Food Mills & Ricers
Food mills and ricers are simple hand tools, and the first decision is which you need. A rotary food mill forces cooked food through a perforated disc, separating skins, seeds and cores for smooth, seed-free sauces and purees, with interchangeable discs for texture. A potato ricer presses cooked potato through small holes for the fluffiest mash and for gnocchi. A masher is the rustic, budget option. This page helps you pick the right tool, understand the details that matter, and reach our picks, comparison, review, guides and database.
Which type do you need?
Food Mill
- Tomato sauce
- Applesauce & purees
- Skins & seeds removed
- Texture discs
- Separates skins and seeds
- Interchangeable discs
- Smooth sauces and purees
- More parts to clean
Potato Ricer
- Fluffy mash
- Gnocchi dough
- Light texture
- Simple tool
- Fluffiest mash in one pass
- Great for gnocchi
- Simple and easy to store
- Single-purpose
Multi-Disc Mill
- Versatility
- Many textures
- Baby food
- Value
- Coarse, medium and fine discs
- One tool, many textures
- Good value
- Bulkier to store
Find the right food mills ricer
| Your need | Best type | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth tomato sauce | Food mill | Best Mills & Ricers |
| Applesauce & purees | Food mill | Best Mills & Ricers |
| Fluffiest mashed potatoes | Potato ricer | Best for Mash |
| Gnocchi dough | Potato ricer | Best for Mash |
| Deciding which tool | Either | Mill vs Ricer |
Explore food mills ricers
Best & buying picks
Comparisons
Product reviews
Food Mills Ricer database
PantryGear Lab tracks 15 food mills ricer models with sourced specifications. Here is a representative preview; the full table adds filters and sorting.
| Model | Type | Material | Discs | Capacity | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Mill For Purees | Food mill | Stainless | 3 | — | Check price |
| PriorityChef Large 15oz Potato Ricer | Potato ricer | Stainless | — | 15 oz | Check price |
| Stainless Steel Food Mills With 3 Milling Discs | Food mill | Stainless | 3 | — | Check price |
| Sopito 22 oz Stainless Steel Potato Ricer | Potato ricer | Stainless | — | 22 oz | Check price |
| Hungry Artisan Stainless Steel Food Mill for Tomato Sauce & Canning | Food mill | Stainless | 3 | — | Check price |
View all 15 food mills ricers, with filters & sorting →
What matters when choosing a food mills ricer
Food mill for sauces and purees; ricer for fluffy mash.
Interchangeable coarse-to-fine discs control a mill's texture.
A mill removes them; a blender and ricer do not.
Sturdy stainless steel and comfortable handles.
A larger hopper or basket means fewer batches.
Parts that come apart and rinse before food dries.
How PantryGear Lab researches food mills ricers
Our food mill and ricer database records only what we can confirm from a manufacturer or current listing, and marks the rest as unavailable.
- Exact product identity
- Tool type (mill, ricer or masher)
- Material
- Number of discs where stated
- Capacity where stated
- Skin and seed separation
- Product weight
- Warranty where verified
- Manufacturer information
- Listing checked date
Where a source does not state a value, we mark it unavailable rather than infer it. A mill separates skins and seeds while a ricer presses for mash, and we do not claim every product was physically tested.
Frequently asked questions
Which tool do I need, a mill or a ricer?
A food mill for sauces and purees that need skins and seeds removed, with discs for texture; a potato ricer for the fluffiest mashed potatoes and gnocchi. Choose by what you make most, or keep both since each is inexpensive.
Why does a food mill remove skins and seeds?
Its perforated disc lets soft flesh through while tougher skins, seeds and cores stay behind. That is how it makes seed-free tomato sauce or smooth applesauce from whole fruit, which a blender or ricer cannot.
What makes the fluffiest mash?
A ricer. Pressing cooked potato through small holes once, gently, gives light, even strands without overworking, so the mash stays fluffy rather than gluey.
Do I need multiple discs?
For a food mill, discs control texture from coarse to fine. Coarse and fine cover most needs; a medium disc adds versatility for purees and baby food.
Can a food mill mash potatoes?
It can make a smooth potato puree, but a ricer gives the classic light mash. Use a mill when you also want to remove skins and seeds from other foods.
Are these dishwasher-safe?
Many stainless mills and ricers are, but check the product. Whatever the tool, rinse before food dries in the holes and take mills apart to wash for easy cleanup.
Is stainless steel better?
Yes. Sturdy stainless handles firm cooked foods without flexing, resists staining from acidic tomatoes and fruit, and lasts far longer than thin or plastic parts.