OXO Good Grips Smooth Potato Masher Review: Compact, Direct, and Specialized

Verdict

The OXO Good Grips Smooth Potato Masher is a compact, downward-pressing tool for cooks who want smoother potatoes than a wire masher usually produces but do not want the hopper, hinge, and batch loading of a ricer. Its fine stainless-steel grid and broad horizontal handle define the experience.

Our editorial judgment: it makes sense for frequent mashed-potato cooks with enough drawer depth for the unusual handle shape. Choose a wire masher for a more rustic texture, or a ricer for very fine, even particles with less in-bowl working.

Check current price on Amazon. OXO’s U.S. product page displayed $17.99 and an active Add control when checked on October 21, 2026; retailer price and availability can change.

The exact model reviewed

This review covers the OXO Good Grips Smooth Potato Masher, SKU 34581. It is the short model with a horizontal handle and fine-grid plate—not OXO’s longer Wire Potato Masher, Nylon Potato Masher, fixed-disk Potato Ricer, or 3-in-1 Adjustable Potato Ricer.

OXO lists the Smooth Potato Masher at 6 by 4 by 3 inches, with a stainless-steel plate, a soft non-slip grip, and dishwasher-safe care. The manufacturer says the broad horizontal handle is designed for straight-down pressure and the fine grid is intended to produce smooth potatoes (OXO Smooth Potato Masher product page).

Those dimensions make it shorter than most upright mashers, but not necessarily easier to store. A three-inch-high handle can consume vertical space in a shallow utensil drawer.

Research methodology and disclosure

This is a research-based editorial review. We examined the current manufacturer listing, model number, materials, dimensions, care designation, price, and OXO’s current holiday-tool page. We compared the documented design with established mashed-potato technique and with the different action of a ricer.

We did not perform hands-on testing. We have not measured the force required, timed a batch, assessed long-term handle durability, or compared finished potatoes side by side. Comments about likely handling, storage, and best use are editorial judgments based on the documented geometry and normal mashing technique.

How the design differs from other mashers

A conventional wire masher usually has a long vertical handle and a broad looping head. It crushes potatoes while leaving some varied pieces. OXO’s Smooth Masher uses a flat fine grid and a handle directly above it. You press down with the hand closer to the work surface.

That arrangement may let a cook use body weight more directly than with a long handle. OXO describes the soft horizontal grip as absorbing pressure and reducing strain, but individual comfort cannot be established from specifications. Wrist mobility, hand size, pot height, and counter height all matter.

The fine grid creates many small openings. That can produce a smoother result, but it also means more edges that can collect potato. Rinse it before starch dries.

Where it should work well

Medium batches in a broad pot or bowl

The four-inch plate needs room to reach the food. A medium or wide saucepan lets you press across the base systematically. In a narrow vessel, the plate may not sit flat against the bottom.

Use tender, well-drained potatoes. Press and lift across the pot rather than stirring vigorously. The Idaho Potato Commission warns that excessive mixing releases starch and can make mashed potatoes gluey; its preparation guidance favors crushing and mashing rather than prolonged whipping (Idaho Potato Commission mashed-potato guidance).

For cooking, drying, seasoning, and reheating technique, see our guide to make-ahead mashed potatoes without gluey texture.

Cooks who want one-bowl operation

Unlike a ricer, this masher does not require loading a hopper repeatedly or placing a second bowl under the output. You can drain the potatoes and mash them in the same suitable pot. That reduces transfers and loose parts.

The tradeoff is control. A ricer produces relatively uniform particles before butter and liquid are folded in. A fine-grid masher still works the potatoes against the pot, so stopping promptly matters.

Other tender vegetables

A fine masher can handle cooked sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, or rutabaga if they are tender enough. Dense fibers may lodge in the grid. It can also mash ripe bananas or avocados, but the broad plate is unnecessary for a single small portion.

Pros

• Fine stainless-steel grid: Designed for a smoother mash than a widely spaced wire head.
• Direct downward pressure: The horizontal handle places the hand over the plate.
• Compact length: At six inches long, it avoids the long profile of a conventional masher.
• No removable disks or hopper: Fewer parts than a ricer.
• Dishwasher-safe listing: Convenient after starchy foods.
• Active exact-variant listing: SKU 34581 was available from OXO when checked.
• One-pot workflow: Can mash in a sufficiently broad cooking pot.

Cons and limitations

• Awkward vertical shape: Three inches of height can make a shallow drawer a poor fit.
• Needs a broad vessel: The four-inch plate may be clumsy in a narrow saucepan.
• Fine grid can trap residue: Prompt rinsing is important.
• Not automatically lump-free: Undercooked centers will remain firm regardless of the grid.
• Still capable of overworking potatoes: Smoothness should not become prolonged stirring.
• Stainless steel needs cookware awareness: Do not scrape aggressively against delicate nonstick surfaces.
• Comfort is unverified: A soft grip does not prove accessibility for every hand or wrist.
• No hands-on durability evidence: This review cannot establish how the grip and plate hold up over years.

Masher or ricer?

Choose this masher when you want a smoother hand-mashed texture, prefer working directly in the pot, and value fewer parts. Choose a ricer when consistent small particles matter for gnocchi or exceptionally smooth potatoes.

Our OXO 3-in-1 Adjustable Potato Ricer review examines the higher-priced adjustable option. The ricer was listed at more than twice the Smooth Masher’s verified manufacturer price on October 21, 2026, but price alone does not make the masher the better tool; the two mechanisms produce different workflows.

A wire masher remains the simplest choice for skin-on or deliberately rustic potatoes.

How to use it effectively

Cut potatoes into even pieces and cook until a knife enters the center without resistance. Drain thoroughly, then return them briefly to the warm pot so surface moisture can evaporate.

Set the pot on a stable surface. Place the grid flat against the potatoes and press straight down. Lift, move to the next section, and repeat. Stop when the texture is slightly coarser than the final goal.

Fold in butter and warm dairy with a spatula. Do not use the masher as a whisk. Warm liquid incorporates more readily than refrigerator-cold milk and reduces the temptation to keep working the mixture.

Rinse the grid immediately. Check both sides for potato, then use the dishwasher if appropriate for your cleaning routine and the current manufacturer instructions.

Who should buy it

This model best suits:

• households that make mashed vegetables regularly;
• cooks who prefer smooth hand-mashed potatoes;
• people who dislike loading and cleaning a ricer;
• kitchens with a drawer or cabinet that fits the horizontal grip.

Skip or compare alternatives if:

• you want rustic pieces and already own a wire masher;
• your cookware is narrow or has a delicate nonstick interior;
• you need a tool documented for a particular mobility limitation;
• you make mashed potatoes once a year and can use a sturdy fork or existing masher.

If this is part of a holiday setup, our turkey thawing and roasting timeline can help sequence the rest of the meal.

Final assessment

The Smooth Potato Masher occupies a useful middle ground: simpler than a ricer and finer than many wire mashers. The horizontal handle and stainless grid are meaningful design choices, not decoration. They also create the main questions—whether the pressing position suits your hand and whether the shape fits your drawer.

For regular smooth potatoes, it is a credible specialist at the verified $17.99 manufacturer price. For occasional or rustic mashing, the tool you already own may be enough.