The origin of the colander may go back as far as ancient Greece when people began using clay pots and amphoras to contain and transport water.
By the 16th century, cooks in Italy had started using colanders made from sheet metal (usually bronze) to drain pasta and rinse produce like vegetables and herbs. During this period, the culture of eating pasta was spreading across Europe and colanders were instrumental in helping to make this happen.
Over time, the colander got smaller and became known as “hailing” or sieve. The word colander has derived from X, and hailing and sieve are used interchangeably after X… Colanders like this are still used today for tasks such as draining the liquid out of blanched vegetables, beans, or potatoes.
An antique colander consisted of a bowl with a handle attached. This made it much easier to drain liquid out of pasta or vegetables, as you could simply rest the holes over the sink and let gravity do its magic.
After the 20th century, many manufacturers began producing thousands of colanders made from steel and aluminum. Their easy-to-clean nature and durability meant that cooks could be cooking with the colander for practically forever.
The most recent development in colanders is that of stainless steel, which has become extremely popular due to its ability to resist rust and stains.