colander – Beyond The Kitchen Sink

Fred And Friends Cracked Up Colander

Fred and Friends Cracked Up Colander

Colanders are pretty boring as far as kitchen gadgets go, right? No! First of all, a colander makes for a perfect first space helmet. Or marching band hat. Or really any kind of hat as long as it has to do with banging pots and pans. But the problem with letting the kids get into the kitchen gear isn’t their land of make-believe, but rather the real world when kitchen gear gets broken. (Or until the tears start; whichever comes first.)

Unless of course, you have the Fred and Friends Cracked Up Colander. Available as part of a set (with the Fred and Friends Cracked Up Mug for some reason), the fun kitchen tool features irregular cut-outs that give it the appearance of a broken bowl. However, no bowls were harmed in the process — unlike the kids’ feelings when the kitchen gear gets taken away from them to make dinner.

Would You Ventu?

It doesn’t exist yet, but it could with your help. The Ventu Strainer Bowl, a Quirky project is a mash-up between a colander and a serving bowl. For whatever reason, colanders have always enjoyed a reputation as something to avoid in the kitchen–it is just too tempting to try to strain pasta and whatnot with either the lid or a fork. Capitalizing (maybe) on this idea is a project that needs your support.

If 1800 people commit to purchasing one, it will exist. While it looks like it would be an elegant solution to a common kitchen shortcut, it appears that it may have some limitations, mainly the concept of it being a wet serving device one would bring to the table. Get around that though with something to rest it in and you got yourself something there. In any event it’s a good idea that only needs a little help.

***Spoiler Alert. It doesn’t exist. The idea however is not down the drain. Check out this 4-1 Colander meets bowl meets strainer meets… slicer?

4-1 Colander with Bowl Set - Strainers for Kitchen, Food Strainers and Colanders, Pasta Strainer, Rice Strainer, Fruit Cleaner, Veggie Wash, Salad Spinner, Apartment & Home Essentials - Blue
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Good idea for veggies is full of holes

Steamed veggies are great, but the one problem they have is that they require steam. The fastest, simplest way to achieve this is to boil water. In a pot with a steam basket. In a pot that happens to be dirty. Oh well, leftover pizza sounds good too.

Continue reading Good idea for veggies is full of holes

Colander rethink is deep

Kitchen gadgets and gizmos come and go, but there a few that are present in every kitchen and never get a second thought. The colander is a good example of this. After all, it’s basically just a big ol’ stainless steel bowl with holes in it. But for draining pasta and cleaning veggies it can’t be beat. However, be that as it may, sometimes the darn thing is just the wrong shape. Draining pasta is one thing, but when it comes time to scrub leafy greens, more often than not, some escape over the side. As ubiquitous as colanders are, this minor inconvenience rarely gets a second thought. Unless you’re thinking deep.

No more chasing runaway fruits and vegetables

We all know that any fruit or vegetables we purchase should be washed first. Itâ€™s just basic common sense. No matter how far your food has traveled, it still needs a good rinse to wash off (at least) the particulate matter that it unavoidably accumulates. Usually the best tool for the job is a colander; just hold it under the faucet and let the water do all the work. Sometimes, however, we just want a small snack and digging out the colander (which tends to be large and cumbersome) can be an easily overlooked step. For these times, I use a folding steamer basket (you know, the one that looks like a UFO), but without any sides, food can escape and roll away (and quite often does).

These Mini Colanders are perfectly suited for small-sized rinsing. Measuring just six-inches by 3-inches, the small size allows for easy storage when not in use. The colanders are available in a variety of colors to match any kitchen dÃ©cor: white, turquoise, kiwi, green, red or yellow. Best of all, the sturdy melamine construction comes with easy to grasp handles, so itâ€™s not only easy to store but convenient to use. My steamer basket will just have to go back to being just a steamer basket (and occasionally a UFO).