The test... potato mashers

Cuisipro fibreglass masher £9.99, stockists: 0151 647 1748 Sturdy and well-shaped for getting stuck in to some serious mashing, this is simple and effective, with small holes for a smooth result. The 13% fibreglass makes this stronger and more heat resistant than your average nylon cook’s tools, too. Photograph: SARAH LEE/Guardian Black+Blum Spudski potato masher £11.50, black-blum.com It may just look like a novelty ski-pole-shaped device, but it’s actually well-designed for the job. It doesn’t slip, and the small circular end means it can reach the stubborn lumps lurking in the corners of your pan. Photograph: SARAH LEE/Guardian Joseph Joseph Smasher £12, josephjoseph.com With its fairly large holes, this one might take a little longer to produce smooth spuds, but it certainly makes mashing fun. In a play-dough sort of way. Photograph: SARAH LEE/Guardian