Chelsea Stone/CNNUnderscored
Generally, I'm not a big fan of disposable kitchen gadgets – they take up space and, while they claim to make life and cooking easier, they're often over-hyped and unnecessary (the banana slicer that went viral a few years ago is a good example).
But there's one disposable tool (two, to be exact) that I use over and over again: the Prepworks Can Colander Even if you're a frequent eater of canned foods, this tool is a must-have.
Prepworks Can Colanders fit most standard can openings, make it easy to drain unwanted liquids from your canned goods, are dishwasher safe, and are small enough for easy storage.
How I found the Prepworks can colander
I love canned foods. Chickpeas, black beans, palm hearts, baby corn, and of course tuna are all staples in my kitchen, often tossed into salads and stews for extra protein. The only downside to canned foods is that they need to be strained.
Many recipes call for straining and rinsing canned goods, but before I had the Prepworks Can Colander, I would open the can, push down on the removed lid, and hold the can upside down over the sink to allow the juices to escape through the gap between the lid and the can, then hold the can under the tap for a few seconds and repeat the process with water.
There are a few problems with this method. First, I'm not perfect, and my ability to seal the lid is not always perfect. I often found myself spilling a ton of beans into the kitchen sink when trying to strain the liquid out of the can. This is just wasteful.
Second, and more importantly, the lids on the cans are sharp. It's not a good idea to stick your fingers into something that can easily cut you, as I learned the hard way. After bleeding out on cans one too many times, I turned to Amazon in hopes that I would find a solution, and as always, there was.
You can (carefully) toss those pointy can lids in the trash with the Prepworks Can Colander. The colander fits snugly over the opening of a standard can, just like a little can cap, and makes it easy to hold the can upside down and pour liquids out by gripping both ends.
Chelsea Stone/CNNUnderscored
Don't have a full-sized colander? Why not use it to drain and rinse canned goods? You might be thinking. That's a fair point. Here's my answer: Colanders are probably my least favorite piece of cooking equipment. They're bulky. Mine is often stacked with several bowls, so it's hard to get it out. They're also a pain to clean (it's full of holes!) and take up too much space in the dishwasher. And even if you never use a colander again, it's probably too soon.
On the other hand, the Prepworks can colander is small enough to store easily, dishwasher safe, and easy to clean without having to wash an entire rack. To me, $7 is a small price to pay to be free from the nicks and cuts of can lids and the hassle of a full-sized colander.
