Skimmers

Commercial Skimmers for Restaurants & Professional Kitchens

Shop commercial skimmers, stainless steel frying skimmers, wire skimmers, jara skimmers, and professional kitchen skimming utensils at Nishi Enterprise. Our collection features skimmers designed for removing food from hot oil, boiling water, stocks, and other cooking liquids in busy restaurant kitchens.

Whether you are preparing crispy fried appetizers, traditional Indian snacks, noodles, vegetables, or large batches of fried foods, a dependable kitchen skimmer is an essential cooking tool. Commercial skimmers allow cooks to lift food from a cooking vessel while excess oil or liquid drains through the openings in the skimmer head.

At Nishi Enterprise, we offer a selection of restaurant skimmers from Nishi, CAC China, and Thunder Group. Our assortment includes traditional Indian jara skimmers, stainless steel skimmers with wooden handles, nickel-plated wire skimmers, and coarse mesh skimmers in a variety of sizes.

Since 2002, Nishi Enterprise has supplied professional restaurant equipment and kitchen utensils to foodservice businesses throughout the United States.

Shop Our Commercial Kitchen Skimmers

Different cooking methods require different skimmer designs. Some skimmers feature perforated stainless steel heads, while others use an open wire or mesh construction. The appropriate choice depends on the food being prepared, the size of the cooking vessel, and how quickly oil or water needs to drain.

Stainless Steel Skimmers

Stainless steel skimmers are widely used in commercial kitchens for frying, boiling, and removing ingredients from cooking liquids. Their metal construction makes them suitable for many professional cooking applications when used according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Our stainless steel skimmers include several sizes and styles, ranging from compact models for smaller pots to larger frying skimmers for high-volume food preparation.

Restaurants commonly use stainless steel skimmers for:

• Removing fried foods from hot cooking oil
• Lifting vegetables from boiling water
• Retrieving ingredients from soups and broths
• Draining excess oil from fried snacks
• Handling ingredients during batch cooking
• Removing food particles from suitable cooking liquids

When choosing a stainless steel skimmer, consider the head diameter, handle length, perforation design, and construction. Larger skimmers can accommodate more food per lift, while smaller options provide additional control when cooking in compact vessels.

Indian Jara Skimmers

A jara, also commonly spelled jhara, is a traditional Indian cooking utensil used for lifting and draining fried foods. It typically features a round, perforated metal head attached to a handle, allowing oil to drain back into the cooking vessel.

Jara skimmers are especially useful in Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and other South Asian kitchens where deep-fried foods are prepared regularly.

Our selection includes stainless steel jara skimmers in multiple sizes, including models with wooden handles and large perforated heads.

Common uses for a jara skimmer include:

• Pakoras: Lifting fried vegetable, paneer, or other pakoras from hot oil.
• Samosas: Removing samosas from the frying vessel while allowing excess oil to drain.
• Puris: Handling and removing puris during frying.
• Jalebi: Lifting finished jalebi from hot oil before transferring it to the next preparation stage.
• Boondi: Handling small fried ingredients, depending on the perforation size and recipe.
• Namkeen: Removing fried snack mixtures and other savory preparations from cooking oil.

For traditional Indian frying equipment, explore our commercial kadai and wok collection. We also carry a broader range of Indian restaurant cookware for preparing curries, rice dishes, snacks, and other traditional foods.

Wire Skimmers & Spider Skimmers

Wire skimmers, often called spider skimmers because of their open wire construction, are commonly used for retrieving foods from hot oil and boiling water.

The open design allows liquid to drain rapidly while supporting the food being lifted. This makes wire skimmers useful for foods that need to be removed quickly without carrying unnecessary cooking liquid.

Our collection includes CAC China nickel-plated wire skimmers in multiple sizes, providing restaurants with options for different pot sizes and cooking applications.

Wire skimmers are commonly used for:

• Removing fried appetizers from hot oil
• Lifting noodles from boiling water
• Blanching vegetables
• Retrieving dumplings from cooking liquid
• Handling fried snacks and small food portions
• Separating cooked ingredients from broth or water

A wire skimmer can be particularly convenient in kitchens preparing noodles, dumplings, tempura, fried appetizers, and other foods that require quick lifting and draining.

Coarse Mesh Skimmers

Coarse mesh skimmers offer another option for restaurant cooking and food preparation. Their mesh construction allows liquids to pass through while retaining food pieces larger than the openings.

Nishi Enterprise carries Thunder Group coarse mesh skimmers in multiple sizes, including stainless steel and galvanized configurations.

Depending on the specific model and manufacturer's intended-use instructions, coarse mesh skimmers may be useful for removing food from liquids, retrieving larger ingredients, or performing other kitchen skimming tasks.

For applications requiring finer filtration of sauces, stocks, and liquids, browse our commercial fine mesh strainers.

What Is a Kitchen Skimmer Used For?

A kitchen skimmer is a handheld cooking utensil designed to lift food or material from a liquid while allowing much of the liquid to drain through its perforations, wire construction, or mesh head.

Skimmers are particularly useful when preparing foods in hot oil or boiling water because they allow the cook to retrieve ingredients without emptying the entire cooking vessel.

Unlike a traditional solid serving spoon, a skimmer has openings that help separate food from the surrounding liquid.

Commercial kitchens use skimmers for several everyday tasks, including deep-frying, blanching, boiling, and retrieving ingredients from large cooking vessels.

Commercial Skimmers for Deep Frying

Deep frying is one of the most common applications for restaurant skimmers. When food finishes cooking, a skimmer allows the cook to lift it from the oil and let excess oil drain back into the fryer or cooking vessel.

This is especially useful for restaurants preparing foods in a deep kadai, wok, or other appropriate frying vessel.

Commercial skimmers can be used when preparing:

• French fries and potato products
• Chicken wings and fried appetizers
• Pakoras and bhajiyas
• Samosas and other filled pastries
• Jalebi and traditional fried sweets
• Tempura and fried vegetables
• Fried seafood and other menu items

For restaurants that prepare large quantities of fried food, using an appropriately sized skimmer can help employees retrieve food more efficiently.

Explore our commercial deep fryers for additional frying equipment used in professional kitchens.

Always use utensils approved for the intended temperature and equipment. Follow safe frying procedures, avoid overcrowding cooking vessels, and keep handles and hands appropriately protected from hot oil.

Jara Skimmers for Indian Restaurant Kitchens

Indian restaurant kitchens frequently rely on jara skimmers because many traditional dishes involve frying in large, wide cooking vessels.

For example, restaurants preparing samosas, pakoras, puris, jalebi, and other fried foods may need different skimmer sizes depending on the quantity being cooked.

A smaller skimmer can provide more control when handling delicate foods or smaller batches, while a larger jara can accommodate more food during high-volume preparation.

The appropriate size should also match the dimensions of the kadai or frying vessel. A skimmer that is too large may be difficult to maneuver, while one that is too small may require unnecessary additional lifting during busy service periods.

Our selection includes stainless steel jara skimmers suitable for a variety of traditional frying tasks, including larger models for professional Indian kitchens.

How to Choose the Right Commercial Skimmer

When purchasing restaurant skimmers, consider the type of food being prepared, the cooking vessel, and the demands of your kitchen.

1. Skimmer Head Size

Commercial skimmers are available in multiple head diameters. Smaller skimmers provide control when retrieving individual items, while larger models offer more surface area for handling batches of food.

Our collection includes compact wire and coarse mesh skimmers as well as larger stainless steel jara skimmers for high-volume cooking.

Choose a size that fits comfortably inside your cooking vessel without contacting the sides excessively or creating unsafe handling conditions.

2. Handle Length

Handle length is especially important when cooking over hot oil, boiling water, or a large commercial cooking vessel.

A properly sized handle helps provide appropriate reach and control. Choose a model suited to the depth and diameter of your pot, fryer, wok, or kadai.

Always review the manufacturer's temperature and intended-use specifications, particularly for handles made from wood, nylon, plastic, or other nonmetal materials.

3. Skimmer Construction

Different designs are suited to different cooking tasks:

• Perforated Jara Skimmers: Commonly used for Indian frying applications and lifting foods from hot oil.
• Wire Skimmers: Useful when rapid drainage is important, particularly for noodles, dumplings, and fried foods.
• Coarse Mesh Skimmers: Suitable for retrieving ingredients where the mesh openings provide the appropriate level of drainage and retention.
• Solid and Perforated Spoon-Style Skimmers: Useful for smaller portions and controlled lifting in appropriate cooking applications.

4. Material and Maintenance

Our collection includes stainless steel, nickel-plated, galvanized, and nylon skimmer designs.

Each material has different maintenance and temperature limitations. Stainless steel is a popular choice for many commercial cooking applications, while specialty coatings or nonmetal materials should be evaluated according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

Choose materials based on the intended food contact application, required heat resistance, cleaning methods, and kitchen workflow.

Skimmer vs. Strainer: What's the Difference?

Although skimmers and strainers both separate food from liquids, they are typically used differently.

A skimmer is commonly used to retrieve food from a cooking vessel, such as lifting fried items from oil or noodles from boiling water.

A strainer is typically used to pour liquids or ingredients through a mesh or perforated container to separate solids from liquids.

For example, a chef may use a skimmer to remove fried pakoras from a kadai, while a fine mesh strainer may be used to remove small particles from a sauce or stock.

Both tools have important applications in restaurant kitchens, and many establishments keep several sizes and styles available.

Browse our commercial strainers collection for additional food preparation and liquid filtration tools.

How Many Skimmers Does a Restaurant Need?

The number of skimmers needed depends on the restaurant's menu, cooking equipment, number of stations, and production volume.

A smaller kitchen may only require a few skimmers for different cooking tasks. A high-volume restaurant with multiple frying stations may benefit from additional utensils so employees do not need to share the same skimmer during busy periods.

When purchasing skimmers, consider:

• How many frying or boiling stations operate at the same time
• The sizes of the pots, woks, fryers, and kadais used
• Whether different foods require dedicated utensils
• How frequently utensils are cleaned or replaced
• Whether smaller and larger skimmers are needed for different batches

Keeping spare skimmers available can also be useful in commercial kitchens where utensils experience frequent handling and washing.

Cleaning and Maintaining Commercial Skimmers

Proper cleaning and maintenance help keep kitchen skimmers suitable for repeated foodservice use.

After use, clean skimmers according to the manufacturer's instructions and your facility's food safety procedures. Pay attention to wire intersections, perforations, and the connection between the handle and skimmer head, where food residue may accumulate.

Inspect skimmers regularly for loose handles, bent wires, damaged mesh, corrosion, cracked materials, or other signs of wear.

Damaged skimmers should be removed from service when their condition may affect safe handling or food contact.

For wooden-handle models, avoid unnecessary prolonged soaking and follow the manufacturer's care instructions to help preserve the handle.

Buy Commercial Skimmers from Nishi Enterprise

Nishi Enterprise has supplied commercial restaurant equipment, cookware, and kitchen utensils since 2002. Our skimmers collection brings together professional kitchen tools for Indian restaurants, Asian restaurants, catering operations, commercial frying stations, and general foodservice kitchens.

We carry stainless steel jara skimmers, wire skimmers, coarse mesh skimmers, and other cooking utensils from Nishi, CAC China, and Thunder Group.

In addition to skimmers, customers can shop our Indian cookware, kadais and woks, commercial deep fryers, commercial cookware, and restaurant strainers.

Whether you need a single frying skimmer, multiple jara skimmers for an Indian restaurant, or kitchen utensils for a complete restaurant project, our team can help you find suitable products.

Visit Our South Plainfield, New Jersey Showroom

Customers in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and surrounding areas can visit our showroom and warehouse to explore restaurant equipment and kitchen supplies.

Nishi Enterprise Inc.
4455 S Clinton Ave
South Plainfield, NJ 07080

Phone: (732) 790-0199

Browse our commercial skimmers above to find the right stainless steel skimmers, wire skimmers, and traditional jara skimmers for your restaurant kitchen.