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Nerdy Science in the Kitchen

Best Electric Tomato Press

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An electric tomato press can save you a lot of time but more than that, it can also drastically improve the flavor of your meals. A good tomato press is a big part of what makes those commercial tomato and pasta sauces so tasty, after all, and they’re also important appliances in many successful restaurants.

There’s a little more to it, of course, and today we’re going to talk about electric tomato presses, what they do, and which ones on the market we feel are the best. We’ll also give you some candid review information along the way, as well as tips for new users, and buying advice if you want to shop locally, and we’ll share our favorite press before we go so that you can make an informed decision if you want to get your own.

What’s the best electric tomato press on the market? Read on and we’ll give you the facts so that YOU can decide if you agree with our assessment!

What is an electric tomato press and why are they useful?

Tomato puree in a bowl on a wooden surface
Tomato puree in a bowl on a wooden surface.

A tomato press, also known as a ‘tomato strainer’, a ‘tomato mill’, or in some circles a ‘tomato milker’ is a kitchen tool that lets you separate the seeds and skin from tomatoes so that you can press the ‘good bits’ to get the most flavor out of your tomatoes and do so quickly. Employing sieves and filters to trap unwanted parts, you can process a high volume of tomatoes with varying degrees of effort.

The most effort comes from the manual variety of tomato presses, usually in the form of a crank that you turn in order to engage the filtering mechanism. With an electric tomato press, all of that busy cranking is accomplished with a tireless motor, or in some cases you even use both depending on your mood.

These machines are very common in Italy and also in commercial canneries and restaurants throughout the world, so if you want to get the most out of your Romas, Big Mama’s, Amish Paste Tomatoes, and other favorites, then an electric tomato press will definitely make a difference.

You’ll see the difference it makes but more importantly, you’re going to taste it in every bite that’s graced with your signature homemade salsas and sauces!

The best electric tomato press for straining and sauce-making

Now that your interest is piqued, it’s time to visit the ‘product showcase’ where we’ve collected a list for you of the best electric tomato presses on the market. Before we get started we want to give you a fair warning – we’re going to share the good with the bad, so after you hear about the 5-star reviews, we’ll get ‘down and dirty’ and share some tidbits from the 1 stars as well.

Let’s face it, reviews these days always seem to skip that part, and it’s really not fair. No matter the product, someone out there has had a bad experience with it, and there’s nothing worse than having that happen to you and then finding out that there was some ‘dirt’ already in the reviews.

So, we’ll list the good with the bad in the interest of fairness, not to ‘rain on your party’, but so that you’ll know if you should ‘slow your roll’ and read up on the reviews a little more before you commit. It’s realistic, practical, and sometimes ugly, but our readers deserve an honest approach, so you’re going to get it!

With that big ol’ disclaimer, let’s look at the best of the best electric tomato presses available online, and later in the article, we’ll also give you our favorite selection and you can see if you agree!

KitchenAid KSMFVSP Fruit and Vegetable Attachment Strainer

KitchenAid KSMFVSP Fruit and Vegetable Attachment Strainer, White

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If you have a KitchenAid food grinder model KSMFGA already in your home, then this attachment is all that you need to have your own tomato press at your beck and call. Your KitchenAid will do all of the heavy liftings, as this kit provides you with the following:

  • 1 Food pusher
  • 1 Removable tray
  • 1 Strainer shield
  • 1 Strainer cone
  • 1 splash lid

It’s easy to install, dishwasher safe and will let you make sauces, jams, baby foods, and all sorts of other culinary experiments that your KitchenAid just needed this nudge to do. So, how does it perform? We’re glad that you asked!

Taking a look at the reviews, we can see that 65% of the reviewers who purchased this item gave it 5 stars, with another 12% giving it a solid 4 stars. Barbara P., in her review, specifically cited that she likes to quarter her tomatoes, add them through the attachment, and says that the job gets done much faster than she could do it with her manual strainer.

Into every sunny day, however, a little rain must fall, so on our quest for fairness we’ll visit the 1-star reviews and they are an unfortunate 16%. The good news, however, is that most of these sour reviews had to do with missing parts when the item was received or having an incompatible KitchenAid model.

There was one report of a strainer breaking among those, but overall this product was quite popular and buyers had a lot of good things to say about it.

Kitchtree Fruit and vegetable strainer and meat grinder

KITCHTREE Fruit & Vegetable Strainer Attachment Set - Includes Food Grinder Attachment and Sausage Stuffer Tubes, Compatible with KitchenAid Stand Mixers

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For those of you that don’t have the KSMFGA model but DO have another model of KitchenAid, we’ve also found another strainer attachment that can convert your existing appliance into the electric strainer that you’ve been dreaming about – and you also get a meat grinder!

This kit includes the following items to upgrade your KitchenAid:

  • 1 Strainer attachments for veggies
  • 1 meat grinder attachment
  • 2 different diameter grinding plates
  • 2 blades for your meat grinder
  • Sausage tubes in 2 compatible sizes for the unit

While this model should be compatible with your KitchenAid, we should note that it does have 1 notable caveat – it is NOT dishwasher safe. That said, it does disassemble easily so you can clean it properly with soap and water.

Taking a peek at the reviews, we see that 70% of the customers that purchased this attachment set were happy enough to give it 5 stars, while a modest 14% felt it was worth at least 4. Did we mention that there were 3124 reviews?

While 84% happy in over 3100 reviews is certainly great, we naturally had to see the 1-star reviews and these made up 6% of that 3124 poll. In these reviews, we had a screen break in one unit, a number of complaints that they felt the unit was poorly made, and one user said they ended up with driver grease in their sauce when their unit malfunctioned – definitely not good news, but it wouldn’t be fair if we only shared the sunshine!

That 6% aside, the majority of folks were quite happy with their Kitchen Tree upgrade, and don’t worry – now that we’ve covered 2 attachments, we can move on to the dedicated full models and you can see what you think!

Kitchen Crop Johnny Apple/Tomato Sauce Maker Model 250

Johnny Apple Sauce Maker Model 250 Food Strainer with Electric Motor, and Accessories 4-Pack

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We know what you’re thinking but don’t let that crank fool you – the Kitchen Crop Johnny Apple Sauce Maker has a motor that you can attach as you like, so you can use it electrically or simply crank away – your choice! This food strainer is designed for both apples and tomatoes and aside from the Model 250 itself and the attachable motor, you also get 4 screens to use:

  • 1 apple/tomato screen
  • 1 Salsa screen
  • 1 Berry screen
  • 1 Pumpkin screen

It’s an excellent little tomato strainer appliance and we should mention that it is upgradable, so that you can purchase a compatible kitchen Crop steam canner, home canning kit, or a water bath canner that will work perfectly with your Johnny.

Moving on to reviews, the numbers tell us that 71% of customers loved this unit enough to give it 5 stars, and another 13% felt that it deserved 4. Among the praise it received, we’re told that it can keep out seeds as small as blackberry seeds and that it makes canning or saucing tomatoes a breeze!

In 1 star land, however, there was a population of 6% of customers that were less pleased with their purchase. Oddly enough, one complaint was about blackberries, with that customer advising that their specific unit could not handle them, and there was another complaint of a unit malfunction when processing pomegranates.

We didn’t see any tomato complaints, however, so make of these reviews what you will.

Weston Deluxe Electric Tomato Strainer

Weston Deluxe Electric Tomato Strainer, Food Mill, Sauce Maker for Salsa, Fruits, Apples, Berries, 4 Quart (82-0250-W), White

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Next up we have this Weston Deluxe Electric Tomato Strainer and it starts things off right with a capacious 4-quart hopper for you to fill!

This 250-watt electric tomato strainer also comes with 3 stainless steel screens, so that you can process tomatoes, pumpkins, berries, and even make a nice homemade salsa with a bit of bite. Add in that Weston includes a 1-year warranty and this is definitely a tomato strainer that we think you’re going to love!

The proof is in the pudding, of course, and looking into the reviews we can see that 70% of new Westone Deluxe owners gave it 5 stars, and 13% felt that it certainly warranted 4. Reviewer Terry S. Reed advised that they were able to add half a bushel of romas or marzanos, neatly cut in half, and got excellent results within a few minutes!

Moving on to the negative reviews, however, we find that 6% gave this item 1 star. Among the complaints, one customer processed around 200 pounds of tomatoes in 30 days and the motor gave out and one customer said their unit leaked juice into the motor.

Overall, however, this product was well praised and received, but it’s only fair to give you a glimpse of both sides of the review coin.

OMRA Spremy 850 Electric Tomato Strainer

OMRA Spremy Electric Tomato Strainer 1/4 HP Model 850

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The OMRA Spremy 850 Electric Tomato Strainer is a tomato pressing workhorse, capable of processing 330 pounds of tomatoes per hour! Made of die-cast metal and sporting a stainless-steel hopper, this is definitely a solid strainer of commercial grade that you can host at home.

Made in Italy, one of the neat things about this particular strainer is the speed of the motor and what it does. Turning at approximately 110 rpms, this strainer can actually preserve enzymes in the tomatoes that a lesser strainer would simply lose. Definitely a serious kitchen appliance for those who really love to make and store their own sauces.

As far as reviews, a solid 76% of reviewers gave this product 5 stars, while another 9% felt that a 4 was a better fit. Among the positive statements, many users felt that it was a huge time saver and highly efficient at separating seeds, and one customer almost sent it back for its small size, but quickly changed their mind after giving it a try.

Moving into the negative reviews, however, we have 1-star ratings present from 6% of the reviewers. One of them stated that the product malfunctioned and broke within 5 weeks (although a 2-star reviewer mentioned that theirs had the plastic cracking after a period of 4 years) and we had a customer that received a used unit on accident – whoops!

All in all, however, most were very pleased with this nice Italian electric tomato strainer, so be sure to take a closer look and see what you think!

FonChef Commercial Grade Electric Tomato Strainer

FonChef Commercial Grade Electric Tomato Strainer Milling Press Machine Iron Cast Body Stainless Steel Filter/Funnel for Homemade Sauce 300-370W 160RPM

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Another commercial-grade electric tomato strainer that you could have in your home is the FonChef Commercial Grade Electric Tomato Strainer and it’s an appliance that’s designed to LAST. With a cast iron body, a stainless-steel hopper, and food-grade epoxy as part of its build, it’s kind of amazing that it only weighs 20 pounds.

This is the kind of strainer you could use for a home business, an Italian restaurant, catering, and a number of other uses, and it is capable of straining your tomatoes efficiently and in high volume. Let’s see how it is rated by consumers!

In the 5-star category, the FonChef scored 60%, while another 9 percent gave it only 4 stars. This is curious for a solid appliance like this, so naturally we wanted to peek in the 1 stars to see what the problem was. In the 1-star ratings, which took up 17%, there were complaints about no instructions being included and some units missing parts, but we also found 2 reports of oil leakage.

If you choose this unit, it may be best to check for instructions online to review to see if preventative maintenance is required and to ensure that it is being used properly.

VBENLEM 110V Commercial-grade Electric Tomato Strainer

VBENLEM 110V Electric Tomato Strainer 370W Commercial Grade Tomato Milling Machine Stainless Steel Tomato Press and Strainer 90-160 Kg/H Pure Copper Motor Food Strainer and Sauce Maker

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The VBENLEM Commercial Grade Electric Tomato Strainer is a good-looking appliance. Made primarily of 304 stainless steel, this model features a wide-funnel feed chute which is 9 inches in diameter and the unit is both waterproof and designed to make very little noise when it is running. It also sports a copper motor, which is always a bonus, but let’s take a look at the reviews to see how it was received.

In the reviews, 70% were 5 and 4 stars, with 56% giving it 5 and another 14% giving it 4. In the positive reviews, ease of use and high-volume processing were praised for this product, but looking into the dark side of the reviews there were 18% that gave this 1 star.

The one that stuck out the most was that replacement parts could not be easily found, and while we couldn’t confirm this we advise that you check with the company first before purchase to make sure that parts will be available if needed.

Raw Rutes – Electric Tomato Strainer Machine

Raw Rutes - Electric Tomato Strainer Machine - Made in Italy - Perfect for Canning Tomato Purees, Sauces and More! (No. 3)

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Our final entry is a doozy and like the OMRA unit earlier in this article, it’s made in Italy. The Raw Rutes Electric Tomato Strainer Machine sports a 3-horsepower heavy-duty induction motor, as well as a wide hopper for your tomatoes, and is capable of processing 300 pounds of tomatoes per hour!

The auger is constructed of a food-grade resin and while this unit would definitely be overkill for casual use, if you are catering, running a restaurant, or have a business marketing your own sauces or other culinary delights, then this might just be the perfect fit for you.

Checking into the reviews, we can see that a whopping 84% gave this product 5 stars, and another 10% gave the Raw Rutes 4 stars. One of our favorite reviews in its favor referred to the Raw Rutes as an ‘Amazing BEAST’, which is certainly the fun kind of praise that everyone likes to hear.

There’s always a ‘but’, though so moving on to the 1-star reviews, we’re happy to report that only 3% of customers didn’t like this unit and none of them posted an actual review text to tell us why. Make of that what you will, but this is definitely a high-end tomato strainer if you need a lot of power and don’t mind spending the extra ‘scratch’ to get it!

Best newbie tips for pressing your tomatoes

So, you’ve got your fancy new electric tomato press, what comes next?! Well, we know that you are dying to use it, but here are a few quick tips before you get started to help keep things on the happy side and avoid any unfortunate kitchen swearing incidents:

  • Don’t overload it – check your instructions and start off with slightly LESS than their recommended load.
  • Don’t be pushy – Usually, you’ve got a ‘food pusher’ involved in this process, but don’t lean on it with all of your weight. Press lightly and give the machine time to do its work. These machines process FAST as it is, but if you push too much then you’re asking for it to jam!
  • Read the instructions – We know… they look intuitive. Tomatoes go in the hopper, push it a little, and voila, you get a super yummy sauce that will make you wanna slap your favorite local chef. In theory, that’s how it should go, but read the instructions first. There will be at LEAST one tip in there that you didn’t know about, and it’s best to learn it now, rather than later when your machine does something unpleasant.
  • Clean it RIGHT – Trapped food is a recipe for food poisoning, so clean your unit after every use and make sure it’s dishwasher safe before you try it there – not all of these devices are, and a minute of checking beats a few weeks of waiting for replacement parts!

Buying information for tomato presses

While purchasing something online has a sweetness to it, often compared to ‘Christmas by mail’, not everyone is so keen to order something based on a picture or artist’s hopeful depiction. Here are some tips for those folks who like to inspect before they buy to help ensure you’re taking a quality press home:

  • Inquire about parts – A fun little trick that can save you from headaches is this little gem. Tell the shopkeeper that you or a relative has this machine already and that you need a replacement part for it, and ask where you can get it. If they aren’t an authorized vendor, you might have to contact the company first, but it’s best to do this now if you’re buying an expensive one. Very little will make you angrier than falling in love with a great appliance only to find out that you can’t pay to fix it later.
  • No instructions, no purchase – These machines typically require a little maintenance, even if only once or twice a year. That means specific greases and oils will need to be used and without the instructions, you’ll have to just guess and things could easily go south. Unless it’s simple enough to deduce at a glance, insist on instructions.
  • Ask about disassembly – During the sales process, you’ll be told it’s easy to dissemble, and that’s a great moment to say ‘Show me’ or ‘Walk me through it here’. That will quickly show you if it’s truly easy or is going to require a college degree, prayer, and/or a little cursing.
  • Call their customer service NOW – If you are buying a high-end unit, before you do, why not pull out that amazing technology in your pocket and give them a call? If you can’t easily find their phone number or at least get a chat assistant right away, that will tell you something, speaking or typing to them for a few minutes will let you know if they really care about their customers.
  • Warranties imply quality – See if there is a warranty. There won’t always be, but when there is, it’s worth giving it a quick read and noting the time. A 30-day warranty doesn’t show a lot of faith in a product, but a year usually inspires a little confidence. For bonus points, Google the company name and “warranty” or the words “better business bureau” to make sure that there is not a ‘Christmas list’ of complaints against the vendor that you should know about before they get your hard-earned dough!

Product recommendations

Okay, now that we’ve gone through products and tips it’s time for us to share our favorites and we had 2 of them – one for home ‘casual’ use and one for ‘volume’/home business type use. Our winner for the casual category is the Weston Deluxe Electric Tomato Strainer and we’ll tell you why. First off, it’s a little workhorse, good enough for making homemade sauces for a fancy meal or even a bit of canning if you so desire. It’s also inexpensive and well-reviewed, and they throw in a 1-year warranty and that’s never a bad thing.

If you are planning on a more commercially-geared use of your strainer or simply don’t mind investing a little extra for something superb, then we would recommend the OMRA Spremy 850 Electric Tomato Strainer. It’s made in Italy, lovingly crafted of stainless steel and die-cast parts, and can actually preserve the enzymes as it processes up to 330 pounds of tomatoes per hour. It’s a bit of a juggernaut for casual use but if you do a lot of canning, market your own sauces (or simply WANT to), or are running a restaurant then this might just be your favorite purchase ever for a long time.

That’s just our 2 cents, of course, and all of these appliances are great choices – we just like these 2 better and felt that they stuck out enough to warrant mention!

FAQs

It’s almost time for us to bid you farewell but before we go, we’ve got a few frequently asked questions about tomato presses that we thought we’d share just in case we missed them. Below you’ll find 3 of them and we hope that you find the answers useful!

What can you use a tomato press for?

A tomato press is there to separate the seeds and skin from your tomatoes, as well as other soft vegetables and certain fruits. This lets you make stellar pasta sauces and opens up the possibility of canning juices, whole tomatoes, apple sauce, or even just making superior salsas that will definitely be remembered by your lucky guests.

A manual press usually involves sieves and pressure applied by a hand crank, which does the job nicely but is very time-consuming, and an electric press just replaces that crank with a motor to shave off a lot of time and effort on your part, while still producing that distinctive ‘milled’ flavor.

How do you prepare tomatoes for tomato press?

That depends on the unit and the specific instructions.

Some folks simply clean the tomatoes, remove the leaves off the top, slice them in half, and feed them through the machine. Others like to blanch the tomatoes first with a quick boil, followed by removing any rotten bits and then feeding them to the machine.

Heating the tomatoes first increases the level of lycopene, which adds a little nutritional value, but depending on what you’re making and the instructions for your specific unit, preparation steps may vary.

What’s the difference in taste with a tomato press?

That’s a fair question and the best answer we can give you there is a little experiment you can do at home that will simulate the experience. It’s not ‘as good’ but it’s close and will give you a little idea of the difference in taste a press can give you.

Roast some tomatoes and get a colander and a bowl, as well as another sieve in the kitchen that’s got a nice, fine mesh to it. Mash your tomatoes through the colander so that you can get all of the skin and then do it again in the finer sieve, and what you have left in the bowl is basically a tomato without the skin and seeds, as you would get with a tomato press.

Taste it and then allow yourself a little smile when you think about being able to load up a hopper with tomatoes and then being able to produce something even BETTER in larger quantities with your electric tomato press. It’s definitely cool and can make a huge difference in pasta and other dishes at home!

Some final words on electric tomato presses

Today we’ve talked about electric tomato presses and shared some of the best on the online market our favorites turned out to be the Weston Deluxe Electric Tomato Strainer for casual use and a little home canning, and the OMRA Spremy 850 Electric Tomato Strainer for more commercial aspirations.

Both of these are excellent machines, well-priced, and praised rather highly in the reviews, but if you like a different one from the list, then go for it! All of these items were researched in advance so that you can make an informed decision with a little more confidence.

Thanks for visiting and we hope that you’ll enjoy your new tomato press and the amazing difference in taste that these beloved appliances can make!

Kitchen Professor author
About the Author: David McLemore

David learned to cook at an early age after his mother told him that he couldn't live on pizza forever, Dave uses his modest kitchen skills to recreate sorely-missed recipes from home and to occasionally make new favorite ones from places he is visiting.

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