Potato Masher Redesign

[chriscamp]

As I said in the beginning of this thread, this is just one aspect of a research project I am doing for a university design class. I am simply gathering information on who uses these objects and why they use them. While I am giving all of you the benefit of the doubt, I understand that any one of you could pulling my leg. I am collecting data in other ways, like doing research face to face with real people, and personally testing the tools as well, so I'm not really worried if some of you lie to me, because it will show up when I collect information from other sources. In the end I will be averaging out my findings, so if something seems really incongruous with everything else, I don't have to use that response. I don't mean to offend anyone by asking for age or gender. If you really don't want to tell me, then don't. I only ask because it is significant to my research.

@Molly, I have not posted on here before. I came here because I wanted to talk to people who regularly use the item that I am trying to redesign. In an indirect way I am discussing cooking. I'm not here to sell anything or abuse the community.

 

[Alix]

chriscamp, I'm in Edmonton too. Good luck with the research.

To our members, chriscamp appears to be who he says he is. Thanks for being so "on top" of everything. We appreciate how you look after the place.

Andy...how much was the unbreakable ricer?

 

[Andy M.]

...Andy...how much was the unbreakable ricer?

Oxo Good Grips Potato Ricer - Bed Bath & Beyond

You should be able to get it for $20.

 

[gage]

I use # 1 -only it is the $10 -18 inch version - 5 inch diameter with five waves of wire across it enclosed in a 4 inch Dia. circle , real good design ,easy washup ,but not for nonstick.
#5 my wife uses in a nonstick 5 qt.
Had # 4 but it was crap.
the weird one -OXO is it?,is turning up in droves at secondhand stores so that's a vote against I'd say
KULL spatsle maker for ricing if I'm piping it ,but that isn't mash ,it is riced potatoe.
The KA mixer works ,but can make a glue like mess easily so best not to do that IMO
I'd stick to # one but change the handle to nsf .
regards Gage ( 60 ) MWM

 

[chriscamp]

@gage: Thanks for the reply. What is NSF?

 

[gage]

national food safe

 

[Andy M.]

NSF originally stood for National Sanitation Foundation but is now referred to as NSF International.

 

[Alix]

THANKS ANDY!!!! We just got our first Bed Bath and Beyond...I'm off to shop!

 

[joesfolk]

Number 5 is the most like the one I use but the one I use is metal. I spent years trying to find it. For some reason all I could find were mashers like #1. I like my masher because it is efficient and strong. It would be helpfull if it were easier to clean. Maybe non-stick.

 

[Julio]

I use one like #1 made by zyliss it works great.

 

[retiredguy]

Hi cris we've been happy with masher #1 but thanks to a recently diagnosed trigger finger I'd prefer to grip the 'D' handle of masher #2.

To be clear I want the D handle of #2 on the 'S' style masher of #1.


We've used #1 forever in our at home kitchen. Both our mothers used the almost identical masher. It worked fine for 35 years or so until my trigger finger flared up.

We liked it because it work well, didn't break cleaned easily enough because we usually soaked it and was affordable.

I supposed we pay 5USD's for a decent replacement.

 

[licia]

I have two - one is like #1, which I don't like, the other is a combination of #2 the business end and the handle like #5. I like the last one better. They are both very old and I don't remember how #1 was acquired - I don't think I purchased it. My mashed potatoes are always fluffy - it may have to do with how much they are mashed. I like them much better than riced or whipped. I also use it to mash avocado for guacamole.

 

[taxlady]

Of the five mashers shown, which is most like the one you use? If you use something completely different, please describe it or provide a link that shows yours.

I guess number 5, but the handle attaches to the middle of the base and the holes are wedges. I also use a potato ricer like this:

Where do you primarily use it? (In a professional kitchen or at home?)

At home.

What motivated you to pick the one that you currently use? Price, feel, appearance, functionality?

I hated #1, because it left too many lumps, so I went to the hardware store and that was the only other style they had. I bought the ricer for other things, but it works well for really lump free mashed potatoes. I only use it occasionally, because it's a nuisance to clean.

Were your expectations met?

Yes, I think it works much better than # 1. As to the ricer, I wasn't really expecting to use it for potatoes, so n/a.

If not, what would you change or improve?

I would want one something like this:

I used one at a friend's house. It had been her grandmother's. It was the easiest to use masher I have ever used and easiest to clean. I wouldn't mind a more ergonomically designed handle.

What about your potato masher do you think is good? What features are the most important to you? (Rigidity, comfort, afford-ability, safe for use on non-stick products, ease of cleaning, etc.)

It makes it easy to have few or no lumps. It's easy to clean (not the ricer). The ricer breaks up the potato peel into small enough bits that my husband doesn't mind them in the "fancy" mashed potatoes. He doesn't mind them anyway in the "everyday" mashed potatoes.

Finally, what is the maximum price you would be willing to pay for the best hand powered potato masher you can imagine? Please specify which currency you are thinking of.

$10 to $20, depending on what it is. That's in Canadian dollars.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. I will keep all names and personal information private unless you give me explicit permission. Again, this is just being used for a school report.

I'm female. I don't give my age on the internet.

 

[NYBrit]

Hello,
I am an Industrial Design student at the University of Alberta. I am working on a research oriented design project that requires me to choose an item (a hand held potato masher) and redesign it with the help of communication with the end user. The idea is that by designing it with specific help from the people who use an item most, a better or more suitable tool can be created. What you guys can do to help is simply answer a few questions (which I will post below) and then hopefully engage in a dialog with me as I develop and prototype an improved potato masher.

The following is a sampling of existing potato masher designs.

1

2

3

4

5

Of the five mashers shown, which is most like the one you use? If you use something completely different, please describe it or provide a link that shows yours.

I guess number 5 is closest to the masher I use. It mashes well enough but is a bit of a bugger to clean.

I have seen the first one in the stores, I wouldn't buy it as it doesn't look very effective for mashing.


Where do you primarily use it? (In a professional kitchen or at home?)

At home.


What motivated you to pick the one that you currently use? Price, feel, appearance, functionality?

Price and functionality. Like I said, it mashes well.


Were your expectations met?

For what I was looking for, yes.

If not, what would you change or improve?

Make it easier to clean. Other than that I'm happy enough with it.


What about your potato masher do you think is good? What features are the most important to you? (Rigidity, comfort, afford-ability, safe for use on non-stick products, ease of cleaning, etc.)

Comfort and its effectiveness.


Finally, what is the maximum price you would be willing to pay for the best hand powered potato masher you can imagine? Please specify which currency you are thinking of.

I haven't really thought about it. No more than twenty dollars though. As long as it mashes well I don't feel the need to spend a bundle on it.




Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. I will keep all names and personal information private unless you give me explicit permission. Again, this is just being used for a school report.

 

[Zhizara]

I haven't been able to find a masher, so I just use a fork. I'd really like to find plastic clad like #5, as my masher, as the pot I cook my potatoes in is teflon.

Using a fork is easy enough, but I have to dirty a bowl to do it, so as to protect my teflon pot.

 

[inchrisin]

I had a ricer once. Once. The potatoes needed to be just on the verge of overdone to even go through the damn thing. I currently use the #1 and wouldn't trade it for the world. I'll probably get ripped to shreds for not liking the ricer, but it's too much work and too much clean-up:

RSVP Potato Ricer

 

[kadesma]

I had a ricer once. Once. The potatoes needed to be just on the verge of overdone to even go through the damn thing. I currently use the #1 and wouldn't trade it for the world. I'll probably get ripped to shreds for not liking the ricer, but it's too much work and too much clean-up:

RSVP Potato Ricer

I love my ricer, it's old fashioned and looks like a big oval tunnel and I also have a food mill which we will try out on Thanksgiving. I think we all just use what we prefer and let it go at that.
kadesma

 

[Joshatdot]

Hmm..what about using something like a Meat Grinder for mashing Taters

It'll be like a Ricer on Roids!

edit: Oh , I didn't know there was such a thing .. Food Mill. I thought the Potato Ricers were small hand held things, that had like a 1 cup capacity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp1enIGtnAM&hd=1

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Hmm..what about using something like a Meat Grinder for mashing Taters

It'll be like a Ricer on Roids!

edit: Oh , I didn't know there was such a thing .. Food Mill. I thought the Potato Ricers were small hand held things, that had like a 1 cup capacity.

Potatoes are very durable, but they can be messed up. If you break the cells, you end up with gluey mashed potatoes, instead of nice and fluffy taters.

 

[Merinda]

I just bought a potato ricer, it's actually the same one a few posts up but it came without any directions. It is simple enough to figure out how to use/change blades/clean....but which blade do you normally use for mashed potatoes? It came with two..a medium and then a much smaller holed "coarse". TIA.