REASONS TO BUY
Minimal
Small in size
Compact
Lid included
Easy to clean
Inexpensive
Portable
REASONS TO AVOID
Below-average puree quality
Small amounts
Requires effort
Lid may pop-off
Staining
OXO Tot Food Masher Review
A travel-friendly, manual food maker that mashes, but does not puree like machines
sweet potato
Credit: Abriah Wofford
By Molly Bradac ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ May 17, 2020
RELATED: The Best Baby Food Makers
Our Verdict
The OXO Tot Food Masher fits a niche for families who seek to mash food for their toddlers while on the go. This manual product is small in size, compact, and comes with a lid, so toss it into a diaper bag or luggage bag for your next adventure. Plus, it is easy to clean. Keep in mind this product will not create smooth purees like electric-powered machines and certainly requires some effort to mash at times. However, it is portable, inexpensive, and quick to clean—a couple of perks that other contenders in our lineup do not provide. See it ranked against other top products in our article on baby food makers.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Founded in 1990, OXO is an American manufacturer of housewares and kitchen products, with a mission to create tools that make everyday tasks easier.
The OXO is manual, and the masher has teeth and groves, plus the bowl has similar grooves, all of which help the mashing process.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Puree Quality
The OXO has one of the lowest scores for puree quality. It will not produce silky-smooth purees for a beginner baby, and it cannot remove skins or seeds. But, this product is not designed or expected to achieve similar quality to electric machines. It is essentially a glorified fork and bowl, with a lid, to be portable and aid in mashing food on the go.
We recommend this product for an advanced eater or toddler who can manage texture and some pieces. It did a fair job mashing bananas, avocados, pasta, and broccoli.
The OXO struggled the most with kale and raw carrots, followed by chicken, which appeared tuna-like, and blueberries, which had many medium-size skins still present.
Ease of Use
The trade-off of simplicity is no features, and the OXO is one of the few muscle-powered products in the review.
As a small and compact product, the OXO can easily be packed along for travel. The masher dismantles into two parts and nests within the bowl. The bowl's capacity is about 8-10 oz, which will yield one or two servings. The lid can cover leftover food to transport home and store in the refrigerator. Note that some users report the lid pops-off in a diaper bag; however, we did not experience this issue during testing.
The masher can dismantle into two parts.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Health and Safety
The OXO receives a high score for this metric, primarily due to its simplicity, limiting the potential for harm and concerns. For instance, it does not have a steam tank or sharp blades, plus there are no nooks or crannies for yuck to grow.
The product is made from polypropylene plastic #5 (recyclable) that is phthalate, BPA, and PVC free. The soft, non-slip grip is Santoprene (a type of rubber), which contains no chemicals.
The OXO has non-slip grip on the masher and on the lip of the bowl. This type of rubber contains no chemicals.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Cleaning
The OXO is dishwasher safe, but handwashing is a breeze, too, and we strongly encourage handwashing to prolong the product's use. The bowl is white, so some foods, not all, may stain. During testing, we noticed that carrots are one of those foods that may stain, regardless of how quickly it is washed after use.
The masher doesn't have holes to prevent food from getting trapped. It should be inspected for food build-up and be thoroughly cleaned regularly.
The masher's grooves should be inspected from time to time.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Manufacturer Video
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare OXO Tot Food Masher versus top competing products:
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