The 10 Best Colanders
Updated by · How we research
Ten colanders for pasta, rice and produce, compared by hole size, base, handles and style. The OXO Good Grips 5-Quart wins for grip and stability. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A colander's holes decide what it can drain. Big round holes empty a pot of pasta fast but let rice, quinoa and orzo slip away; pinholes and fine mesh hold small grains but clear slower. Feet or a ring base keep food out of the sink water. This list is for cooks choosing one everyday strainer or a space-saving second.
Editor's Notes
November 1, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The OXO Good Grips 5-Quart leads now. It fixes the two things that go wrong when you drain a heavy pot: a grip that slips when wet and food left sitting in sink water. Its raised, rubber-covered handles and three feet handle both. It replaces the older OXO model, which now costs far more for the same job.
Six of the earlier picks had to go. The KitchenAid Classic, Joseph Joseph 40060 and Cuisinart 5.5 Quart have vanished from sale, and we couldn't find current listings for the Raishi Easy, Comfify Collapsible or Squish Plum Collapsible. The Bellemain Micro-perforated, Holm 3-Piece and Kitchen Gizmo Snap 'N Strain stay. New picks cover the styles people ask about: over-the-sink frames, a collapsible bowl, a budget steel bowl and a splurge.
Since colanders are simple, hole size, base and handles decide most of it, so we read each maker's stated materials, base design and warranty, checked All-Clad's own spec page for its 3-quart, and searched the CPSC recall database for every brand. None of these colanders has a recall.
Earlier notes
July 23, 2019, by Gia Vescovi-Chiordi:
While the Good Cooking Extra-Large and TedGem Collapsible are solid models that work relatively well, we felt that an upgrade was needed due to complaints of the silicone splitting, among other things. We decided to add the Squish Plum Collapsible and Kitchen Gizmo Snap 'N Strain, the latter which we feel is exceptionally convenient for dorm rooms, cramped apartments, RV's, and camping. It will most likely fit your pots and pans but bear in mind that no design can be 100% universal.
We loved the idea of the Papaya Bay Professional, but because of reports of rust and thin material, we supplanted it with the Holm 3-Piece, a good value for money with a thoughtful design. Just be careful with tiny grains like quinoa, which might be barely too small for the 2.3-mm holes.
The Norpro Krona remains a solid, well-made option, but we felt we could do a bit better for this update and swapped it for the Raishi Easy, a similar choice with an upgraded base that is dishwasher safe (unlike the Norpro) and just a bit easier on the wallet.
Many of our choices sport small, thoughtful features like strategically-placed pour spouts (IE Squish Plum Collapsible), added layers of rubber that create soft, grippy surfaces (the Joseph Joseph 40060 and Oxo Good Grips 5-Quart) and overlarge handles that are suitable for hanging pot racks, (KitchenAid Classic, Bellemain Micro-perforated, Holm 3-Piece Set).
Many of our selections are FDA-approved, capable of withstanding extreme temperatures, dishwasher safe, and durable. Outside of those main priorities, we sought items that were practical, clever, and versatile.
Special Honors
Sheldon Ceramics Vermont Large Colander Handmade stoneware from potter Peter Sheldon's studio, the Vermont Large Colander is as much a serving bowl as a strainer. It has a food-safe white glaze and a rustic look that suits a farmhouse table, which makes it a gift-level splurge. Stoneware is heavy and can chip, so it's better for washing fruit and salad than for draining a big pot of boiling pasta. sheldonceramics.com
Hole Size Decides What Stays In The Bowl
A sieve or fine-mesh strainer has much finer openings, which is why it catches flour lumps and seeds that a colander lets through.
A colander is a bowl with holes for draining pasta, rinsing produce and draining canned beans. A sieve or fine-mesh strainer has much finer openings, which is why it catches flour lumps and seeds that a colander lets through.
Large round holes drain the fastest and suit pasta, potatoes and greens. They also let rice, quinoa, orzo and lentils escape. Micro-perforated bowls like the Bellemain, and steel mesh like the Holm set and the KitchenAid Expandable, hold small grains, but they drain a little slower and starch can lodge in the tiny openings. A soft brush clears them before they dry. Some makers say outright when theirs isn't for grains: Blue Ginkgo warns that rice slips through its plastic over-sink model.
If you cook rice or quinoa often, pick fine holes or mesh. If it's mostly pasta and salad, big holes are quicker and easier to rinse clean.
Bowl, Over-The-Sink, Collapsible Or Clip-On
A footed steel bowl is the everyday choice. Five quarts is the common family size and takes a pound of cooked pasta with room to spare; three quarts suits a couple or a bag of berries. Feet or a ring base matter as much as size, because they keep food above the water pooling in the sink. Handles that stay put and give a grip when wet beat thin wire loops.
Over-the-sink frames rest across the basin and free both hands. Measure your sink first: the KitchenAid Expandable, made under license by Lifetime Brands, stretches from 16 to 22 inches and the Blue Ginkgo from 14 to 19, and a sink with a narrow or rounded rim may give them nothing to rest on.
Collapsible silicone bowls fold flat for small kitchens and RVs, but their soft sides flex under a heavy, hot load. Clip-on strainers like the Kitchen Gizmo Snap 'N Strain attach to the pot so there's no second dish, though they only pour one way and can't rinse produce. A nested set gives you a small and a large bowl for two jobs at once.
Materials, Heat And Keeping It Clean
Stainless steel is the safe default: it doesn't stain, holds up to boiling water and goes in the dishwasher. Higher grades like the 18/10 steel in the All-Clad 3-quart add polish and corrosion resistance, not better draining. Bare metal handles can get warm, so a towel helps.
Plastic is light and can't rust, but it can stain and scratch, and it has a heat limit; check the maker's rating before pouring a full pot of boiling water through it. Silicone strainers are usually rated well above boiling, though they still flex.
Wash a colander after it touches raw meat juices or garden soil. For produce, the FDA advises rinsing under running water without soap or produce wash, and keeping fruit and vegetables away from raw meat. We found no colander recalls for any brand here in the CPSC database.
How we researched this
We compared 19 colanders and strainers in steel, plastic and silicone, read the makers' stated materials, base designs and warranty terms, including All-Clad's own spec page, used the FDA's produce-washing guidance for the care advice, and checked every brand against the CPSC recall database. We found no independent lab comparison of colanders we could read, so the ranking weighs design and documented specs.
Frequently asked questions
What size colander do I need?
Five quarts is the usual family size and drains a pound of cooked pasta with room to spare. Three quarts is enough for a couple, a side dish or a bag of berries.
Can a colander drain rice or quinoa?
Only one with very small holes or fine steel mesh. Large round holes let rice, quinoa and orzo slip through. Micro-perforated bowls and mesh strainers hold them.
Is a stainless steel or plastic colander better?
Steel lasts longer, won't stain and handles boiling water. Plastic is lighter and cheaper and can't rust, but check its heat rating before pouring a pot of boiling water through it.
Can a collapsible colander handle boiling pasta water?
Most silicone ones are rated for heat above boiling, but the soft sides flex under a heavy load. Hold it with both hands and pour slowly.
What's the difference between a colander and a strainer?
A colander is a bowl with holes, usually on feet, for draining and rinsing. A strainer or sieve has much finer mesh and is often handheld, for small grains, sauces and sifting.
Do over-the-sink colanders fit every sink?
No. Most extend to about 19 to 22 inches. Measure across your sink first, and check that the rim gives the handles a ledge to rest on.
