You’re draining potatoes for dinner, with the serving bowl already on the counter. If smooth mashed potatoes are the reason you’re buying an OXO ricer, I’d start with the standard model. Choose the 3-in-1 Adjustable when you have a real use for different textures and are comfortable taking its disk assembly apart for cleaning. Already have a fixed ricer that does what you need? I’d keep it.
The practical difference: the adjustable model keeps its fine, medium, and coarse settings inside the tool, so there are no loose plates to find. After cleaning, however, you still need to fit the disk back and turn it to the locked position.
OXO’s two potato ricers at a glance
This comparison covers the standard OXO Potato Ricer and the 3-in-1 Adjustable Potato Ricer. Check the model name when shopping: “stainless steel” alone does not distinguish them.
| What changes | Standard OXO Potato Ricer | OXO 3-in-1 Adjustable |
|---|---|---|
| Model | 26981 | 1129780 |
| Ricing settings | Fixed | Fine, medium, coarse |
| After cleaning | No adjustable disk assembly to refit | Refit the removable disk and turn to lock |
| Dishwasher-safe, per OXO | Yes | Yes; follow the assembly instructions |
When the standard ricer is enough
For ordinary mashed potatoes, the standard OXO is the version I’d put on the list first. Its fixed design covers the reason many people start looking for a ricer: pressing cooked potatoes before finishing the mash in a bowl or saucepan.
There is no adjustable disk assembly to remove, line up, and lock back in place. If dinner already leaves you with a saucepan, serving bowl, and utensils to wash, that is a useful step to leave out. You still need to clean the tool itself; “simpler” here refers to the assembly.
The catch is that you cannot change the ricing setting. If you want to choose between different textures for several foods, that limitation matters. If potatoes are the main reason for the purchase, it may barely enter your routine. I wouldn’t pay for an adjustment feature just to leave it on the same setting every time.
What the three settings actually add
The adjustable model becomes more interesting when you can name something you want to do with the extra settings. Fine, medium, and coarse are selected using the disks already built into the tool. You don’t need to hunt for a different loose plate in the kitchen drawer each time you change the texture.
OXO also describes using this model to press tomatoes for sauce and squeeze moisture from cooked greens. If those are things you already make, the extra functions may be useful. You still need to choose a setting that suits the food and recipe; having more options does not guarantee a better result.
Before choosing it, picture your next week of meals. If there is an actual dish where you want another texture, the adjustment has a purpose. A vague plan to “use it for more things someday” would not persuade me to upgrade. And having more settings does not tell you that squeezing the handles will be easier or that the finished mash will be better.
What cleanup involves with the adjustable model
The adjustable ricer’s rotating disk comes off for cleaning. OXO’s booklet walks you through removing it and putting it back, including a final turn to lock it in place.
Start by aligning the disk’s notch with the removal arrow on the ricer. The booklet then shows how to pull off one side, with your thumb beneath the handles. After cleaning, align the notch and arrow again. OXO instructs you to seat the side beneath the pot rest first, then the side beneath the handles, before turning the disk clockwise to lock it. Follow the booklet’s illustrations for the hand positions.
That is the part the words “dishwasher-safe” can leave out of the shopping decision. When the washed pieces are beside the sink, you still have to put them together before the next use.
Food & Wine’s test noted trapped potato between the rotating layers and initially awkward reassembly. If you dislike matching up washed parts, that is worth considering before adding this tool to your sink full of dishes.
The standard model avoids this particular refitting step. My preference for it here is about fewer assembly steps. Cleaning the holes and press still takes attention.
What to consider with either ricer
If squeezing a manual press is already difficult for you, I would be cautious with both. Serious Eats found the standard OXO uncomfortable and awkward to load, while Reviewed’s older test was positive about its grip. A simpler assembly does not necessarily mean an easier squeeze.
For a holiday dinner, picture repeatedly filling the basket and squeezing the handles over a large pot. Both tools involve that work. If your priority is handling a lot of potatoes with very little squeezing, I’d keep looking before committing to either of these.
Some owners of the standard model report food working back around the plunger and failures at the press connection. Adjustable-model complaints include stiff dials, difficult disassembly, deformation, and breakage. These reports do not tell us how often a problem occurs, but they rule out promising a trouble-free lifetime with either one.
OXO’s adjustable-model instructions say to cook firm vegetables until tender and cut them to fit. Cook and cut the food as directed. Some owners also describe damage while pressing cooked potatoes, so I would not assume that preparation alone prevents breakage.
Questions before you choose
Can the standard OXO ricer prepare potatoes for gnocchi?
The standard ricer can prepare cooked potatoes for gnocchi; you do not need the adjustable version solely for that step. The ricer prepares the potatoes, while the rest of your recipe still determines how the dough turns out.
Do I need to store three separate plates for the adjustable model?
No. Its settings use the built-in disks. The removable part still needs to come off for cleaning and be fitted back afterward.
Can both models go in the dishwasher?
Yes, according to OXO’s product pages. For the adjustable model, follow the booklet’s disassembly and reassembly directions as well.
Is the adjustable model worth buying if I already own the standard one?
Only if you can name a recurring use for its fine, medium, or coarse settings. If your current ricer already makes the potatoes you want, the extra setting mechanism alone is not a strong reason to replace it.
Which OXO potato ricer should you buy?
Choose the standard OXO Potato Ricer for simpler cleanup
It is the more straightforward choice when smooth mashed potatoes are the main job and you want fewer parts to refit after washing.
Choose the OXO 3-in-1 Adjustable for planned texture changes
Consider it when you expect to use different settings and accept the added disk-removal and reassembly steps.
Before adding either one to your cart, picture the next meal you would use it for and the washing up afterward. If your current ricer already suits that routine, keep it.