The 4 Best Potato Ricers

When it comes to making delectable and velvety smooth mashed potatoes, there's one tool that rises above the rest: the potato ricer. While they look and function in more or less the same way — like a giant garlic press that you squeeze cooked spuds though — there are a few ways to pinpoint which is worth adding to your kitchen gadget stash. The best potato ricers are durable, easy to maneuver, and can efficiently process your ingredients in short order.

The first aspect to look for in a ricer is its overall construction, which can offer you some telltale signs about how easy it will be to physically operate it. Surprisingly enough, both all-metal models and ones with a mix of plastic and metal components are equally favored among at-home chefs and professional ones in terms of durability. What can make a difference, however, in terms of how much force is needed to pass a spud through the hopper is the handle design itself. Non-slip grips will give your hands more control as you press the lever down, however, to make the experience even more seamless, some brands have upgraded hinges that move in tandem, putting more power in each squeeze.

Depending on the size you go with (ricers can range anywhere from 11 to 15 inches long), you may also find that a pot rest knob or hook will come in handy so you can anchors the gadget over a bowl as you press with both hands.

Perforated plates made out of sturdy stainless steel help potatoes glide right through without sticking, and most people will find one standard plate is sufficient for whipping up creamy potato dishes (or even things like cauliflower rice or draining leafy greens). But if you think you'll benefit from having a variety of hole sizes, consider going for a model with interchangeable plates.

Lastly, consider capacity. Most units can only hold about 1 cup of spuds, so if you're entertaining a big group, a larger ricer can help you move through your recipe quicker, though it will be more cumbersome to store. Thankfully, clean up will be a cinch no matter which gadget you go with since they are all dishwasher safe.

Keep reading to find the best potato ricers on Amazon and get ready to wow your guests with flavor and fluffiness.

1. The Overall Best

• Dimensions: 12.8 x 3.6 x 4.5 (length x width x height)

This Chef'n Fresh Force potato ricer appears at the top of multiple culinary expert's lists because it's significantly easier to squeeze and produces much fluffier potatoes. But you don't just have to take their word for it — more than 800 Amazon shoppers have given it glowing reviews, too. "The quality is on-point, but more importantly, it's extremely easy to use," wrote one fan. "Just fill the 'cup' with potatoes and just squeeze the handles and the potatoes just slide out like play-doh." The effortlessness stems from the gadget's unique dual-gear mechanism, which unlike the typical screw-based hinge you'll find on other models on this list, frees up the strain on your hands as you press the lever down. And while the handles are made of plastic, several uses mentioned that they feel sturdy and "do not bend at all."

The removable basket itself is made from stainless steel, which per reviewers, can hold the equivalent of around 1.5 cups at a time. Both pieces are top-rack dishwasher-safe, so it's incredibly easy to clean. However, one downside to note: There's no built-in pot rest, but considering how steady it is in your hands you may not need one.

Helpful review: "After breaking two cheap ricers of the standard variety, I decided to shell out the cash for this one. We have two Chef'n juicers for lemons and limes and were very happy with them. This potato ricer is just as good. It's like a fine German-made car or hand tool. Once you use one, you'll never look back."

2. The Runner Up

• DImensions: 11.5 x 5 x 4 inches (length x width x height)

If you're not planning to reach for a ricer quite so often, this OXO Good Grips potato ricer may be the one for you. It's about half the cost of the pick above, but still comes highly rated among Amazon shoppers — nearly 3,000 have given it an average 4.7-star rating. The unit is constructed entirely from durable stainless steel, but the handles are padded with rubber, making them easier to grip and less likely to slip, even when your hands are greasy. On the other end of the ricer, there's also a non-slip nob to help keep it steady over a pot. Several users noted they are impressed with its smooth operation, with one noting: "The plunger has a snug fit that allows very little potato to squeak back around the edges... it gets pushed through the ricing end with authority."

Just note that the perforated basket is not removable, but the entire ricer is dishwasher safe. Also consider that it's more compact than the Chef' Fresh one, which means the hopper is a bit smaller too— according to reviewers will hold about 3/4 cup of potatoes at a time.

Helpful review: “I made the smoothest riced mashed potatoes the day I got this. [...]The best part about this doodad is the way it opens in one swing. You don't have to open it then move the presser out of the way. When you open it fully, the press moves itself to an open position, but still just in the right spot to immediately press another batch. I love when there are no wasted motions!! It makes the chore of mashing potatoes really fun!!!”

3. The Largest Capacity

• Size: 15 x 4.5 x 6 inches (length x width x height)

A commercial-sized option like this Norpro deluxe jumbo potato ricer can, according to the brand, process up to 3 cups of potatoes at one time, making it quite efficient. However, it's one of the bulkier ricers you'll find, so consider your storage space. Fortunately, Amazon shoppers reported it's still relatively easy to operate given its size. Two contributing factors are a built-in knob rest that allows you to position it comfortably on top of a bowl and a grooved rubber grip on the underside of the handle. You'll also note that the stainless steel hopper is perforated on all four sides, which can help rice the potato faster but make it a bit messier during food prep (as one user noted, "The potatoes tend to squirt out [the] sides.") and clean up time because there are more holes to clear the gunk out of. Thankfully, the entire tool — including the solid aluminum frame and stainless steel basket — is dishwasher safe.

Helpful review: “If you're looking for a ricer that's built tough, and has large capacity, this is it. There are quite a few ricers claiming large capacity, but they don't compare to the Norpro. The stainless basket and ram together with heavy duty cast frame and handles will insure years of dependable service. Also the underside of the frame is notched so you can set this ricer on top of most any pot and use both hands to push down the ram, making it extremely easy to use.”

4. The Best Value: A Ricer That Comes With Interchangeable Discs

• Size: 13.5 by 4.5 by 3.75 inches (length x width x height)

While this RSVP International potato ricer can hold about the same amount of food as the Chef'n Fresh model — 1 to 1.5 cups, according to Amazon customers — it's a bit more versatile (and more cost-effective) because it comes with two interchangeable stainless steel grating discs. The "medium" plate has perforations that are on par similar to standard ricers, making it ideal to use for creating fine, silky-textured mashed potatoes. The "coarse" plate, on the other hand, has larger holes, which make it especially useful for prepping chunkier foods like gnocchi, baby food purees (using things like bananas or cooked pears), or applesauce.

Beyond the plates, the rest of the gadget is made from plastic, which helps give it a more lightweight feel, but can tend to make the handle piece, in particular, feel a bit more "flimsy" or harder to grip than other options even though it is ergonomically designed. It does, however, come with a grooved pot rest mechanism to keep it stable and secure. To clean it, the ricer can be easily dismantled into three pieces (handle, the inner plastic basket, and the plates themselves) and put in the dishwasher.

Helpful review: “Love my potato ricer! This is a great quality. I saw in other reviews people having issues with running the potato through, fully prepared for a bicep workout I was shocked at how easy it was! They just glide on through! Love, love, love. Use this all the time from light airy mashed potatoes to silky gnocci.”

You May Also Like: A Clever Ricer And Masher Combo

• Size: 4 x 3 x 9 inches

Can't decide between a potato ricer and masher? This dual-action tool by Harold Import Co. gives you a hybrid option that has one Amazon fan dubbing it a "truly a wonderful invention." The stainless steel gadget goes a step above basic masher with a spring-loaded design that helps give your dish a creamy and lump-free texture. Plus reviewers mentioned also using it successfully with avocadoes and devil egg filling. Best of all, it's dishwasher-safe.

Helpful review: “This is a very durable potato masher and makes the job so much easier and faster than my old regular potato masher. In addition this masher has a ricer on it that catches all the lumps and makes a smoother mashed potato.”