we're honest.

If you do switch to the viral time-saving method, just be sure to grip the carrot firmly, avoid peeling all the way to the top, and maintain razor focus to avoid any clumsy slips.

Or, you know, just stick to the method you're comfortable with. The so-called "wrong" method really isn't so bad.