10 best potato mashers for smooth, lump-free mash

When it comes to comfort food, you really can’t beat a generous helping of mashed potato. Whether you’re serving up a homely sausage and mash supper, a classic Sunday roast or a delicious topping for your homemade shepherd’s pie, mashed potato is a filling and satisfying accompaniment to a wide range of family meals.

For many, mashed potato also brings with it a sense of nostalgia, taking us right back to those early childhood meals with our parents or, for those born in the 80s, fond memories of the children’s TV show Bodger and Badger.

Whilst some of us have mastered the art of mashing potatoes with a fork, it’s certainly not easy.  If you’re looking to ensure your mash making is both efficient and effective (without any lumps in sight), you will want to invest in a high-quality potato masher to make your life a whole lot easier.

Whether it’s a long-handled masher, a single wire option or even an electric potato masher or ricer, we’ve researched the best ones to help make your food prep simple and stress-free.

Here are the best potato mashers you can buy in 2022.

1. Best overall potato masher: OXO Good Grips Smooth Potato Masher

Price: £14.99 | Buy now from John Lewis & Partners 

“The OXO Good Grips Potato Masher is by far the best I've ever used, I'd never go back to a long-handled one and it's never given me sweaty knuckles.” (Tried and tested by Mumsnet user Meet0nTheledge)

“I have both a ricer and a masher. I use the ricer for potato topped dishes, but use the OXO Good Grips (best ever) masher for everything else - it's brilliant.” (Recommended by Mumsnet user Silverjellybean71)

Unlike the long-handled design of a traditional potato masher, the OXO Good Grips Smooth Potato Masher comes with a broad, short handle with a comfortable non-slip grip which makes it far easier to use - getting you closer to the pan and absorbing pressure as you mash.

Made from durable stainless steel, the fine grid design of the mashing head helps create silky smooth and lump-free mashed potatoes in minutes and is suitable for use with most soft fruit and root vegetables too.

Easy to clean by hand or with the option of simply popping into the dishwasher after use, it also comes with an OXO Better Guarantee for peace of mind.

Pros

• The shorter length and broad handle absorb pressure

• A fine grid pattern ensures a smooth mash

• Dishwasher safe

Cons

• Takes up more room in your drawer than a long-handled masher

Key specs

• Height: 7.6cm

• Materials: Stainless steel

• Dishwasher safe: Yes

• Length and width of head: 15.6 x 10.2cm

2. Best budget potato masher: Lakeland Everyday Potato Masher

Price: £4.99 | Buy now from Lakeland

If you are making mashed potato less regularly or are simply looking for a more budget-friendly alternative for your kitchen, the Lakeland Everyday Potato Masher comes with a great value price tag of just £4.99.

Heat resistant up to 200°C, it's suitable for use on all pan types including non-stick surfaces and comes with an ergonomic soft grip handle to ensure your potato prep is both straightforward and comfortable.

With other matching items available in the Lakeland kitchen range, the hanging hole allows you to have your potato masher easily accessible, out on display and coordinated with your other kitchen tools.

Pros

• Comfortable grip

• Dishwasher safe

• Budget-friendly

• Safe to use on non-stick pans

Cons

• The larger-sized handle makes it harder to store in drawers. However, it does have a hanging hole

• A softer plastic masher may not be as effective as stainless steel

Key specs

• Height: 22.7cm

• Materials: Plastic

• Dishwasher safe: Yes

• Length and width of head: 15 x 12.4cm

3. Best easy-to-use potato masher: Zyliss Quick Masher

Price: £12.20 | Buy now from Amazon

For ease of use, it’s certainly worth considering the size and shape of your potato masher in order to minimise effort.

The Zyliss Quick Masher is named so for good reason - with a large and wide oval-shaped mashing head made from robust stainless steel, its rounded edges can cover a large area and reach right up to the sides of the pan, ensuring that no lumps remain.

Designed to help ensure velvety smooth mashed potato, it’s also an ideal choice for crushing and pureeing first tastes for a weaning baby such as swedes, butternut squash and sweet potato.

A really sturdy and hardwearing masher, Zyliss are so confident it will stand the test of time that it comes with a five-year guarantee.

Pros

• The oval shape reaches right to the pan edges

• Dishwasher safe

• Robust stainless steel

Cons

• Not recommended for use on non-stick pans

Key specs

• Height: 34cm

• Materials: Metal

• Dishwasher safe: Yes

• Length and width of head: 12 x 7.5cm

4. Best single wire potato masher: OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Potato Masher

Price: £19.56 | Buy now from Amazon

For a potato masher that’s both efficient to use and easy to clean, the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Potato Masher is formed of a single stainless steel wire, which is not only great at compacting and compressing your potatoes but is also dishwasher safe and simple to clean by hand.

It has a soft non-slip handle that takes the pressure off when mashing, but it's worth noting that the single wire design may take slightly longer to tackle tough lumps and skins, needing to be worked across the pan to ensure all areas are reached.

Whilst it’s not the most compact masher on our list, the hanging hole offers convenience and easy access when preparing your meals.

Pros

• Durable stainless steel

• Dishwasher safe

• Suitable for potatoes, fruit and vegetables

Cons

• Costly

• Doesn’t tackle lumps as well as a grid masher

Key specs

• Height: 27cm

• Materials: Stainless steel

• Dishwasher safe: Yes

• Length and width of head: 11 x 7.5cm

5. Best potato ricer: Joseph Joseph Helix Potato Ricer

Price: £20 | Buy now from Amazon

“Definitely team ricer here. Only use it occasionally as it's a faff to wash but it's great. Do the potatoes through it first then add butter and beat through it.” (Type of product rated by Mumsnet user MrsDeaconClaybourne)

Unlike a masher which literally mashes your potatoes, a potato ricer (resembling a large garlic press) involves popping peeled potatoes into a hopper and pushing down a plunger. Popular with professional chefs looking for extra smooth and airy mash, the ricer pushes the potatoes through small holes to create rice-sized pieces, with absolutely no lumps in sight.

Unlike some other potato ricers, the Joseph Joseph Helix Potato Ricer has a unique twisting mechanism that involves pushing the two parts together horizontally rather than vertically, making it far less labour intensive and more suitable for those with restricted movement or arthritis.

Made from durable stainless steel and nylon, it’s relatively easy to clean (compared to some other brands of potato ricers) and suitable for dishwashers. Due to the time taken to rice potatoes, however, it may not be your first choice for quick meals or making large quantities.

Pros

• Creates smooth, airy mashed potato

• No lumps

Cons

• Time-consuming as a limited amount can be pressed at a time

• Left-handed people may find the design tricky to operate

Key specs

• Height: 26.49 cm

• Materials: Stainless steel

• Dishwasher safe: Yes

• Length and width of head: ‎9.09 x 9.4 cm

6. Best potato masher for non-stick pans: ProCook Nylon Potato Masher

Price: £9 | Buy now from ProCook

Unlike stainless steel potato mashers which can risk damaging or scratching non-stick cookware, the ProCook Nylon Potato Masher is made from brushed stainless steel with a durable nylon head, meaning no matter how much enthusiasm you put into mashing your potatoes, you won’t risk ruining the non-stick coating on your pans.

With a low price point, hanging hole and suitability for dishwasher use, this is a practical yet simple design of potato masher, but the wider holes on the mashing head may require some repetition to achieve the desired smooth texture.

Pros

• Suitable for use on all surfaces include non-stick pans

• Dishwasher safe

Cons

• Not the most attractive design

• Wider holes may take longer to achieve a smooth texture

Key specs

• Height: 25.5cm

• Materials: Brushed stainless steel and nylon

• Dishwasher safe: Yes

• Length and width of head: Unspecified

7. Most stylish potato masher: KitchenCraft Round Potato Masher with Short Handle

Price: £14.99 | Buy now from Amazon

If you’re keen to find a potato masher that not only performs well but looks good in your kitchen too, the KitchenCraft Round Potato Masher with Short Handle is both ‘smartly proportioned’ and stylish. It's also tall enough to fit in most pans whilst being suitable for those with restricted hand movements.

The short handle reduces strain by spreading the pressure across the base, whilst the ergonomic finger indents in the handle ensure maximum comfort and control.

Made from efficient stainless steel, the KitchenCraft potato masher can handle even the most stubborn lumps in your potatoes and root vegetables.

Pros

• The short handle absorbs pressure whilst mashing

• Also works with root vegetables such as carrots and suede

Cons

• Handle, whilst moulded, isn't a soft grip

Key specs

• Height: 25cm

• Materials: Stainless steel

• Dishwasher safe: Yes

• Length and width of head: 8.7 x 14.1cm

8. Best electric potato masher: Masha Official Electric Potato Masher

Price: £42.99 | Buy now from Amazon

“Use an electric masher if you want non-lumpy mash!” (Type of masher recommended by Mumsnet user Caspianberg)

As efficient as some manual potato mashers can be, they still require physical effort, which means that invariably some lumps can get left behind depending on your technique.

If you’re cooking mash regularly, want to cook more quickly or ensure the perfect texture of mashed potatoes every single time, you really can’t go wrong with an electric potato masher. Used directly in the pan, the Masha can form perfectly mashed potatoes in as little as 20 seconds.

Suitable for both mashing potatoes and blending baby food, this easy-to-use and aptly named electric potato ‘Masha’ also comes with an exclusive aerator attachment which can whisk and blend.

The Masha allows air to be added to your food as it mashes, resulting in light and fluffy potatoes that’ll almost certainly have you reaching for a second helping.

Pros

• Can be used directly in the pan

• Less physically demanding than manual mashers

Cons

• Costly

Key specs

• Height: 31cm

• Materials: Plastic

• Dishwasher safe: Foot part only

• Length and width of head: 8.8 x 9.1cm

9. Best spiral-shaped masher: Dreamfarm Smood Potato Masher

Price: £18.50 | Buy now from Amazon

The unique design of the Dreamfarm Smood Potato Masher features a stainless steel coil that compresses and traps food between the gaps as you press down. Not only is this potato masher less painful on your wrists, but it allows for an overall more pleasant mashing experience, with a soft and comfortable multi-grip handle.

With the addition of a heat-resistant silicone scraper, you can also ensure that you waste less food, as it can quickly gather up any mash that has stuck to the sides of the pan. It’s not limited to potatoes either, you can also use the Dreamfarm masher with soft vegetables and fruit including bananas, pumpkins and avocado.

Pros

• Scraper avoids food waste

• Less painful on your wrists

Cons

• The upright nature of this masher may not appeal to all

Key specs

• Height: 29.21cm

• Materials: Silicone

• Dishwasher safe: Yes

• Length and width of head: 9.5 x 9.5 cm

10. Best potato masher for easy storage: Joseph Joseph Delta Folding Potato Masher

Price: £12 | Buy now from Amazon

"I used my Joseph Joseph masher for the first time last night. I luffs it. It makes mashing so easy compared to the metal one that hurt my hand." (Recommended by Mumsnet user stumblymonkey)

If you have a small kitchen that is limited in storage space, you may be reluctant to add yet another kitchen accessory to your already jam-packed draws.

The Joseph Joseph Delta Potato Masher is an excellent solution, with its ability to fold and lie flat for ease of storage when not in use. When it comes to mashing your potatoes, simply fold up the handle and lock it into place and you’re good to go.

With a smartly shaped curved triangular mashing plate, it can reach right up to the edges of the pan, ensuring you can create a smooth, lump-free mash with no fuss.

Pros

• Lies flat for easy storage

• Curved edges fit right to the edge of the pan

Cons

• Due to the handle lock, some reviewers felt it didn't feel too stable during mashing

Key specs

• Height: 30.2cm

• Materials: Stainless steel, silicone and nylon

• Dishwasher safe: Yes

• Length and width of head: 10 x 4cm

What's the difference between a potato masher and a ricer?

A potato masher normally features a large mashing head or plate with small holes or gaps that require physical pressure in terms of pressing and twisting, using a handle to compress and blend the potatoes inside the pan.

A potato ricer, on the other hand, uses a hopper and plunger style design similar to a large garlic press, plunging down to push the potatoes through small holes and resulting in finer, smaller pieces of potato, similar to grains of rice.

If you’re looking to create a super smooth mash with zero lumps, a ricer or electric masher can produce a more fluffy and lightweight texture. However, if you like your mash with skins or extras such as herbs and cheese, a handheld masher may be a more suitable choice.

Is it worth getting an electric masher?

Whether you want to invest in an electric masher will ultimately depend on whether you’re willing to justify the additional expense and how often you would be using it.

Electric mashers, whilst obviously having a higher price tag than manual mashers, can produce smooth and lump-free mashed potato in literally seconds, saving significant time in your meal preparation. They’re also ideal for those with mobility issues or those who struggle with a traditional masher, as they require very little in terms of physical effort.

What to consider when shopping for potato mashers

To find the right potato masher for you, here are some things to bear in mind:

• Material: Stainless steel mashers are often the most efficient material for creating lump-free mashed potatoes. However, they do come with the risk of damaging non-stick coatings on pots and pans if used with significant force. Nylon mashers are suitable for all pan types but may require a little more effort to get the perfect texture. Look for robust and hardwearing materials that won’t bend or twist out of shape during use too.

• Ease of use: Some potato mashers are easier to use than others - look for mashers with a shorter handle or design that spreads the pressure to prevent wrist or hand pain when mashing.

• Ease of storage: It’s worth considering the size and shape of the potato masher and how easy it is to store in your kitchen when not in use. Some mashers come with hanging holes for accessibility, whilst some are more compact or fold down to take up less space.

• The texture of mash: For a smoother mash, you should look for a plate with smoother holes and a curved edge that gets close to the edge of the pan. Wider gaps or those with a single wire design may compress well, but require more twisting and rotating to achieve the desired texture. For super smooth stress-free mashing, you may want to consider an electric masher or ricer instead of a traditional potato masher.

• Ease of cleaning: How easy is the potato masher to clean after use? Are there small gaps and ridges where food can get stuck or build up? Is it suitable to use in the dishwasher? It’s worth remembering that whilst most will be suitable for dishwasher use, you may still want to wash by hand to improve the lifespan.

What potatoes are the best for mashed potatoes?

With a whole thread dedicated to this very question on the Mumsnet forums, there was a strong consensus amongst our users that when it comes to creating smooth and delicious mashed potato, floury potatoes such as King Edwards and Maris Piper are the way to go. Chef Jamie Oliver agrees, opting for Maris Piper as his potato of choice.

That said, ADHB Potatoes (previously known as the Potato Council) and chefs tend to opt for the Desree to create velvety smooth mash of a Michelin standard.

How to make perfect mashed potatoes

The recipe for the perfect mashed potato is also a topic of much debate, but as a general rule, the majority of mashed potato recipes involve just a few basic ingredients - potatoes, unsalted butter and milk.

1. First, you should peel and chop the potatoes into similar-sized pieces before bringing to the boil and cooking for around 15-20 minutes or until tender to the touch.

2. Once cooked, drain away the water and add around 50g of butter (or more depending on how smooth you like your mash) and start mashing. Milk can be added depending on your preferences or to moisten the mash if it is too thick.

3. To make mashed potatoes with a twist, why not consider adding cheese before you mash? For some more versatility to your side dishes you can also add options such as mustard, pesto or caramelised onions. Yum.

How we chose the best potato mashers

Recommendations from real Mumsnet users

First up, we sought out the trusted opinions of Mumsnet users to get their feedback on their favourite methods for making mashed potato, as well as the potato mashers that they rate, recommend and use in their own homes. We also looked out for any negative reviews, where Mumsnetters highlighted products that they felt were poor quality, difficult to clean or simply struggled to tackle those more stubborn lumps.

Expert opinions

Next up, we considered reviews and feedback from trusted industry experts. We want to be confident that the products we recommend are fit for purpose, so we looked out for award-winning products or those that were well regarded in the marketplace, including those recommended by food experts, chefs and consumer champions such as Which.

Authentic consumer reviews

Finally, to bring you our definitive list of the potato mashers on the market, we thoroughly investigated genuine, in-depth customer reviews on retailer sites such as Amazon, Lakeland, and John Lewis to get wider consumer experiences regarding the products on our shortlist.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust and we spend hours scouring the Mumsnet forums and online bestseller lists to find products that real parents rate.