For most cooks, the best fat separator is a bottom-release model that holds a true 4 cups. America's Test Kitchen tested both main designs in its fat separator review (published June 11, 2025) and preferred bottom-release models, naming the OXO Good Grips Good Gravy Fat Separator, 4 Cup, its winner. Its Best Buy is the Trudeau 4 Cup Gravy Separator, a pour spout model.
A fat separator and a gravy separator are the same tool. You pour hot drippings or stock in, wait a few minutes while the fat floats to the top, then drain the flavorful liquid out from underneath. It is the quickest way to turn the drippings in a turkey roasting pan into gravy that is not greasy.
This guide explains how the two types work, what size suits a Thanksgiving turkey, what the separators are made of, and how to use and clean one.
| Bottom-release | Pour spout (pitcher) | |
|---|---|---|
| How the liquid leaves | A valve in the base opens when you squeeze a trigger or lever | A spout that starts low on the cup, so liquid pours from the bottom |
| Keeping fat out | Fat stays on top until the very end | Some fat can slip into the spout early |
| When to stop | When the fat layer nears the valve | As the fat reaches the spout opening, which is harder to see |
| Cleaning | More parts, valve needs rinsing | Fewer parts, but the spout can be narrow |
| America's Test Kitchen pick | OXO Good Grips Good Gravy (winner) | Trudeau 4 Cup Gravy Separator (Best Buy) |
Bottom-Release vs Pour Spout
Both types fill through a strainer on top and work the same way at first: the fat rises and the liquid settles underneath. The difference is how you get the liquid out.
Bottom-release
A plug or valve sits in the floor of the cup. Squeeze the trigger or lever in the handle and the liquid drains straight down into your saucepan, while the fat stays on top. America's Test Kitchen preferred this design because you only have to stop draining as the fat nears the bottom.
Pour spout
The classic pitcher style has a spout that joins the cup near its base, so tipping it pours liquid from below the fat. America's Test Kitchen found that with pitchers, some fat usually entered the spout from the start, and it was harder to keep fat out as the liquid ran low.
Spout stoppers
Some pitchers come with a silicone plug for the spout. America's Test Kitchen found OXO's version kept fat out with larger volumes but not small ones, and called it easy to lose. The plug on the redesigned Trudeau was not particularly useful in its testing.
Which to choose
If you make gravy once a year and want the simplest tool, a pitcher works. If you want the cleanest result with the least attention, buy a bottom-release model.
Capacity for a Thanksgiving Turkey
America's Test Kitchen recommends a 4-cup separator, because that size handles both large and small batches. Its testers defatted 2 quarts of stock by ladling it through in rounds, and 1 cup of drippings poured straight from a roasting pan.
Check the real capacity
Several models in the test could not hold their stated 4 cups without overflowing. One held 3.75 cups, another 3.5, and another just over 3.
Work in rounds
If your turkey drippings plus the stock you add for gravy come to more than 4 cups, separate the first batch, drain it into the saucepan, and refill. The fat from each round can go into a separate bowl.
Read the markings
Clear volume markings let you measure the defatted liquid for your gravy recipe as you go. America's Test Kitchen marked models down when lines were hard to read or off by up to 1/2 cup, and one model's markings faded almost completely after 10 washes.
Materials and Heat
You will be pouring hot liquid into the separator, so the material matters. Most of the models America's Test Kitchen recommends are made from heat-resistant plastics rather than glass.
Tritan and nylon
The winning OXO Good Gravy is made from nylon and Tritan, which OXO describes as heat resistant and BPA free. The Cuisipro is also Tritan.
Glass
Two borosilicate glass models with stainless steel parts were in the test. Both were rated poorly, for a narrow, low spout that spilled and for small strainers and inaccurate markings, rather than for the glass itself.
Strainers
A built-in strainer catches herbs, peppercorns, and browned bits as you pour. America's Test Kitchen found larger strainers with many small holes and walls more than 1 inch tall worked best, because stock did not splash back over the sides.
How to Use a Fat Separator
The method is the same for turkey drippings, pan juices, and stock.
Pour through the strainer
Set the separator on a flat surface and pour the drippings in slowly through the strainer. The strainer catches herbs, peppercorns, and browned bits.
Let it settle
Wait a few minutes until you can see a clear layer of fat on top.
Drain the liquid
With a bottom-release model, hold it over the saucepan and squeeze the trigger. With a pitcher, pour slowly. Stop when the fat layer reaches the valve or the spout opening.
Use the fat for the roux
OXO's own gravy guide suggests cooking some of the separated fat with flour in the saucepan to make a roux, then whisking the defatted liquid back in until the gravy thickens.
Store leftovers safely
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow containers, and to reheat gravy by bringing it to a rolling boil. It lists refrigerated gravy at 3 to 4 days.
What to Look For
These points come from America's Test Kitchen's testing and the makers' product details.
A bottom-release valve
It keeps fat out of your gravy more reliably than a pour spout, and you do not have to watch a spout opening while you pour.
A true 4-cup capacity
Check that it holds the full amount on the label. Smaller models mean more rounds when you are defatting a whole turkey's drippings.
A large, deep strainer
Look for many small holes and walls over 1 inch tall, so solids stay out and hot liquid does not splash.
A valve that seals
The winning OXO stayed leakproof through 150 open and close cycles. A valve that drips lets liquid out before the fat has settled.
Markings you can read
Raised or printed lines in cups and milliliters help you measure the liquid for your recipe. Faded markings were a common failure in testing.
Easy to take apart
Separators with a detachable canister or an external drain are easier to clean by hand, which matters because fat clings to every surface.
Photo by Tim Douglas on Pexels
Tester Picks
These are the models America's Test Kitchen recommends in its fat separator review published June 11, 2025. We did not test them ourselves.
OXO Good Grips Good Gravy Fat Separator, 4 Cup
America's Test Kitchen's winner (June 11, 2025). Testers said it does a stellar job of separating fat from liquid. You squeeze a trigger in the handle to drain from the bottom, and its tightly sealed valve stayed leakproof through 150 cycles and 10 washes on the dishwasher's top rack.
Look for
- Squeeze trigger that drains from the bottom
- Strainer of about 16 square inches with a 1.1 inch wall
- Markings in cups, ounces, and milliliters
Watch out for
- The valve takes a strong squeeze to open
- More parts to rinse than a simple pitcher
Trudeau 4 Cup Gravy Separator
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy (June 11, 2025). It is a pitcher with a spout, a little less efficient at separating fat than the winner, but easy to use and durable. Its strainer was the largest in the test.
Look for
- Largest strainer in the test, at 18 square inches
- Simple pitcher design with few parts
- Top-rack dishwasher safe
Watch out for
- Small handle and hard-to-read measurement lines
- The strainer warped slightly after a few washes, though it still worked
Upgrade Your Prep: Get the ROO Bundle
ROO is a silicone mat that sits under your cutting board. It grips smooth countertops so the board never slides, and its built-in 7-cup pouch catches peels and trimmings as you cut. The Bundle includes the mat, a rubberwood board, and a reusable storage bag.
Shop the ROO Bundle →Cuisipro Fat Separator
America's Test Kitchen did not name it a winner, but its testers found this bottom-release model defatted the most stock in every test. The canister detaches, which made it the easiest to clean by hand. After reader complaints about cracking, America's Test Kitchen retested it and found no cracks or leaks.
Look for
- Bottom-release valve
- Detachable Tritan canister
- Rated dishwasher safe
Watch out for
- Markings were hard to read
- Testers saw small surface cracks around the drain hole after the first round of testing
Upgrade Your Prep Workflow: The ROO Bundle
Gravy is the last job of the day, but most of the turkey work happens at the board: onions, carrots, and celery for the roasting pan, herbs for the cavity, then trimming and carving once the bird has rested. The ROO Mat sits under your cutting board and grips the counter so the board stays put, and its built-in pouch hangs over the edge to catch up to 7 cups of skins, ends, and trimmings. It fits boards up to 16 inches, and the ROO Bundle pairs it with a rubberwood board that fits it.
Upgrade Your Prep Workflow: Get the ROO Bundle
A rubberwood board that is gentle on knives, a non-slip silicone base, and a 7-cup scrap pouch.
Check out the ROO Bundle →How This Guide Was Put Together
This guide is built from America's Test Kitchen's fat separator review (published June 11, 2025), OXO's product details for the Good Gravy Fat Separator and its Thanksgiving gravy guide, and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service's guidance on leftovers, all checked October 19, 2026. We did not test these separators ourselves. ROO makes a silicone cutting board mat and a rubberwood board, not fat separators.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a gravy separator the same as a fat separator?
Yes. The two names describe the same tool: a cup that lets fat float to the top so you can pour or drain the liquid out from underneath. Trudeau and Kuchenprofi sell theirs as gravy separators, OXO and Cuisipro as fat separators.
Which is better, a bottom-release or a pour spout fat separator?
Bottom-release. America's Test Kitchen found pitchers let some fat into the spout from the start, while bottom-release models keep fat on top until you stop draining.
What size fat separator do I need for a turkey?
America's Test Kitchen recommends a 4-cup model, which handles both large and small batches. Check that it really holds 4 cups, since several tested models did not. If you have more liquid, separate it in rounds.
How long do you let drippings sit in a fat separator?
A few minutes, until a clear layer of fat has formed on top. Then drain or pour the liquid from underneath and stop as the fat reaches the valve or spout.
Can you put hot drippings in a plastic fat separator?
Yes, that is what they are made for. OXO describes the nylon and Tritan in its Good Gravy separator as heat resistant. Follow the maker's instructions for your model.
Can fat separators go in the dishwasher?
Some can. America's Test Kitchen found the dishwasher can crack or warp separators and fade their markings, so it recommends washing by hand in hot, soapy water. Its winner and the Cuisipro were dishwasher safe, and the Trudeau is top rack only.
Buy a 4-cup bottom-release fat separator, check that it really holds 4 cups, and give the drippings a few minutes to settle before you drain. Use some of the fat for the roux and the defatted liquid for the gravy, and get any leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours.