I have a small one-cup metal sifter with the squeeze handle that I use for sifting powdered sugar.

I was tired of having to do it so many times that I just went and bought a "flour sifter" in Target that holds like 5 cups. I thought it was going to be so great but I put the ps in there tonight and it was really hard to get out. It has about 3 different levels in the sifter and the ps was getting stuck between them.

Are flour sifters and powdered sugar sifters the same thing? Do I just have to try to return the darned thing?

I don't really have any idea if there is a difference between a powdered sugar sifter or a flour sifter, but I've found something that I LOVE better than the sifters. I also have a 5 cup squeeze handle sifter. It works okay when I'm sifting flour to make biscuits, but for powdered sugar or large amounts of flour, my hand just dies. I went to WalMart and bought a Medium sized wire strainer. It holds approximately 2 cups and the screen on it is super fine and it works wonders with the powdered sugar. What used to take me 10 minutes and more to sift a lb. of powdered sugar now takes a couple minutes at most! And it's no where near as messy (as far as the cloud goes) when using the wire strainer. And if you need a wire strainer with slightly bigger openings, Walmart has those too, so they would probably work as well for flour. I usually use my Kitchen Aid mixer bowl when sifting the powdered sugar so the bowl is big enough...depending on the size of the bowl you are trying to sift into, you might want a smaller or bigger strainer. Not sure if this helps at all, but thought I'd pass that suggestion around. Good luck!!

I use the wire strainer as well and mine has a hook that sits over the edge of the bowl.. I use mine for powdered sugar and also for sifting the dry ingredients of any cake including box mixes. Wouldnt trade mine for an size sifter

I also had bought the big sifter thinking it would be good. All it did was hurt my hands.(carpel tunnel) So I also bought the wire strainer MUCH EASIER

I found an 8 cup sifter at a Corning Factory Outlet store. It was 12.99 I think. It works pretty good, especially w/ powdered sugar. If you have a factory outlet mall nearby, you could call and see if they have it. I live in Texas but bought mine last month in North Carolina.

I still like my big strainer though, it seems pretty quick to me.

How do you get the powdered sugar to go through the wire strainer? Do you have to stir it around with a spoon? Or do you shake it? I always feel like I won't have enough hands to use the strainer...

I use a wire strainer too. Works awesome. For the powdered sugar ,I shake it or tap on side of bowl, it comes out fine. For the lumps left at the bottom I just run my finger over them and push them thru.

I have two sifters....both are hand held. The one that hurts my hand is the one that you have to squeeze the handle.....grrrr and ouch!! The other one is also a hand held and holds about 4 cups but it has a hand crank...does the job much faster than the squeeze one. NO pain with that one....it looks old fashion but it really helps. That one was a gift...I think it was bought at Gibbsons. Hope this helps. MC

I have an antique crank style sifter that I use for flour or powdered sugar. For really large amounts I use a stainless steel mesh strainer, I bought it at Sur La Table. I love them both.

I have all three.....I much prefer the strainer. It is soooo much easier. I sifted my cake mix for the first time this weekend and my cake came out awesome!

I am in the market for a big one and found an 2qt one for about $15 dollars at chefs catalog. It is the old style with a crank and the semi circle blades that go around. I think WS had the same one for $22.

My husband makes the butter cream icing for our cakes, but I know he had a fit over the sifter I had. It came out of a Pyrex collection, all plastic and metal stuff for baking it's a POS. The sifter bar is inside the unit so the PS gets stuck around it and you have to beat it and stuff....

So we went to walmart and he picked out a metal 5 cup one, it's got 2 layers I believe, but he loves it, hasn't complained once about it.

My mother collects antiques and the best sifter we've ever used is one of her antiques lol. It's too old though and it was starting to get stuck as you'd sift (squeeze handle type) but I'm sure if you stop by an antique store and find the crank arm ones they'd do good or just try it and make sure the squeeze arm is still good.

I haven't heard him say anything about having a problem with the new one we bought and it was only about $5.~. We don't shop at Target only Walmart for me but mom does and she complains about alot of stuff she buys there Maybe it's just the construction of it or the brand. Maybe stop by WalMart and pick up one of these. It's very plain sticker on it just says "5 Cup Sifter" on a blue label and was about $5.~

HTH

I forgot to mention that the 8 cup one I picked up at the Corning Factory Outlet store is a hand crank one, not the one you have to squeeze until your hand falls off! Imagine how tired your hand would be after 8 cups!

I started with the mesh wire strainer and felt like it was too slow, I used a spatula to push ps through-thought I'd be smart and bought a squeeze handle sifter (NOT good for large amounts)-my hands got cramps-found the old hand crank style at Target (our Wal-Marts don't carry them) and I love it! I only wish I could find a bigger one-it seems like it works so much faster for me!

I too have a crank shifter, a hand squeeze shifter, and two sizes of the mesh strainers. The squeeze sifter has only been used twice because like so many other of you, it hurt! I found my crank sifter at a kitchen outlet store, and it holds 6 or 8 cups. I love this. I even lucked out and one of my butter bowl lids fit pertectly on top so I don't have to worry about ps or flour flying out and I crank as fast as I can to get the job done quickly. I find myself using the mesh strainers almost as often on the smaller jobs too because it's easy and efficient as well.

actually i just use my wisk to sift my dry ingredients. it works just as well and its something i already have.

I bought that thing and threw it out. Thought it was going to be a better mouse trap.........Wasted money. I should have probably posted a warning on this site........sorry..........

I have one of the large hand crank ones that holds 2# of powdered sugar. Worsk best for me.

Beachcakes: where'd you get that big of a hand crank sifter??? I've been looking for a larger one-mine doesn't even hold a #.

Lauree, I got mine at cakedeco.com, but they also have them at cooking.com

I also use the wire strainer for sifting, and it works great, its fast and easy!! Very easy cleanup!!

Anyone want to post a photo of their wire strainer?

Are their different size openings of the mesh part like fine, etc. or is a strainer a strainer?

I bought a 3 cup hand crank sifter at Target this summer and love it. I bought a squeeze type when I got married but threw it out years ago because it was a pain to use. I got this one for my granddaughters to help me bake and I've been using it for all my pwodered sugar and cake mixes. It's a single screen type and sure was worth the $5 I gave for it. One tip on buying a crank type sifter. Try several (I tried every one on the shelf) to make sure you et one that turns smoothely. The wires shouldn't be bumping on or dragging when they pass the screen. I live too far from Target to take something right back.

Thanks Beachcakes-will check those places for a larger one!!