A mouli (a hand-cranked food mill) turns cooked fruit and vegetables into a smooth purée while holding back the skins and seeds. The right one depends mostly on how much you make at once. Below are seven worth a look in the UK, then a short guide to choosing.
How we chose: we haven’t tested every mill in this guide by hand. The picks are based on each product’s listed specifications, the features that matter for each job, and what Mouli World readers buy most often. We’ll add hands-on notes as we use them.
Quick picks
| Food mill | Best for | Discs | Body | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MasterClass food mill | Everyday family batches, mash | 3 | Stainless steel | See on Amazon |
| Moulinex Classic (small) | Small batches, the traditional French design | 2 | Stainless steel | See on Amazon |
| Moulinex large (plastic) | A light, dishwasher-safe all-rounder | 2 | Plastic, steel grids | See on Amazon |
| Gourmet Artiste food mill | Tomato sauce and preserving | 3 | Stainless steel | See on Amazon |
| Navaris 19cm food mill | Baby food and small portions | 3 | Stainless steel and plastic | See on Amazon |
| IBILI Clásica 24cm | A simple budget option | 3 | Stainless steel | See on Amazon |
| Louis Tellier 31cm moulin | Large batches, catering | 3 | Tinned steel | See on Amazon |
The mills in more detail
MasterClass food mill: the popular all-rounder
The mill our readers buy most. It’s a heavy-duty stainless steel design with coarse, medium and fine discs, a soft-touch handle and a non-slip rest so it can sit over a bowl or pan while you crank. At about 42cm long including the handle, it suits family-sized batches of soup, mash or apple sauce.
Worth knowing: it’s on the large side for a small kitchen drawer.
Moulinex Classic (small): the original design
Moulinex is the company that started as the “Moulin-Légumes”, so this is the closest thing to the original mouli. The small stainless steel model is made in France, holds about a litre, and comes with two grids (fine and medium). It’s dishwasher-safe and the legs fold for storage.
Worth knowing: two grids rather than three, and the small size means working in batches for anything over a couple of portions.
Moulinex large plastic vegetable mill: light and easy to clean
A plastic-bodied version of the same French design, with two stainless steel grids, non-slip feet, and a fit for bowls and saucepans up to 21cm across. The whole thing is dishwasher-safe, and plastic keeps it light.
Worth knowing: plastic won’t feel as solid as steel over years of use, but it is easy to handle.
Gourmet Artiste food mill: for tomato sauce and preserving
Built for bigger sauce sessions: a 2.3-quart (about 2.2 litre) stainless steel bowl, three discs, a silicone handle, and two side hooks that hold it steady on a pan. It’s listed as dishwasher-safe.
Worth knowing: at 37cm long it’s one of the bigger mills here, so check it fits your storage.
Navaris 19cm food mill: compact, for baby food
A smaller mill (about 1 litre) with three discs: fine for baby food and smooth sauces, medium and coarse for mash and soups. The handle reverses to clear the blade when food builds up.
Worth knowing: Navaris recommends cooking or steaming food first, which applies to most moulis.
IBILI Clásica 24cm: simple and budget-friendly
A no-frills Spanish stainless steel mill, 24cm across, with three sieves. It’s dishwasher-safe and does the basic job without extras.
Louis Tellier 31cm tinned steel moulin: for big batches
A French catering-size moulin, 31cm across, with three sieves (1.5mm, 2.5mm and 4mm). Tellier says it can process up to 1.5kg of food a minute, enough for 10 to 20 servings.
Worth knowing: tinned steel can rust if it’s left wet, so wash it by hand and dry it straight away. It’s overkill for one or two portions.
How to choose a mouli
- Size: match it to your usual batch. A 1 litre mill suits baby food and sauces for two. Go for 2 litres or more for family soups, and a 30cm-plus moulin for preserving or catering.
- Discs: three discs (fine, medium, coarse) give the most control. Fine is for baby food and smooth sauces, coarse for mash and chunkier soups.
- Material: stainless steel is the easiest to live with. Plastic bodies are lighter. Tinned steel is traditional and sturdy but needs hand-washing and drying.
- Fit: look for legs, hooks or a rest that hold the mill steady over your bowls and pans, so one hand can crank while the other holds it.
- Cleaning: dishwasher-safe models save time, but rinse the disc straight after use either way. Dried-on purée is hard to shift.
Mouli vs blender or food processor
A blender chops everything together, skins and seeds included. A mouli pushes the soft flesh through its disc and leaves skins, seeds and cores behind, so you can mill cooked apples or tomatoes without peeling or coring them first. It also doesn’t whip air in, and it won’t overwork potatoes into a gluey mash the way a processor can. What it won’t give you is a perfectly silky result: for that, pass the purée through a fine sieve as well (CulinaryLore).
Why is it called a mouli?
The name comes from the Moulin-Légumes, a hand-crank vegetable mill invented by Jean Mantelet in France in 1932. His company was later renamed Moulinex, and in Britain “mouli” stuck as the everyday word for any food mill (Wikipedia). You’ll also see rotary cheese graters called moulis. Those are a different tool.
Common questions
Can I use a mouli for baby food?
Yes. It’s one of the most common uses. Use the fine disc on well-cooked vegetables or fruit. A smaller mill like the Navaris or the small Moulinex is easier to handle for single portions.
Can a mouli mash potatoes?
Yes. Use the coarse or medium disc on hot cooked potatoes for a smooth, lump-free mash. If mash is all you make, a potato ricer is quicker. See our mouli vs potato ricer comparison.
Do I need to peel tomatoes before using a mouli?
No. Cook them down and mill them, and the skins and seeds stay in the mill. That’s the main reason people buy one for passata.
As an Amazon Associate, Mouli World earns from qualifying purchases. Product details are taken from the Amazon.co.uk listings in October 2026. Check the listing for the current price and specification.
