All About Colanders

A kitchen prep essential

In a busy kitchen, you'll find plenty of use for a colander. This prep essential comes in handy for everything from rinsing fruits, vegetables and pasta to straining gravy. Sizes range from small 1 quart styles to the extra large capacity 7 1/2 quart styles. Stainless steel, plastic and mesh colanders each have their own distinct advantages and place in the kitchen.

Stainless steel. Because of their constant contact with water, stainless steel colanders are exceedingly useful and long lasting. Quality stainless colanders won't break, chip or rust and are designed to provide a lifetime of service. You can rely on a stainless steel colander to give you a first-rate performance every time you use it.

Plastic. Tough, versatile and long lasting, a plastic colander combines quality and affordability. Great for draining liquid from fruits and vegetables and straining pasta, holes are shaped for maximum water drainage for a variety of foods.

Mesh. The basket of a stainless steel mesh colander is seamless, so it will never rust. Because their bottoms are elevated, the mesh stainless colanders rest flat, allowing water to drain quickly. They are particularly useful in draining small foods, such as peas, carrots and rice.

The holes have it

If you're looking for a versatile colander that will work with a variety of foods, look for one with bigger holes on the top and smaller holes on the bottom. This efficient design will promote quick draining for any type of food. If you don't want a mesh colander but still want to prevent small round foods from slipping through the cracks, look for a colander with long slender openings like a leaf shaped design.

Steady now

Other important considerations to look at when purchasing a colander are the base and the handles. A pedestal base, or non-slip feet will keep the colander stable even when filled with heavy fruit or vegetables. Colanders with loop handles can be placed over a larger pan to drain.

Straddling colanders

Extra large colanders with extending handles that straddle the sink are also versatile. These basket colanders fit right over your sink for easy rinsing and draining. The non-slip arms won't shift in place, so you can set the basket to drain and move on to other cooking.

Make it a set

If you have colanders in several sizes, you'll always have the right one to use no matter what the task at hand. Many colanders come in a set of three; small 1 1/2 quart, medium 3 quart and large 5 quart capacities, so you can pick the best one for the job. Plus, they are stackable, for easy storage.

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