What’s not to love about potatoes? When cooked properly, they’re fluffy, delicious and you can eat them with anything. Whether you’re having steak and mash for dinner or dipping your fries in your milkshake, potatoes are really versatile. Everyone like their potatoes in different forms, but one potato dish is loved universally: the mashed potato. Soft and airy, light and fluffy, the perfect mashed potato can be served as a delicious dish on its own, or it can be paired with meat, vegetables, bread or anything else.
Everyone has different preferences for their mash. Some like it with cheese or garlic, others like having potato skins in it too. And while it might sound easy to mash potatoes, you might find that when you’re making them yourself, they may end up being too chunky or gluey or dry. You need to have the right potato masher to get the perfect mash every time.
What to Look for in a Potato Masher
Here is a list of all the things you need to look at to get the ultimate potato masher.
The Design
Mashers are of two basic types: the handheld ones, and the ricers. Handheld ricers may either have a handle to use them or the stick end. The handle generally provides more control while you mash. The mashing plate may either be a round disk with many holes in it, or a zig zagged curve. The zig zagged one is easy to clean and you can easily remove any excess potato that may be left on it, but the round one gives a smoother and more even mash.
The ricer consists of two small metal buckets where you press the potato into one and compress it with the other bucket. The tiny holes break down the potato into around the size of rice grains. It’s ideal for making a light and fluffy mash and can also be used to make gnocchi.
The Size
This depends on how much mash you’re making. If it’s for home-use, a small one is fine, but there are large sized industrial mashers for commercial use.
Ease of Cleaning
Some mashers need to be cleaned by hand while others can be thrown into the dishwasher. For ricers, you may have to clean some part manually as they might get damaged in the dishwasher. Just make sure you clean your masher properly. You don’t want dried bits of last week’s mash in today’s meal.
Quality
The quality of your masher is determined by the material. In order to properly mash your potatoes, the masher has to be sturdy and strong. Aluminum may be kitchen safe but it doesn’t provide that pressure. Stainless steel is the best option.
Our Top Picks
The Basic Masher- E-Z Mash Potato Masher
If you’re looking for the lowest investment, basic kind of masher, this is it. Whether you’re trying to make your own mash for the first time or getting your kids to try it, this one will do the job.
Check out the E-Z Mash Potato Masher
Why it’s great
- It has a fanned mashing plate to give you a smooth, lump free mash.
- You don’t have to worry about cleanup because it’s dishwasher safe.
- It’s super pocket friendly, so you don’t have to worry about damaging it and having to get another.
What We Didn’t Love About it
- It’s made of plastic, which while it is food safe, it doesn’t give as smooth a mash as a steel masher.
- The mashing handle is a bit small so it’s only suitable for a small number of potatoes.
The Best Buy- OXO Good Grips Smooth Potato Masher
This one is the perfect potato masher. Use this to make your mash and even the pickiest eater will be satisfied with their meal.
Check out the OXO Good Grips Smooth Potato Masher
Why it’s great
- It has a gripping handle and a base plate with holes so you have complete control when making your mash and it’ll be smooth and soft every time!
- When you’re done, just chuck it in the dishwasher.
- You can use it to mash any vegetable you like, from potatoes to sweet potatoes to beetroots.
What We Didn’t Love About it
- It’s a little delicate so don’t put too much pressure on it, or the handle will bend!
The Versatile Masher- The 2-in-1 Mix N’ Masher
With this masher, you can mash AND whisk your potatoes with one device! Get a complete and delicious mash in just a few short moments without having to use a whisk.
Check out the Mix N’Masher Potato Masher
Why it’s great
- It’s a masher and whisks all in one.
- You can make just about any sort of mash with it, and cleanup is a breeze because it’s dishwasher safe.
- It’s made of stainless steel so it’ll last you forever and you don’t have to worry about breaking it with too much pressure.
What We Didn’t Love About it
- Because the base plate is designed to act as a whisk as well, the curves don’t always give the smoothest or most even mash. You’ll need to spend a little extra time to get all those little chunks here and there.
The Ricer- Tundras Potato Ricer Set
Become a pro in the kitchen with the ultimate potato ricer. Put in half the effort and get mashed potatoes worthy of a fine dining restaurant.
Check out the Potato Ricer Masher Set
Why it’s great
- We’ve already raved about how useful ricers are. Just put the potato in, press the metal bucket overtop and get heavenly potato fluff in seconds.
- It’s stainless steel and dishwasher safe.
- The best part? You can swap out the base plates to change the consistency of your mash.
What We Didn’t Love About it
- It’ll take a little extra time and effort to clean up, but the quick use and the foolproof smooth mash will be worth it.
Making perfect mashed potatoes at home isn’t difficult. All you need is the right potato masher and you can enjoy a bowl of fluffy, creamy goodness anytime you want.
Rhonda grew up with parents who gardened, hunted, fished, canned, and preserved food. Her mother was a professional cook and Rhonda credits her teaching everything from how to make homemade biscuits and gravy to what kind of meals to serve for different occasions. In the kitchen, Rhonda uses a mix of old-fashioned country cooking and up-to-date fads in the kitchen, often experimenting with replacing higher-calorie or fat ingredients with healthier options that still retain the delicious flavors of the originals.