Does your masher bend quickly whenever you put pressure on it? Mashing potatoes is a boring kind of work and if the handle gets broken frequently it can be very disappointing. If the masher does not have the strength to endure the force, it breaks apart.
The handle of the potato masher needs to be made of high-quality material that can give a comfortable grip. So, pay extra attention to the handle before buying the best potato masher for your kitchen.
It can be embarrassing if your guest finds lumps on your mashed potatoes. The mashing plates come oval with holes or wired shaped. It can be hard to choose between them but choose the one that will cut through all the lumps and will make a fluffy creamy mashed potato.
Some brands offer perfectly welded mashers so that you can directly mash potatoes on the serving dish without making any scratch marks. Whichever potato masher you choose, read the specifications thoroughly before finalizing on the best one.
Best Pick
The Farberware Professional Meat/Potato Masher is our best pick on our list as it is made of nylon that resists heat and can be used on non-stick cookware.
It's 5 blade design covers the corners of the pots and creates a smooth fine texture of the mashed potato. It can also be used for mixing along with mashing the potatoes. Nylon made masher is easy to clean and eliminates the risk of rusts.
Budget Pick
Joyoldelf Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Potato Masher is on our budget pick because of its stainless steel mashing plate with perforated holes.
Holes help to achieve lump-free mashed food and an ergonomic vertical handle strongly supports the masher. The handle is wrapped with plastic so that you don't feel the heat while mashing hot boiled potatoes.
Best Kitchen Gadgets for Smooth Mashed Potatoes
1. Farberware Professional Meat/Potato Masher
Highlighted Features
The mashing of potatoes takes a lot of muscle, and after that, the mixing of the potatoes can be tiring. The masher from Faberware blends and mashes potatoes at the same time. It is a 5 blades masher designed to mash without retaining any lumps and mix the ingredients consistently. Boil the potatoes until they are soft so that there are no lumps on your mashed potatoes.
This masher can be used on hot boiled potatoes since it is made of nylon. Nylon is a lightweight material that adds sturdiness to the masher. Nylon is also known for its heat-resistant properties. In addition, nylon prevents the non-stick layer of the pan from being peeled off by heavy mixing and mashing.
A masher that doesn't give you a good grip will make a mess in your kitchen. The handle provides a perfect grip that helps to process beef, chicken, or other food products. The Farberware masher is safe to clean using a dishwasher, but it is easier to clean by hand as it releases food quickly.
2. Joyoldelf Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Potato Masher
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Beans and chickpeas are tricky to mash because of their miniature size. The masher from Joyoldelf is designed in such a way that it can mash mini sized veggies. It is made of a heavy-duty product that guarantees the reliability of the masher.
This potato masher is portable for an outdoor picnic as well. It is lightweight and has a non-slip rubber grip that makes mashing smoother. The seamless mash head is 3.35 inches in diameter, which decreases the mashing time due to its large mashing plate.
The potato masher is a safe dishwasher, but with its seamless nature, it can be conveniently cleaned by hand. It is recommended by the brand not to use any sharp-edged instruments for cleaning the holes. The rough tools will create rough surfaces on the masher plate.
3. OXO Good Grips Smooth Potato Masher
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We put stress on the masher to mash the potato. A fragile masher will collapse if you put all the pressure on the masher while crushing the potatoes. But this OXO masher has a horizontal handle that tends to spread the energy equal to the whole masher.
With this fine grid mashing plate, you can get buttery mashed potatoes. The handle gives a good grip and reduces the strain for mashing the potatoes. It can be used to mash chicken, vegetables, or fish. It is better to cut the food item into small pieces before mashing for a better outcome.
As it is made of stainless steel, prevent mashing potatoes on non-stick pots, as the masher will peel off the non-stick coating. There's no reason to think about washing as the masher is reliable on the dishwasher.
4. ZYLISS Potato Masher
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Mashing requires a lot of time and effort so it needs to be handy to make the crushing easier. Zyliss masher gives a solid grip for crushing avocados, lentils, peas, etc. The mashing plate has small and large perforated holes that mash all the lumps.
It has silicon made spatula on one side to scrape everything out from the bowl. The masher can be cleaned by putting on the dishwasher. Do not use the masher for crushing frozen peas or bananas. Mashing frozen food requires a lot of force which this masher might not be able to hold it. The handle will break apart if too much force is exerted.
5. OXO Good Grips Nylon Potato Masher
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This masher from OXO is completely made of nylon. The masher made of steel will get hot if you want to mash hot potatoes. Steels are known to be a good conductor of heat. Coming in contact with hot items will make the handle hot. Nylon is a heat resistant material and so you can use it on hot boiled foods.
Furthermore, using a steel masher on non-stick pots can peel off the non-stick coating. So it reduces the effort of preparing and serving the mashed potato. This nylon masher can be used on all pots without the fear of getting scratch marks. This potato masher also deals with potato skins. You don’t have to worry about peeling the skins of potatoes before mashing. However, this masher can take a lot of time as it does not cover large portions.
6. HIC Harold Import Co. Potato Masher
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Mixing the mashed veggies with other ingredients after crushing can be time-consuming. HIC Harold Import Co. offers a dual-action kitchen utensil that can mix and mash at the same time. It is wired shaped that sort out the lumps of the mashed potato.
Engineered with 18/8 stainless steel, it ensures the durability and sturdiness of the masher. However, 18/8 stainless steel is not free from rust or corrosion. So, wipe the masher with a dry cloth after cleaning thoroughly to avoid rusting.
Sidewalls help to scrape the remnants stuck to the wall and the handle provides a strong grip until getting the fine texture of your mashed potatoes.
7. Zulay Kitchen Non-Scratch Potato Masher
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The potato masher from Zulay is unique from other mashers. It is made of stainless steel so that the masher can endure the pressure while crushing the potatoes. The stainless steel is easy to clean and does not bend at a high temperature. The elongated handle also gives a compatible grip that helps to mash out the lumps.
The head of the masher is made of premium quality silicone. Silicone made the masher scratch proof. You can easily use this masher outdoors and you can mash on any type of pot you want. It is recommended not to use hard metals on non-stick pots to protect the non-stick coating. With this masher, you can use it on non-stick pans without worrying about the coating.
However, it is a wire or wave-shaped masher. It can be difficult to mash the corners of the containers.
8. Spring Chef Potato Masher
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Mashing is one of the manual kitchen jobs that family members do not want to do. A perfect masher will make the crushing easier without giving much effort. Spring Chef Potato Masher has 3.5 inches wired shaped mashing plate that covers a lot of areas.
Continuous pressure for mashing the potatoes can make hands sweaty and lose the grip frequently. To avoid these situations, the handle is made of non-slip materials. You can have a smooth fine texture of the mashed potato as it can endure the heat. Mashing hot food items is easier as they remain soft.
You can clean the masher by putting on the dishwasher. Additionally, a peeler comes along with the masher that can be helpful for peeling the fruits.
9. KUKPO Stainless Steel Potato Masher
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A masher is not worthy if it cannot give the perfect texture of the mashed potato. KUKPO makes stainless steel mashers that will help to create fine-textured mashed potato within a few minutes. The stainless steel used on this is SS Grade 430, which is known for its heat resistive and anti-corrosive properties.
The Plastic wrapped horizontal handle spreads pressure uniformly to the masher head. It decreases the pressure from your hand that might result in hurting your palms. The masher surface is a combination of small and big holes that does not leave out any portion while mashing. The small holes help to crush the beans and peas while large holes break the lumps.
The masher is easy to clean just by putting into the running water and then drying it with a cloth.
10. FLYINGSEA Potato Masher
Highlighted Features
The mashing plate can get bent if the material is not strong enough to withstand the pressure. The masher from FLYINGSEA is made of 18/10 stainless steel that provides sturdiness to the crusher. The masher is 6 ounces in weight that makes it handy for everyday use.
The mashing plate is designed with uniformly shaped holes to crush the lumps of the mashed potato. The vertical handle gives a firm grip to hold the masher and helps to continuously stab the boiled potatoes to make a perfect mashed potato However because of its straight uniform shape, the handle often slips. A flared handle would have been great to resist the slipping.
The edges are smoothed out by wielding to make the masher scratch proof. Cleaning is simple as it can be put on the dishwasher.
11. Calphalon Nylon Potato Masher
Highlighted Features
The mashers are not used not only for making mashed potatoes but also for mashing food for babies. Babies need lump-free food otherwise the food can get stuck to their throat. This masher reaches all the edges of the pan and crushes without leaving any lumps.
The nylon masher is comfortable to use on non-stick pans without creating any scratch marks. The mashing plate is strong enough to endure the force of mashing. Nylon makes it heat resistant so if you mash hot boiled potatoes, the heat will not reach the handles. The handle is designed to give a strong and dry grip while mashing the potatoes.
Dishwasher safe masher but it can be hard to clean the holes. If food remains stuck on the holes, hold the masher under running water to clean the remnants of the food.
12. GOCTOS Potato Masher
Highlighted Features
Grounding meat can be easier on outdoor picnics if you are using a potato masher from GOCTOS. It is made of 304 stainless steel that has a high heat resistance and does not react easily with acidic food. It is also known for its sturdiness and durability.
This wired shapes masher is designed to mash inside the pots directly. The edges smooth to make the masher scratch-proof. The handle is long and provides a strong grip for crushing the potatoes. It is a lightweight masher that comes in handy.
However, the mashing surface might not be big enough for making a family quantity mashed potato. The mashing plate is small and it will take a lot of time to mash a huge amount of potatoes.
The masher is suitable to use on the dishwasher as it is made of stainless steel material and will not break easily if force is applied.
Buying Guide
Source: gefu.com
Are you not happy with the texture of your mashed potatoes? If not you might need to change the masher to enjoy a perfect mashed potato. One of the concerning factors of mashing potatoes is to get a strong grip on the handles.
Frequent slip off the handle can be unpleasant and you can lose the patience of crushing the potatoes. The handles come in wrapped with rubber, plastic, or nylon to prevent slipping or getting heated while mashing hot potatoes. Make a checklist of the characters you need on your potato masher before ordering one.
Patterns of mashing plate
Head of mashing plates comes in a different design. Based on their design, your mashing experience can differ. There are two types of mashing surfaces, round and wave-shaped.
Round or Rectangular plate: This kind of masher has holes on the head that help to smooth the potato mash. This pattern is commonly used for its excellent result as perforated holes cut through the potatoes to give it a fine texture. The round-shaped plate manages to cover all corners of the pan without leaving any lumps. Be sure the masher is made of a solid material since it takes all the crushing pressure. It could be hard to clean the holes of the masher plate. Placing it under running water removes the remainder of the food. Even then if the food remains on the masher, clean it using a brush with soft bristles.
Wave or S-shaped plate: This form of masher looks like a branding iron, but it covers smaller portions compared to circular shaped ones. The benefit of using wave-shaped mashers is they prevent over mashing of the food. Over mashing can take away the texture of the mashed potato. However, this shape is unable to hit the corners leaving a significant portion of not mashed potatoes. It can be time-consuming to mash potatoes with this masher category.
Potato Masher or Potato Ricer
Potato ricer produces the lightest and most fluffy mashed potatoes as the potatoes are pressurized down through the holes. Ricers have two handles, one is attached to a box with perforated holes and the other is fitted to a flat surface that helps to press the potatoes. Potatoes are placed on the container and pressed down with the support of a flat piece. Smooth and uniform shaped mashed potatoes come out through the holes that give the food a fine texture.
On the other hand, the potato masher has versatile functions as it can be used for ground meat. Whether you are using the round-shaped masher with holes or wave shaped one there is a possibility of finding lumps on the potato mash. You need to crush for a long time for a smooth mashed potato to smooth out the lumps of the potatoes. It requires a lot of manual handworks as you need to put pressure continuously on the potatoes.
Source: cleaneatingmag.com
Compatible handle
The most stress we put while mashing the potatoes is on the handle. Usually, the handle on the mashers is vertically positioned and can slip off your hand for continuous pressure. The horizontal handles are comfortable to use as they provide a solid grip. The pressure is distributed uniformly on horizontal handles making it less painful for mashing the potatoes.
The masher handles are covered in plastic, rubber, or wood to avoid sliding when mashing the potatoes. In our article, the potato masher from OXO has horizontal designed handles that provide a strong grip for mashing any food items.
Versatility
In the case of a potato masher, versatility means that it has to be strong enough to crush all sorts of vegetables and meat. Vegetables are boiled before mashing to make it easy to crush. So, look for a sturdy masher that can bear the pressure for a long time.
There are some mashers that can mix ingredients while mashing like the masher from Farberware. Mixing the seasonings after mashing can be tiresome. A Multi-functional masher decreases physical work as well as the cooking time.
Material
The mashers ought to be made of rust-resistant material to ensure longevity. As the mashers go through a lot of pressure, all materials might not be able to put up with the force. Fragile material made masher can get bent due to the pressure. Stainless steel helps to keep up with the strain enough that most brands use it to make the potato masher.
Cleaning the masher
The mashers are dishwasher safe but it is better to hand clean them. The perforated holes on the masher may stick some food that dishwashers might not be able to clean up. Placing the masher under running water helps clean up quickly.
In case if you have mashed the potatoes using oil, you can remove the grease simply by wiping it with a wet cloth soaked in soap water. Small brushes with soft bristles can help to clean the tiny holes thoroughly of the masher. Let the masher dry before storing it to prevent rusting.
FAQ
Source: oxo.com
Is the texture of mashed potato using grater gives a different result from mashers?
No, the grater will also give the same result as the potato mashers. Grater also has holes like the potato mashers. However, grated mashed potato will have a different texture compared to the wired ones. The mashers with perforated holes tend to make fluffy mashed potatoes. Avoid using the large holes on the grater to reduce the number of lumps.
Can you make mashed potatoes using a blender?
Yes, it is possible to make mashed potatoes using a blender. Yet, it can be tricky to use a blender for mashing potatoes as potatoes are rich in water content. If you over blend the potatoes, it can be turned into puree instead of sticky mashed potato.
Is it necessary to peel off the skin before mashing the potatoes?
It is up to you if you want to peel off the skin before mashing. Chefs usually prefer to remove the skins before mashing for a creamy texture on the mashed potatoes. The mashers in our article can mash the potatoes with skin.
What to do if food is stuck to the masher?
Most of the mashers are made of stainless steel or nylon materials. These materials are known to be non-stick so there might not be a large amount of food stuck to the masher. However, you can wipe off the remaining from the masher by using your hand. It is better not to use any hard metals to scrape off the remnants of the food.
Use a cooking brush to remove the food if a huge amount of food is stuck on the holes of the mashing plate.
Conclusion
Mashed potatoes are usually served with steaks of fish or meat. But if the mashed potato does not have a perfect consistency, it can ruin the whole dish. A heavy material made masher serves the best as the masher goes through a lot of pressure.
On the market, you will mashers are made of stainless steel or nylon to ensure sturdiness and durability. Some mashers have a silicone mashing plate so it does not scratch the pot that you are using for mashing.
Different designs serve different purposes which are elaborately discussed in our article. From our 12 best potato mashers, we hope you will find the right one to serve your required purposes.
In addition, mashers come in both vertical and horizontal handles. Some find it hard to vertical handle as it has a tendency of slipping off. The horizontal handle does not lose the grip and the pressure is uniformly distributed on the whole masher.
Some mashers have side spatulas to scrape the food from the sidewalls. In our article, you will also find a masher that can mix and mash at the same time. As the masher is constructed with nylons or stainless steel, foods do not usually get stuck on the mashing plate. We hope our article will help you choose the masher to prepare the perfect mashed potato for your meal.
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