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See why.The Best Small Strainers
These mini strainers may be small, but they are mighty useful. We scouted to find a small fine-mesh strainer that could not only sift and strain a variety of ingredients but also perform these tasks well.
By Grace KellyPublished Feb. 17, 2022
Looking for larger models? Check out our fine-mesh strainers review.
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What You Need To Know
Small strainers are endlessly useful; we grab them to strain citrus juice, tea, and cocktails; dust counters with flour; sift confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder; and even get pesky clumps out of baking powder. Our winners succeeded at sifting and straining a variety of ingredients with ease and refinement. Both the Rösle Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Tea Strainer, Wire Handle, 3.2-inch and Küchenprofi Heavy Duty Fine Mesh Stainless Steel 3-Inch Classic Strainer produced crystal clear lemon juice, evenly dispersed cocoa powder, and separated the fine bran from wheat flour (a test of mesh fineness). The weights of the handles and baskets were also evenly balanced.
What You Need to Know
Have you ever whipped out a large strainer to strain a few tablespoons of lemon juice and thought, Maybe this is excessive? While we love our winning fine-mesh strainer, the basket clocks in at nearly 8 inches across, and for some tasks we just need something smaller. Enter small strainers, sometimes known as tea strainers, which are about 3 inches wide and can be used for a variety of small kitchen tasks: straining citrus juice, loose-leaf tea, and cocktails and sifting small amounts of cocoa powder or confectioners’ sugar for decorating. We wanted to find a strainer that excelled at a variety of tasks and was also durable and easy to clean.
What to Look For
- Fine-Mesh Baskets: While many strainers were advertised as having fine mesh, some were finer than others. We preferred baskets made of more tightly woven mesh since they proved most effective at catching all different sizes of debris.
- A Wide, Rectangular Stabilizing Hook: We found that models with these types of hooks sat more securely on a variety of surfaces, including small bowls and cups, than those with smaller triangular or rounded hooks.
- Balanced Handle and Basket Weights: Strainers with balanced handle and basket weights were easier to handle than unevenly balanced ones, which felt tippy. They also sat more securely on cups and bowls.
- Welded Handles: It’s common to whack strainers on a trash can or compost bin to dislodge anything stuck in the mesh (lemon pulp, for example). We found that strainers with welded-on handles had little risk of breaking off when whacked. This is likely because welding creates a strong bond once the melted metal hardens.
What to Avoid
- Baskets with Wider Mesh: Though these strainers caught big pieces of debris, they let smaller particles fall through. While this isn’t a huge deal in certain circumstances (such as when straining lemon juice), a finer mesh guarantees a finer sift when decorating a cake with confectioners’ sugar.
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Everything We Tested
Highly Recommended
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 3 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
With a nicely balanced basket and handle, this strainer was a pleasure to use. The wide, rectangular hook made it easy to rest the strainer on a variety of surfaces, including tea cups and small bowls. Its fine-mesh basket also did a great job: It strained and sifted very well, resulting in crystal clear lemon juice and professional-looking dustings of cocoa powder
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
Hefty yet balanced, this strainer was a delight to use. Its wide, rectangular hook ensured that it sat sturdily on most surfaces, though it did slip occasionally. The fine-mesh basket also performed well, creating a delicate and even dusting of cocoa powder and catching all but the teensiest particles of tea.
Recommended
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 2 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
This model performed well when it came to straining out pulp from lemon juice, bran from whole-wheat flour, and fine bits of tea. It also produced a fine, even dusting of cocoa powder. The one downside was its offset handle, which made the strainer feel unbalanced and hard to maneuver.
Recommended with reservations
- Performance: 2 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 2 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
With its plastic-coated metal handle, this strainer was easy to grip. It did a decent job of straining lemon juice and tea, and it scattered cocoa powder relatively evenly onto parchment. But when we sifted whole-wheat flour, the bran fell through the wider mesh of the basket. However, the strainer held up well during durability tests.
Not Recommended
- Performance: 1 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 3 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 2 stars out of 3.
This strainer’s curved, triangular hook provided stability, helping it grip the slippery edge of a glass bowl. It also captured most of the lemon pulp. But like other strainers with baskets made of wider mesh, it let bran escape and scattered cocoa powder in a clumpy, uneven manner. And while it didn’t detach when whacked, the handle felt less secure than the handles of other models.
- Performance: 1 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
This model’s small, rounded hook did not hold the strainer steady when we placed it in a variety of cups and bowls, and the wider mesh of the basket caught only the biggest chunks of debris; wheat bran fell right through. There were two positives: Its basket and handle were evenly balanced, and it held up well during the durability tests.
- Performance: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 2 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 1 stars out of 3.
While this strainer’s hook helped it rest securely on a variety of cups and bowls and its plastic-coated handle was comfortable to grip, this model had many downsides. First, it didn’t strain or sift very well since there were large gaps in its wider-mesh basket; the wheat bran fell right through. Second, the handle broke off after just a few whacks.
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The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing.
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