Published May 1, 2003. From Cook's Illustrated.
A fine mesh strainer is a necessity in the kitchen—we found the difference among models to be the handles and the price.
The mesh of a typical strainer—similar to that of a window screen—is too wide to catch all of the berry seeds in a coulis. A fine-mesh strainer is a necessity. While scouring local kitchen stores, we came across a wide range of styles and prices. Would a $15 strainer work as well as a $45 model?
We bought seven fine-mesh strainers (all measuring 5-1/2 to 6-1/2 inches across) and put them through their paces. All seven models did an adequate job of straining the seeds out of the coulis. Aside from the variation in price, the only other major difference between the strainers was in the handle construction. Some had handles made of a single thin piece of stainless steel bent into a U shape, some had flat metal handles, while others had more heft. Interestingly, more money did not seem to buy a better handle.
The most expensive strainer was one of the least liked. Its handle (made of the aforementioned wire loop) was not very comfortable. A thicker handle, however, was no guarantee of good performance. The handle on the second most expensive model was so heavy that it made the strainer tip over when placed atop a bowl.
So what did we like? The user-friendly handle on our winner is composed of both stainless steel and easy-to-grip rubber. The runner-up has a sturdy stainless steel handle with ergonomic ridges for your fingers. Those features, combined with their sound construction and deep bowls, made these strainers our top choices. Their low prices also made them best buys.
