Do you know those annoying people who start preparing for Christmas as soon as Easter ends? Not literally, but you get the point.
Well, I am one of those people. Guilty as charged. After I’ve shared this confession with you, you shouldn’t be surprised that I’m already getting ready for this year’s Thanksgiving.
Yes, I do know it is far away, and I do know that Halloween comes first. However, if you’ve been reading my blog closely, you could notice that I love to cook. I wouldn’t say that I live for cooking, but that is the third or fourth-best thing in the world because food makes everyone happy.
For that reason, I adore holidays that require too much cooking.
For Halloween, I carve the pumpkin and prepare some monster-shaped sweets for kids, but all of that doesn’t keep me in the kitchen for more than three hours max. That is why I am already rushing into Thanksgiving.
Best Potato Masher
Let’s be honest; mashed potatoes go perfectly with the turkey. I am not a pushy person, usually, but everyone needs to try my mashed potatoes. Seriously 😉
Unfortunately, my old potato masher had served his time, and now he goes to retirement, while I need a new but equally trustworthy one. Will I find it?
I took the liberty of trying out five of the most recommended potato mashers on the market.
After doing that, I decided to share my experience with you and purchase the right one.
Who will be my loyal partner for this Thanksgiving? Who will have the honor of mashing the tastiest potatoes in the neighborhood? Keep reading and find out.
Masher, Ricer, or Mill – Which one do you need?
Before you start shopping, you should know the difference between these three tools:
Masher – The simplest tool in this group. Consists of a grid plate or wire connected to the handle. Wire mashers should be your choice if you are aiming for somewhat lumpy consistency, while the ones with a grid plate are made for creating a creamy texture. With this kitchen toy, no assembly is required, and you don’t have to worry about cleaning because they are often dishwasher safe.
Potato ricer – If you prefer fluffy, perfectly mashed potatoes, ricer comes as your savior. Looking like an enlarged garlic press, it extrudes rice-shaped bits of potato. People often use them for making spuds and fine-textured baby food. Ricers are slightly more complicated to use and clean than mashers, and they let you rice only a small portion at a time, which means they slow down your whole cooking process.
Food Mill – While the previous two are just regular tools, this is a machine much like a mechanical sieve. It has a hand crank that pushes ingredients through a perforated bottom plate. Food Mills can remove skin and seeds, which is the reason they are used for preparing big batches of soups and sauces, like tomato purée and applesauce. Mills usually produce watery-yet-dense consistency of mashed potatoes which is not something I prefer.
Using a potato masher is pretty straightforward, so I won’t set aside a whole section to explain it to you like I usually do.
You cook the potatoes, put them in a bowl, and simply mash them by applying pressure with your hands, holding a masher to its handle, pressing it on the potatoes. If your potatoes are too big, you can cut them in a few pieces first and then do the same.
How to choose the best potato masher for yourself?
Here comes a list of things you should consider when you are looking for the favorite potato masher available on the market:
1. Price
How much money are you planning to spend on this tool?
For example, if you intend to use a potato masher once in two weeks and for small amounts of food, a cheap masher will work just fine.
However, if you are cooking for a big family like I am, or if you plan on using this tool every second day, make sure to purchase a heavy-duty one, which will probably come with a high price too.
2. Handle
It should be sturdy, well-made, and comfortable enough at the same time.
Metal handles are the most durable ones, but they can slip from your hand easily.
The perfect choice is usually a silicon handle or one made out of non-slip materials.
3. Size
If you plan to mash large amounts, purchase a bigger masher.
Larger models are also useful if you don’t want to bother with cutting potatoes before mashing them.
At last, if you want to do the mashing inside of a deep pot, your masher has to be long enough. If you are usually doing it in a pan, shorter and smaller ones will serve you right too.
4. Mashing Plate
Wave-wire style or perforated grids?
It depends on your taste in mashed potatoes.
If you prefer smooth, creamy consistency, always go with the grid. On the other hand, if you want to feel the texture of the actual vegetable you are eating, and you like to find a few smaller lumps, waves are ideal for that job.
Also, makes sure that the mashing plate is made of stainless steel. This will increase the price of the product you are buying, but at least it will serve you for many years.
5. Storage
Be aware that large mashers, especially the ones with perforated plates won’t fit in a standard drawer.
If you want a tool that fits, choose a smaller one, or find a place to hang a large one in your kitchen.
6. Cleaning
Invest a few bucks more in buying a dishwasher-safe potato masher. It pays off.
See Also: Best Vegetable Choppers – Reviews
Most Recommended Potato Mashers on the Market – Barbara’s Reviews 2022
PriorityChef Potato Ricer and Masher – Versatile and fast
I love food, and I am not a picky eater. However, my hubby prefers riced potatoes over mashed ones, so I dedicated this review to him.
PriorityChef’s potato ricer and masher might be a bit more expensive than others, but it does the job differently. This multi-purpose, ergonomically designed kitchen tool with long anti-slip handles might become your favorite.
First, say goodbye to peeling potatoes. If you put potatoes with skin in this masher, potato meat will come out, but the skin will stay inside.
Also, you can use it for ricing all sorts of vegetables and fruits, but also draining canned salmon and so on. This is another dishwasher-safe, heavy-duty product on our list. When you start using it, you will realize that the job gets done fast!
However, you should be aware that this is not 18/10 stainless steel as advertised. Magnets get stuck to it, while they shouldn’t. Also, it clogs a lot, which can be tricky if you don’t have time to rinse it out right away. Handles don’t seem very durable to me, and I think they might bend towards each other.
Things I Liked
- You don’t have to peel your potatoes anymore.
- It is versatile.
- The potatoes will be much fluffier.
- It is heavy-duty and easy to clean.
- It makes ricing much faster.
Things I Didn’t Like
- It gets clogged too often.
- The lid is not well glued onto the handle press.
- It is not made of 18/10 stainless steel.
- Handles might bend.
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Potato Masher – Reliable but too big
If you are a kitchen lover like I am, you already know that you can always count on OXO’s products to be comfortable, durable, and ergonomic.
Their potato masher is just the same – made of stainless steel, with a long, cushioned handle for firm grip and of course, safe to use in the dishwasher. After all, the price is reasonable too.
If you don’t like smooth, creamy mashed potato, but like to find small potato bits in it, this is the right tool for you. It is sturdy but not too heavy in your hands. Also, you can use it for browning ground meat and mashing other vegetables too. It is easy to clean and dishwasher safe, and you’ll be able to use it in deep pots without any problem.
On the other hand, if you like smooth mashed potatoes, skip this one.
Its wires are simply too wide. Also, it is difficult to get to the edges of your pot or pan. Remember this tool is cumbersome, so it might not fit your drawer.
The top inch of the handle flexes which means you won’t be able to apply pressure with your palm.
Things I Liked
- The handle is comfortable and long enough.
- It’s easy to clean.
- It is sturdy but not too heavy.
- It is versatile.
- It is dishwasher safe.
Things I Didn’t Like
- It doesn’t really mash smaller pieces.
- It might be too big for your drawer.
- The top inch of the handle flexes.
- Getting to the edges of pot is hard.
KUKPO Stainless Steel Potato Masher – Nice grip but scratchy
KUKPO’s potato masher is the most affordable one you will meet today.
It is made of stainless steel, and it has a highly innovative design. The horizontal handle is here to assure the whole mashing business is easy on your hands. Applying pressure with it is almost effortless. A wide mashing plate will prevent any frisky vegetable from slipping.
What I liked about this useful tool is that it is made of high-quality materials and dishwasher safe at the same time.
The benefits of its horizontal handle are tremendous, especially if you have arthritis. I still don’t, but who knows!
Also, it’s oval-shaped plate fits perfectly to the side of the pan so that no potato ends are left out. At last, it can serve you as a ricer too.
On the other hand, this is a sharp masher so it might scratch your beloved pots. At the same time, it is a bit short which means it won’t be long enough to use it in anything deeper than the large pan. Its sides are too thin in my opinion which makes them prone to bending.
Things I Liked
- It has a heavy-duty perforated plate that acts like a potato ricer.
- It’s shaped that fits perfectly to the side of the pan.
- It is easy to grip and store.
- It is dishwasher safe.
- The horizontal handle makes it simpler to use.
Things I Didn’t Like
- It might scratch your pots.
- The stems do not go completely through the handle.
- It is not tall enough to mash things in deeper pots.
- It bends too easily.
KitchenAid Gourmet Stainless Steel Wire Masher – Quick but suspicious
If you liked OXO’s wire masher, but the fact that you cannot use it with your palms bothered you, you should try KitchenAid’s model instead.
If you purchase this product, you will get solid, stainless steel, dishwasher-safe potato masher with a well-balanced handle for increased comfort and smooth operation. Also, it comes with a lifetime warranty, so what more could you ask for?
This tool mashes potatoes, avocados, nuts – basically anything and it does it thoroughly and quickly. Of course, you won’t get a perfectly creamy texture, but that is expected of all wire mashers.
It has a good, firm grip and it is pretty easy to clean if you do it right away. Also, it comes in eight different colors, so you can choose the one that matches your kitchen.
This masher is advertised as more than 14 inches long, but in fact, it doesn’t have more than 10. So, deep pots are not a great idea while using it. Also, I don’t like the type of plastic handle is made of; it seems a bit wobbly and loose.
Things I Liked
- It is made out of sturdy metal.
- It mashes thoroughly and quickly.
- It has an excellent grip.
- You can choose the color to match your kitchen.
- If you wash it right away, it is easy to clean.
Things I Didn’t Like
- It is shorter than advertised.
- The handle is made of cheap plastic.
- Potatoes might get stuck to it.
- It is hard to clean if not soaked right after.
ZYLISS Potato Masher – Practical and slippery
If you want to find a perfect combination of wired and grid mashers, ZYLISS’s model might be the one you are looking for.
It is affordable, made of stainless steel, has a comfortable handle, and most importantly does the job more than well. The fact that it features both smaller and larger holes makes it the perfect combination of two previously mentioned types.
This is one giant potato masher. However, it comes with a hanging hook so you can store it easily. It will get to all-rounded areas without any issue while making extra creamy mash. Also, it comes with an integrated silicone bowl scraper which is handy and prevents your pots from getting scratched.
As I said, this is a bulky tool. At the same time, it is too big to be placed in a standard drawer and not big enough to be used for mashing in deep pots.
Also, it is not very gentle on your hands because you have to apply a lot of pressure in order to mash something. At the same time, the handle is too slick which makes it a bit slippery so be careful not to hurt yourself.
Things I Liked
- It comes with a hanging hook for easy storing.
- The masher gets in rounded areas nicely.
- It makes extra creamy mashed potatoes.
- It comes with an integrated silicone bowl scraper.
- It is dishwasher safe.
Things I Didn’t Like
- It is not very easy to use.
- It doesn’t fit a standard drawer.
- It is not suitable for mashing in a deep pot.
- The handle is too slick and slippery.
My choice
I absolutely fell in love with KUKPO Stainless Steel Potato Masher.
It has all of the right features. The handle is comfortable, and I loved the horizontal design. The mashing process is so easy that I can imagine myself using it just as effortlessly when I turn 70.
Also, it offers the creaminess I like. Yummy!
However, I will be also purchasing PriorityChef Potato Ricer and Masher, and I will use this one for this Thanksgiving and probably every next one too.
Holidays are the ideal time for putting your family in the first place and fulfilling their wishes, which means my hubby will get that fluffy kind of riced potatoes he likes.
In general, any product from this group is good enough to find its place on your kitchen shelves.
Which one you will pick depends mainly on your list of preferences. My only recommendation is to pay close attention to the handle if it doesn’t feel right in your hands – skip it.
I wish you tons of tasty mashed potatoes! 😉 And if you started craving potatoes while reading this article, you may want to check my tips on preparing a potato salad so good you won’t need the main dish.
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