Mashers

Potatoes and other root vegetables can be mashed by hand using a potato masher or a ricer.

Potato Masher

A potato masher consists of a handle connected to a mashing head; this may be a traditional head made up of a plate with holes or slits, or the more modern version of a large gauge wire in a rounded zig-zag shape. Traditional mashers are extremely efficient at mashing and puréeing cooked potatoes and other root vegetables, whilst the more modern mashers require a little more hard work.

Whichever your preference, choose a strong masher that will not buckle under the heavy pressure it will be subjected to.

Potato Ricer

This tool is made from chromed steel and is a useful for making smooth vegetable and fruit mashes. The food is put into a mesh hopper, and then forced through the mesh by means of a metal pusher attached to a handle. Choose a model with a large hopper to process the food as quickly as possible, otherwise you may find your mashed potato has gone cold before you have finished the job.