One of the secrets to smooth, fluffy mashed potatoes is a potato ricer. This handy kitchen tool creates just the right potato consistency (AKA super creamy mashed potatoes), by breaking apart chunky potato lumps when it pushes the cooked potatoes through a grate. This process softens the potatoes, but doesn’t release the starch. Keeping the potato’s starch intact is what allows the potato to absorb all of that delicious butter, milk, and creme fraîche.