The Best Flour Sifters Even Pastry Chefs Would Love posted by Taylor Munsell Pin Share Tweet Email SomethingSwanky is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Flour sifters aren’t the flashiest of baking tools, but they are one of the most useful because they can be used to slightly improve almost every single baking recipe out there. They don’t just have one use, either; they’re multi-purpose tools that can really add a distinct flair to your oven-made treats. In this post, we’ll take a look at all the things flour sifters can do. I’ll even go over seven of my favorite flour sifters of all time so that you can start using the underrated tool in your own baking. About Flour Sifters First, let’s define precisely what we mean when we refer to a “flour sifter.” What are Flour Sifters? In short, a flour sifter is a hand-operated device that allows the baker to turn flour or spices found in the kitchen into fine dusts. From the outside, a flour sifter looks like a large metal mug with no bottom and (usually) a crank on the side. Peek inside the mug and you’ll find a layer of thin metal mesh that keeps anything but very fine bits of flour or spices passing through and sprinkling out of the bottom of the sifter when the grinding mechanism is used. Unlike most modern kitchen tools, flour sifters haven’t really changed in appearance or functionality since they were invented in 1819. It’s a simple design that works well, and no one has felt a need to innovate much. There are mechanical sifters, but they only remove the need for the gentle hand cranking to sift the contents. What are Flour Sifters Used For? Flour sifters have a few nifty uses, including: The most common use for a flour sifter is breaking down flour before use in a baking recipe. Doing so will remove all chunks from the flour and even grind the regular-size grains of flour into smaller grains, ensuring that the baked good will have a smoother texture. Many bakers forget about this step or just skip it because they think it won’t make that much difference, but how wrong they are to do so. I’ve done taste tests with cookies made with unsifted flour vs. the same recipe made with sifted flour, and there is a big difference. The sifted flour cookies have a much smoother, less grainy consistency. A flour sifter can be used for sprinkling thin layers of powdered spices over foods. Most bakers ignore this use completely, but it is what makes the flour sifter one of my favorite kitchen tools. It’s just such a fun and easy way to add a whole new flavor profile to a recipe. Maybe you’ve just finished this Applesauce Brownies recipe for your holiday party and you need a way to add an extra kick… just spoon a bit of cinnamon in the flour sifter and sift it while sprinkling the cinnamon dust over your brownies. The result is a layer of flavor that’s thinner and more subtle than simply doling cinnamon straight onto the brownies. Selecting a Flour Sifter If you want to shop for flour sifters yourself, make sure to consider these aspects before buying any model. Capacity How much flour can the sifter hold? If you plan to bake in large batches, you’ll want a large-capacity sifter for the job. You can always do the sifting in more than one batch, but anything more than two batches gets a bit tedious. Mesh Size Most flour sifters have a specific mesh size listed on the box. The higher the number, the finer the mesh. A finer mesh means the flour will be finer after sifting, but it also means it will take a lot longer to sift. A mesh size of 20, 30, or 40 is pretty standard, and it will be good enough in 99% of situations. A mesh size of 50 will produce super-fine flour. Anything higher is excessive, in my opinion. Most flour sifters contain two meshes; a slightly coarser one and a finer one to run the flour through once it has already been partially broken down. Durable Materials Flour sifters are temperamental because they can stop working if the grinding mechanism bends or lifts away from the mesh even a little bit. Because of that, make sure high-quality build materials are used. Crank Design Unless you’re buying some sort of fancy crank-free flour sifter, you can expect to be turning the crank over and over and over during use. So make sure that the crank mechanism is smooth and that the end of the crank has some sort of swivel to make turning the crank easy. Ease of Cleaning Some flour sifters are dishwasher-safe, which is a great feature because they can be a pain to wash by hand. If the one you’re looking at is handwash-only, make sure it can be disassembled for easier cleaning. 7 Best Flour Sifters The table below is a quick guide to help you find the best flour sifter models on the market. To help you narrow down which model is best for you, I’ve labeled each one with a specific “best of…” category. Make sure to also check out the paragraph or two written about each model below the table. Best of…NameCapacityPrice RangeSqueeze[amazon link=”B000HMC3Y2″ link_icon=”none” title=”Mrs. Anderson’s Baking Hand Squeeze Flour Sifter” /]3 cups$Crank[amazon link=”B003W1PE8M” link_icon=”none” title=”Wilton Flour Sifter” /]3 cups$$Mechanical[amazon link=”B08N4GKH2V” link_icon=”none” title=”HYCBTC Battery Operated Flour Sifter” /]4 cups$$$Large[amazon link=”B01LYD1TZN” link_icon=”none” title=”ChefGiant Flour Sifter” /]8 cups$$Mini[amazon link=”B078H1DBMQ” link_icon=”none” title=”RSVP International Vintage Sifter” /]1 cup$Attachment[amazon link=”B07GK77Z7C” link_icon=”none” title=”KitchenAid Flour Sifter and Scale Attachment” /]4 cups$$$$$ClassicFlour Sifter5 cups$ 1. Squeeze: Mrs. Anderson’s Baking Hand Squeeze Flour Sifter by [amazon link=”B000HMC3Y2″ link_icon=”none” title=”Mrs. Anderson’s Baking” /] [amazon fields=”B000HMC3Y2″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”Mrs. Anderson’s Baking Hand Squeeze Flour Sifter”] This flour sifter takes another approach to the operation of its sifting mechanism; instead of turning a hand crank, you can grind the powder inside by squeezing a spring-action lever on the inside of the handle. It’s very easy to do, and the resulting ground flour or spices are just as fine as they would be from a hand crank. The mechanism isn’t quite as durable as the classic hand crank – expect to replace the sifter after a few years – but the device is inexpensive enough to where that’s not a big issue. 2. Crank: Wilton Flour Sifter by [amazon link=”B003W1PE8M” link_icon=”none” title=”Wilton” /] [amazon fields=”B003W1PE8M” value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”Wilton Flour Sifter”] This model is definitely a 21st century take on the hand crank flour sifter. It has numerous innovative features, such as: A clear plastic cup that lets you watch the flour as you sift it. The grinding mechanism inside is still metal. A lid that prevents flour from clouding up while you’re sifting. A removable crank handle that can be attached on either side for left or right hand sifting. A rubberized base to prevent the sifter from sliding around during use. A rubberized crank that makes sifting easier on your hand. All of these great features come at a price, though: the flour sifter is not very durable. It’s also handwash-only and cant be disassembled. 3. Mechanical: HYCBTC Battery Operated Flour Sifter by [amazon link=”B08N4GKH2V” link_icon=”none” title=”HYCBTC” /] [amazon fields=”B08N4GKH2V” value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”HYCBTC Battery Operated Flour Sifter”] Just stick two AA batteries in this baby and it will do the sifting for you. Put in the flour or spice you want to sift, push the yellow button on the handle, and voila! It works more consistently than most mechanical sifters and has a comfortable-to-grip handle. That being said, it often has trouble sifting 100% of the input ingredient like most hand-operated models and works more slowly than a hand crank sifter. Like most mechanical sifters, this model can be disassembled and cleaned by hand easily. 4. Large: ChefGiant Flour Sifter by [amazon link=”B01LYD1TZN” link_icon=”none” title=”ChefGiant” /] [amazon fields=”B01LYD1TZN” value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”ChefGiant Flour Sifter”] If you bake in large batches and need to sift large amounts of flour, this sifter is your best bet. Apart from being huge, it looks good and the crank is easy to turn for a long time. The corrosion-resistant stainless steel exterior has a gorgeous polish that doesn’t seem to dull with time, and the beater is chrome-plated with wire reinforcement on the bottom. The biggest issue is that the grinder doesn’t reach the very edges of the mesh, meaning the baker has to gently shake the sifter while using it. 5. Mini: RSVP International Vintage Sifter by [amazon link=”B078H1DBMQ” link_icon=”none” title=”RSVP International” /] [amazon fields=”B078H1DBMQ” value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”RSVP International Vintage Sifter”] This tiny 1-cup flour sifter stands out from larger models because it’s easy to store and clean. It’s also much lighter and more maneuverable than bigger models, so sprinkling spices or flour over your foods is more convenient. You operate the grinding mechanism by squeezing the large handle coming off the side. Because it’s so light and compact, it’s not too much of a surprise that this model is extremely durable and will last you many, many years. For such an inexpensive, compact, and well-made piece of equipment that functions so well, this sifter is really a must-have for anyone who has the kitchen space. 6. Attachment: KitchenAid Flour Sifter and Scale Attachment by [amazon link=”B07GK77Z7C” link_icon=”none” title=”KitchenAid” /] [amazon fields=”B07GK77Z7C” value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”KitchenAid KSMSFTA Sifter + Scale Attachment”] The KitchenAid stand mixer is a legendary product in the baking space, and this flour sifter attachment is probably the best attachment in its line. The sifter attaches to the lip of the mixer’s bowl, positioned to sift its dry ingredient contents into the bowl. The cook can then put ingredients onto the electric scale portion of the flour sifter, checking the precise weight on the LCD screen to make sure they put the exact right amount of each flour or spice. Once everything is set, the cook can activate the mechanical sifting mechanism and all the ingredients will be added to the bowl in an extremely fine dust of flour and flavor. Of course, you can add wet ingredients to the bowl too to make your batter. I feel like my baking game was brought to the next level by this relatively simple attachment, so I couldn’t finish this list without mentioning it. It’s not cheap compared to the other models in this post, but I really do believe it’s a must-have for any serious baker who uses a mixing bowl. 7. Classic: Flour Sifter by Crate & Barrel This is my favorite flour sifter of all because it has a classic, easy-to-use design but still works great. It holds five cups of flour – right in the sweet spot of not too much and not too little, in my opinion. The cup measurements are clearly demarcated on the exterior of the 18/10 stainless steel cup in a raised text that will never wash off. It boasts double wire agitators for a consistently fine flour, and the crank feels good in your hand. The cherry on top is that it’s one of the most affordable flour sifters out there. Flour Sifter FAQ Finally, let’s address some of the most commonly-asked flour sifter-related questions. How to Sift Flour Just put the flour or whatever spice you want to grind into the sifter and activate the grinding mechanism (usually via a hand crank). A fine dust of your chosen ingredient will gradually sprinkle out of the bottom! The ease of use of a flour sifter is part of what makes it such a great kitchen tool. Should you Wash your Flour Sifter? Yes. Some flour sifters (especially stainless steel models) are dishwasher-safe. Others are not, though. Some of those that are not can be disassembled and washed easily that way, but some cannot be disassembled. In the latter case, the easiest way to wash the sifter is by submerging the whole thing in a water, dish soap, and baking soda solution for 20 minutes and then wiping it clean with a sponge.Whatever type of flour sifter you have, you should clean it and dry it after every use. How Important is Sifting Flour to Baking? Using a flour sifter is an important step if you’re going for the best texture in your baked goods. Even if the flour does not actually have any large clumps that a sifter will get out, sifted flour creates a final product with a smoother, less grainy texture. Sifting Through the Details A flour sifter will improve nearly any recipe that uses flour as an ingredient, which means almost all baking projects. They’re also quite durable and will serve you for a long time. Considering that most flour sifter models cost less than an entree at a restaurant, then, there’s really no excuse not to get one if you bake even semi-frequently. I hope this post will act as a guide to point you in the right direction.
