A colander has large holes and is for draining — pasta, vegetables, anything where you want the water gone quickly. A sieve has fine mesh and is for straining out small particles or sifting dry ingredients. Hole size is the whole distinction, and it decides what each is good for.
The core difference
Both let liquid through and hold solids back. The mesh decides which.
- colander — large perforations, bowl-shaped, often footed. Draining.
- sieve — fine mesh, usually with a handle. Straining, sifting, puréeing.
When it matters
Rinsing quinoa or small grains in a colander loses much of it through the holes. Draining a large pot of pasta through a small sieve is slow and awkward. Straining stock needs a sieve, ideally a fine one — a colander will let the particles you are removing pass straight through.
Related items
A chinois is a very fine conical sieve for the smoothest results. A strainer is a general term covering both. In British English a sieve is often called a strainer when used for tea.
