The Best Potato Mashers, According to a Chef

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Few and far between is the person who doesn't love mashed potatoes. A filling and comforting accompaniment to a meal, they're the top choice of side dish for most, as their creamy, fluffy texture is unrivaled by other vegetables. Of course, the tools you use dictate how well your mashed potatoes turn out, so we rounded up the best options for perfecting this beloved side dish.

Whether you love them plain or with garlic, full of butter, or with a dollop of sour cream, it's the act of mashing that gives mashed potatoes their signature texture. The right masher combined with mashed potato-making tips ensures you'll nail the perfect potatoes every time. After evaluating a variety of models, we landed on the Tovolo Silicone Stainless Steel Potato Masher as our top choice based on its design, handle comfort, and ease of use. Read on to learn more about all the picks that made our list of the best potato mashers on the market.

Our Favorites

Best Overall: Tovolo Silicone Stainless Steel Potato Masher
Best Budget: OXO Good Grips Nonstick Potato Masher
Best for Large Quantities: KitchenAid Gourmet Stainless Steel Wire Masher
Best for Small Batches: Sur La Table Stainless Steel Mini Masher
Best Ricer: OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Adjustable Potato Ricer
Easiest to Store: Joseph Joseph Delta Folding Potato Masher
Most Versatile: Farberware Professional Nylon Heat Resistant Masher

Best Overall: Tovolo Silicone Stainless Steel Potato Masher

View at Amazon ($16)

Also available at Walmart and Wayfair.

Why It's Great

Heat-resistant silicone
Intuitive design
Won't scratch nonstick cookware

Grain of Salt

Handle may come unglued

Thanks to the silicone used in this Tovolo masher, you don't have to worry about waiting for your potatoes to cool before mashing just because you're using a nonstick masher. It's heat resistant up to 600 degrees F, meaning you can put it directly into boiling hot ingredients and right in the pot or pan they were just cooking in.

Available in bright red or gray silicone, this masher is an attractive choice for all your smashing needs. It can be used to mash other vegetables, such as cauliflower, carrots, squash, or avocado, and the ergonomic handle ensures a grip that remains comfortable throughout your use.

The Details: Measures 10 x 4. 5 x 2. 75 inches; stainless steel, BPA free silicone; dishwasher safe

Best Budget: OXO Good Grips Nonstick Potato Masher

View at Amazon ($10)

Also available at Target, OXO, and Home Depot.

Why It's Great

Nonslip handle
Heat-resistant material
Won't scratch nonstick pots

Grain of Salt

Lower quality than some others

There's no better choice for an affordable masher that won't ruin your pots and pans than this simple OXO Good Grips potato masher. As with all of the line's tools, the handle is easy to grip, comfortable, and soft. The nylon material is heat resistant up to 400 degrees, so while it won't stand up to the same temperatures as the Tovolo masher, it can still withstand fairly high heat.

Ideal for soft vegetables, this masher is a bit less heavy-duty than some others; but at just $10, it's a great option for anyone who doesn't need their masher to perform many other functions, and who uses nonstick cookware.

The Details: Measures 11 x 4 x 3.38 inches; nylon; dishwasher safe

Best for Large Quantities: KitchenAid Gourmet Stainless Steel Wire Masher

View at Amazon ($13)

Also available at Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, and Kohl's.

Why It's Great

Rust-resistant head
Wide head for more coverage
Extremely sturdy

Grain of Salt

Handle may trap water

When you're making potatoes for a crowd, like most people nearly every Thanksgiving, you want a masher that will make your job faster and easier. The wide head on this KitchenAid masher provides a larger coverage area, meaning you'll mash more each time you press down.

Because it's large and sturdy, this masher can also be used for tougher tasks, like mashing hard squashes, apples, or combining ground meat with herbs. It comes in a lovely variety of color options, so you might even be able to coordinate with your KitchenAid mixer if you have one.

The Details: Measures 4.92 x 3.15 x 10.43 inches; stainless steel, chrome plating; dishwasher safe

Best for Small Batches: Sur La Table Stainless Steel Mini Masher

View at Sur La Table ($12)

Why It's Great

Accommodates small items
High-quality stainless steel
Sturdy handle

Grain of Salt

Troublesome for large quantities

If you usually prepare smaller batches of mashed potatoes, the Sur La Table mini masher is all you need. And because of its small size, it gives you more control over the consistency.

Not only is this tool great for potatoes, but it's also an excellent gadget for mashing a single banana for a batch of muffins or an avocado for creamy or chunky guacamole. It has the same standard style of construction as larger versions of this tool, so it should be as comfortable in your hands as a bigger masher would be.

The Details: Measures 7.35 x 2 x 2 inches; 18/8 stainless steel; dishwasher safe

Best Ricer: OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Adjustable Potato Ricer

View at Amazon ($37)

Also available at Bed Bath & Beyond and OXO.

Why It's Great

Three options for consistency
User-friendly rotating dial
Grooved pot rest

Grain of Salt

Must remove disk to clean

The built-in disks on this OXO Good Grips ricer mean that you don't have to swap out blades to get a different consistency. Simply rotate the dial instead to go between fine, medium, and coarse grind. You can also use this ricer to squeeze water out of cooked greens, make ultra-smooth applesauce, or purée tomatoes for marinara.

If you like your mashed potatoes to be as light and airy as restaurants make them, a ricer will help you achieve that fluffy texture. Combined with the act of whipping in milk or cream, a potato ricer is the restaurant secret most of us didn't know about; now that you do, you can level up your mash.

The Details: Measures 5 x 5.5 x 16.62 inches; stainless steel; dishwasher safe

Easiest to Store: Joseph Joseph Delta Folding Potato Masher

View at Amazon ($10)

Why It's Great

Flattens for storage
Ricer-like mashing
Locking collar

Grain of Salt

Tricky to clean

The more kitchen utensils you have, the harder they become to store. Enter this Joseph Joseph masher that flattens down to take up as little space in your drawers as possible. The tiny holes of this masher make it more of a ricer than a typical masher with wavy metal wire. Because of that, you'll yield a finer texture of the end product than you would with a standard masher. For anyone who wants the delicacy of a ricer without the effort, this masher is a sound option.

The Details: Measures 1.57 x 3.94 x 11.89 inches; nylon and stainless steel; dishwasher safe

Most Versatile: Farberware Professional Nylon Heat Resistant Masher

View at Amazon ($10)

Why It's Great

Multifunctional
Five blades
Heat resistant

Grain of Salt

Less aeration

The Farberware masher works differently than standard mashers. It takes the opposite approach of the Joseph Joseph model above: Instead of fine holes, it has blades to work through cooked potatoes and break them down. And thanks to the blades, it can also be used to break up meat (both raw and cooked).

The nylon construction makes this a heat-resistant choice, and it's safe for use up to 450 degrees. The angled blades are useful for scraping the sides of bowls and pans as you cook, which means you can rely less on a spatula and more on one single tool — who doesn't love that?

The Details: Measures 10.71 x 2.48 x 2.17 inches; nylon; dishwasher safe

Our Takeaway

The Tovolo Silicone Stainless Steel Potato Masher is our top choice in potato mashers. We appreciate its coated and curved wires, very high heat resistance, dishwasher-safe structure, and moderate price tag. If you have nonstick cookware, this is the right potato masher for you, as it won't scratch the surface.

How to Choose the Right One

Style

A standard masher is a suitable choice for anyone who enjoys homestyle mashed potatoes. Little bits of potato might be left, but they do a decent job of aerating to create fluffiness. A ricer is a better choice for people who prefer lighter, fluffier, and more whipped potatoes. Options such as the Joseph Joseph masher make for a great in-between selection because it melds the hole size of a ricer with the ease of use of a masher.

Head Size

The amount of mashed potatoes you typically make should dictate the size of the masher you choose. By looking at the head of the masher, it's fairly easy to tell the work it can do, as large-capacity mashers are several times the size of mini mashers. If you live alone or you rarely cook for others, a mini masher will be your best bet, and if you regularly cook for a family and friends, investing in a bigger one is a wise decision.

Material

Aesthetics and durability are key factors in the material of the masher you choose. One with nylon construction is useful and should last for years. These are generally less pricey mashers and good choices for households with kids that help with the cooking. Alternately, stainless steel and chrome mashers have a more high-end appearance but may require more upkeep to stay looking new and shiny.

Commonly Asked Questions

Is a potato masher better than a ricer?

A potato masher is quicker to use than a ricer because you don't have to let the potatoes sit until they are cool enough to handle. For most people, they're a better choice purely because they're quick and easy. However, if you prefer lighter, airier mashed potatoes then you'll want a ricer, as that is what gives potatoes an extra aerated texture.

What potatoes are the best for mashed potatoes?

A mix of russet and Yukon Gold is the best for mashed potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes are great for creaminess, and they hold their shape well, and russets are fluffy and break down easily. Combining the two is going to yield the best texture and taste.

What is the best way to reheat mashed potatoes?

Reheat mashed potatoes in the oven with a little bit of milk to counteract any drying out that has happened. Opt for a lower temperature, such as 325 or 350 degrees F. To bring back any lost richness, add a few pads of butter to the cold mashed potatoes so that they can melt into them as they reheat.

Why Take Our Word For It?

Freelancer Ariane Resnick, CNC loves a good mash as much as anyone. She cooked in countless homes during her days as an in-home private chef, and always heartily enjoyed exploring the small gadgets in each. She selected the best potato mashers based on her breadth of knowledge about this tool, factoring in the efficiency, special features, and ease of use of each model.

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