If you think a colander is only good for draining for, think again. We spoke to experts to learn all about the many other ways you can use a colander.

A case in point is using a mesh colander, like this Tiawudi from Amazon, to cool roasted coffee beans fresh off the heat.

3. Crate & Barrel Over-the-Sink Mesh Colander Over-the-Sink Mesh Colander Over-the-Sink Mesh Colander Crate & Barrel $35 Buy Now I adore cool kitchen items that solve a problem.

Most home cooks use a colander to do things like drain pasta and wash vegetables. A chinois can accomplish both of those things and more, since they are made from fine mesh metal.

We asked food writers, a cookbook author, and recipe developers about the best colanders, including Ekobo Colander and Pour Bowl, Ikea Ordning Colander, Preserve Plastic Colander, Williams Sonoma ...

While you can still buy air poppers, newer models don’t get hot enough to roast the beans evenly. -- Two metal mesh colanders. -- Oven mitt. -- Airtight container. -- 1/2 cup green (raw) coffee ...

In his own cooking, Igor Ozamiz Goiriena uses a mesh colander to create pil-pil sauce, a technique he learned in culinary school.

6. Once mixture is cool, drain mixture in a fine mesh colander so that excess liquid drains well. Mix egg with cold water in a small bowl to make egg wash. 7.