Oh, sometimes I think that flour is the most important ingredient in the kitchen. I’m a huge pastry lover. 🙂
Nothing can replace the smell of freshly baked bread or cookies when it spreads through the whole house. It’s for sure one of the things that can gather my family together real quick.
But, for us to have the perfect pastry, we first need nicely sieved flour.
Best Flour Sifter
There’s a ton of different flour sifters. My favorite one is a wooden framed flour sifter. It just looks so rustic and vintage, and it reminds me of old mills and the traditional way of baking.
But, let’s face it, it’s not really handy, so it’s not the perfect choice for everyone.
Therefore, I decided to do some research and give you all the information about flour sifters, plus the top five products on the market currently.
What is a flour sifter?
A flour sifter, or sieve, is a very important kitchen tool when it comes to baking. A lot of people don’t use it at all or don’t know how to use it.
However, sifting makes a major difference in your recipes and final results. A sifter is a quite simple device for the separation of wanted elements from unwanted ones.
A flour sifter, particularly, is necessary for spreading flour so nicely that it breaks up any lumps in the flour and makes it become light and airy.
Types and uses of sieves and sifters
There are so many different sifters and sieves on the market right now, and they all have a similar purpose. But there is one significant difference between them:
Sieves come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, from those small ones which fit in a cup of tea to those big ones for draining a large number of ingredients. You can sieve by simply shaking the sieve over some mixing bowl where you need to put your ingredients.
On the other side, the sifter is usually designed differently. It has a hand crank, either on top of the sifter or on the side, which serves to run a beater or paddle set inside the sifter. When you put the flour inside, the crank moves the pedal so you don’t have to shake the sifter manually. Also, most sifters usually contain much less flour than a large sieve.
I’ll try to present to you all of them and explain to you what they are used for.
This is probably the smallest sieve of them all. It is mostly used for powdered sugar, cocoa, or to drain tea. There is hardly any recipe with that amount of flour.
You can tell that this sieve is very similar to the previous one. The difference between them is the size, of course. This kind of sieve is used not only for flour but also for draining rice or pasta.
Oh, my favorite one, as I already said. Generally, people use it when they need a large amount of flour. What’s really good about this sieve is that you can sieve all kinds of flour, not only the plain one.
Last but not least – a flour sifter. I’ll continue to talk about this type of sifting a little later on, so there is no need for some special explanation.
Of course, there are many, many more types and kinds of sieves, but today we’re talking about the leading flour sifters. Follow me – we’re going to learn so much more about how to choose the perfect one for your needs. 🙂
How to choose the perfect flour sifter for you?
Now that we learned which sieve is good for which purpose, it’s important to know which factors affect the quality of a sift.
Materials
First of all, if not even the most important thing you should look for when you decide to buy a sift or sieve is the build material. You can find two types: a metal and a wooden sieve. They both have a good side and a bad side.
If you prefer metal sieves, you should look for a strong and sturdy structured sieve. You don’t want your sieve to lose its original shape after a while.
What you also need to pay attention to when it comes to metal sieve is whether it is stainless or not. Rust is not really a popular ingredient, don’t you think?
A wooden sieve, however, doesn’t have any of those problems. But as good and lasting as it is, wooden sieves can be tricky to clean and maintain.
Mesh on these sieves is usually a wire, although it can be a microplate or even a plastic net mesh.
Comfort
The next thing to look for is comfort. No matter how high quality it is, if you don’t feel comfortable using it, it is bad. Find a sieve that will fit all of your senses.
Maintenance
A key to long-lasting tools in your kitchen is maintenance. This is tightly connected with the materials that we spoke about. As I said, whichever material you prefer, you should first know how to clean and maintain it.
As for the metal sieve, it is very important that it is stainless. If it’s not stainless, just a little touch of water can ruin it. And you really don’t want to mix your ingredients with rust or to pay a lot of money for something that won’t last too long.
You can wash your wooden sieve; it won’t rust no matter what. But you need to be very careful with the way you dry it. If the wood is not dry enough when you store it in your cabinets, it will eventually start to mold. So for this one, the best thing to do is dry cleaning. Don’t wash it, just use a dry cloth and lightly wipe it when you finish using it.
Size
It’s not only the size of a sieve that you should look for. What matters the most is the size of a mesh. You can see at first sight if a sieve is going to fit a cup of coffee or a big mixing bowl. But mesh gets from super fine (about 5 µm) to those with big holes (more than 5 mm). It’s all up to you on which purpose you’re going to use it.
Current Leading Flour Sifters On The Market – My Reviews 2022
Now we all know what is important, a good sifter to have. Now I’ll list some of the popular models on the market and tell you how they performed on my tests.
Bellemain Stainless Steel 3 Cup Flour Sifter
The main reason I convinced myself to try this sifter is its simplicity. I needed to find something convenient and handy. Something small and completely opposite of my beloved big wooden sieve.
So, as I said, the first thing I liked about it was its simple design. Small, handy, and takes such a small part of cabinet space that, I believe, if you leave it for some time, you will practically forget that you even have it.
I tried to sift different ingredients with it, and it soon started to show some things I didn’t quite like.I must say that it sifts really fast, but unfortunately, only flour. It’s not appropriate for a multifaceted purpose.
Mixing ingredients is kinda hard with this one. Even though it says 3 cup measure, the perfect measurement would be 1 3/4 cup. Because, if you fill it, the flour will come out of a sift at the place where the crank is, and it will make a mess on your table.
Another good thing about this sift is the stainless steel material. But somehow, it manages to be so flimsy that I must question its durability. It made me think about it is made to last long, or it will eventually change its shape or somehow break?
Nevertheless, it has a decent and affordable price, so it’s still a contender in today’s comparison.
Things I Liked
- It’s made of stainless steel.
- Has a turn handle.
- Sifts flour quite fast.
- Low cost.
- It doesn’t take much cabinet space.
Things I Didn’t Like
- It’s handy only for flour. It doesn’t sift that good icing sugar, cocoa, almond flour…
- It doesn’t mix well ingredients.
- Has a thin metal sheet mesh.
- Very flimsy structure.
- It allows you to sift only 1 3/4 cup at a time. Otherwise, the flour comes out of sifting through the handle crank.
Norpro 3-Cup Stainless Steel Rotary Hand Crank Flour Sifter With 2 Wire Agitator
The physical characteristics of this sifter are pretty much the same as the previous one. Still, it has some advantages.
The benefit of this precise sifter is that it has two wire agitators instead of one. Fast as it is, it also sifts different ingredients like powder sugar, cocoa (cocoa powder), etc., perfectly fine, unlike the previous one. But if you mix these ingredients, it’ll give you exactly the same effect as Bellemain’s sifter.
One thing is tricky here.
Even though it’s easy to clean, you should keep in mind that not all parts are stainless, as the title says. If you don’t want to see the rust on your appliance when you wash it, make sure that you dry it with a cloth.
Furthermore (I personally tested this), people talk about heating it up by the hot air of any sort or using a stove for a while.
The same flaws are present at this sift when it comes to measurement and durability. But the price is lower, so it’s a decent compensation.
Things I Liked
- Sifts fine flour, powder sugar, cocoa, and other ingredients perfectly.
- It is easy to clean.
- Simple design.
- Has a two-wire agitator.
Things I Didn’t Like
- Not all parts are stainless! It can rust eventually.
- The structure is thin and hands flimsy.
- It doesn’t sift mixed ingredients well.
- Flour falls out through the handle crank.
More for baking: Top-quality cocoa powder in 2022
Natizo Stainless Steel 3-Cup Flour Sifter – Lid and Bottom Cover
This little thing is almost everything that the first two are not.
One great thing about this baby is the cover on the top and the bottom of it. It’s perfect when you want to store a small amount of flour for later use. Keeps ingredients as fresh as vacuumed. But you can hardly find the perfect fit. I don’t know why, but those lids just don’t fit well. They are either too loose or too tight for sifting; there’s no perfect match whatsoever.
But when I looked past that, I have seen so many more benefits of this product. It’s completely stainless, and that’s so relieving. You don’t have to worry about cleaning and maintenance. Another great thing is its structure. It is very firm, so you can be sure it’s going to last for years.
I was very pleased to see that it not only sifts quite fast, but it also mixes ingredients perfectly. It has a little bit wider mesh for a single ingredient sifting, but let’s admit it, the flour that we buy in grocery stores is not that much lumpy, so this flaw is kind of irrelevant and for some maybe not even a flaw.
Things I Liked
- Covers on the top and bottom.
- Sifts really fast.
- Very sturdy structure.
- Mixes all ingredients perfectly.
- It’s completely stainless.
Things I Didn’t Like
- Lids do not fit well; they are either too loose or too tight.
- It has a wide mesh for single-ingredient sifting.
Related article: Most Recommended Pancake Griddles
ChiefGiant Flour Sifter 8 Cup Stainless Steel Rotary Hand Crank
The ChiefGiant Flour Sifter is a versatile kitchen appliance that you can use to aerate and break down the flour clumps when baking, but also for aerating and dusting powdered sugar, baking powder, and other ingredients you add to your baking mixes.
The flour sifter is made of stainless steel, which is easy to clean, doesn’t rust, and won’t absorb the tastes or smells of the ingredients placed in it.
It has a chrome beater and a convenient stainless steel hand crank, which turns smoothly and with minimal effort.
The sifter is fitted with a fine 16 mesh screen, which will allow you to sift even the finest powdered ingredients properly.
It has a capacity of 8 cups of flour, and yet is compact and easy to store away.
Things I Liked
- A 16 fine mesh screen for sifting and aerating even the finest ingredients
- It can be used for de-clumping flower, dusting powdered sugar, and other baking or decorating needs
- It is 8 inches in diameter and 7 inches high, so it will not take up too much storage space
- It is constructed of durable and food-safe stainless steel with a chrome beater
- The rotary hand crank turns easily and smoothly to reduce the strain to your hand and arm
- The sifter can fit up to 8 cups of flour
- You will receive a cute chicken-shaped scrub sponge as a gift with this sifter
Things I Didn’t Like
- It is a bit slower than some of the other flour sifters on this list
- You may need to do some shaking for the flour to come out
See also: What to know before buying Bakeware Sets
Mrs. Anderson’s Baking Hand Crank Flour Icing Sugar Sifter, Stainless Steel
Sincerely, I expected so much more from this one.
I was attracted to its slightly curved design and of course better capacity. It turns out that it actually is large enough, and a five-cup measurement is a delightful change. It is also strong and sturdy, but again, it is not as stainless as it says it is.
What I loved about this one is the fact that it only has one screen, so it makes cleaning so much easier because you don’t have to double-check if there are any remainings left between screens.
But though I liked the curves, it seems that the design of this sift is not very practical. Crank is not even with the screen, and that makes it inconvenient to use. It doesn’t turn smoothly, and that’s a major flaw for this one.
As for the price I just think it is way too expensive for a sift like this.
Things I Liked
- It’s large enough.
- It has one screen only.
- It has a strong and sturdy structure.
Things I Didn’t Like
- The crank is not turning smoothly.
- The screen is a bit curvy and isn’t even with the crank.
- Not stainless.
Related article: Top Bundt Pans With Reviews
And the best flour sifter award goes to…
Picking the perfect flour sifter is harder than it seems. Trust me on this one! I’ve tried all five of them, and the nuances decided the winner.
My personal favorite was Natizo Stainless Steel 3-Cup Flour Sifter. Even though they are all similar to each other, this little thing won my heart completely.
I was so thrilled with all that it offers that its tiny flaw was negligible. Some of you may not be pleased with its wide mesh, but for my kitchen, in that price range, it suits almost perfectly.
Now that you have chosen an ideal sifter for yourself, there are no excuses not to bake some tasty, fluffy pastry or a delicious cake.
Have fun & Bon appétit!