Ok, this may sound like a stupid and basic question but I'm going to risk sounding like an idiot because I want to find out the answer!

But do real bakers use this gadget - triple screen flour sifter? or is it designed for occasional bakers.
Because I bought one a few weeks ago and for the second time, I'm getting flour stuck between the mesh screens and there's no way to clean this!! First time there was a bit stuck and I soaked it in hot water..but now it seems impossible to clean. arggghh. How do you deal with this?!?

Do you guys just use the good old hand sifter and sift three times?

thank you!

Hhmn, what is a polite way to say, this particular item is a piece of doggie doodoo, haha!
I have one I got at a garage sale, not only is that sucker hard on my hands, but I agree, it is slow and stuff gets stuck in it.
Apparently you are not meant to wash it after every use, but this has always been my practice. I don't know, you can try using a baby bottle brush to clean it, shake it a lot, try anything, haha!
I am not impressed!
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

I threw mine out in frustration. I replaced it with a single screen one with a crank that is much easier to use and can be cleaned.

I am considering an electric or battery operated one. I like the old ones that have the knob on tob that you turn. I cannot handle the ones you squeeze the handles on. Haha, I think mine may yet bite the dust!
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

I bought a 8 cup sifter from William Sonoma and it was dented during the mail order shipping! I was very heavy to hold when I tried to use it and since it was dented it sprayed sugar everywhere... lucky I was over the sink. They did credit me back the money.
Then I got a battery operated one last month and it so slow. I ended up going back to walmart and buying that cheap one that rusts after 4 uses and I just have to plan on replacing it constantly and sifting 3 times as you all mentioned.

My mother has the one with the handle on the side that you turn.She doesn't put it in water.She only sifts sugar and flour.She says to just wipe it down with a wet towel don't put it in water and it won't rust.

I have one of the simple turn handle ones. I don't think I have ever washed it. Just keep it in a plastic bag.
I rarely sift anything, just use a wire whisk. Might not always work but have not had any problems yet.

Thanks for all your inputs!
I actually haven't seen others sifters than the hand press one. And your not meant to clean it? I didn't know that...I would have presumed anything gets clean in the kitchen.

Thanks again!

I use a mesh strainer to sift flour and sugar.
Like these

I have a larger hand crank kind that i've used for 10 years or more - it holds 2# of conf sugar at a time. the bolt holding the crank handle is beginning to rust, but nothing else. I wash mine out after every use and I always sift 10x sugar and cake mixes. It must be stainless - b/c with the salt air here everything rusts - I built my house 9 yrs ago and all the appliances and light fixtures have rusted. Let's not talk about cars...LOL. Can I ask what you're sifting that needs to be sifted 3 times? I've only ever sifted once.

The mesh strainers do work well for this purpose but what they don't work well for, is when you have a lot of lumps in your icing sugar. The humidity here has wreaked havoc on the icing sugar, all summer. You would have to keep pushing at it with a spoon to get it through the strainer, so I am still stuck using a sifter, haha!
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

I know this is an old post, but I came on to see if anyone was having the same problem I was having! And, my search was easy and fruitful!! YEAH!!

I am having the same trouble with the flour in my 3 screened sifter....I was looking for the kind that my mom used to have, the single screen with the crank on the side. But I couldn't find it. So, purchased this 3-screen one instead. Talk about frustrating. I think I may have to buy one more (if I can't find an alternative) and keep one for flour and one for sugar. I don't want stray flour in my BC!

I too am soaking and trying to get everything out. This one is such a pain. My mom's was so much easier.

So, for those of you who have the crank, single screen kind, and you have purchased them recently....where did you find it? I looked in most of the stores I could think of Linens-n-things, bed, bath and beyond, the discount stores. I didn't try william sonoma though.

What is a pain, is when I only want one, relatively inexpensive thing, I don't like to purchase it online, because I hate that shipping is 1/2 the price of the item. ARG!

Thanks for your help.

I bought my single screen with crank at Meijer, but I've also seen them at Target, Walmart, and even Kroger. Meijer had the larger one, I think it holds 6 cups. I don't wash mine, just beat with my hand to shake everything off and store it in a plastic bag. I did wash it once when I had a lot of crisco on my hands and got it kind of greasy. If you do wash it, dry it immediately with a paper towel and wave it around madly in the air LOL.

I meant to add that I initially bought one of those triple screen ones. I could handle the slowness and even the stuff getting stuck in the middle. The real problem I had with mine is that the handle got stuck in the "in" postition constantly and I'd spend half my time getting it unstuck.

If I need a finer mesh, I use my fine mesh strainer.

ok don't know if i'm doing this right - this is my first post. i just bought a single screen sifter with the crank handle at the correlle outlet in orange beach alabama during the labor day weekend.

haven't seen it anywhere else - haven't used it either so don't know how well it works.

just started taking the wilton course 1 decorating class so i've been lurking on this site marveling at everyone's cakes. i'm so glad i found this site.

Really? I was at target and I only saw this same one. After seeing that as the only one in about 4 stores I just got fed up and bought it...BOO, bad idea.

What is Meijer? Is it a kitchen store?

I recommend the large, 8 cup one. It holds 2# of powdered sugar. I got mine about 13 years ago, but here is one from cooking.com:

http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=717842

Thanks to beachcakes and everyone else. I was so frustrated with that stupid triple sifter, plus I think it is only a 3 cup capacity....TINY. I may have to order this one from that link beachcakes.

But I am curious now, would using a "fine mesh" strainer and a spoon be the same? (and possibly cheaper?)

Sure.

Out of the 4 styles (battery operated, hand squeeze, the OXO style, and the hand crank) I dislike ALL of the designs! I would figure OXO would have come up w/a better sifter than their current style (which you shake back and forth) lid or no lid...that thing is so slow! After seeing what other people use, I went out and bought a large strainer...SO much easier, even if it's not for the intended purpose.

When I make icing, I always make a double batch (hate making icing LOL), which uses 4# of powdered sugar. Needless to say, I try to get the sifting over with quickly, so I use the large sifter and a really big bowl. What i've figured out is to not actually crank the crank. THat seems to make a mess and it hurts my hand after a while (maybe I'm just a spaz LOL) Instead, just kind of move the crank back and forth in the bottom position so that one of the metal bars moves back and forth over the screen in the sifter. It seems to sift more quickly this way. I hope this makes sense?

I haven't owned a sifter in many years but after reading the thread about sifting cake mixes i decided to get one. Boy, not easy to find what I wanted! Just a plain old timey sifter with the crank on the side. The ones with the squeeze thing in the handle are too stiff for me to use very long, especially new ones, and no way my grandaughters (4 and 6) could use them AND enjoy learning to bake. Finally found one at Target for under $5. Tried all they had to get one that turned easily (didn't drag on the screen) and I love it. The little one helped me sift a cake mix and really enjoyed it. She thought the fluffy stuff was soo neat and soft! And then when I looked away for 2 seconds and turned around she was pushing the soft mix down with the flat of both hands, packing it into the bowl. Oh yes, we'll be making good use of this old timey sifter. Fun times ahead here. Yeah!!