Potato masher - Definition and Overview

Potato Masher with zig-zag wire crushing head

A potato masher is a food preparation utensil used to crush cooked food. Its name comes from its most common use: crushing potatoes for mashed potatoes.

The potato masher consists of a handle connected to a mashing head. The handle can either be upright or sideways. There are two types of heads. The first is a large gauge wire in a rounded zig-zag shape. The second is a plate with holes or slits. The potato or other food is mashed by grabbing the handle and pushing down on the foodstuff.

Potato masher was also the nickname of a WWII German hand grenade (model M24).