Pasta is delicous and easy to cook. However, one of the most difficult thing about pasta is straining. A good pasta strainer can make all the difference. Get a strainer with too big of a hole and pasta falls through. Get one with too small and it takes forever. The Best Pasta Strainer has tiny perforation that expands all around the colander. They should be able to drain liquid without pooling at the base. Not only that, it should be stable and resist rocking.

Different Type of Strainer

The Best Pasta Strainers are those designed for your pot. They have perfect fit and all you have to do is lift once its boiled. However, not all pots have a built in strainer. In those case, you can use colander as a substitute. In these cases, you should use colander with a sturdy base that wont rock when pushed. However, in cases where possible, I recommend buying a stockpot with a strainer.

There are also pasta strainers that fit over the sink. Those work, however, they are a bit cumbersome. Washing is also a little annoying because of how big they are.

You can also use strainers with handle, but they are generally smaller. This makes it difficult to fit a whole pot of pasta.

The Japanese has a special type of pasta strainer for individual serving. Those sit on a huge pot of water and each noodle is cooked to order. These are best if you are serving multiple guest. With these strainer, use fresh noodles.

Plastic vs Metal Strainer

Both plastic and metal have their pros and cons. However, I generally recommend the metal one for its durability. They wont break and can generally withstand heat. For plastic, they are more ductile and wont dent like the metal will. However, since it is more ductile, it flexes under heat. Some people are afraid of heat and plastic, but if you have one that has a high temperature rating it should be fine.

I will say that, I tend to reach for the plastic strainer due to its weight. The metal one tend to be heavy and cumbersome.

Another thing you should be aware of is that the pasta strainer gets hot. Especially models that fits right into the pot.

Best Pasta Strainer Pot and Colander List

Below, you will find a list of some of the Best Pasta Strainer Pot and Colander. There are quite a few option available, choose one that best suits you.

All-Clad Stainless Steel Tri-Ply Bonded Dishwasher Safe Pasta Pentola with Insert (Best Overall)

For the serious pasta lover and those with large family, you cant beat All Clad. This 7 qt stock pot is large enough to boil any amount of pasta you should need. Once done, all you need to do is lift and drain. You can also use the pot as a stock pot. Making it a dual purpose pot. The triply construction also means that heating is even throughout and the durability is second to none.

RSVP International Endurance Stainless Steel Precision Pierced Colander Strainer, 5 Quart (Best Colander Strainer)

RSVP Strainer is made of 18/8 stainless steel for durability and rust resistance. There are no groves that trap water like other colander. Plus the base has a ring construction meaning that it wont tilt over like the three feet model. The tiny perforation also means that pasta wont slip through the cracks.

Qimh Colander collapsible, Colander Strainer (Best Sink Pasta Strainer)

Qimh colander fits right over the sink. It uses silicone so that it has a heat resistance. And since its collapsible, this means that it reduces the amount of space it takes. While its still not small, its better than some other on the market. There is also a wide variety of colors to choose from.

Tovolo 3 Quart Colander BPA Free Food Safe Plastic Strainer (Best Plastic Pasta Strainer)

Tovolo is known for their wide variety of kitchen gadgets. Their pasta strainer resist heat and is very sturdy. Its square design is modern and keeps it compact. The holes are also small so that pasta wont fall through. However, the 3 qt size is small for bigger servings of pasta.

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Helen’s Asian Kitchen Stainless Steel Mesh Spider (Best Ramen Strainer)

If you love ramen and have fresh ramen on hand. Consider these Asian Ramen Strainer. They are designed for individual serving of pasta. You cook them to order for the best flavor. Plus, straining is quicker with a rigorous shake. The only downside is that you need a big pot for multiple serving of pasta.

Thoughts

Pasta is great, they go with tomato, soups and even stir frys. There are quite a few different pasta strainer available. The best are the full size models by All Clad. You can cook large batches and straining is very easy. Strainer that fits on the kitchen are big and cumbersome, so your best bet is to get one that is collapsible. For colanders like strainer, get the metal one by RSVP. Holes are plenty and handles are comfortable. If you find the metal one to be too heavy, then go plastic. Models that resist heat are recommended.

Looking for more pasta accesories, check out our article on the Best Pasta Server Spoon and Tong.