Colanders and Food Strainers

Kitchen Colanders and Strainers

If you're honest, your colander is the unsung hero of your kitchen gadget collection. You probably use it more than your favorite kitchen utensils or that ceramic pot you always look forward to cooking with... because colanders and strainers are useful for so many things! There really are so many colanders and strainers to choose from, varying in form and design, purpose, materials and construction, and convenience of use. Ever wondered which colanders and strainers are for which purposes? Or theorized about other uses for colanders than just straining water from fruits and vegetables? Maybe you're in search of a new strainer or kitchen colander with unique features that could make a difference in your kitchen. Whatever questions you have, you're sure to find answers here - buckle up!

Don't Strain Your Brain On This, We've Sifted the Information for You!

You might not know where to start with learning about colanders and strainers, but don't worry - just keep reading and you'll find out all you've ever wanted to know about them (and more!) Kitchen colanders come in a wide variety of materials - most popularly, plastic and stainless steel, which each have their respective benefits and downsides. However, silicone, aluminum, and ceramic enamel colanders are also common. Colanders come in many forms: though typically known for their bowl shaped design, there are now kitchen utensils that double as strainers (such as these Straining Tongs or this Scoop Colander that combine several cooking tasks into a single tool).

Certain colanders are designed for draining and straining specific foods, such as Progressive's Collapsible Colander for Berries. The mated colander pot is another great example of this - the pot cooks pasta by sitting inside a larger pot of boiling water. Once cooked, the mated colander pot can be removed from the larger pot, leaving behind all of the water and none of the pasta noodles. Other colanders are made for using with certain cookware, such as pot strainers and can colanders. Colanders also differ based on cleaning method (whether dishwasher safe or handwash-only) and storage convenience, since some colanders collapse or are fit for putting in small drawers.

Does It Make a Difference Whether You Drain or Strain? We'll Explain!

Colanders and strainers are often lumped together into one category - just like we've done here! But are they really the same thing? Sort of.

Colanders are often distinguished from strainers by their shapes. A standard kitchen colander has a main bowl that sits on small legs or an inverted circular base. Colanders have larger holes than strainers and relatively long handles that can sit inside walls of a small kitchen sink compartment, which simplifies draining produce. Colanders are used for washing fresh fruit and rinsing vegetables, along with straining foods like pasta noodles, sauteed greens, and steamed produce. Strainers, on the other hand, are constructed with a fine mesh, often made with stainless steel. Strainers are considered more of a kitchen utensil, since they're hand-held, having a single handle connected to a small basket on the end. Strainers are best for sifting flour, draining grease from cooked meat, and rinsing grains like rice and quinoa. Strainers have smaller holes than colanders and usually take up less storage space.

They're Great for Draining Juices, But What Are Some Other Uses?

In addition to the common uses previously described, colanders are great for proofing sourdough, since the colander's holes allow air to reach the underside of the dough, helping the yeast mature evenly throughout the bread loaf. Colanders have also been used to strip herbs, rice potatoes, and make spaetzle, when the kitchen gadgets that typically perform these functions are not available. Similarly, strainers are helpful for making cheeses (separating solid curds from the liquid), along with removing pulp and seeds from fruit sauces. Strainers are perfect for blanching pasta or vegetables as well, since the strainer basket can be dipped into boiling water, keeping solids contained and thus preventing the extra work of draining cooked food (just like with mated colanders). Colanders can be stored inside similar-size mixing bowls, while many strainers fit nicely into utensil holders along with their spatula and server companions.

Colanders that are a Hole in One

Now that all of the basics are out of the way, we can get to the fun part - here are the colanders and strainers we think you'll pasta-tively adore! Sometimes it's best to start out with the basics, and in this case, we think the "basics" will still blow you away. The 5 Quart Stainless Steel Colander by Norpro is a timeless, classic kitchenware that will last for a lifetime. The holes in this colander are small enough to wash and strain rice without letting it escape, yet large enough to thoroughly rinse vegetables. Likewise, a Stainless Steel Pot Strainer is another standard gadget that comes in handy for quickly draining pasta water and meat grease. Simply place the strainer at the edge of your pasta pot and tilt it until all unwanted liquids have escaped through the larger holes in this tool. (Or, if you don't want to hold onto your pot strainer, pick up a Clip-On Silicone Strainer that you won't have to keep an eye on!) The 6 Inch Strainer by Oxo Good Grips is a staple handheld kitchen utensil, great for rinsing quinoa and other fine grains, as well as washing small quantities of produce. The Spider Skimmer is quite similar to the handheld strainer, but is even more durable and sturdy, built especially for removing fried foods from hot oil, keeping the solids inside while draining the oil effectively.

As great as multi-purpose tools like these colanders and strainers are, sometimes it's helpful to add a few gadgets to your collection that get more specific. The Can Colander is a perfect example - instead of pouring all of your chickpeas or Mexican corn into a full-sized colander to drain, just place this small plastic colander over the top of your standard-sized can and pour away unwanted liquids. The Berry Box by Hutzler is a popular find for washing strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and grapes. Shaped like a fruit carton, these berry boxes fit up to 1 quart of fruit at a time in the strainer insert. After washing your berries, the insert can be placed into the box base, allowing more liquid to drain progressively even as they sit in your fridge, ready to be used. The Collapsible Berry Colander by Progressive functions just like a standard steel colander, washing up to 3 Cups of berries at at time - however, it also folds up to approximately 1/3 of its expanded size to save space. Progressive also designed another collapsible colander, the Collapsible Mini Colander, that is bowl shaped rather than rectangular, like the Berry Colander. Need a brighter accent to your kitchen that's fun, yet functional? The Collapsible Poppy Salad Strainer and Colander will do the trick!

There's Endless Pasta-bilities of Colanders to Sift Through!

Perhaps the best kitchenwares are those that are multipurpose - they save space in your kitchen and keep money in your wallet! The Rinse and Drain Bowl Colander is a 2-in-1 bowl set that includes a colander insert that attaches to a larger serving bowl. The main bowl catches the sneaky drips that make unnecessary messes when draining your food... and after washing, they can be served using the same bowl that helped things stay clean. Talisman's Measure, Rinse, and Strain Rice Washer is another fine colander worth a few words - with this handy tool, you can skip dirtying your measuring cups and large colanders when you need some hearty carbs for dinner. This utensil can measure up to 2 Cups worth of rice, rinse the grains without letting any escape, and drain excess water that's left, all at once! Have you ever wished that your cutting board had a built-in colander? There's no need to wish anymore - the Over the Sink Prep Station by Progressive makes it easy to get all of your food prep finished in one place!

Every Sieve Has So Much To Give!

Whichever colander or strainer you choose, you truly can't go wrong - they won't be a wash! Check out our full selection of colanders and strainers here. Found one you love? Leave a review on the product to help others decide!