Preparation
A good strainer can take your soups, sauces, and purées to the next level by giving them a silky-smooth texture. What’s more, a quality sieve can help you create fluffy, tender baked goods starting at step one. Our in-depth explainer dives into the differences between these two lookalikes, but here’s the recap: A strainer is mostly used in preparations that need to separate solids from liquids (for instance, removing the seeds from a batch of puréed raspberries), while a sieve, which is also known as a sifter, is used for tasks like aerating dry ingredients and removing clumps from items like confectioners’ sugar, flour, and cocoa powder.
Now that we are all experts on the key differences between these two essential kitchen tools, here are a few of our favorites in each category. What made these picks stand out from the crowd? For one, durability: Strainers and sieves that had a firmer mesh basket can withstand round after round in the dishwasher, which is important when you’re spending your hard-earned money on new tools. Secondly, ergonomics was a priority. Our picks needed to be comfortable and lightweight enough for us to want to use them. Last, stability was a must; there’s nothing worse than trying to strain a pot of hot pasta and have the basket tip over. Our favorite strainers all come with a long, sturdy handle and a hook at the edge of the basket for gripping onto sinks, stockpots, and bowls.
Best Set: Martha Stewart Collection Three-Piece Sieve SetBest Classic-Style Sifter: Flour SifterBest Combination: iSi Combination Funnel with Sieve InsertBest for Serious Sifters: Falytemow Flour SifterBest Multi-Tasker: LiveFresh Large Stainless Steel Fine-Mesh StrainerBest Restaurant-Grade Sieve: Harold Import Co. Chinois Fine-Mesh Sieve
