Colanders or another way to describe this piece of kitchen equipment is strainers. They are very important in the kitchen. Today you can buy all types and in many colors.

Do you need a food strainer?

The question thus isn’t whether you need a food strainer, but rather what type of food strainer you should get. Food straining devices are typically classified by their ability to either strain liquids away from solid food ingredients or to sift fine food ingredients from larger food ingredients. This definition is truly true.

What are food strainers made of?

• As this definition is based on how you use the device, food strainers can take many shapes and be made from many types of materials. For example, you’ll readily find strainers made of stainless steel, cloth, nylon, and aluminum,
• with each material generally chosen for certain types of food and straining purposes. I use cheese cloth a lot.

What is a kitchen strainer used for?


• The most obvious use for such a kitchen strainer is to drain a bit of pasta or to scoop out large vegetables while allowing water or oil to neatly drain out, or to simply separate them out.
• There are now cute corner ones that fit in the corner of your sink to catch scraps that you do not want to put down the drain. Some strainers fit down over the kitchen spigot that hold your sponges. Or your food scrappers.

6 Different Types of Food Strainers for Getting to the Heart of the Meal

Food Mill

This strainer is used for mashed or pureed foods, such as mashed potatoes, tomato sauce and jam.



Colanders are the type of strainer most people envision when they hear the word ‘strainer’. These kitchen tools look like deep, round baskets with often over a hundred small holes. Colanders were traditionally made out of aluminum, which was a metal that was easy to punch a pattern of holes through for water to drain out of. However, today, colanders come made out of all types of materials, including plastic which is probably the most popular type of colander material.

• Mid to large-size. Unless you are only preparing food for yourself (and often even if you are), going with a larger sized colander is often the best bet. That’s because larger colanders are easy to place in your kitchen and can take care of those big cooking jobs.
• Two sturdy handles. You’ll often find yourself pouring hot liquid into a colander, so you want to be sure to choose one with thick, sturdy, non-stick handles that allow you to easily pick up and grip your colander no matter how hot the foods and liquids you’re handling or how heavy.
• Raised base. Another must have is a colander with a base that makes it so that its bottom is raised above the ground. This feature makes it possible to sit the colander somewhere like in the sink without infringing its ability to drain water, juices, and other liquids.



Chinos

• Hooks for stability. Like the food mill, the best fine food chinois strainers feature hooks that allow its users to easily grip onto the bowl or glass you’re using and keep the kitchen tool stable.
• Heat insulate handle. A comfortable, heat insulate handle is important if you plan on using the chinos for hot liquids or foods, such as in the making of teas or fine soups. When you are choosing a chinois with a handle, make sure to check that the body and handle are made of one single composite material for extra sturdiness and durability.
• Stainless steel mesh. Chinos, like other strainers, can come in a variety of mesh materials but we recommend stainless steel for best effects.

Tamis

Tamis strainers range in size from about 12 centimeters in diameter to 40 centimeters. Recommended choosing a size that will fit neatly into your favorite cooking bowl or saucepan.Tamis strainers with nylon meshing are ideal for potato ricer.




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  Potato ricer is a unique kind of strainer known for processing potatoes by forcing it through a sheet of small holes, making the food look like rice.

  Potato ricers don’t really look like most of the other strainers on our list. This product comes outfitted with a long handle that attaches to what looks like a small, opened tin can with an attached plunger. The bottom end of this opened tin can has large holes through which the plunger can be used to push out boiled potatoes or other ingredients.

  Why buy a potato masher when there are so many other good general strainers available?

  Boiled potatoes are packed with starch but the best way to release that starch is to break the cells apart by mashing them. Yet, you want all good things in moderation as mashing boiled potatoes too many results in the starch becoming gluey and ruining the taste and appearance of the dish. A potato masher is neatly designed to break and mashed potatoes down to the smallest of pieces and with the least amount of motion. The result is a mashed potato dish that is delicious and nutritious.

  While a potato masher is an ideal solution for mashing potatoes, there are a number of other things this handy kitchen tool excels at. For example, with a light press of the handle, you can easily get the excess water out of things like cooked spinach, or play with the varying sizes of mesh holes in order to create the smoothest of guacamole from your avocados. If you have an infant, few devices can so readily make baby food as a potato masher. Of course, not all potato mashers are created equal. To get the best out of this type of strainer, then you will want to select a model based on the following key features:

  • Go hefty. There are some types of kitchen devices where you want something more delicate and finely crafted, such as the chinois cup, this is not one such device. You want something hefty and sturdy, a potato masher that can neatly stand up to the brute force you are likely to apply when potatoes are being difficult to mash. So stay away from any potato mashers that are made out of aluminum (likely to bend) and plastic (likely to crack and break).
  • Go comfy. In addition to being sturdy, a high quality potato masher will also be comfortable. This is to say look for a unit with large rubberized handles or one that is neatly designed to straddle certain bowls. Pressing potatoes can get tiresome and can the repeated motion can easily make your hands cramp if you’ve got a lot of potatoes to prepare, and so having a unit that is outfitted for comfort like this can significantly make using the food masher more enjoyable.

  Spider Strainer

  Perhaps the most popular type of strainer, the spider strainer features a wire basket that looks like a spider’s web. It is a very versatile kitchen equipment.

  The spider strainer is an ingenious tool that should be in every kitchen. Also, known as a wok skimmer, ire scoop, and wire skimmer, the spider strainer features a often long wooden) handle that is attached to a wide metal basket.

  This wire basket is created in such a way that it looks like a spider’s web — which is where it gets its name. The holes in the basket aren’t narrow, but they are wide enough to hold large food ingredients. The most obvious use for such a kitchen strainer is to drain a bit of pasta or to scoop out large vegetables while allowing water or oil to neatly drain out, or to simply separate them out. But as they say in television advertisements, that’s not all!

  Spider strainers can be used to separate eggs, simply crack the egg into the basket and the white will strain through while the yolk will remain in the basket, and they can prove a big boon when deep-frying, well, anything.

  When looking to buy a spider strainer the most important thing to know is that they come in two designs. Here’s what to know about them:

  • Traditional design. The traditional design of the spider strainer features a bamboo handle attached to a thin wire mesh. This design is preferred by cooks who prioritize having a more firm yet comfortable grip.
  • Modern design. The modern design of the spider strainer features a metal handle and the basket is typically made of much thicker wire. This design is much easier to clean and preferred by chefs who plan on using the device across a variety of situations.

  Now, Time to Strain

  

  This one is a traditional strainer. A pastry chef is using it in this photo during the preparation of his bread.

  As you can see, while all strainers function in a hastily manner, there are many types of strainers available to the home and professional chef, with each one of them specializing in its own, unique task.

  If you aren’t ready to bring home one of each of these different types of strainers, then consider adding first the more popular colander, then the versatile and multi purposeful spider strainer, and then go on from there on your preferred picks for kitchen use.

  Some specialty dining and culinary stores will offer demonstrations of each of these types of strainers so that buyers can better see what each of the strainers look like, how they feel in one’s hands, and experiment to see exactly how each strainer performs at its given task. As they say, there really is a tool for every (kitchen) job! Happy cooking!

  If you are looking for any one of these strainers or colanders check them out here.