We like to think of ourselves as crazy (in a good way) about the things we buy here at the Strategist, but we can’t test everything. That’s why we offer People’s Choice, where we locate the best-reviewed items and choose the most compelling ones. (You can find out more about our rating methodology and how we select each item by clicking here.)
And, although we’ve written on a variety of kitchen gadgets, including the finest kitchen knives, coffee makers, and even dish racks, we’ve compiled a list of the best colanders, according to Amazon’s most enthusiastic reviewers.
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Table of Contents
Best-rated colander
Many of the almost 3,000 positive reviews stated they like this colander because it’s large, robust, and has a plethora of small holes that allow you to filter everything from fruit to pasta to rice. One reviewer gushed over the Bellemain colander, writing, “Wow does not even begin to explain this colander.” I have a few things in my life that complete me: my wife and children, my home, and now this colander. It is absolutely flawless, from the fact that it is perfectly round to the fact that it has as many holes as there are stars in the sky. It’s absolutely amazing how the water flows through the holes.” “I adore this colander so much that I immediately purchased a second one,” says another satisfied customer. I didn’t know how much of a difference it would make, but this drains and cleans so much better than my old plastic OXO colander.” According to a third reviewer, “I would purchase this as a present for someone, because it’s so robust; the holes are small enough that you can drain anything in it (though I haven’t tried quinoa yet), not to mention it’s really good looking.” Oh, and LARGE!”
Best-rated (less expensive) colander
Reviewers often referred to this colander as “heavy duty.” Many of them also stated that they bought it because of the low price and were pleasantly surprised by the quality. “When I first moved into my house, I wanted to buy a few essential kitchen things but didn’t want to spend a fortune on each one. This one drew my attention because of its low price,” one reviewer says, adding, “but I’ve used it for months and it still looks brand new and it’s done its job really well!” According to another reviewer, “this colander is extremely robust, hefty, and guaranteed to last.” Unfortunately, the prior colander I had had tiny holes in the latticework structure that deteriorated and shattered over time, negating the purpose.” “Although the holes are fairly huge, this works great for me,” they say. It’s excellent for washing and rinsing fruits and vegetables.” “Because of the low price, I thought this to be a lot more fragile, but it is a strong device that can take a significant weight of washed materials,” says one satisfied customer.
Best stainless-steel colander
Many reviewers say this stainless-steel colander “drains rapidly” and is “simple to clean.” “This is a pretty good colander and I’m pleased I chose with this brand and size,” writes one customer who loves the silicone handles and small feet. It’s robust, and I enjoy how it looks and works. It has really beautiful handles that are also quite pleasant to hold. I appreciate that I can put it in the sink without the bottom touching the sink. It drains pasta well.” “I adore OXO goods; the brand is always so trustworthy and sturdy, and this colander is no exception,” writes another reviewer. The colander is all one piece, which is a major plus in my view (a handle previously broke when draining potatoes).” And one pleased customer compliments the tiny pores for “allowing water to drain rapidly while keeping my pasta within the colander.” They go on to say that the heavy-duty design allows for a variety of uses: “Because the feet are silicone, I don’t mind placing the colander with pasta back into my pot with a little hot water in the bottom to function as a steamer/warmer.”
Best plastic colander
More than one reviewer described this plastic colander as “durable,” and one writes, “I am completely in love with this colander!” I’m one of those picky individuals that gets grossed out when I put my colander in my sink, even though it’s clean, so the feet on this have come in handy for me.” Another reviewer who prefers plastic colanders over metal colanders enjoys this one in particular “because of how simple it is to clean and, most significantly, the feet that it has that lifts the colander off the kitchen sink.” Overall, the quality of the colander is excellent. I appreciate the weight and thickness of the strong plastic utilized, which ensures that it will not break if dropped.” A third happy OXO customer describes this colander as “a beloved workhorse in my kitchen and better than any other strainer I’ve had.” Thank you, OXO, for creating such a strong, fashionable strainer!”
Best clip-on colander
This strainer, which connects to a variety of pot sizes, is frequently described as “easy.” According to one reviewer, this is “the finest cooking gadget I’ve purchased in a long time!” I’ve tried it on a variety of pots and pans and it’s worked flawlessly every time. It’s far more convenient than a regular colander! Even my sceptical spouse is now a fan.” Another satisfied customer admits, “I received one as a wedding gift and was a little doubtful that it would function properly.” I was mistaken. It’s fantastic. I can use it on both my large and little pots. It is simple to clip on and stretch rapidly. I used it to drain cooked potatoes and noodles. It is simple to clean and not excessively bulky.” One reviewer writes in a review titled “Pasta Game Changer,” “Um, this stuff is truly great.” I don’t think I’ve ever published a review for anything other than a book or a movie, but I’m willing to make an exception for this one.”
Best colander with handle
Because of the fineness of the mesh, the reviews for this mesh colander with handle were full of remarks about straining and washing rice, quinoa, and even grains of sand. “I wanted a quinoa strainer with a finer mesh than my colander, which enables both rice and quinoa to pass through the pores. One reviewer exclaims, “This is wonderful!” and adds, “It drains properly and does not allow any escapees.” Another pleased customer comments, “I am pleased because the mesh is extremely fine.” I boil clams frequently, and this strainer captures the majority of the sand in the clam juice as I shuck them. This is essential to me since I despise wasting away clam juice. Metal and mesh of the highest quality.” According to another customer, “it’s excellent for quinoa and washing out rice, two activities that we’ve utilized it for during the two days we’ve owned it.”
Best over-the-sink colander
More than anything else, reviewers appreciated the fact that this colander stopped their food from falling to the bottom of the sink. “I was sick of putting my bowl-shaped colander in the bottom of my sink and having boiling pasta water pool up around the bottom of the bowl. “It felt so wrong,” one reviewer adds, adding, “so I wanted to find a colander that felt more sanitary.” This one is great. It’s spread out over my huge sink, and the water comes through as fast as lightning.” “This gadget got a workout with all of my Thanksgiving prep,” says another five-star reviewer. It performed admirably. My kitchen has a double sink, although it’s a little smaller than normal (it’s from the 1970s). The sides slide out over my sink with plenty of room to spare – it would also work well with a larger sink.” “He is extremely delighted with it,” said a lady whose husband performs all of the fruit cleaning. It fits well on one side of our double sink. The adjustable handles make it easy to place over the garbage disposal.”
Best collapsible silicone colander
One of the most important takeaways from the hundreds of good reviews on this colander is that it allows you to drain hands-free while conserving space. “I saw this at a friend’s house and wanted to purchase one,” one reviewer writes, adding that “the arms stretch long enough for even a farmhouse sink and are robust enough to carry a pot of potatoes.” This frees me both of my hands to carry a heavy pot (no scorching) and prevents the food from sitting in the water.” According to another reviewer, despite its compact size, this is not a little colander: “When extended, it has enough depth for enough spaghetti to feed a family of seven or one big Italian plumber.” When folded, it fits nicely within a kitchen drawer. The grips that expand are a wonderful addition. It enables for straddling bigger sinks and will not slip because it is equipped with rubber padding.” And one satisfied buyer says, “If you’re looking to buy this, chances are you’re in the same situation as me in that you have little storage space in your kitchen but know you can’t get by without a sizeable strainer.” In my perspective, this is a perfectly effective alternative.”
Best stainless-steel colander set
Reviewers praised how this set allows users to pick the correct tool for each straining task, and many of them preferred the tiny holes to standard mesh colanders. “After putting the celery through the blender, I strained the liquid using a strainer. “With this set, I can pick only the one that fits over a bowl bottom, and simply push the celery juice through the fiber and the colander,” one reviewer says, referring to them as a must-have. “Awesome size for any work, easy to clean, stackable, and easy to store.” Another satisfied customer describes them as “excellent.” I can tell that I did not squander my money. I really appreciate that there are no additional places for food to hide during the cleaning process, yet the structure is sturdy. The stainless-steel mesh is tiny enough to prevent little items from slipping through, yet robust enough to withstand heavier foods while allowing water to readily escape.” Plus, one reviewer says, “My husband and I really like them!” They’re lightweight and hang attractively on our pot rack, where they’re easy to reach for while cooking.”
