Which is the best style of sifter?
I'm only aware of 3 styles (hand crank, the style that you "sqeeze" the handle and it sifts, and the style OXO makes where you shake it side to side)
Who has the best brand?
I honestly just use a strainer with a fine mesh-no moving parts to break and very easy to clean (plus, its cheap)!
I've used all three and my favorite and the only one I really use at all anymore is the old-time hand crank kind ... the other 2 are collecting dust on my shelf lol
I had the type with the squeeze handle. Gave me cramps everytime I had to use it. It went in a yard sale this spring and to be honest, all I use now is a large screen type strainer. Works like a charm and much more efficient than any hand sifter....HTH
I use the fine mesh strainer too, and so far I love it. I agree that the major advantage is that it's easy to clean.
I had one of the ones where you squeeze the handle to sift, but the output on that one was much slower than the mesh one, and the powdered sugar is way harder to get out of the squeezy one. I ended up throwing the squeeze one in the top of the cabinet and don't even use it anymore lol.
I'm so glad you brought up this subject as I have been wondering the same thing. My squeeze sifter died so I went to the crank style but I find that if I turn the crank all the way around I spray PS everywhere so I only crank 1/2 way up and 1/2 way back. Thought this was inefficient so I saw where some people recommended the screen strainer. Tried it out yesterday (fine mesh) and when I shook it from side to side very little was being sifted down. Finally had to use the back of a spoon and grind the powdered sugar to push it through the strainer is about 7 inches across so it is not a tiny one. Should I have gotten the one where the screen had larger holes? (Sifting for PS for icing), Thanks!
I've used all three and my favorite and the only one I really use at all anymore is the old-time hand crank kind ... the other 2 are collecting dust on my shelf lol
Same here. I have several other different sifters somewhere in the back of my kitchen cabinet, but the only one I ever use is my 4-cup hand crank one, and it is probably 35 years old. Also, I found a plastic lid which fits the sifter's open top, so it can't toss powder everywhere while I sift.
I bought my mesh one at the grocery store one day for about $6, so it's totally generic but works like a charm.
Looks a lot like this: 
Samsgranny, It's about the same size as the one you ahve, but I don't fill it all the way full. It's easier to shake and you get more to come out faster if you only fill it part way (or so I've found).
Thanks Julie and Sugar, I will give it another try...with less sugar and find a plastic lid 
. . . so I went to the crank style but I find that if I turn the crank all the way around I spray PS everywhere so I only crank 1/2 way up and 1/2 way back. Thought this was inefficient
I have one of the Oxo sifters that you just shake back and forth, but it takes forever and tends to be a bit messy, I think.
I've been using a strainer and a large spoon, which is fine for a couple of pounds, but I have a big cake order coming up and will need to sift lots and lots of powdered sugar, so I needed a new system.
I bought a cheap (about $5.00) crank sifter, and to keep the powdered sugar from flying out the top, I got out one of those Saran Quick Covers (the plastic covers with elastic around the edge - looks like a shower cap) and it worked great! I was able to fill the sifter up to the top, it held about a pound of powdered sugar, and it didn't take long to sift it all when I wasn't worried about going slow to avoid the mess.
I'm still hoping to find an even better system, but that'll work for now, LOL!
Laura.
I think someone needs to invent one that you plug in that sits on a stand over your bowl and it does all the work. I **HATE** my squeezy sifter and haven't had the time to try a differnet kind.
I use a strainer myself and was considering getting a different kind, but now I'll reconsider as so many of you do the same thing. I have no problems using it. I was just wondering if a real sifter would get it finer than the strainer.
I guess we could try to come up with some way to make one. You could do something like the gold rushers used to do and have the sifting "box". You could make it a small square or circle w/wooden sides. Then use a wide scraper back and forth to push the sugar through the screen. You can buy screen at a hardware store or maybe even Wal-Mart. That would be handy if you have to do large amounts of sugar at one time.
Just saw a battery operated sifter...wonder how well it would work, it even comes w/ a lid. Hmmm?
See.... I'll never be able to invent anything because by the time I think of it I see it as an infomercial. *sigh* 
I found a strainer that has a frame to fit on the kitchen sink. It's big enough to easily hold 3lbs of sugar at a time. What I do is put a piece of parchment in the sink, set the strainer over it and press the sugar through. It works so fast and is soooo much easier than even the large hand crank sifter I JUST bought and hate.
I even made an alluminum foil cover to fit the bottom so I can set the thing on the scale to weigh before sifting. I just take the foil off when I get it on the sink.
An added bonus? It forces me to have the sink empty before I start a new project. 
I bought one of this sifter not for the price listed - way cheaper
http://www.instawares.com/Stainless-Steel-Sifter-12.JR3512.0.7.htm
I love way better then the hand crank sifter. I tried the mesh strainer just did not like it. If had to I would get a 14" one next time or buy the $22 one from JP Prince. The poweder sugar is fine and come out so great. The icing is nice and smooth.
Has anyone tried the Westinghouse hand mixer/sifter WST2003? Supposedly there is a flour sifter attachment.
http://www.onestopshopcatalog.com/wst2003.html
cheffie, how do you like the battery operated sifter for powdered sugar? I read a review on amazon that indicated it did fine with flour but performed poorly with powdered sugar.
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