Please talk to me about potato ricers

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

A potato ricer is something I've considered buying for a while, as I love mashed potato but hate the mashing.

I'm put off by the amount of space it will take up vs how much I will use it.

The only other thing I mash is suede. Has anyone used their ricer for that or is it too fibrous to work?

Does anyone use it for anything else?

I'm guessing the potatoes cool down quite a lot whilst ricing so the mash would need to be reheated?

Thanks

Never used it on swede, only potatoes & carrots.
Get a metal one - plastic ones break.
After draining, I put butter in the hot pan on the hob & rice directly into that so it stays hot.

MIL rices potatoes then uses her Kenwood mixer to beat them with butter and cheese, then puts then in a ceramic dish a tallish round one with a bit more cheese on top and puts them in the oven. My god it's delicious, the smoothest creamiest potato, fluffs up even more in the oven

I still need to mash the potatoes before putting them in the ricer or I can’t squeeze it.

Love mine, it makes far superior mash to a masher and it's easier to use.

The ikea one is excellent.

Oh, and no, they don't cool down significantly, just do it relatively quickly!

I like my potato ricer, not convinced it would work on swede though.

However, I now have this utterly unnecessary thing and it is fabulous, including on swede. If you eat loads of mash, you neeeeed one.

They do make good, fluffy mash. I always reheat it with butter and cream anyway.
Mine is metal with a sturdy plastic ricer insert and i break the potatoes up a bit before ricing them straight back into the hot pan.
I think i've done swede in it too but swede is quite a bit softer than potato.

I forgot, I also have a potato masher attachment with my stick blender. It's ok but the potato keeps coming up the sides of the plastic attachment had you have to keep scraping it down.

I have an IKEA one which works fine. I've only ever used it for potato but in Germany they make this thing called spaghetti ice where you put vanilla ice cream through the potato ricer to make the 'spaghetti' then cover it in strawberry sauce which represents the tomato sauce.

They don't take up much more space than a masher.

They make much better mashed potato. Never noticed it cooling down, but I masher back into the pan they boiled in.

I mash bananas for banana bread in it too.

I don't know if it's cos I'm left handed but I could never mash potatoes properly. I also struggle with a non mechanical (ie: does it itself) and cutting fresh bloomers without squashing them and making them great door stops of bread.

The potato ricer made it such easy work that it was fabulous. I believe it was from amazon, the blades (less blades, more big grater like holes) were removable which made cleaning much easier.... That is something I strongly suggest you check into as bits of potato get everywhere when smooshed up. Make sure easy clean. But yes so much easier for all sorts of mash and vegetable mash. It also never cooked off and had to be reheated here either. And it made life so much easier

We have a metal one, and it doesn't take up a huge amount of space, it's brilliant and I use it for mashing everything. Did carrot and swede mash last night actually! Obviously have to make sure the swede is boiled to within an inch of its life to get through the tiny holes, but makes the most delicious smooth "mashes". Absolutely love mine. Even use it for smoothing out vegetable soups, if I don't want a chunky one.

I found a ricer quite hard work but then I got electric masher and it's brilliant. Highly recommend.

Waste of time (especially cleaning it afterwards) and space.

I use a regular masher, or for a crowd chuck the spuds in the Kenwood mixer for a good beating.

To avoid peeling, and make potato skins too, bake the spuds, scoop out the innards.

Thanks everyone, think I will invest in one

Hand electric mixer, that is always how I 'mash' potatoes, I do have a ricer too but unless I want to pipe it in a piping bag and want absolutely totally smooth then I don't bother with ricer. I find it hard enough on my hands and a bit slow if doing a lot.

I cut them in quarters lengthways, steam, then add milk/butter/salt pepper, kind of jab them all over with the beaters in the mixer before you turn on the mixer to break them up a bit and stop them going everywhere when you turn on mixer. Good beat then, add more milk if needed, gets them beautifully smooth and creamy, use a good mashing spud like Rooster.

Mine was £1.50 in Oxfam, a metal one. I love it.

I wanted one for ages. Used it once and went back to a masher. It's so much easier.

I have this...it's awkward to store or put in the dishwasher...but it's amazing!!!

https://www.johnlewis.com/oxo-good-grips-stainless-steel-potato-ricer-silver/p4311491?sku=238129916&sppc=2dx92700071680099410&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gbraid=0AAAAAD2el1xwZt69ebhq-861NkFkzgXbu&gbraid=0AAAAAD2el1xwZt69ebhq-861NkFkzgXbu&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyOuYBhCGARIsAIdGQRO3NvQcgcy9vrItnnD4jgWWzmEMtSWDcdf5h3zCrjOsf8qRqmwNUaMaAgsQEALww_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

We’ve got so many gadgets that are used once then left in the drawer, but I use the potato ricer every time I make mashed potato.
Don’t put too big bits of potato in as it’s then very hard work to force it through the ricer.

I love mine and would never be without it. It doesn't work on swede or celeriac though. Only potatoes.

I have a small kitchen and store mine on top of stacked cake pans in the corner cupboard. Doesn't take lots of space.

I bought one and hated it. Far more faff than a masher, and a right nuisance to wash up. Sent it to the charity shop.

I have a metal one but it has no make no name on it. It's fabulous and I've had it for about 15 years. You don't need to let the potatoes cool, as soon as I've cooked them I use them.
I used to use a Masher up until this point and my mum has a very good Masher but I read about potato ricer and it really does make a consistency that I absolutely adore.

It's thick and has a certain consistency and solidness that using a whisk or a beater like the Americans use - I don't like because it turns into slop, like baby food.

This gives you something that is very very smooth but is thick and has consistency as well.

I boil salted potatoes and rice them immediately I add a raw egg, and lots of butter a splash of milk salt and pepper.
Fab.

What is a potato ricer?

And other things designed by someone who did not have to clean them