Food strainers are much more versatile kitchen gadgets than you might think. They come in many different forms, and each has its own specific uses. The key to getting the most out of your strainer is knowing what it can do. This article will explain many of the different types and what they are designed to do.

The normal food strainer is the colander. These are usually made of metal and rest in the bottom of your sink to drain water from pasta, blanched vegetables, and boiled potatoes. Almost every kitchen will have this style of strainer, but there are other types that are even more useful.

Metal strainers are generally conical with very small perforations. These will do the same thing as strainers, but they also work to crush fruits and vegetables inside to separate their pulp from the juice. Small batches of tomato sauce work great in this style, as well as berries for jam.

Food mills are another style of strainer. These have a gear mechanism at the top that grinds soft foods to get the pulp and juice out of the fruit. They are very cumbersome to use, but are indispensable for medium batches of sauces and jams. Most food mills will cost around $40 or $50 online or at your local kitchen supply store.

If the food mill is John Henry, the electric food strainer is the locomotive. These are too much for most home kitchens, but they are used regularly in restaurants. They do the same job as food mills, but they use a motor to process whatever you put into them.

Generally, there’s some sort of wooden plunger that keeps your fingers out of the grinder, while pushing everything in. Large batches of gravy, gravy, and jam are best for this. If you’re not doing a lot of these, stick with the manual grinder to save time on cleanup. Food strainers are one of the most versatile kitchen utensils. Use the one that suits your needs to make sure you really use it!