I Tested 6 Potato-Mashing Methods—This One Made the Fluffiest Mash

For holiday gatherings like Thanksgiving, the roast turkey is typically the centerpiece of a meal. But for many of us, the mashed potatoes are the real star. Light and fluffy, yet creamy and rich, mashed potatoes are the ideal buttery sponge for gravy, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and more.For holiday gatherings like Thanksgiving, the roast turkey is typically the centerpiece of a meal. But for many of us, the mashed potatoes are the real star. Light and fluffy, yet creamy and rich, mashed potatoes are the ideal buttery sponge for gravy, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and more.

There are several tools for mashing potatoes, including food mills, ricers, handheld electric mixers, and the simple potato masher. In restaurants I worked in many years ago, we made our mash in a giant stand mixer, scooping in gobs of sour cream, butter, and cream as the paddle broke down ultra-soft spuds. But in the home kitchen, what is the best tool for making the lightest and fluffiest mashed potatoes?

To answer this, I tested six of the most common tools home cooks use to mash potatoes: a basic potato masher, a food processor, a handheld electric mixer, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, a food mill, and a ricer. The goal was to identify which of these tools produced the best mashed potatoes: light and fluffy in texture, evenly mashed, and neither gummy nor mealy.

The Testing Parameters

For each test, I used peeled russet potatoes cut into uniform 1-inch pieces. I started the potatoes in cold water, making sure there was enough to cover them by about 1 inch. I added a measured amount of salt, then simmered them until completely tender before draining them and returning them to the pot to let the residual heat dry them out.

The potatoes were then mashed using the six different tools, then mixed with the exact measured amounts of warm milk, cubed butter, and salt. For the food processor, stand mixer, and electric mixer, I let these tools do the mixing, but for the ricer, food mill, and handheld masher, I folded in the dairy and butter with a spatula.

The Results

Food Processor, Rating: 6.5/10

Results: The food processor is certainly one of the easiest ways to make mashed potatoes—the machine does all the work at the press of a button. Hot potatoes are added to the bowl, along with warm milk and butter, then the blade zips around and quickly (perhaps too quickly) pulverizes the spuds while simultaneously incorporating the dairy. The results were, as you might expect, incredibly smooth and uniform—unfortunately, the mash was also gummy. Interestingly, this was one of my wife's favorites because it reminded her of her childhood (remember, taste is subjective). There's no denying their velvety-smooth texture, but I found it the least appealing—the starches were overworked, making the mash too gluey for my liking. If you're after a diner-style mash, though, this is a solid option.

Handheld Masher, Rating: 7/10

Results: The classic handheld potato masher works well for rustic mashed potatoes. It's straightforward to use, compact, and easy to store. Does it produce light and fluffy mashed potatoes? Not really. If your goal is velvety-smooth, cloudlike potatoes, there are better tools for the job. But if you want a denser, more homey mash, a handheld masher is the way to go. I mashed the potatoes straight in the pot and folded in the warm milk and butter. The result was a decidedly non-gluey mash, though plenty of small chunks of unmashed potato remained. I'll be honest: This is how I make mashed potatoes for a basic weeknight meal, and even after all these tests—and knowing there are better methods—it's still my go-to for a quick dinner. When I'm making a special meal, like for Thanksgiving or Christmas, I'll pull out one of the tools on this list that yields ultra-light, fluffy mashed potatoes. Until then, this is the tool I reach for when making a rustic mash for my family on weeknights.

Handheld Electric Mixer, Rating: 7.5/10

Results: Using a handheld mixer is decidedly old-school. Seriously, my grandma used one to make her mash, and a few editors at Serious Eats have similar memories. It was likely popular for its simplicity: The electric mixer handles both the mashing and mixing in one bowl (or pot). For my test, I added the milk and butter and mixed everything directly in the pot. It was a bit cumbersome to fit the mixer in, mainly because I'd used a large pot to cook the potatoes—but that's easily remedied by choosing a medium pot next time. Overall, the results were what I'd call adequate. The potatoes turned a bit gummy, likely because it took a fair amount of mixing to break them down fully. And a few larger pieces of unmashed potato remained. Still, there's no shame in sticking with a handheld mixer—especially if you prefer old-school mashed potatoes.

Stand Mixer, Rating: 8/10

Results: I'll be honest, I had higher expectations for this method. That's because restaurants often use stand mixers to make large quantities of mashed potatoes—and they're usually delicious. The home version turned out pretty well, but like the handheld mixer batch, there were a few unmashed bits of potato throughout. That said, the texture was less gummy than with the food processor. One important tip I picked up during my years making mashed potatoes in restaurant kitchens: Preheat the stand mixer bowl, if possible. I simply run hot water over the outside of the bowl to warm it before adding the hot potatoes. This helps maintain their temperature during mixing, ensuring the spuds are nice and hot once served. This method scores higher than the handheld mixer mainly because of speed—the stand mixer produced a good mash in just 10 to 15 seconds. In contrast, the handheld mixer took longer, possibly leading to overmixing and overdevelopment of starch.

Food Mill, Rating: 9.5/10

Results: This next test showed a significant improvement over the earlier methods: Using a food mill produced much lighter, fluffier mashed potatoes than any of the tools tested previously.

 That's because a food mill is explicitly designed to break down soft foods into uniform, small pieces. For my test, I ran hot water over the mill to warm it up before adding the potatoes to the base. I then set it over the still-hot pot used to cook the potatoes and spun the handle back and forth until the spuds were broken down into small, pea-like pieces. Next, I simply folded in the warm milk and cold butter. The results were excellent: an airy texture unlike anything produced by the previous tools on this list. My only complaint with the food mill (compared to the winner below) is that it takes a bit more effort and arm strength to use. I had to spin the handle quite a few times, which made it slightly less appealing than the top choice below.

The Winner: Ricer, Rating: 10/10

Results: The best tool for making the lightest, fluffiest mashed potatoes is a ricer. After all these tests, I can say that it unequivocally produced the smoothest mash, with no unpleasant chunks of potato whatsoever. But the texture wasn't just smooth and uniform—it was incredibly light, fluffy, and almost airy. I simply scooped the tender cooked potatoes into the ricer, squeezed the handle, and rice-like pieces fell into the warm pot. From there, I folded in the warm milk and butter. Because the potatoes weren't overworked, the starches never became gluey. I recognize that not everyone owns a ricer, but if you want truly exceptional mashed potatoes, this is your best option. Even if you have to borrow one from a neighbor or friend, it's worth it. These mashed potatoes were perfect—the ideal side for a special meal.

The Takeaway

The truth is, none of the tools I tested for mashing potatoes produced a bad result. Honestly, the only version I didn't care for was the one made with a food processor—but it happened to be my wife's favorite, so I can confidently say this list offers something for everyone.

That said, if you're after the lightest, fluffiest, cloud-like mashed potatoes, the key is to break the spuds into small, uniform pieces. The best tool for that is a ricer, followed closely by the runner-up: a food mill. Sure, these are specialty tools you might not use often, but they're worth it if you want to get serious about mashed potatoes. If those aren't an option, a handheld masher is a solid choice for a rustic mash, while a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer can turn out a decent side dish—just not the lightest and fluffiest.