This Tool Will Give You the Fluffiest Mashed Potatoes Ever, Hands Down

For years I had heard that the way to get the fluffiest, lightest mashed potatoes did not involve a masher, a wooden spoon, or (shudder) a food processor. The magical tool was a food mill. Last year I finally acquired one and I can say that the stories are true; for the lightest, fluffiest potatoes, a food mill is the way to go.

I am a big fan of this food mill made by OXO. It’s dishwasher-safe, which is a major bonus when you’re talking about mashed potatoes and other purées. It’s sturdy and well-built, with flip-out legs that let it perch over wide pots.

However, the mill mechanism is what really gets my raves. Like any mill, this takes time to purée your food; you’re using elbow grease. But the reversible motion on the hand-crank means that you can push the food down through the sieve, then reverse to lift up anything that is stuck or mashed too tight. On the next turn, any stuck food goes straight through.

This produces light, feathery piles of mashed potatoes in just a few minutes, and with considerably less work than a masher would require.

Buy: OXO Good Grips Food Mill, $55.95

Do you use a food mill for your potatoes? If so, do you have a favorite?