Rice is very popular across the globe and it is generally consumed as a main dish or a side dish. This has increased the need to have colanders and you might be wondering how you can get the best sets of colanders for rice. There are many types you will get to see at the market with various features.
What we have put together in this article is to help you to make the right decision concerning what colander is best for you to buy so that you can avoid using a wrong colander that will ruin your cooking and rice meal.
We will start this article by first checking the Buyer’s Guide where you will see the important features you should consider when you want to select the best colander for your rice. Then we will check out the top five best colanders used for rice.
Buyer’s Guide: Colanders for Rice – What to Look for
We will start by listing the important features of a colander that attention must be given before you use it to strain rice for the best result.
Chinois Sieves vs Strainers vs Colanders: What is the Difference?
Any device used to strain liquids is called a strainer. Colanders are round, deep baskets that have a lot of small holes serving the purpose to help remove liquids from your foods and it is a perfect strainer that can be used to strain the rice. Unlike colanders, chinois sieves are usually used to extract liquid from your food as against the previous definition. They are usually designed with fine mesh and having the shape of a cone.
Colanders for Rice: Features you should consider
Material
One of those essential things you need to consider is the materials used for the rice colander because different materials of colander will experience differences in tear and wear as it is being used. Silicone, stainless steel, and plastic are the most popular materials that colanders for rice are made from. Stainless steel can generally be classified as the best type of material to make rice colander. Check out some of the pros (upside) and cons (downside) of the materials:
Silicone
What silicone colanders offer you is that they are resistant to corrosion, to heat, and there is no risk concerning odor. However, when you use silicone colanders over time, they will start to look like they beat up after they absorb odors and stains.
Plastic
Using plastic colanders will guarantee that it will not rust and they are inexpensive, easy to clean, scratch-resistant, and light. They have disadvantages in an area that they could melt and warp when exposed to very high temperatures. They are also known to over time develop bad odor and smell.
Stainless Steel
Having stainless steel colander will offer you several benefits including easy cleaning, warping, resistance to melting, anti-rustic properties, and durability. It, however, has some disadvantages such as the weight because stainless steel can be heavier, being expensive, rusting over time, non-scratch resistant.
Support: Handles and Base
You will also need to consider the support that comes with the colander and this is something that will help your cooking experience to be more enjoyable and even easier. Select colanders with two thick sturdy handle for quality colanders so that you can easily pick it up and you may also watch out for one that has non-slip grips.
When you want to check out for the base, select colanders that have a piece or feet to help raise the content within the colander well above the ground level to make sure that the liquid will drain from their bottom and will not re-enter the colanders when you put them inside the sink.
Size of the Colander
This depends on what you will often cook. You will most probably select larger colanders if you will be cooking large rice or pasta batches. If you will be preparing only a small portion, then you should select smaller colanders. It is often best practiced to have different sizes of colanders so you can use it as needed.
Size of the Holes
It is essential to consider the sizes of the holes most especially if you want to check for a colander that you will use to drain rice because the grains of rice are very small. After all, if the holes are a little too large, then the rice grains will fall through the colander’s holes.
If you want to avoid this, you need to select colanders that have a fine mesh that rice will not get to start falling through them. You must, however, make sure that you do not choose a colander that has holes that are too small because you will not be able to clean the tiny particles that will get stuck inside it. If you want to determine the size of the holes, choose colanders that have sizes of holes that range from the size of pencil erasers and the size of pinheads.
Number of the Holes
When you consider colanders, the water drains faster according to the number of holes and that means it is best to choose a colander with more holes than others.
Five Best Colanders for Rice
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TOP Radiance Colander Stainless Steel Strainer 5 Quarts With Handles
This colander can be effectively used to help drain your rice. It has hole sizes that are measured at 1.5mm and it means you there is no risk of the rice falling through it. The qualities include being stainless steel and resistant to rust, 304 food grade durable. The quality of the stainless steel is the same that can be found in the most expensive grills (outdoor).
It is dishwasher friendly, it has large handles, a solid base, and you are guaranteed to have a hassle-free and painless colander experience. They also give a lifetime guarantee of 100% and it makes it really amazing.
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Bellemain Micro-perforated Stainless Steel 5-quart Colander-Dishwasher Safe
The colander is one of the top quality that is made up of 18/10 high-grade stainless steel. It is dishwasher-safe, rust-proof, and super durable. The colander has tiny holes that are closely spaced in micro-perforation to ensure that your rice will not go through it when draining. It has a very stable and large base and it means you will not be at risk of getting it to tip over at any given point.
Though the handles are not the easiest or largest to grip, they help to move the colander easily about in the kitchen. The stainless steel is of high grade and it is guaranteed to last for a very long time (lifetime). This is the best colander for you that is very versatile and can be used for several years.
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Collapsible Colander Set of 3 – Silicone Kitchen Strainers with Plastic Handles
People who are on budgets can consider this rice colander as the best for them. The good thing about this colander is that you can fold it and it means it can be collapsed to become only tall by 1.2 inches which will allow it to be convenient for you when you do not have much storage space.
If you have many kids, this colander is of silicone material that is heat-resistant, scratch-resistant, rust-proof, light, and it has playful bright colors that help to provide a draining experience that is enjoyable and hassle-free. The colander is BPA-free with a guarantee of 30 days money payback and it makes sense to try it out.
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PriorityChef Colander, Stainless Steel 3 Quart Kitchen Strainer With Large Stable Base
The colander is versatile, reliable and it is used wonderfully by many individuals. It has a lot of important features such as; a lot of micro-perforations that helps for faster drainage, handles, a sturdy base, stainless steel of high grade. The colander was designed to provide maximum comfort as a user uses it.
It has a very large size of around 3 quarts that will help you to drain varieties of food of large quantities without a problem. It can be used to drain all foods because it is very versatile. However, when you are draining rice, the holes may allow some grains of rice to go through.
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OXO Good Grips Rice, Quinoa, and Small Grains Washing Colander
This colander is specifically built to drain the rice and it is a plastic colander made with square tiny holes that helps to avoid small grains like rice from going through. The colander is deep and the content contained inside can be shaken to enhance the loss of additional water without any worry that the rice will spill out.
The water inside this colander usually pools at its bottom to allow you to check if it is cloudy (needs more straining) or clear (done with straining). It has two non-slip comfortable grip handles that can be used to move the colander easily.
The colander also has a pour spout that has drain holes to drain out extra water just before it gets poured out. If you often cook grains like quinoa and rice, this is the best colander for you.
