Coming from an Italian family, pasta is just one of those meals that are served at every dinner. Ranging from 1 to 6 pounds of pasta to feed about 20 people is a difficult chore for the head woman of the household. Susan, my boss at Williams-Sonoma, informed me that there is an Internet sale on ,All-Clad colanders. Being the best daughter and granddaughter that I am, I purchased my family and my nonna a 5 Quart All-Clad Stainless-Steel Colander. The regular price of these colanders are $90.00. The Internet special dropped the price to $49.95. The final price (with my discount) was $29.97. I was already so excited; I couldn't wait for the colander to arrive!

Description

This stainless steel colander has a pedestal base. This is different from my previous colander; we never had any base! This colander looks classic and sophisticated. The interior of the colander is brushed stainless steel while the exterior is polished. The holes at the top of the colander is bigger then the bottom, however, hardly any of my pasta slips out. (Even angel hair and thin spaghetti) The signature loop handles have All-Clad engraved into them; this product will last a lifetime. The handles are bolted on; no way these babies are coming off! The 5 Quart capacity colander has a diameter of 10 ¼ inches.

Usage

The colander is only ¼ bigger than my previous colander so we have had no problems storing this into a kitchen cabinet. My family often uses colanders to drain pasta and clean fruits. This colander weights a little more expected; after all, it is made from the best stainless steel and crafted to ensure durability. It may be heavy for people with arthritis, muscle/joint problems. (Take a walk into Williams-Sonoma and feel some of their pans! It shouldn't be a complete surprise!) When we have company and make a few pounds of pasta, the pedestal base is a huge help. The base is wide enough so it will not tip over. Also, the pedestal is off of the kitchen sink; the pasta won't be collecting germs! The colander isn't flimsy; even with pounds of pasta and loads of fruit, the colander is completely stable. All-Clad is known for their stay cool handles. Even when if you are boiling hot water or hours, the handles are comfortable enough to transfer from colander to pot or colander to plate. For those of you who hate washing dishes, you will be glad to know that the colander is dishwasher safe. If you hand-wash, you must make sure to dry completely the colander or you will wind up with water spots. When using the colander to drain pasta, I've noticed that it is much quicker then others I have used. There is an abundance of holes; it's just a great feature.

Final Thoughts

For $29.97, this colander is my new best friend. The pedestal is great; it allows the pasta to be lifted off of the kitchen sink and ensures stability. Stainless steel is one of the best metals; I know that I can bang around this colander and nothing will happen. The handles are comfortable and stay cool even when handling the hottest of temperatures. The colander looks classy, so that when people come over they see the All-Clad brand sitting in our sink, they know they are going to get some great food. It is dishwasher safe for anyone that abhors doing dishes. 5 Quarts is a great size for all types of different foods that need to be drained. I have no fear that when my family and I cook angel hair pasta or small fruits, they will not fall out of the bigger holes. If this colander had one drawback, it would be the weight. It is a little heavy and may be too heavy for people with arthritis/joint problems. Sometimes I see my nonna struggle with the heavy pasta; that's why she has an amazing granddaughter like me to run to her rescue.

Otherwise, happy draining!

Thanks for reading,

Danielle


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