Joseph Joseph Square Colander: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-18

Summary

A square polypropylene colander with a fixed vertical handle, easy-pour corners and large vertical draining holes, sold in five colours under SKUs 40088–40092. The recurring complaint is shape, not build: it will not sit inside round pans or stack inside round bowls, and the large holes let rice through. There are no parts or consumables — if it cracks you replace it — and one owner’s previous plastic strainer lasted 10 years.

Common problems and fixes

Will not sit in round pans — the most common complaint on the official US and UK pages: the square footprint cannot sit in a round pan to drain or steam. There is no fix; if your workflow needs in-pan draining, choose a round colander. [1][2]
Does not stack inside round bowls — owners report it will not nest inside a stack of bowls, so it ends up taking more space, and one owner returned it for exactly this reason. No fix beyond finding a square storage spot. [1][2]
Awkward storage shape — even a satisfied owner calls it “a slightly awkward shape for storage”; the square footprint fits square sinks but not round cupboards. [1][2]

Parts and consumables

No replaceable parts or consumables reported.

Yearly running cost

$0 in consumables: it is a passive polypropylene item with no filters, pods or subscriptions, and replacement is the only recurring cost if it breaks. One owner reports their mother’s previous plastic strainer lasted 10 years before this colander replaced it. [11]

When it is a good buy

Joseph Joseph’s US site lists the white variant at $11.00 and the UK site lists green at £14.00 (2026-10); third-party retailers have shown $4.89 (elevatedhomedecor.org) to $7.99 (Kitchen Linen Co), Macy’s has listed it at $6.60, and Walmart shows $18.99 as a third-party marketplace listing. Below about $6 it is strong value, $6–$9 is good, at the $11 direct price you pay for the brand and shape, and above $11 the case weakens. If you need a colander that sits in round pans, tested round alternatives exist: America’s Test Kitchen’s review named the RSVP International Endurance the winner, and Wirecutter has reviewed the Tramontina colander set. [1][2][11][12][13][14][6][7]