Colanders & Sieves
Colanders and sieves are perforated or mesh bowls used to drain, rinse and sift ingredients, from washing vegetables to straining stock and dusting flour, used across every catering kitchen from cafes to hotel prep areas. Stainless steel is the standard commercial material for durability and full dishwasher safety, while fine-mesh sieves suit sauces and flour, and wider-holed colanders suit draining pasta or veg. The key buying consideration is mesh/hole size and bowl capacity against your typical batch sizes.
Key specifications
Colanders and sieves are chosen by hole or mesh size against the job. Colanders have larger, widely spaced perforations for draining bulkier items — pasta, boiled vegetables, washed salad — while sieves use fine mesh for straining stock and sauces, sifting flour or lifting lumps out. Stainless steel is the commercial standard for both, giving durability and full dishwasher safety, and fine-mesh conical strainers (chinois) sit at the finest end for smooth sauces and jus. Bowl capacity is the main sizing decision: large colanders around 24-30cm diameter handle busy batch cooking, with smaller sieves kept alongside for sauce and garnish work. Footed or hook-rim designs sit securely over a sink or pot, and one-piece welded construction avoids food traps for easier washdown. Used across café, pub, hotel and restaurant prep areas.
Colanders & Sieves — FAQs
What’s the difference between a colander and a sieve?
A colander has larger, widely spaced holes for draining bulkier items like pasta or vegetables, while a sieve uses fine mesh for straining liquids, sifting flour or removing lumps from sauces.
What size colander suits a busy pub kitchen?
A large-capacity stainless steel colander (commonly 24-30cm diameter) handles typical pub-kitchen batch cooking like pasta and veg, with smaller sieves kept alongside for sauce and garnish work.