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Step 1
Buy a freestanding, 5-quart stainless-steel colander for all-around washing and draining. Set the colander in an empty sink to wash vegetables and fruits and to drain hot foods.
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Step 2
Safely drain hot foods, such as pasta and potatoes, using a long-handled stainless steel colander. The handle keeps the rising steam away from your face and hands, and the stainless steel keeps hot foods hot.
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Step 3
Buy an over-the-sink colander for washing fresh vegetables, especially if your sink often brims with dirty dishes. Some over-the-sink colanders expand to fit wide sinks. A convertible colander fits over a sink and has fold-down legs to convert to a freestanding model.
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Step 4
Save storage space with a collapsible silicone colander. Use it to drain hot foods, rinse dried beans, and wash fresh fruits and veggies. The heat-resistant silicone cleans easily and collapses to a width of one inch.
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Step 5
Choose a durable plastic keeper to rinse, drain and refrigerate lettuce and other fresh vegetables. Don't use this type of colander to drain hot foods.
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Step 6
Use a wire mesh colander for fast draining. Thin pasta, such as angel hair, won't slip through the smaller mesh.
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Step 7
Rinse and drain grapes and berries in a decorative ceramic footed or stainless steel colander. Then serve the fruit at the table without having to pull out another serving dish.
