Chef’s Planet Clip & Drain Strainer

Whenever I’m making small amounts of pasta or a ground beef dish that requires straining hot water, I hate breaking out the colander because it feels like I’m dirtying up two large dishes when one should suffice. That’s where the silicone Chef’s Planet Clip & Drain strainer comes in. As the name suggests, it clips onto virtually any round pot or pan, letting you simply tip it to strain the water.

My only quibble is that it doesn’t cover the entire open surface of the pot, so any large amounts of hot water or pasta are prone to spilling over the top. In those cases I’ll go ahead and use my colander, but for smaller tasks the Clip & Drain works quite nicely. It’s even heat-resistant and dishwasher-safe, so I’m not worried about damaging it.

$13 on Amazon.