We Examined 10 Potato Mashers—Right here Are The Finest Ones

This yr’s potato-focused Starch Insanity (which is again and spud-tastic!), made us assume: What tuber-related kitchen gear have we not written a lot about? As you may in all probability guess, the reply was potato mashers. Now, regardless of its identify, a potato masher can be utilized to mash many a factor. Beans, chickpeas, avocados, bananas sure for bread, and even floor meat can profit from a very good potato masher’s capability to evenly break issues down.

To search out the perfect potato masher, we examined 10 of them: fashions with perforated disks, S-shaped wires, and a pair much less conventional kinds, together with one which was formed like a hand mixer's beater and one other like a plunger. After mashing 60 kilos of potatoes, we landed on a number of favorites—ones that did the job effectively (saving your arm a exercise) and had been simple to make use of and clear.

The Winners, at a Look

The Finest Wire Potato Masher: Tovolo Silicone Potato Masher

Tovolo Silicone Potato Masher

Purchase on Amazon

This mannequin from Tovolo made fast work of mashing potatoes and its silicone-covered head made it simple to make use of and clear (and protected for all cookware). Plus, it's low cost.

The Finest Perforated Potato Masher: All-Clad Stainless Metal Potato Masher

All-Clad Stainless-Metal Potato Masher

Purchase on Williams-Sonoma

This stainless-steel masher mimics the outcomes you’d get with a ricer however is simpler to retailer and clear. Fingers down, it produced the smoothest spuds of any of the fashions we examined, however at about $50, it doesn’t come low cost. (If the worth is a no-go for you, this mannequin from OXO is our runner-up favourite perforated masher.)

The Finest Potato Masher for These Brief on Storage Area: Joseph Joseph Delta Folding Potato Masher

Joseph Joseph Delta Folding Potato Masher

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This mannequin folds flat so it may be simply stashed in a drawer, and it did a very good job with a reasonable quantity of potatoes (although it did battle extra with a bigger batch).

The Assessments

• To judge how effectively every masher did with a creamy potato sort, we boiled 2 kilos of Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and minimize into 2-inch cubes) in a 4-quart saucepan till delicate, then drained these and mashed them, logging the period of time it took to succeed in a {smooth} consistency.
• To see how effectively every masher did with a starchier potato and bigger quantity of potatoes, we boiled 4 kilos of russet potatoes (peeled and minimize into 2-inch cubes) in a 7-quart Dutch oven till delicate, then drained these and mashed them, logging the period of time it took to succeed in a {smooth} consistency.
• All through testing, we recorded UX observations, figuring out how snug every masher was to make use of.
• After every take a look at, we washed every potato masher by hand, evaluating how simple they had been to scrub.
• We ran the entire dishwasher-safe fashions by the dishwasher, to make sure no discoloration or in any other case injury occurred.

What We Discovered

In Common, a Greater Potato Masher Head Was Higher

The scale of the mashers' heads different extensively, and we discovered this to be key in how effectively the mashers labored. Whether or not perforated or wire, the perfect mashers had the biggest heads, whereas the lower-performing fashions had been upwards of practically an inch smaller length-wise. A bigger quantity of space making contact with the potatoes meant extra mashing with fewer general downward strokes. The common time it took bigger mashers to mash 4 kilos of russet potatoes was simply 69 seconds. The smaller mashers, although, took on common 113 seconds, 44 seconds longer. We will inform you: Forty-four seconds appears like a very long time whenever you're mashing potatoes.

Perforated vs. Wire vs. "Modern" Mashers

A lot of the mashers we examined had both perforated or wire heads. The previous is a stamped piece of plastic or metallic with various formed holes that pressure potato by them, just like a ricer, as you push downwards. We discovered that perforated mashers with plenty of small holes produced the smoothest, fluffiest spuds within the least period of time. Nonetheless, there was one wire masher from Tovolo that did a comparable job to the perforated mashers. This masher had tighter, wider coils coupled with a big floor space and was in a position to create related ends in roughly the identical time.

As for the innovative-style mashers, like those from Farberware and Dreamfarm, we discovered them to be ineffective. They’d smaller heads and took far longer than different mashers to even considerably mash potatoes, leading to gluier spuds that also had plenty of un-mashed bits.

Deal with Size and Form

We had been shocked that deal with size did not make too large of a distinction in how simple the fashions had been to make use of. (You’d assume shorter handles would trigger you to knock your knuckles into the perimeters of a taller pot, like a Dutch oven, however we did not expertise this even with handles that had been a full 2 inches shorter than different fashions). In fact, when you’ve got bigger fingers, you’d in all probability desire a longer-handled masher (like the Zyliss or All-Clad). Deal with form, nonetheless, performed an essential consider how snug every masher was to carry and use.

Some mashers had handles that had been too extensive to suit comfortably in a smaller hand, whereas others had squared edges that bit into our palms. For instance, the rectangular form of the GIR masher made it extraordinarily uncomfortable to make use of, particularly over a protracted interval of mashing. One other masher, from Zyliss, whereas a stable performer in different methods, featured flared ends and a narrower heart that made it so your hand needed to be positioned simply so with a purpose to maintain it comfortably. Total, we most popular extra rounded, narrower handles that match properly in hand and allowed you to choke up on the masher if want be.

Analyzing Materials Variations

Materials could have had a slight impact on mashing, however undoubtedly had a big influence on how simple the mashers had been to make use of and clear. Particularly, the silicone coating of the Tovolo was extremely simple to scrub…spuds appeared to slip proper off of it. For many who can't stand the sound of metallic repeatedly scraping on metallic, you'll additionally like utilizing the Tovolo. That stated, stainless-steel heads had been one other high materials: These all cleaned up simply and the efficiency variations amongst them might be attributed to components exterior of the fabric (i.e., head measurement and magnificence).

The one materials that proved harder to scrub was nylon. Potato tended to cling to the textured floor of nylon mashers, even after being run by the dishwasher.

Notes on Cleanup

So far as cleanup went and outdoors of the variations that might be attributed to the masher's supplies, we additionally seemed to see if the mashers had harder-to-reach nooks or crannies that potato received trapped in. These spots had been more durable to scrub and tended to be on the deal with, both on the skin or on the within the place it linked to the masher head.

(Word: All the potato mashers we examined had been dishwasher-safe and emerged from the dishwasher unscathed.)

Starch Insanity 2022

The Standards: What We Search for in a Potato Masher

An excellent masher, above all, ought to mash potatoes shortly and effectively. Perforated mashers with a considerable amount of small holes or wire mashers with larger, tighter loops created smoother potatoes in much less time, and the bigger the pinnacle, the higher. Handles that had been rounder in form had been, general, probably the most snug to carry. For straightforward cleanup, search for a stainless-steel masher with both an all-metal building or one with a silicone head (like that of one among our favourite mashers, proven above).

The Finest Wire Potato Masher: Tovolo Silicone Potato Masher

Tovolo Silicone Potato Masher

Purchase on Amazon

What we appreciated: The Tovolo masher produced {smooth} spuds and was the one mannequin that was virtually as quick because the All-Clad. It mashed 2 kilos of Yukon gold potatoes in simply 42 seconds and 4 kilos of russet potatoes in 51 seconds. Its efficiency—which was leaps and bounds above a number of the different wire mashers—might be attributed to its bigger general floor space mixed with the tight spacing of its bigger loops. The silicone-covered head of this masher made it very simple to scrub and protected for every type of cookware (it gained't scratch pots or pans). Its deal with was {smooth}, rounded, and cozy to carry.

What we didn’t like: The big measurement of the masher head might be tough to slot in a slender drawer or crowded utensil crock. In case you're utilizing a small saucepan, the bigger head may additionally pose some maneuverability points, however we didn't discover it to be an issue in a 4-quart saucepan or 7-quart Dutch oven. Some Amazon evaluations state that the deal with has sturdiness points. We didn’t expertise this.

Key Specs

• Supplies: Silicone and stainless-steel
• Care directions: Dishwasher-safe
• Deal with size: 4.5 inches
• Size and width of head: 4.33 inches lengthy x 3 inches extensive

The Finest Perforated Potato Masher: All-Clad Stainless Metal Potato Masher

All-Clad Stainless-Metal Potato Masher

Purchase on Williams-Sonoma

What we appreciated: The All-Clad masher mashed sooner than another mannequin, bar none, and produced the smoothest mashed potatoes. The super-thin but rectangular holes of this masher's head pushed by loads of potatoes, whereas producing a fluffy ultimate product. It tackled 2 kilos of potatoes in simply 37 seconds and 4 kilos in 47 seconds. The ergonomic, {smooth}, rounded design of its deal with was snug to grip even when mashing a considerable amount of spuds. We additionally appreciated the All-Clad's sturdy, all stainless-steel building.

What we didn’t like: The one factor to not like concerning the All-Clad is its worth. It was the costliest masher we examined. Nonetheless, if you’d like a masher that appears to be constructed to final and delivers flawless efficiency, it might be well worth the funding.

Key Specs

• Supplies: Chrome steel
• Care directions: Dishwasher-safe
• Deal with size: 5.25 inches
• Size and width of head: 4 inches lengthy x 3 inches extensive

The Finest Potato Masher for These Brief on Storage Area: Joseph Joseph Delta Folding Potato Masher

Joseph Joseph Delta Folding Potato Masher

Purchase on Amazon

What we appreciated: The distinctive design of this masher means it might fold flat to slot in any drawer. Its perforated head mashed 2 kilos of potatoes simply, in simply 52 seconds, and produced {smooth}, fluffy spuds. Its {smooth}, rounded silicone deal with was snug to carry. It's additionally cheap.

What we didn’t like: Potato clung to this masher's textured nylon head, even after a stint within the dishwasher (we advocate hand-washing it instantly after use). It struggled extra with a bigger quantity of russet potatoes, taking 1 minute 13 seconds to mash them.

Key Specs

• Supplies: Nylon, stainless-steel, silicone, and plastic
• Care directions: Dishwasher-safe
• Deal with size: 4.75 inches
• Size and width of head: 4 inches lengthy x 4 inches extensive

The Competitors

• OXO Good Grips Stainless Metal Potato Masher: This was our runner-up favourite perforated masher. Nonetheless, it simply wasn’t the quickest. We did like that its deal with design allowed you to make use of each fingers to push straight down for further energy. 
• Farberware Skilled Nylon Masher: The Farberware masher was disappointing. The skinny blades of the masher’s head and its small stature (it resembled a hand mixer’s beater) meant that hardly any mashing occurred. And irrespective of how lengthy we mashed, potatoes had been nonetheless lumpy.
• Dreamfarm Smood Lite: This masher, paying homage to a plunger, was additionally a catastrophe. It is designed in order that it is versatile and the middle of the deal with pushes down whereas the perimeters push up. However, that is ineffective and we had been by no means in a position to get potatoes {smooth} with it. Throughout some unofficial testing, the Smood did effectively for softer meals, like beans. 
• GIR Perforated Potato Masher: This masher neither mashed the perfect nor the worst, however the deal with was uncomfortable to carry and troublesome to scrub. 
• Zyliss Potato Masher: The Zyliss had a smaller head, which meant it took longer to mash than different perforated fashions. Its deal with wasn’t as snug to carry as we’d’ve appreciated both. Nonetheless, for these with bigger fingers, it did have the biggest deal with of the bunch, which could make it extra preferable.
• KitchenAid Connoisseur Stainless Metal Wire Masher: Regardless of having a bigger head, the extensive spacing between this mannequin’s wires handed loads of un-mashed potato between them, so it took longer to yield the outcomes we needed.
• OXO Good Grips Stainless Metal Potato Masher: This masher’s smaller head took longer to mash. We did not discover its deal with to be probably the most snug both.

FAQs

What's the distinction between a potato masher and a ricer?

A masher is a hard and fast, manual-style software that makes use of arm energy and a inflexible, flat, (normally) wire or perforated design to mash meals. A ricer forces meals by a sheet of small holes. For recipes that require ultra-smooth potatoes, akin to gnocchi, a ricer is important. A ricer is larger than a masher, has extra elements, and is, due to this fact, extra finicky to scrub and takes up extra cupboard space.

Is a potato masher price it?

The reply to this query actually depends upon two issues: how usually you mash potatoes (and different meals) and when you’ve got the cupboard space. Potato mashers generally gained't slot in drawers, however are properly at house in a utensil crock.

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