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I knew a crew cook that cooked for a crew on a oil rig. His dirty secret for crowd pleasing mashed potatoes was to make the normal 'potato flake' mashed potatoes. And add one or two forked mashed 'fresh' potatoes for texture.

Oh yes, a ricer is the best for perfect mashed potatoes, no doubt about it. On the other hand, it's late, you've worked all day, you're putting together dinner with your coat still on, and you don't feel like hauling out (and washing!) the darn ricer. So use a hand mixer (never a stand!) and put up with a few lumps. Leave a bit of the cooking water in the pot, add some milk and butter. The potatoes will be delicious and the cleanup a snap. I've done it many times on weary cook days!

Take the potatoes out of the boiling water..let them steam off excess water. Then add the cream, butter etc.
Too much moisture in the potatoes is player. And yet they still need to be warm to absorb the elements you add to make mashed potatoes. Over mixing does cause 'gluey' potatoes.

I agree with everyone here. I use my mill don't have a ricer but it does the same thing and then I mix with a spoon. Turn out perfectly every time,

A la pierino, it's great for removing the water from blanched spinach.

I agree with previous answers. A sturdy ricer is an indispensible and inexpensive kitchen tool. And you will discover other uses for it.

I agree with HLA - the potatoes turn gluey if you mix them with the electric mixer for too long. Ricers work beautifully.

There is a high risk of them getting gluey. The starch granules will break down with excess whipping. If you want smooth mashed potatoes a ricer is the way to go.