What’s a mister?

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A mister is a pump or sprayer that can be used in many cooking applications to reduce the amount of liquids added to foods by spraying them over the foods in a fine mist. Especially popular are misters where you can place your favorite oils or even vinaigrettes so you can misting pans (just like you would nonstick cooking sprays) or salads, meats, and veggies. Every mister is different, so the amount of oil dispensed can vary, but is generally much less than what you would add if you were pouring oil from a bottle. You can also use a mister with flavored oils to add some flavor and fat to a dish while keeping the calorie content low.

The popularity of the mister, also used simply for water for some dishes where a light application of water is required, has led numerous companies to create their own “mists” to be applied to salads. Unlike the mister you’d buy at a kitchen supply store, these come pre-filled with various ingredients and can lend a light flavor to a dish. Many of these pre-filled types contain some sort of salad dressing or flavored oil, and it’s touted that the “fogged” foods will reduce the calorie content. This largely depends on how much you plan on steaming your foods. Consult the serving size guidance to find out how many “fogs” are considered a serving.

The simplest mister is just the good old stand of a water bottle with a spray pump. They are usually made of plastic and can be purchased for less than a US dollar (USD). These may not work well with oil, which could clog the pump. Also, the fog produced may not go very well.

For oils, consider the types of stainless steel misters intended to handle the higher viscosity of the oil. They often have a pump pressurization system, which keeps the mist nice and light. These tend to cost anywhere from about $10-20 USD and are available at kitchen supply stores and a number of online kitchen and cooking supply sites. Pre-filled misters are available at local grocery stores.

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