Do You Need a Food Mill if You Have a Blender and Food Processor?

A food mill is a versatile kitchen tool used to puree fruits and vegetables into smooth sauces and purees. With the proliferation of blenders and food processors, many home cooks wonder if investing in a food mill is necessary. Here are some considerations in determining if you need a food mill:

What a Food Mill Does

A food mill purées ingredients while separating out seeds, peels and membranes. This creates exceptionally smooth purees ideal for recipes like tomato sauce, apple butter, and baby food. The mill's screen allows liquid to pass through while trapping solids.

Comparing Food Mills to Blenders and Processors

Blenders excel at incorporating air into purees and emulsifying vinaigrettes. Food processors chop, mix, and shred ingredients. However, neither achieves the fineness and texture of a food mill. Mills remove fibrous material blenders and processors cannot.

Ideal Uses for a Food Mill

• Making silky smooth purees from tomatoes, pumpkins, berries and more
• Straining seeds and peels from fruits like quince or apples
• Making baby foods by separating skins and fibers
• Processing cooked potatoes for mashed potatoes or gnocchi
• Pressing juices from berries, tomatoes or other produce

Final Verdict

For cooks preparing purees often or wanting to extract maximum juice and pulp from fruits and vegetables, a food mill is a worthwhile investment that outperforms blenders and processors. For most other tasks, blenders and processors will likely suffice. Consider how often you'll use it when deciding if you need a food mill.