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See why.The Best Colanders
A colander is the go-to tool to use when draining pasta, but a good one can do so much more than that. Which model is best?
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See Everything We TestedWhat You Need To Know
It’s easy to imagine. The kitchen is cozy and smells spectacular as a pan of shrimp scampi or perhaps a pot of Sunday gravy is simmering on the stovetop. A timer dings, signaling that your pasta—the last component of a carefully planned meal—is ready to be drained. But then, as you pour the pasta and its cooking water into the colander set in the kitchen sink, the unstable colander tips over while the pasta slips through the oversize holes. Just like that, half your dinner is down the drain.
In the test kitchen, our longtime favorite colander is not only stable, but its bowl is covered with tiny, well-distributed perforations that ensure optimal drainage. Another plus? It’s lightweight and easy to carry. But since it had been a while since we last tested colanders, we wondered if it was still the best option. Previous reviews of colanders have taught us to avoid models with innovative features or old-fashioned designs (see “Skip These Styles”), so for this testing we focused on simple, no-frills stainless-steel models with lots of tiny perforations. We purchased six colanders, priced from about $15 to roughly $26, with capacities of 4.5 or 5 quarts. Two of the models in our lineup were sold as parts of three-piece sets.
A Good Colander Lets Liquid Out and Keeps Food In
The number, size, and arrangement of a colander’s holes are of paramount importance, as these factors determine how quickly liquids drain from its bowl. If there aren’t enough holes, angel hair and other delicate, quick-cooking pastas can become overcooked in the time it takes the cooking water to drain away. If those holes are too big, small foods can slip through them. Instead of having artful clusters of holes scattered across their bowls, our models were covered with tiny, evenly distributed perforations. Four of the models looked almost like they were made from sturdy mesh, with their numerous tiny holes distributed evenly across the surfaces of their bowls. The holes of two other models were arranged in tight columns along the walls of their bowls and in sets of concentric circles at their bases, with unperforated strips dividing the two sections. The bowls of all the colanders we tested allowed pasta cooking water to drain quickly; however, this did not mean that all the colanders performed equally.
We learned that the shape of a colander’s bowl also matters. The bowls of two of the models we tested were fairly low and wide, with walls that were just 3½ inches tall. When we emptied a Dutch oven full of boiling water and cooked orzo into these models, some of the orzo cascaded up and over their walls and into the sink. However, when we perfor...
Everything We Tested
Highly Recommended
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
- Feet and Handles: 3 stars out of 3.
- Cleanup and Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
The bowl of this colander is covered with tiny perforations, so liquids drain from it quickly. Its tall base lifts it high above water draining in a sink. It doesn’t have any bells or whistles, but it doesn’t need them: This simple colander is the best we’ve ever tested. We also like that it’s dishwasher-safe and didn’t dent when we dropped it.
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
- Feet and Handles: 3 stars out of 3.
- Cleanup and Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
The only noticeable difference between this model and our favorite is that its handles are attached with rivets. Its numerous perforations ensured that liquid drained quickly, and the tall base lifted it above the sink. Like our favorite, it’s dishwasher-safe and didn’t dent during our durability tests.
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
- Feet and Handles: 1 stars out of 3.
- Cleanup and Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
We loved the all-over perforations on this model, the largest in a three-piece set, but it had some design flaws. The bowl is wide and shallow, just 3½ inches tall, so some orzo cascaded up and out of the colander. Its tiny triangular metal feet lifted it just ⅜ inch above the sink, which meant that water didn’t drain away quickly and some might have gotten back in.
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
- Feet and Handles: 1 stars out of 3.
- Cleanup and Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
Other than a slight difference in the shape of its feet, this model is indistinguishable from the large colander in another three-piece set we tested. The walls are just 3½ inches tall, and we lost about a tablespoon of orzo that sloshed out of the bowl as we poured it into the colander. Its wire feet were just ⅜ inch tall, so water didn’t drain efficiently and some may have flowed back into the bowl.
Recommended
- Performance: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Feet and Handles: 2 stars out of 3.
- Cleanup and Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
The bowl of this model has numerous tiny holes that allow liquids to drain efficiently, but its plastic base isn’t tall enough to effectively lift the bottom of the bowl out of the drained water in a sink. If the base were twice as tall, it would be an outstanding colander. It doesn’t have handles, but its plastic rim is sufficiently wide to grip and carry the colander, even when it’s full.
Recommended with reservations
- Performance: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Feet and Handles: 2 stars out of 3.
- Cleanup and Durability: 2.5 stars out of 3.
This colander resembles an OXO model we’ve previously tested, but it has five plastic feet instead of a ring-shaped plastic base, and its bowl is ½ inch shorter. When we dropped the colander, it landed on one of its feet and the metal above that foot dented. Its many tiny holes allowed liquid to drain efficiently, but it sat too low in the sink.
Reviews you can trust
Reviews you can trust
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. We stand behind our winners so much that we even put our seal of approval on them.
Kate Shannon
Kate is a deputy editor for ATK Reviews. She's a culinary school graduate and former line cook and cheesemonger.