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The Best Flour Sifter

Last updated on April 30, 2023

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Our Picks For The Top Flour Sifters

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Product Overview
Key Takeaway
 Top Pick

Bellemain Lightweight Stainless Steel Crank Flour Sifter

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Bellemain

Lightweight Stainless Steel Crank Flour Sifter

This flour sifter utilizes a hand crank to sift powders making it an excellent option for anyone who may struggle with other standard sifting models. With a capacity of three cups, the sifter includes a demarcation line to make measuring easy.

Overall Take

Classic Hand-Operated StyleThis flour sifter simplifies baking with its easy-to-use hand crank and measurement lines.

 Runner Up

Cook Army Squeeze Handle Stainless Steel Flour Sifter

Cook Army

Squeeze Handle Stainless Steel Flour Sifter

Bakers will love this three-cup flour sifter for its simplicity and companion dough cutter. This sifter utilizes the squeeze handle sifting method and passes powders through a mesh screen, removing all lumps.

Overall Take

The Perfect Baking CompanionThis flour sifter and dough cutter make a great gift for anyone who enjoys working in the kitchen.

 We Also Like

Norpro Hand Crank & Wire Agitator Flour Sifter

Norpro

Hand Crank & Wire Agitator Flour Sifter

This flour sifter is a modern reiteration of the original design with its crank handle and wire agitator. This old-fashioned flour sifter is made from stainless steel and supports today’s culinary applications.

Overall Take

Uncomplicated Vintage DesignEven though this flour sifter is reminiscent of vintage models, it is dishwasher-safe and optimal for modern kitchens.

 Also Great

LIBERHAUS Double-Layer Sieve Flour Sifter

LIBERHAUS

Double-Layer Sieve Flour Sifter

This flour sifter comes equipped with two screen layers, producing an extra-fine powder ideal for making fluffy cakes and airy desserts. It is compact yet can hold up to five cups of flour.

Overall Take

Produce Extra-Fine GrainsIts effortless grip-sifter handle and layered screens will make this your new favorite tool. It makes extra-airy powder suitable for fluffy cakes.

Buying Guide

A flour sifter is a tool predominately used in baking, designed to remove lumps from flour and other powdered ingredients. It features a cylindrical body that holds the flour with a screen at the bottom that sifts out the lumps and impurities.

While all sifters can produce a fine powder ideal for making fluffy cakes and other airy desserts, sifting methods vary. The most common sifter iterations feature a one-hand grip and squeeze method, in which the handle includes a lever that shifts a mechanism, passing the flour through a screen and leaving behind lumps.

Old-fashioned models employ a hand crank rather than a lever. This design requires two hands, one to hold the handle and the other to crank the arm. Wire agitators then rotate with the hand crank, producing a fine, sifted product.

The ideal design depends on personal preference. Many people prefer to use the grip and squeeze method since it requires one hand to use. However, some people may struggle with producing the necessary pressure to sift and therefore prefer the hand crank.

Hand-crank models also tend to leave behind less wasted flour which can be common with the grip and squeeze models. While wasted flour is minimal, this can make a difference for some people.

Flour sifters also vary in capacity. Sifters usually hold up to three cups of flour, but certain models hold up to five cups. Larger sifters minimize overflow when sifting, cutting down on the mess.

The ideal flour sifter is a matter of preference. When shopping for a new sifter, consider which sifting method is the most comfortable and how much flour you typically use in recipes.

What to Look For

  • Consider which sifting mechanism will be the most comfortable for you: the hand crank or grip and squeeze.
  • Determine which capacity best suits your needs.
  • Not all sifters are dishwasher-safe, so determine which cleaning method is the most convenient.
  • Only use a sifter for its intended purpose to avoid damage and ensure longevity.
  • Only place a flour sifter in the dishwasher if directed to do so.

More to Explore

Sifting flour and other powders is common in baking and necessary to produce fluffy desserts. However, historically, its purpose also included removing seeds, husks or even insects. While this particular reason isn’t common today, sifting flour is still an integral part of baking.

The first flour sifter was invented in 1819 by Jacob Bromwell and was eventually patented in 1930. The original model featured a wooden knob hand crank with a four-wire agitator.

The Jacob Bromwell company still manufactures flour sifters today, and while minimal changes were made to the design over the years, the design predominately remains the same.

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