What Is The UK’s Best Sifter?
In this guide we’ll look at the best sifters for the UK market.
We’ve compared design, functionality, mesh size and cost
to give you our top recommendations.
Sifter Reviews
Sifter Buyer’s Guide
Even good quality flour can settle during transit, and long cupboard storage leaves dry goods lumpy and dense.
When you properly sift your dry goods, you can taste the difference in your baked treat. Sifting removes lumps and aerates your ingredients, making them light and fluffy.
Even if the recipe doesn’t suggest it, many cooks will sift their baked goods for a superior light and fluffy texture.
Unsure of what to look for when it comes to the best sifters? Check out this buyer’s guide.
Material
Sifters for dry ingredients are commonly made of aluminium or stainless steel. Avoid plastic as it can crack.
Unfortunately, aluminium can be prone to denting, so stainless steel is usually superior. Stainless steel is lightweight, robust and doesn’t rust, although it may be a little more expensive.
Design
Most flour sifters look like a tankard, with a holding handle on one side and a turning device on the other. The enclosed mesh prevents mess and is quicker than using an open hand sieve.
There are also squeeze handle designs with a trigger mechanism, and simple enclosed shake sieves.
Some sifters are designed to be used one-handed, which can be useful for certain recipes which require you to stir as you sift in the ingredients.
Mesh size
Mesh size can vary from 30 through to 100. This denotes the size of the holes, with the higher numbers indicating a finer mesh. Mesh size is important if you are a bread maker, when separating bran from freshly milled flour.
50 mesh is the recommended size for producing finely sifted sugar and is a good average price for the home baker. Some products won’t give a mesh size.
Keen cooks will often have more than one sifter with different mesh sizes for different recipes.
Sifter FAQs
How to use a sifter?
A sifter is like a kitchen sieve but is smaller and enclosed to avoid mess.
Just load the sifter with the correct quantity of dry goods and either squeeze the handle or turn the crank. Most stainless steel sifters have a measurement guide on the outside of the product for quick and easy baking.
How to clean a flour sifter?
Check the manufacturer’s instructions as some sifters are safe for the dishwasher. The alternative is to wash them by hand in warm, soapy water.
Leave the sifter to soak in the sink first. Once it is clean, rinse thoroughly and dry with a tea towel. Leave out to finish air-drying.