✔ Updated · Our 2026 picks
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A potato ricer is the one tool that gets you silky, lump-free mash without turning it to glue. I rice the potatoes for our KFC copycat mash every time, and here is how to pick the right one.
For most kitchens, the best potato ricer is a sturdy stainless model with long padded handles and a hook that rests on the pot, like the OXO Good Grips. Want textures for gnocchi or spaetzle? Go adjustable. Feeding a crowd at Thanksgiving? Get a jumbo hopper.
- You make mash for 4 to 6 most weeks: OXO Good Grips Potato Ricer. Long handles, a hook that rests on the pot and nothing to adjust.
- You also make gnocchi, spaetzle or rustic mash: OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Adjustable Potato Ricer. Three discs cover fine, medium and coarse without buying a second tool.
- Squeezing hurts your hands or wrists: Joseph Joseph Helix Twist-Action Potato Ricer. The twist action does the pressing for you.
- You cook Thanksgiving for a crowd: Norpro Deluxe Jumbo Potato Ricer (469). A 3 cup hopper means five pounds of potatoes in a handful of presses.
What is a potato ricer?
A potato ricer is a big hand press with a perforated basket. You load it with cooked potato, squeeze the handles, and the potato comes out the bottom in soft strands the size of rice grains. That is where the name comes from. It is sometimes sold as a ricer or a potato press.
The strands matter because a ricer breaks the potato apart without beating it. Mashers crush, blenders shred, and both tear open the starch and turn mash gluey. Riced potato stays light, so you can fold in butter and warm milk and get the silky mash you want from our copycat recipes.
What matters in a potato ricer
A ricer pushes cooked potato through small holes, so the starch cells stay whole instead of being beaten until they burst. That is why riced mash tastes fluffy and buttery rather than gluey. Here is what separates a good one from a drawer gadget:
- Leverage. Long handles and a pot-rest hook let you press down with your body weight. A twist design helps if grip strength is an issue.
- Hopper size. A bigger hopper means fewer refills. For a holiday crowd, a jumbo ricer saves real time.
- Hole size and discs. Fine holes give the smoothest mash. Adjustable models add coarse and medium settings for gnocchi, spaetzle or rustic mash.
- Material. Stainless steel handles hot potatoes and the dishwasher. Cast aluminum is sturdy but usually best washed by hand.
- Cleanup. Rinse it while it is still warm. Dried potato in those tiny holes is a chore, so models that come apart are easier.
Potato ricers compared
Specs come from the maker where it publishes them. Prices change often, so check the current price on Amazon.
| Model | Best for | Action | Capacity | Textures | Dishwasher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OXO Good Grips | Overall | Squeeze | Not published | 1 | Yes |
| OXO 3-in-1 Adjustable | Gnocchi, spaetzle | Squeeze | Not published | 3 | Yes |
| Joseph Joseph Helix | Easy on hands | Twist | Not published | 1 | Yes |
| Norpro Deluxe Jumbo | Big batches | Squeeze | 3 cups (24 oz) | 1 | Hand wash advised |
| PriorityChef 15 oz | Value | Squeeze | 15 oz | 1 (3 mm) | Yes |
The 5 best potato ricers
1. OXO Good Grips Potato Ricer
Best overall- Stainless steel basket
- Single fixed disc
- Soft, non-slip handles
- Knob rests on the pot or bowl
- Dishwasher safe
This is the classic shape most people picture, and it gets the basics right. The padded handles soften the squeeze, and the little knob on the end hooks over the rim of the pot so you are pressing down, not holding the whole thing in the air.
There is one disc and no texture options, which honestly is all you need for mashed potatoes.
- Comfortable padded handles
- Pot-rest knob makes pressing easier
- Goes in the dishwasher
- One fixed texture only
- Hopper size suits family batches, not a crowd
- No published capacity figure
Skip it if you want more than one texture; this is one fixed disc, and gnocchi or spaetzle fans should look at the adjustable OXO.
Check price on Amazon2. OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Adjustable Potato Ricer
Best for gnocchi and spaetzle- Fine, medium and coarse settings
- Stainless steel
- Rests on the bowl edge
- Comes apart to clean
- Dishwasher safe
Fine for the smoothest mash and potato gnocchi, medium for spaetzle, coarse for a more rustic mash. OXO’s own page describes the discs as built in and switched with a turn, so there are no loose plates to lose in a drawer.
The Amazon listing wording mentions included disks, so check the product photos to make sure you are getting the current built-in design.
- Three textures in one tool
- No loose discs to store
- Same comfortable OXO handles
- Bulkier than a single-disc ricer
- More parts to rinse
- Listing wording and OXO's description differ slightly
Skip it if you only ever make smooth mash and have little drawer space; the extra discs are parts you will never swap.
Check price on Amazon3. Joseph Joseph Helix Twist-Action Potato Ricer
Easiest on the hands- Twist action, not a squeeze
- Stainless steel and nylon
- Separates into 2 pieces
- Dishwasher safe
- 2-year guarantee
Instead of squeezing two handles together, you twist. The motion uses your arms and shoulders rather than your grip, which is a real help if squeezing a classic ricer is hard on your hands.
Joseph Joseph does not publish a capacity, and the hopper is on the compact side, so plan on a few more refills for a big pot of mash.
- Gentle on wrists and grip
- Pulls apart for easy cleaning
- Slim to store
- Smaller batches per press
- Stock has been patchy at some retailers
- Twist motion takes a minute to get used to
Skip it if you cook for a crowd; the smaller hopper means more refills, and Amazon stock has come and gone over the last year.
Check price on Amazon4. Norpro Deluxe Jumbo Potato Ricer (469)
Best for big holiday batches- 3-cup (24 oz) hopper
- Cast aluminum body, stainless hopper
- Hopper perforated on all 4 sides
- About 15 inches long
- Comes apart to clean
When I am making mash for a full Thanksgiving table, refilling a small hopper gets old fast. The Norpro holds 3 cups, and because the hopper is perforated on every side, the potato comes out quickly with less pressing.
It is the biggest and heaviest pick here, and Norpro does not state that it is dishwasher safe, so I would wash the aluminum body by hand.
- Biggest hopper in this guide
- Fast output for large batches
- Sturdy build
- Heavy and long to store
- Hand washing advised for the aluminum body
- Overkill for a weeknight pot
Skip it if you make mash for two; it is long, heavy and hand wash only, and overkill for a weeknight pot.
Check price on Amazon5. PriorityChef Large 15 oz Potato Ricer
Best value stainless- 15 oz hopper
- 3 mm holes
- Stainless steel
- Silicone-covered handles
- Dishwasher safe
A roomy stainless hopper at a friendly price, and one of the most reviewed ricers on Amazon. The 3 mm holes give a smooth, fine mash.
The listing also shows a three-disc version, but when we checked only the fixed-disc version was available on this link, so do not count on extra discs.
- Large 15 oz hopper
- All-steel working parts
- Fine, smooth texture
- Some buyers report the handles bending under heavy force
- Three-disc version not currently offered on this listing
- No maker website with full specs
Skip it if you lean on it hard; several buyers report the handles bending on firm potatoes.
Check price on AmazonHow we chose
I own a potato ricer and use it for every batch of our mashed potato copycats, so the tips here come from my stove. The specific models are a different matter: we have not tested every unit side by side, and we do not claim to. Each pick is based on:
- Verified specs: capacity, material, discs and care, checked against the maker’s own page where it publishes them.
- Documented features: pot rests, adjustable textures, twist versus squeeze.
- Patterns in buyer reviews: recurring issues such as bending handles or small hoppers.
- Our own recipes: each one has to make a smooth mash for our KFC and Popeyes copycats and a big pot for the holidays.
How to use a potato ricer, step by step
This is the order I follow for every pot of mash, and it takes less time than the boiling does:
- Peel 2 to 3 pounds of russets or Yukon Golds and cut them into even 2 inch chunks so they cook at the same speed.
- Start them in cold salted water, bring to a boil and cook 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides in with no push.
- Drain, then put them back in the hot pot for 1 to 2 minutes with the lid off so the surface steam dries off.
- Set the ricer over the pot or a warm bowl, fill the hopper about two thirds full and press down in one slow, firm squeeze.
- Scrape the strands off the bottom with a spatula between loads and keep going until the pot is empty.
- Fold in warm butter first, then warm milk or cream a splash at a time, and season. Folding keeps it fluffy; beating turns it to paste.
The one mistake that ruins it: ricing potatoes after they have cooled. Cold potato sets stiff and gummy, so rice them the minute they come out of the pot, and warm your butter and milk before they go in.
This is exactly how I make these:
KFC Mashed Potatoes Copycat
Russets riced hot, then finished with hot butter, cream and milk for that smooth, lump-free texture.
Get the recipe →
Popeyes Mashed Potatoes Copycat
Rich, buttery copycat mash where the ricer keeps the base smooth and lump-free.
Get the recipe →
Best Creamy Mashed Potatoes
My everyday mash: riced hot potatoes and warm dairy folded in gently, never whipped to glue.
Get the recipe →
Colcannon
Irish mashed potatoes with buttery cabbage or kale folded through the riced potato.
Get the recipe →Care and cleaning
- Rinse it under hot water as soon as the mash is in the bowl. Dried potato in those tiny holes is the one chore every ricer owner complains about.
- A stiff brush or the rough side of a sponge clears the holes; a toothpick handles the stubborn ones.
- Stainless models go in the dishwasher. Cast aluminum, like the Norpro, should be hand washed or it dulls and pits.
- Dry it fully before it goes in the drawer, especially where the handles pivot.
- If the hopper has a removable disc, pop it out every few uses and clean the rim where starch collects.
Don’t have one? Use this instead
Ranked by how close they get to riced mash:
- A food mill. Nearly as good, and it removes skins for you. Slower, and a bigger tool to wash.
- A fine mesh sieve and a spatula. Push the hot potato through in batches. Silky results, but it is slow and your arm will know about it.
- A hand masher. Mash hot, do not overwork it, and accept a few small lumps. Fine for everyday mash.
- A hand mixer on low. A few seconds only, for already mashed potatoes. Stop the moment it is smooth. Never a blender or a food processor, which make glue in seconds.
Common mashed potato mistakes
- Ricing cold potatoes. Cooled potatoes are stiff and turn pasty. Rice them hot.
- Using a blender or food processor. The blades burst the starch and you get glue, fast.
- Waterlogged potatoes. Skip the steam-dry step and the mash goes loose and bland.
- Cold dairy. Cold milk and butter cool the potatoes and make them harder to fold smooth. Warm them first.
- Overfilling the hopper. It will not close properly and you will press twice as hard.
Planning the whole holiday table? Our Thanksgiving recipes roundup has the sides, pies and mains to go with your mash.
Three recipes to make first
If the ricer arrives this week, start here:
How we ranked these, and what we updated
Ranked on specs, features and what buyers report. Prices and availability checked October 2026. We do not claim to have tested every model side by side; where we have used a model in our kitchen, the card says so.
What we updated
- Added a 'which one is for you' box, a plain definition and numbered steps for the smoothest mash.
- Added a 'skip it if' line to every pick, care notes, honest substitutes and three recipes to start with.
- Prices and Amazon availability checked October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a potato ricer worth buying?
If you make mashed potatoes more than a few times a year, yes. A ricer gives a smoother, fluffier mash than a hand masher, with no lumps and without the gluey texture a mixer or food processor can cause. It also helps with gnocchi, and with squeezing water out of cooked spinach.
What is the difference between a potato ricer and a masher?
A masher crushes potatoes in the pot, which leaves some lumps unless you work it hard. A ricer presses cooked potato through small holes, so every bit comes out evenly fine. The result is lighter and smoother, with less chance of overworking the starch.
Do you have to peel potatoes before using a ricer?
Not always. Many ricers push the flesh through and leave most of the skin behind in the hopper, which you scrape out between presses. For the smoothest mash, like our KFC copycat, I peel first so nothing ends up in the bowl.
What else can you use a potato ricer for?
Potato gnocchi, spaetzle with a coarse disc, smooth sweet potato or squash puree, and squeezing the water out of cooked spinach or grated zucchini. Adjustable ricers handle more of these jobs.
Can a potato ricer go in the dishwasher?
Most stainless steel ricers can, including the OXO and PriorityChef models here. Cast aluminum ricers are usually better washed by hand. Whatever you own, rinse it right away so potato does not dry in the holes.
Your turn. Which potato ricer do you use, and does it survive the dishwasher? Tell me in the comments, and tell me if a pick here let you down. I read every one and update the guide.
