This Old-School Kitchen Item From The 1800s Has Essentially Vanished

From egg coddlers to toast racks, a lot of kitchen items once thought to be essential have all but vanished. But amongst the oldest, and most vital, tools is the hand-cranked flour sifter, something that's evolved past the point of recognition from where it started in the 1800s.

In 1819, Jacob Bromwell invented the first hand-cranked flour sifter. These Victorian Era tools were fairly straightforward, consisting of a large metal can, a metal sieve at the bottom, and a hand-cranked fan of blades that brushed flour over the sieve to aerate it. This design proved so cheap to make and so wildly effective that even in 2025, companies still churn out similar models. Since the work is fairly delicate and the only time the device encounters moisture is when you clean your sifter, they came in a wide variety of metals, like tin and copper, that didn't need much care or durability.

Back in 1897, they could cost as little as 12 cents, or about $4.68 in 2025. While still cheap, many chefs opt for different tools when they want to aerate their flour for the lightest and fluffiest waffles or a particularly delicate angel food cake. Specialized plastic scoops or even a simple mesh strainer get the job done well, so while sifting is still a vital step for baked goods, the old-school, hand-cranked sifters of yesteryear have fallen out of vogue.

When used and cared for properly, a hand-cranked flour sifter of even half-decent quality should last you for years. The only part with any real risk of breaking is the turning mechanism, but even that is so simple that it shouldn't break unless you abuse it.

Most sifters of this type have a scooped top to dip into large flour containers, but you may want to use a measuring cup to fill yours to be safe. Give your flour a soft tap on the top to pack it slightly and ensure you have the proper amount. After that, just hold your sifter upright and crank slowly to sift flour into your dish. Cleaning your flour sifter once you're done is simple: Just rinse it in warm water with a bit of dish soap and let it air dry thoroughly. To extend its longevity, try to store it in a place that doesn't have much humidity, as the metal sieve may rust.

If you want to make your sifter a multi-purpose tool, consider buying a smaller one, only a cup or two in size. You can always refill it with flour for baking projects, but it's difficult to get a couple of tablespoons of spices to spread evenly in larger models. They're fantastic for evenly dusting seasonings over dishes, like some finishing paprika on deviled eggs or powdered sugar over cake, and don't take up so much room. Depending on the model, you can even use them to finely crush dried herbs.