Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Bidirectional potato masher

mashysgw
  (+3)
(+3)
  [vote for,
against]

Clearly, much angst is caused by a fundamental flaw in potato mashers, to whit: the fact that the mashed potato must be dislodged from the obverse surface of the mashing plate after each plunge.

The linked idea proposes one solution to this dilemma, wherein a scraper dislodges the potato from the back of the masher.

MaxKo. Kovetable Krafted Kitchenware proposes a better solution, which I will attempt to describe.

Start with a regular masher, having an oval mashing plate with holes through which the potato is pressed as the user plunges downward.

Now imagine a second oval plate, this time without any holes, parallel to and behind the masher plate. A modest spring pushes this back plate agains the masher plate. A prong is affixed to the centre of the back plate, and extends forward through a hole in the centre of the masher plate.

Now, when you plunge down, the prong pushes against the bottom of the pan, pushing the backing plate up and out of the way, and the potato is mashed through the holes in the masher plate in the usual way.

As you raise the masher, however, the springs drive the backing plate against the back of the masher plate, thereby forcing the mashed potato backwards.

The result is that, not only do you not have to knock the potato off the back of the masher after each plunge, but you also mash the potato twice with each stroke.

Not suitable for small children, unless they are soft.

MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 20 2012

Suggested by: Articulated_20Potato_20Masher
[MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 20 2012]

easy http://www.southern...00060582/page6.html
[xandram, Feb 21 2012]

Full Metal Jacket Potato Full_20Metal_20Jacket_20Potato
Better. Butter not included. [8th of 7, Feb 21 2012]

[link]






       Are you failing to address the issues of lateral 'tater containment, or are you attempting to re-invent the potato ricer?
lurch, Feb 20 2012
  

       Yes.
MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 21 2012
  

       Another approach might be to take a traditional potato masher, in which a flat plate pierced with holes is held on two sides by arms attached to a handle, and simply add pivot joints to the points at which the arms meet the plate, so that the plate can rotate freely between the arms. Then, firm downward thrusts of the masher into your tuber-based puree will supply the enmashing action you're after. When you withdraw your masher, the pivots will cause the operational parts of the masher to rotate such that the surface with the most adhered potato will be downwards and will thus get remashed on the next thrust.
hippo, Feb 21 2012
  

       Bang the masher on the edge of the pot. Requires slightly more effort than an articulated mechanical device, but is easier to clean, and, more importantly, you get to bang the masher on the edge of the pot.
mouseposture, Feb 21 2012
  

       ...and you can sing "Bang the masher on the edge of the pot" to the tune of "Pass the Dutchie".
hippo, Feb 21 2012
  

       Why not use an electric beater then?
xandram, Feb 21 2012
  

       Surely a truely bidirectional potato masher would threaten to mash me. Mutually Assured Mashing, perhaps...
RayfordSteele, Feb 21 2012
  

       Seems mashed potato would work its way above the spring-loaded plate. And cleanup would be a real pain.
Psalm_97, Feb 21 2012
  

       Efficient. [+].   

       Disappointing lack of gratuitous use of pyrotechnics [-]   

       Vote: Neutral.
8th of 7, Feb 21 2012
  

       //Clearly, much angst is caused by a fundamental flaw in potato mashers, to whit//   

       Somehow I have to believe that insufficiently pulverized tubers were among the /least/ of Ms. Houston's problems.
ytk, Feb 21 2012
  

       // I have to believe //   

       No, you don't. Professional help is available at a resonable cost.
8th of 7, Feb 21 2012
  

       [marked-for-tagline]
Psalm_97, Feb 22 2012
  

       Add more butter!
Zimmy, Feb 22 2012
  

       Can a Borg Potato Masher be far behind? Perhaps with Laser Weapon Defensive Circuits to defend and prevent attacks from competing mashers? A potato, properly baked and fresh out of the oven, is certainly hot enough to sear the flesh if one is too [cavalier/stoned] to avoid touching it; therefore the judicious use of explosives inserted deep within said potato with some sort of penile attachment would certainly both flay and mash with startling efficiency...   

       Shirley?
Grogster, Feb 22 2012
  

       // judicious use of explosives //   

       We can do "injudicious", "ill advised" or "reckless".   

       And don't call us Shirley.   

       // Not suitable for small children, unless they are soft. //   

       Forty minutes per kilo, plus twenty minutes.   

       "They peel them with their metal knives .... " <demented metallic alien cackling>   

       Ahem.
8th of 7, Feb 23 2012
  

       //"They peel them with their metal knives .... "//   

       Aha! I always thought they used dummies for th...no, wait...
MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 23 2012
  
      
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