Published March 1, 2012. From Cook's Illustrated.
When all you need to rinse is a handful of berries, the last thing you want to do is unearth (and later clean) a big colander.
The Collapsible Mini Colander from Progressive International ($6.13) holds 3 1/2 cups and folds down to a height of just 1 inch. Unfolded, this 8-inch-long silicone colander is sturdy, and its oval shape made it easy to tip rinsed food into a container with no spills. But the best part is its plastic base, which pops on to seal the colander’s holes so you can flood the contents before draining or set it on a counter without drips. It’s dishwasher-safe but hand washes in a flash (it has no crevices to trap dirt) and after weeks of use showed nary a sign of wear. It’s our new go-to gadget for washing small quantities of fruit and vegetables.
