We Tested 8 Fine-Mesh Strainers—These Are Our Favorites

We'd argue a fine-mesh strainer is an essential tool for any home cook or baker. The tightly woven stainless steel basket is great for sifting flour or cocoa powder, making silky smooth sauces like pastry cream, perfecting poached eggs, dusting desserts with powdered sugar, and more.

We tested eight fine-mesh strainers (focusing on models with baskets measuring seven to eight inches wide). Here are the ones that impressed us—and which ones we’d avoid—and why.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Fine-Mesh Strainer

Rösle Stainless Steel Round Handle Kitchen Strainer

$64 at Amazon $15 at Walmart $56 at Sur La Table

An ultra-sturdy, practically dent-proof strainer, the Rösle model caught even the smallest particles. With a rounded, ergonomic handle and ultra-stable bowl rest, its smart design makes it comfortable to hold and easy to use.

The Best Budget Fine-Mesh Strainer

OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Double Rod Strainer

$22 at Amazon $19 at Sur La Table View on Webstaurant Store

With a comfortable, grippy handle and impressive straining and sifting capabilities, the OXO model did exceedingly well in our tests. It's less than half the price of our overall top pick, too.

The Tests

• Sifting Whole-Wheat Flour Test: We sifted one cup of whole wheat flour through each strainer to see which ones caught the little brown flakes of bran—and which ones didn’t. To judge each, we weighed, in grams, how much bran was left in each strainer after sifting. 
• Strawberry Sauce Test: We strained eight batches of strawberry sauce through the eight sifters to see which caught seeds and pulp, and which produced a seedy, lumpier final product. 
• Pastry Cream Test: Straining pastry cream before it chills catches any strands of curdled egg, overcooked custard, or errant, stringy vanilla bean bits. That’s why we also ran about 1 1/4 cups of pastry cream through each model to see if any made a difference (positive or negative) on the look and taste of the final product. 
• Durability Test: Do the mesh baskets of some models dent more easily than others? To find out, we banged them on the counter, hitting the top and bottom of the basket 15 times each. 
• Cleanup and Usability Tests: Throughout testing, we took notes on which strainers were comfortable to hold, easy to strain or sift with, and remained stable and stationary when placed on top of a bowl. We also hand-washed each strainer (although many are dishwasher-safe) after each test.

What We Learned

Some Strainers Have Fine Mesh...And Some Have Super-Fine Mesh

The two tasks that separated the good strainers from the not-so-good: sifting whole wheat flour and straining a seedy strawberry sauce. Some models—like the ones from Rösle, RSVP, and Yummy—had noticeably finer mesh than the others. They caught more bran from the whole wheat flour and seeds and pulp from the strawberry sauce. For example, seven grams of bran flecks remained in the RSVP strainer after sifting, whereas less than one gram remained in the Cuisinart.

The Rösle, RSVP, and Yummy models also all outperformed the rest in the strawberry sauce test, producing an ultra-smooth texture with no seeds or other debris. (Note: Yummy allowed just a few specks to enter the final sauce, not enough to knock it though.) Meanwhile, the Cuisinart 7.5-inch strainer performed the worst, yielding a grainy sauce with lots of seeds and pulp.

For Straining Pastry Cream, All Models Did Well

Surprisingly, there was no noticeable difference between pastry cream batches that passed through different strainers. Any curdled bits of egg, pieces of vanilla bean, or overcooked/congealed custard were caught by all the strainers. If any smaller bits passed through the models with wider mesh gaps, they were imperceptible.

Design and Durability Made a Difference

Some handle designs offered more comfort and control; we overwhelmingly preferred models with rounded handles (like Rösle) or ones that were covered in silicone or plastic (like the OXO). Models with flat or wire loop metal handles were uncomfortable to hold and offered less control, especially when full.

All the models have a hook on one side for resting the strainer over a bowl or saucier. Our favorites had an extra-wide hook which could also function as a handle if you needed to use two hands for heavier cargo. Strainers with this style of hook included the Yummy, KitchenAid, and Rösle. This extra wide hook also helped keep the strainers stationary and stable—there was no wobbling when pouring and straining the pastry cream and strawberry sauce. The Winco stood out as the only model with two smaller hooks placed on either end on the rim of the strainer, making it near-impossible to tip over. 

We also tested durability, since you might whack your strainer on a trashcan or compost bucket to dislodge pulp or other debris. The Cuisinart Set and Winco were both very flimsy and we wouldn’t trust them to carry very much. They also dented easily when whacked against the counter. The Rösle and KitchenAid were the sturdiest of the bunch, and their baskets didn’t dent at all when hit on the counter. KitchenAid’s unique mesh was so flexible that it was almost more like a fabric, while Rösle’s mesh was so strong that it barely lost its shape at all when put under pressure. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Fine-Mesh Strainer

The most important aspect of a fine-mesh strainer is how well it strains, and a key factor in this is mesh-size: the smaller the mesh, the finer the strain. Strainers with holes under 1-millimeter performed the best, while models with holes between one and two millimeters didn’t perform as well. 

Other important questions to ask of any potential strainer: Does the handle make it comfortable to hold and easy to control? Do the hooks on the opposite end keep the strainer steady when you’re resting it on top of a bowl? Is the strainer well-constructed and sturdy—or does it bend and dent with little effort?

The Top Fine-Mesh Strainers

The Best Fine-Mesh Strainer

Rösle Stainless Steel Round Handle Kitchen Strainer

$64 at Amazon $15 at Walmart $56 at Sur La Table

What we liked: This strainer makes you feel like a better cook just by holding it. It’s by far the most sturdy and well-constructed of the bunch. Its hook was wider than all the other models, which kept it stable when placed on top of a bowl. The cylindrical handle also offered much more comfort and control.

And that’s all without mentioning that it tied for first (with the RSVP) in the strawberry sauce test, producing a smooth, seed-free final product. It came in second place in the whole grain flour test, sifting out six grams of bran, whereas RSVP sifted out seven grams. Still, that’s no small feat with something so fine. 

What we didn’t like: The biggest drawback is the price tag; it was the most expensive of the lineup. However, we’d have to really nitpick to find other flaws. The only one that comes to mind is the handle, which would be even more comfortable if it was wrapped in silicone.

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel
• Strainer basket diameter (not including rim): 6 1/2 inches
• Basket depth: 3 1/4 inches
• Handle length: 7 7/8 inches
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe

The Best Budget Fine-Mesh Strainer

OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Double Rod Strainer

$22 at Amazon $19 at Sur La Table View on Webstaurant Store

What we liked: This model had impressive straining and sifting capabilities, letting only a couple of rogue seeds pass through when making strawberry sauce. Its handle had comfortable, silicone padding and was one of the most ergonomic of the bunch.

What we didn't like: It let a few more grams of bran through in our flour sifting task compared to our top pick, but this is splitting hairs.

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel, silicone
• Strainer basket diameter (not including rim): 6 3/4 inches
• Basket depth: 3 1/4 inches
• Handle length: 7 1/2 inches 
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe

The Competition

• Winco Strainer with Single Fine Mesh: This model produced lumpy, seedy strawberry sauce and only caught one gram of bran. And, with its wooden handle, you wouldn’t want to run it through a dishwasher, making it the only one of the bunch that was not dishwasher-safe. Its only plus was its dual bowl hooks, which helped it sit very stable on top of a mixing bowl. In the end, however, this wasn’t enough to make up for its otherwise flimsy, bendy construction.
• Cuisinart Set of 3 Fine Mesh Strainers: We only tested the largest size of this set and it performed mediocrely: it caught only two grams of bran and produced a lumpy, seedy strawberry sauce. It was also flimsy, and the mesh easily dented. The bare-bones, two-pronged handle was uncomfortable to hold, and the hook may have helped it sit atop the bowl, but it didn’t prevent it from wobbling and shifting. 
• KitchenAid Classic Strainer: What made this strainer stand out was its small profile and mesh basket that was so flexible, that it was almost like fabric. We would recommend this one for anyone who is short on space in the kitchen and needs something that can lay flat-ish and not take up a lot of room. It performed well in the flour sifting and strawberry sauce straining test, picking up four grams of bran (two grams less than the Rösle) and allowing only a couple of seeds into the final sauce. Plus, the rounded plastic handle was comfortable to hold and made the strainer easy to maneuver.
• Cuisinart 7.5-Inch Strainer: Like the Cuisinart Set, this model was one of the worst performers. It barely caught any bran In the flour-sifting test—our digital scale couldn’t even register a number. It totally failed the strawberry sauce straining test, producing the lumpiest and seediest sauce with an almost gritty texture. The one feature this model had going for it was its rounded, silicone handle, which was comfortable and ergonomic.
• RSVP International Stainless Steel Mesh Strainer: This model could have won the overall top spot if it weren’t for one crucial design decision: its cone-shaped basket. At 5 1/4 inches tall, it wouldn’t fit on any standard-sized mixing bowl, let alone rest stably on the bowl's rim. In the flour-sifting test, the cone basket compacted the flour at the very bottom so much that it stopped sifting. The one pro of this conical shape was it strained strawberry sauce very quickly and well. We also didn’t like its two-pronged handle; it was uncomfortable to hold and hard to control.
• Yummy Kitchenware 9-Inch Fine-Mesh Strainer: This was our budget-friendly pick, but it appears to be discontinued.
  

FAQs

What's the difference between a fine-mesh strainer, colander, and sieve?

This answer is going to be reminiscent of “all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares.” Colanders are big-footed bowls with holes on the bottom and sides. The holes are just small enough to stop things like beans, pasta, or other small foods from getting out, while still letting excess water drain. Fine-mesh strainers, on the other hand, have baskets made of finely woven steel mesh and usually sport handles and resting hooks. These are great for both straining out solids from liquids (like when making stock) as well as sifting dry ingredients (like de-clumping and aerating flour for baking). 

They are also commonly referred to as sieves, which can also come in a conical shape or squat, cylinder shape (called a drum sieve).

What can I use instead of a fine-mesh strainer?

For some tasks, using a cheesecloth placed over a colander over a bowl can have the same effect as a fine-mesh strainer. We would only recommend this for something very liquidy — for instance, this is a great trick for getting crystal clear, homemade chicken stock. Or, if you’re really in a bind, items such as coffee filters or even (clean!) kitchen towels can work. 

For other techniques like de-clumping and aerating flour, baking powder, powdered sugar, or cocoa powder, you could also use a flour sifter. These are basically big measuring cups that, by squeezing a trigger on cranking a handle, pass powder through layers of fine mesh.

What is a fine mesh strainer used for?

Fine mesh strainers are endlessly versatile. You can use them for a variety of tasks, including sifting flour, scattering cocoa powder to finish a cake, straining small amounts of pasta, rinsing rice, and straining a variety of liquids (such as chicken stock). They're also great for draining items packed in brine, like olives or pickles, or even for draining off hot peppers packed in oil.

Why We're the Experts

• Eric King is a recipe developer, photographer, food stylist, and content creator.
• He has a B.S. in magazine journalism from Syracuse University.
• He runs a baking blog called easygayoven and has developed, styled, and photographed recipes for Netflix Family. He has more than 45,000 Instagram followers.
• He has reviewed many items for Serious Eats, including bench scrapers, a smart stand mixer, wine tumblers, and more.
• We tested eight fine-mesh strainers by using them to sift whole wheat flour (to see how much bran they caught) and also used them to strain strawberry sauce and pastry cream. In addition, we noted their durability by banging them on the counter 15 times.
• Our favorite budget-friendly fine-mesh strainer from Yummy Kitchenware was discontinued. We've removed it as a top pick and promoted our runner-up budget pick from OXO.
• Many of our editors have our winner from Rösle and are constantly examining its long-term performance and durability.