I originally went with a cheap set of three strainers for $10-$12. You can find a dozen different deals here on Amazon for a 3", 6", and 8" strainer in that price range and I believe they are all pretty much the same. They worked well enough but the handle on the little one arrived broken and the handle on the big one broke on the second use. Still technically functional, but annoying so I returned them. I was just frustrated that even something that cheap would arrive broken and/or not even survive intact for two uses. I had this Oxo Strainer in my wishlist from the start anyway so when my wife received a $5 off couplon for BB&B which sells this for $23 I asked her to pick it up for me. Night and day. The handle is definitely much sturdier on this. The double weave basket is more effective for small grains such as quinoa and a lot more solid. And the downward slant of the tab on the other side of the handle is a nice ergonomic touch. So while the cheap ones do work, I definitely believe this is worth the price, especially for as much as it gets used (nearly everytime we cook).