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Bellemain Stainless Steel Colander 3 Qt

Bellemain Stainless Steel Colander 3 Qt

By Bellemain · Kitchen Utensils · Kitchen & Cooking

  • 3 Qt capacity
  • 18/8 stainless steel
  • Micro-perforated holes
  • Riveted looped handles
  • Dishwasher safe

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Used, refurbished, open-box

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Problems, parts and running costs

Summary

A small, all-metal 3-quart colander for rinsing rice, quinoa and orzo, built from 18/8 stainless steel with micro-perforations, riveted loop handles and a raised ring base. Check the bowl height before you buy: no test outlet has measured this 3-quart unit, and a short bowl is exactly the failure America’s Test Kitchen warns about.

Strengths

  • The micro-perforations hold rice, orzo and quinoa without letting them slip through.
  • The raised ring base keeps food out of the standing water in the sink.
  • Riveted loop handles stay secure when you carry a full colander with oven mitts.
  • Dishwasher safe, with no plastic, silicone or coating parts anywhere in the basket.
  • A 5-year limited warranty covers defects in workmanship and materials.

Weaknesses

  • No test outlet has measured this 3-quart unit; the evidence is for the larger 5-quart.
  • A 3-quart basket needs multiple batches for a family pasta night.
  • The micro-perforations drain more slowly than a large-hole colander.
  • One published roundup records an isolated report of rust after dishwasher use.
  • At the top of its range it competes against heavier-gauge designs with published test records.

Verified specifications

Capacity3 qt.
Material18/8 stainless steel, marketed as rust-proof.
Perforationsmicro-perforations, tiny closely spaced holes over the bowl.
Handlesriveted, wide loops on each side.
Basestable draining ring base that lifts the bowl off the counter.
Cleaningdishwasher safe.
Dimensions8.75 × 8.75 × 4.5 in.
Weight0.71 lb (322 g).
Powernone; it is a passive tool.
In the boxthe colander only.
Warranty5-year limited against defects in workmanship and materials; shipping is paid by the customer.
Full research notes and sources

What it does well

The design is aimed at small food. The manufacturer says the perforations are small enough that rice, spaghetti, beans and grains stay put while water drains quickly, and the ring base keeps food out of the puddle underneath. Foodal’s hands-on test of the 5-quart found the small holes hold rice and orzo without losing them, and that because the holes run across the whole bowl from bottom to rim, water moves through with nothing trapped. A 2026 buying guide reports zero basmati grains lost across three rinse batches and roughly 7 seconds to drain a batch.

The test evidence is for the 5-quart

No instrumented test of this 3-quart unit was found. America’s Test Kitchen’s 2025 colander roundup tested 4.5 and 5 qt stainless models, so the 3-quart was out of scope. The 5-quart, model 82391, landed in the tier below the colander they placed first: the only noticeable difference is that its handles are attached with rivets, its numerous perforations drained liquid quickly, its tall base lifted the bowl above the sink, it is dishwasher safe, and it did not dent in their drop-and-wash durability protocol.

They also publish the criteria that decide this category: numerous tiny, well-distributed perforations, a ring base at least an inch tall, a bowl at least four inches tall, and wide loop handles. They warn against bases under an inch and bowls of three and a half inches or shorter, where pasta cascades out. The 5-quart measures 1⅛ in at the base and 4¼ in at the bowl, clearing every threshold. Whether the 3-quart clears them too is unknown, and a shorter bowl is exactly the failure they describe.

Warranty and upkeep

Bellemain’s warranty page promises a 5-year limited warranty on all products against defects in workmanship and materials under normal residential use, from the original invoice date, with shipping paid by the customer. The exclusions cover misuse, negligence, accidents and inadequate maintenance. A third-party listing of a Bellemain item carries different, one-year wording, so confirm the policy in writing at purchase.

Maintenance is simple. It is dishwasher safe, but America’s Test Kitchen advises hand-washing in hot soapy water because it reaches the crannies and extends life. Dry it after washing, since stainless colanders left wet are the ones that pick up surface spotting. There are no parts, filters or consumables, and the only realistic cost is replacement.

Is it worth it?

The 3-quart single is listed at $19.99 at Walmart (2026-10) and $31.40 on eBay (2026-10). The brand’s own site prices the 5-quart at $24.50 and does not sell the 3-quart at all. A 3 qt + 5 qt bundle runs $29.99 on eBay (2026-10). Around $20–$25 this is an easy recommendation for the design: micro-perforations, a real ring base, riveted handles and a 5-year warranty for a small amount of money. At $31 and above, the same money buys a design with a published instrumented test behind it, and America’s Test Kitchen chose something else over the Bellemain 5-quart in exactly that comparison.

Which model this is

This page covers the Bellemain 3-quart micro-perforated stainless colander, ASIN B0856NZK7K. The brand site currently lists only the 5-quart colander, and a search for “colander” there returns exactly two products, the 5-quart colander and a fine-mesh strainer set, so the 3-quart is sold through retailers and marketplaces rather than the brand’s own product pages. Don’t confuse it with the 5-quart line, the fine-mesh strainer set, or the 3 qt + 5 qt bundles.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Retail listings:

Buying guides for this category

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