Well, yeah. I think you are nuts. I could see myself spending maybe $75-$80 on that - and that would still be nuts!

On the other hand, it makes you happy with your kitchen. I always tell people that they need to splurge on at least on thing in their kitchen, and that one thing will always make them smile. Something is going to be the star of the show, so be sure it is what you really wanted!

Nicole

Probably...but then again...can you post a link to it? :-)

If you will use it a lot and it helps reduce your work (or frustration over a colander that doesn't stay put), then it very well might be worth it!

I don't know if you are nuts, but just yesterday I was waxing poetic about the fine functionality of my $1.99 aluminum collander purchased in 1981. I can't wrap my frugal little brain around spending $200 on a colander.

If you like it, and can afford it, why not? Have you tried ebay? I'm a bargain shopper, too, and always check there to make sure before I pay full price for something.

My splurge will be my appliances, I guess. :)

Heck we have one that retails for about $500! We didn't pay for ours though--Julien sent it to us as a gift when we had the initial drainage issue with our sink (which had resolved on its own). It looks really nice, but it's huge and the only place we could store it is in the cab above the fridge. Ask me how often we take it down to use it...

seriously?!!?
I spent $200 on a brand new all-stainless Ariston dishwasher.

and $20 on a "nice" colander.

that's a stainless rectangle with holes in it...hardy revolutionary, I can't even imagine toying with the idea of spending that kind of money on a colander.

I think that's a lot of money.

And it will be hard to store, and if you leave it out, half the time it will be in the way.

I *do* like an over-the-sink colander, though; I love this one, because it collapses to go in the dishwasher, and to store flat (I think I love that it goes flat in the dishwasher most of all)

It's $20 at BedBath&Beyond.

I *do* wish it came in something besides bright red (and I think in navy blue). Like, light gray, or white, or something more subtle, since we don't all have red kitchens.

I suppose if I had a really huge budget, and a big, big kitchen, maybe. But even then, I think I'd find something else for that $200.

$80, yes, I'd pay that (not in my life, but in that hypothetical big-budget kitchen)

I personally wouldn't spend $200 for a colander.

HOWEVER, I did spend a bit over $200 to have custom SS liners made for two small countertop drawers in our master bathroom 2 sink vanity. This was so we could put our wet toothbrushes in the drawer and not damage the wood.

So, I shall not be judging you. LOL!

Well, mine was a $60 broth skimmer spoon with nice small holes. I refused to spend that for months as I kept my eyes open for something as good for less and finally had to give in. On the plus side, I'll be able to will it to my favorite descendent. :)

We all have things that we splurge on that others think we're crazy to spend so much on...this just happens to be yours!

My DH does his splurging on audio/visual equipment, I buy SF books & things for the house that he doesn't think we need--until he uses them (like the TO)!

For my kitchen, my splurge was/is my cabinets...and probably granite since it's turning to be so expensive!

If you want it and can afford that kind of splurge, I say go for it.
BUT, I do think that you should first realistically (1) try to imagine just how often you'll be using it; (2) decide if you'll continue to want it out there on the sink day in and day out; (3) and if not, do you have a CONVENIENT place to store it?
I have one like Tally SUe's and I love how easily it flattens out and how little space it takes up under my sink.

For my wedding shower 31 yrs. ago I received a stainless steel offset steel spatula. It has a thin, sharp serrated edge and is perfectly weighted and balanced. There's no brand name or inscription on it.

I panic when I can't find it and won't bring it to a potluck dinner in case someone mistakes it for their own and takes it home.

My point is, I wouldn't sell it for $200 if someone offered it to me. I have tried to find similar ones, but they never work quite as well, and it's an item I use almost every day.

On the other hand, I have gone through way more than $200 for toasters, coffee makers, hard to clean food processors, etc. that weren't worth it to me.

If you can afford it, can't find one like it for less, and it will please you to look at it and use it regularly, go for it. $200 is a lot, but relative to the number of dollars that go into building and equipping a kitchen it's a small percentage.

Certainly not judging you, since we all have things we spend money on that nobody else would understand. (My weakness is dancing- thousands a year on lessons, events, shoes, costumes, and I'm *really* frugal compared to most dancers!!!!!!).....anyway, I dont think that item looks like it is worth $200, nor would any collander be worth that much to me. It seems like for $200, you'd want to display it in the sink all the time, but at least in my kitchen, it'd just be in the way, and end up taking up counterspace or pushed into a cabinet somewhere.

I have a plastic $4 collander, and a metal one older than me that I just cannot part with. :)

My darling...I completely understand...after all I'm trying to find out if the faucet of my dreams is $1,000 or $10,000 :oP And if it's closer to number one....I'm going to get the stupid turtle LOL because I LOVE IT!!!

That's a cool piece actually. And I never mind spending good money on quality kitchen gear like that because I don't want dents, rust or broken seams because they're cheap. I think I'd use that quite often!

It's beautiful, and if it won't really affect your budget, go for it.

Speaking from very recent experience in building, we had put aside that 10-15% that everyone says you need because everyone goes over budget. When I was selecting items or making decisions, I frequently opted for the option I preferred, thinking this was part of the 10-15%. Boy was I wrong! That extra was needed for items we had no control over, such as excavation costs and well, and an extra 30k for the fireplace chimney because it was 3 stories high and my builder felt it was complicated and would only trust certain masons.

Now we are postponing paving our driveway, and most of our landscaping, as well as innumerable other things.

What I'm trying to get at is: if you can wait until your remodel is done, do so and then reevaluate the cost.

you don't need for anyone to validate your desires. buy your colander and be happy! post a pic when it's sitting in your beautiful kitchen!

Hi Everyone! Thanks for the input! I am still not decided on it - and have searched the internet for a cheaper option. Actually, those steam table tray inserts for buffets might fit-see picture below, but I do think the other one looks pretty cool.

The thing with it is that it is an official accessory for a Blanco sink. See, I am getting the sink, just not from Blanco, so my sink will cost Anyway, I will take all comments to heart - in the end it will be like that tiny little vinyl Burberry backpack purse I saw years ago that was something like $200 and I said no way - then months later decided I had to have it and spent years searching for it in vain...

Buehl, the link for the best price I found is listed below.

Here is one that is very similar, for $40, just not quite as cool...

{{gwi:2107390}}

Here is a link that might be useful: overpriced? colander

OK - This is my second try at wording this so it doesn't sound too horrible. I think the key questions are, "How will you feel if you get the $200? If you don't? How will you feel if you get the $40 colander?"

The test that worked for me in the end was if I could have family and friends in the house and be able to look them in the eye, with pride rather than with guilt. I was considering one of those $100 gel mats to go in front of the sink. It was puuurrrty. However, I couldn't imagine one of my dear relatives -who's cutting back on food because of the cost of prescriptions (but of course wouldn't let us help) - walking into my kitchen with that $100 mat on the floor. I don't know why that fool thing was further than I wanted to go when we have a big engineered quartz counter and lots of other expensive (to us) things; and I'm not saying that the colander is too much or too little, just that, whatever you decide, be sure you'll be comfortable and that your joy in it won't be compromised by worry about others' perceptions.

Your cheaper alternative looks like a perforated hotel pan. If that's not what it is, check one out. They're widely used in restaurant kitchens as colanders. Full size pan is 20X12, they're available in fractional sizes, too. that's the outside dimension, the inside is smaller. (how much depends on brand.) Here's a digram of standard sizes. (it's in mm, as it's a international standard.)

Here is a link that might be useful: gastronorm size diagram

Personally, I love Tally Sue's. I have a tiny red kitchen at our lake cabin and love anything that saves me space. Thanks for the tip!

{{!gwi}}

We all have our crosses to bear and if yours is a $200 colander... so be it! I know I chomp at the bit dreaming about the actual purchase part of my remodel. (we're just at the very beginning planning stage). There will be things that some people might think I'm crazy to spend so much on, like counterops and backsplashes. YOU guys will understand but others might think I'm crazy. When I helped my cousin remodel her condo that overlooks the intracoastal and ocean she spend $200 on each door handle because she liked the way they felt in her hand. I love to use her as a point of reference to DH since he's absolutely clueless as to how much things cost. Our kitchen is going to be roughly 20' x 16' and when I told him that average cabs would cost maybe 20K he thought that was absolutely exhorbitant. The man's gonna be in for some sticker shock and I'll need to gentle as I walk him through this process.

I don't know, somethings just do it or you. I do love the colander and if it was something I really liked , I would spend the 200.00. Value is often in the eye of the beholder.
Your also talking to someone who just spent 220.00 on 30 french apothecary jars for spices. I love those jars.

Umm where did ya get the jars? :)

well, now I might actually waffle here.

If you have a big single sink, is it possible you'll use it for stuff besides pasta? That having it out almost all the time will make your single sink even more useful?

I'll be blunt here. I know others have mentioned the storing of it and such, but what about keeping it clean? Seems to me the less expensive one looks much more practical for cleaning. It has rounded corners if you'll notice. The expensive one seems to be made using folds, if I'm seeing it right? Even if the stainless isn't using folds in its construction, those corners look like a magnet for pasta getting stuck in there and having to use a toothbrush to clean it.

To each their own..we all have our splurges, it's just that sometimes the investment of our time might not be worth the investment of our splurges.

i don't think she should worry about keeping it clean. i would never use it. instead i would just keep it as art.

I'm sorry, but I believe the OP was asking what You "splurged" on, not your opinion of her splurge. Everyone knows you can get a cheap colander. I say if you like and you think it is worth it (whatever the cost) go for it and enjoy.

It's $132 buy- it- now. $10 shipping.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here it is

remodelqueen - DUH! I can't believe it, me, self-pronounced queen of internet searches, FORGOT ebay. I hang my head. Thanks for the pointer!

Those of you concerned about cleaning - have no fear, that baby would end up in the dishwasher (although it may take up all the space!) along with almost everything else I own!

a quick hot water spray could keep it clean enough between uses; it's really neat looking, I would get it if I lusted after it. There are items that become obsessions, mine was a dualit toaster.

I think that colander would be very useful, washing fruit and veggies directly from it, etc...

i have a separate bank account (an on-line ing direct savings account) that i dump 'windfall' money into--checks i get for b-day or christmas gifts, money i earn from consulting or bonuses, money gained from selling stuff on ebay, etc.

i then use that money for purchases like this one--stuff i want but that my wife would kill me for using our 'normal' money for. splurges.

it's much easier to justify if i can say i'm using gift money for it.

I have no doubt that just about anyone could find $200 worth in my kitchen that they wouldn't have chosen, but I wouldn't spend it on a colander. It is both the cost itself and the fact that it would take up a lot of space when not in use. I have the one talley sue nyc posted above (I'd rather have it in blue, but have only seen red).

Do consider the storage factor as well as the ease or difficulty of cleaning bits in the corners, adn if it still makes your heart sing, I wouldn't tell you not to get it. I can just tell you that I never would.

igloochic--
Found the jars on eBay. Search for french apothecary jars. Tell me if you want the sellers name.

I love them. He doesn't have many left. He was trying to get more.

Kimberly

it's much easier to justify if i can say i'm using gift money for it.

YES!

in fact, those of us who give you money for a gift, that *IS* what we want you to use it for!

I ordered a custom wood cutting board and a grid for our prep sink; neither cost $200 but they weren't free either. What I have discovered is that the grid is invaluable, and we use it for some jobs that we used to pull out a colander for. OTOH, we almost never use the cutting board that fits over the sink. We do use cutting boards constantly, & bought color-coded ones for our new kitchen, but I find that having the custom board OVER the sink gets in my way & has mostly been a waste. I'd hate to find out that an expensive colander would not be used after all. I'm not saying you won't use it, just be sure it's the best thing that you'd want to use every day. If it is, go for it!

in fact, those of us who give you money for a gift, that *IS* what we want you to use it for!

thanks, talley sue! i must say, you've been quite generous in the past, but you seem to have overlooked my gifts the last couple years. (email me and i'll send you my address--my b-day was last saturday!) ;-)