Best Potato Ricer
Mashed potato is probably one of the favorite side dishes in my home, and I prepare it at least once in two weeks.
When I really have a lot of time and goodwill, I also love to get my hands on the flour and potato mixture and make homemade gnocchi too.
All of this wouldn’t be possible without a quality potato ricer.
Sure I tried my luck with potato mashers too, but they just can’t produce the same rich, yet consistent, texture as ricers, which is especially problematic when it comes to gnocchi paste.
However, not all potato ricers are made the same, and if you want to find the perfect potato ricer out there, you need to do a little research and figure out all the necessary prerequisites it should have.
I’ll save you the trouble and give you all you need to know in one place, plus five top products currently on the market.
What is a potato ricer?
Since a lot of people tend to mix up potato mashers and ricers, it is important to get this off the table right away.
A potato ricer is an extrusion tool that forces cooked potato through tiny holes, delivering rice-like pieces of potato.
A potato masher is a tool you use to pressure cooked potatoes to create a mashed texture. However, this tool (at least in my experience), often leaves lumps and it is quite exhausting to use.
I also learned that a potato ricer can be very effective for pureeing any type of cooked fruit or vegetable including carrots, apples, and more.
Things to pay attention to when buying a potato ricer
As I mentioned before, there are potato ricers of different quality, sizes, and performance.
There are some things you should pay attention to if you want to find the best of the plentitude.
1. The material
The most common materials used for manufacturing potato ricers are plastic and stainless steel. Plastic is, of course, less durable and it is much easier to damage it, so it is obvious that stainless steel is the preferred material, because it can last longer and endure more abuse. Some ricers will have an addition of rubber or ergonomic grip which can be very helpful if you are planning on using it for pureeing larger amounts of fruits and vegetables.
2. Number and size of the holes
No one expects you to turn the ricer upside down and start counting how many holes it has. However, you can approximately assess the density of the holes and their width. The more holes the ricer has, the greater are the chances for it to deliver a smoother and more consistent texture. If the holes are too big you may end up with lumps such as the ones that can be produced with a potato masher.
3. Ease of use
As I’ve already mentioned, I make mashed potatoes quite often, and I have two boys and a husband, so you can only imagine the amount of this side dish I have to make. That’s why I couldn’t bear to work with a potato ricer which is difficult to use. The best potato ricers are equipped with a non-slip knob opposite to the handle, so you can rest them on the side of the bowl or bowl and get more leverage when you’re operating them.
4. Build quality and durability
Even when they are made of stainless steel, some potato ricers can be of poor build quality, especially if they are not well connected with screws and bolts. They can be insufficiently firmly connected which would make them prone to falling apart, or connected too firmly, which will make them not flexible enough to operate with them.
5. Important components
One component that should always be on your mind when buying a potato ricer is the mill feature, also known as the hopper. This is the place where you need to place a potato before you press it through the grates. The mill component should be large enough to fit a potato, whole or cut into smaller pieces.
Furthermore, you should consider the press apparatus, which should be functional and sturdy.
Finally, the handles need to be easy to grip and hold. It would be great if they would have a rubberized coating to avoid slipping. Ergonomic handles can make the job of grating the potato easy even for kids who naturally have weaker hands.
6. Versatility
Although you can easily put an apple in almost any potato ricer out there, what happens if you want a different texture than gnocchi-ready puree? Do you go out there and purchase another ricer for that occasion? Or it is better to look for one ricer with interchangeable discs with different numbers and sizes of the holes? I bet you prefer the other option.
7. The price
Obviously, you shouldn’t skimp on the money when buying kitchen products unless you want to invest in new ones every couple of months. However, a higher price doesn’t always have to mean higher quality. If you pay attention to all of the factors I mentioned above, you should be able to make the right call based on the actual benefits of the ricer, and consider the price as the last factor that will influence your decision.
Most Recommended Potato Ricers On The Market – Reviews 2022
Now that we have all that covered it is time to see do our top five potato ricers meet our demands and try to find the best potato ricer of them all:
Bellemain Stainless Steel Potato Ricer – A Few Issues, but Still a Keeper
There are plenty of reasons why this specific potato ricer caught my eye.
- First, it seemed very lightweight and easy to use.
- Second, it’s made of stainless steel.
- And finally, it has three interchangeable finesses discs that can be used for mashing everything from steamed cauliflower to baby food.
When I tried it out, I was convinced that it delivers a perfectly smooth, fluffy texture of the mashed potatoes.
This process also doesn’t require a lot of effort, since the handle is comfortably cushioned and doesn’t require a lot of strength for the meal prep.
The build is sturdy and it seems as it is going to last for years.
However, I had a few problems with potatoes escaping through the side of the cylinder and the potatoes sticking to the disks and being difficult to clean.
Another thing that really bothers me is that if the batter is a bit sticky the ricer insert tends to lift off with the handle each time you finish pressing one batch.
Things I Liked
- Interchangeable discs are a big plus.
- It’s built to last.
- The texture of the end product is perfectly smooth.
- The handle is comfortable and it doesn’t require a lot of pressure.
Things I Didn’t Like
- The potatoes often escape through the side of the cylinder.
- The food sticks to the discs.
- It is difficult to clean.
- The ricer insert lifts off frequently.
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Potato Ricer – Workout Your Muscles
This ricer reminds me of the one my mother had when I was a little girl, so I associate it with my first culinary endeavors. Fortunately, it is not just my nostalgia that was satisfied with this product.
When I tried it out, there were literally no lumps in the potato – perfectly soft and consistent texture. There is even no need to stir in a lot of butter or milk into the mashed potatoes.
The non-stick knob is ideal for holding this tool in place when you are mashing the potatoes. The handles are ergonomic and soft while you’re holding them, but the grip is still stable.
However, I wouldn’t recommend OXO Good Grips ricer for those who have weaker hands or suffer from arthritis because it does require a stronger grip.
The area where this ricer excels is the ease of cleaning. All it takes is a quick rinse after using and you can store it until the next time.
Like the previous product, Good Grips also has a problem with potatoes escaping around the sides.
Also, it is a bit small so it can’t hold more potatoes at the same time, but if you don’t mind the extra work, the results are excellent.
Things I Liked
- It produces a texture that is perfectly soft and requires just a bit of butter or milk.
- Seems durable.
- The non-stick knob is very useful.
- Cleaning is a breeze.
- Ergonomic handle.
Things I Didn’t Like
- It requires a really strong grip.
- The potatoes can escape around the sides.
- It doesn’t have a large capacity.
Norpro Stainless Steel Commercial Potato Ricer – Weak, but Needs You to Be Strong
I have to admit that I first noticed this product because of the name.
Norpro is famous for making distinctive kitchenware of extraordinary performance and great quality, and I’m proud to say that I have a few of their products in my kitchen.
Of course, this made me believe that their potato ricer is a true representative of their standards.
The tool has good volume capacity and it appears very sturdy. You can fit it over a pot for simple use and to avoid mess. It makes fluffy, soft, and lump-free mashed potatoes. It is also easy to break it apart for quick and simple cleaning.
There are several areas where this potato ricer doesn’t perform quite well as I expected.
The handle is not at all comfortable, and it even caused me blisters. Other than that, the stop is too high to be able to fully press the upper part of the mesh.
It takes a lot of strength to press the potatoes, and one of my friends who bought it recently mentioned that hers got bent and then broken after just a couple of uses.
Things I Liked
- The volume capacity is excellent.
- It looks sturdy.
- It’s easy to fit it over a pot.
- It’s not messy.
Things I Didn’t Like
- The handle is uncomfortable.
- The stop is too high so it can’t be fully pressed.
- It needs a lot of strength to operate it efficiently.
- I heard that it could get bent and broken.
PriorityChef Potato Ricer and Masher – It Should Be of Better Quality
Once again, this is a product I chose to try out because of the great reputation behind the manufacturer’s name.
All the products I previously bought from PriorityChef gave great value for the money, so I thought that it can’t be different from this one.
It has a generous capacity, but it is very lightweight on the other hand.
Most importantly, the end mash is always soft, creamy, fluffy, and delicious.
The ergonomic handle design makes it easy to mash even several potatoes at once, so it is an ideal product if you are hosting a large dinner party.
Besides, the long handles provide easy leverage, so say goodbye to sore and tired hands.
The food residues are quite easy to rinse off in just a few seconds, which is a life-saver.
As for the downsides, PriorityChef’s potato ricer is not very sturdy and the steel on the handles appears rather thin, so it is possible for it to bend if you use a lot of potatoes and apply a lot of pressure.
Also, while the holes are ideal for mashed potatoes they don’t work as well for roving cauliflower because the holes are too small – this is the situation when you would prefer to have purchased a product with interchangeable disks.
Things I Liked
- Generous capacity.
- The ergonomic handle design.
- The potato mash is exquisite.
- It’s not tiresome for the hands.
Things I Didn’t Like
- The handles appear too thin and weak.
- The build quality is questionable.
- The holes are too small for cauliflower.
Culina Premium Potato Ricer – It Fails in the Most Important Area
Unlike the previous product, Culina’s potato ricer has a body made of plastic, so this was a big turn-off for me, but I decided to give it a chance. After all, it has two interchangeable discs, and at least they are made of stainless steel.
The good thing about its design is that it has a grip that extends from the front to be able to conveniently balance over a pot. It is surprisingly easy and comfortable to use – just push the handle down, and you will get mashed potatoes. The hopper area is pretty large, so it can accommodate sufficient potatoes.
I have to admit that the plastic isn’t cheap, and it is fortified, but I would still always go for the stainless steel.
The locking mechanism is pretty bad, and it is difficult to clean it, especially if you leave it in dirty dishwater because the water can enter into the handle and contaminate it with bacteria and dirt.
And, I left the biggest problem for the end: the texture of the end product is not really consistent and it reminds me more of oatmeal than mashed potatoes.
Things I Liked
- The interchangeable discs are made of stainless steel.
- The grip that is used to balance the ricer over pots is life-saving.
- It’s easy to use.
- The hopper area is large.
Things I Didn’t Like
- It’s made of plastic, fortified, but plastic nevertheless.
- The locking mechanism is inefficient.
- It’s difficult to clean.
- The texture of the mashed potatoes is weird.
And the winner is…
This was a tough call, since most of the products are quite similar, and all of them have their advantages.
Although Bellemain Stainless Steel Potato Ricer has a few issues, including the difficulty of cleaning, I’ll give it a slight advantage over the remaining products, because it doesn’t require a lot of pressure, it is comfortable to use and has interchangeable disks which proved to be of immense use. 🙂
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