Flex Strainer: The American-Made 2-in-1 Sink Strainer Built by Darter Plastics

Part of the America250: Built Here. Built Better. series — celebrating the American makers, manufacturers, and entrepreneurs behind every FLI Products innovation.

The kitchen sink drain is one of the most used — and most overlooked — fixtures in the American home. Every day, millions of households rely on a chrome strainer basket that hasn't fundamentally changed in decades: hard metal, sharp edges, a separate rubber stopper for soaking, and a basket that's nearly impossible to clean without cutting your fingers.

There's a better way. And it's made right here in America.

Flex Strainer is a patented 2-in-1 kitchen sink strainer and stopper that replaces the hard chrome basket with a flexible, food-safe TPO design that protects glassware, seals as a stopper, and cleans in seconds. It's a genuine American innovation — designed, engineered, and manufactured in the United States.

Built by Darter Plastics — American Precision for American Kitchens

Flex Strainer is manufactured by Darter Plastics, one of FLI Products' most trusted American manufacturing partners. Darter brings precision plastic injection molding expertise to every product in their lineup — and Flex Strainer is a showcase of what American manufacturing does best: take a product that everyone uses every day, identify what's wrong with it, and engineer a solution that actually works.

Darter Plastics also manufactures AnchorStake, Bait Up, HoleMate, Stratus Rain Gauge, and Tomato Crater — six FLI Products brands from one trusted American manufacturer, spanning kitchen, garden, fishing, and outdoor categories.

The Problem with Chrome Strainers

Standard stainless steel and chrome strainers are rigid by design. That rigidity creates problems that every household experiences but few people think to solve:

• Glassware breakage — when a glass tips over in the sink, it hits hard metal and stress fractures form — often invisible until the glass breaks during washing or drying
• Sharp edges — chrome basket rims cut fingers during removal and cleaning
• Two-piece frustration — a separate rubber stopper is needed for soaking, and it's always in the wrong drawer
• Impossible to clean — mesh baskets trap food debris in corners that can't be reached without a brush
• Rust and peeling — chrome plating degrades over time, leaving rust stains and peeling edges

Flex Strainer solves every one of these problems — with a single American-made product.

How Flex Strainer Works

Flex Strainer is made from thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) — a soft, flexible, BPA-free, food-safe material that transforms the sink drain experience:

• Glassware protection — the flexible surface absorbs and distributes impact instead of concentrating it, dramatically reducing breakage risk for wine glasses, tumblers, and stemware
• 2-in-1 design — twist open to strain, twist closed to create a watertight seal for soaking — no separate stopper needed
• Instant cleaning — turn it inside out over the trash, rinse, and toss in the dishwasher
• Safe edges — no sharp metal rims; safe for hands, safe for glassware, safe for families with children
• Temperature resistant — handles hot water and steam without warping or degrading
• Fits all standard 3.5" drains — including garbage disposals

Tom Whitaker's daughter replaced every chrome strainer in her kitchen with Flex Strainer after breaking two wine glasses in a single month. Tom's take:

"Once you understand what Flex Strainer does — protects your glassware, works as a stopper, cleans in five seconds — you wonder why anyone still uses a chrome basket. This is what American innovation looks like: a simple problem, solved completely, made right here at home." — Tom Whitaker, FLI Products Advisor

The Complete Flex Strainer System

• Flex Strainer 2-in-1 — the original strainer and stopper, available in Black and Gray, in 1-pack, 2-pack, and 3-piece sets
• Flex Strainer Basket — wide 5.25" format for maximum debris capture in busy kitchens
• Flex Strainer 3-Piece Set — complete strainer, basket, and stopper system

Why Retail Buyers Choose Flex Strainer

For retail buyers in the kitchen and housewares category, Flex Strainer delivers a compelling retail story that chrome alternatives can't match:

• Patented design — genuine IP protection; not a commodity that any importer can undercut
• Solves a universal problem — every household with a kitchen sink is a potential customer
• Premium perception — the TPO material and 2-in-1 function justify a higher price point than commodity chrome strainers
• Domestic replenishment in 7–30 days vs. 90–140 days for overseas alternatives
• No tariff exposure — stable, predictable pricing
• Low return rates — a product that works exactly as described, every time
• Made in USA story — resonates with Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table, Crate & Barrel, and premium kitchen buyers

FLI Products and the Walmart Open Call

Flex Strainer is part of FLI Products' commitment to the Walmart Open Call program — Walmart's annual event connecting American-made products with Walmart buyers for potential shelf placement. A patented, American-made kitchen innovation that solves a universal consumer problem is exactly what Walmart's kitchen category buyers are looking for.

Learn more at corporate.walmart.com.

Follow the conversation: #WalmartOpenCall #MadeInUSA #America250 #FlexStrainer

Heard on Made in America

FLI Products is a recurring guest on Made in America with Rita Compton and Michael King — hosted by Rita Compton, known as America's Inventor Lady. Kevin Cody of FLI Products has appeared on multiple episodes sharing the story behind Flex Strainer and the Darter Plastics partnership.

Listen here: Made in America Podcast

Where to Buy Flex Strainer

Flex Strainer is available at the retailers you already trust:

• Walmart — in-store and online
• Amazon
• Lowe's
• Tractor Supply
• Target
• Wayfair
• Zoro
• Best Buy
• Wingra Direct
• Newegg
• The BBQ Superstore
• West Marine
• And directly at fliproducts.com

Part of a Bigger Story

Flex Strainer is one of 18 American-made products in the FLI Products portfolio. Explore the full America250 series:

• America250: Built Here. Built Better. — The FLI Products Story
• AnchorStake: Planting a Stake in American Manufacturing
• Bait Up: American-Made Live Bait Containers
• Blade Guard: Built by Rogers Manufacturing Since 1891
• C-Bites: American-Made Plant Support Clips
• CordSafe: Weatherproof Cord Covers by Rogers Manufacturing
• CrateMate: American-Made Storage Crates by Rogers Manufacturing
• Shop All Made in USA Products

Shop Flex Strainer — Made in USA →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Flex Strainer made?

Flex Strainer is made in the United States by Darter Plastics, a trusted American plastic injection molding manufacturer and FLI Products partner.

What is Flex Strainer made from?

Flex Strainer is made from thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) — a soft, flexible, BPA-free, food-safe material that cushions glassware on impact, seals as a stopper, and cleans in seconds.

How does Flex Strainer protect glassware?

Flex Strainer's flexible TPO surface absorbs and distributes impact instead of concentrating it like hard chrome. When a glass tips over in the sink, it lands on the flexible strainer material — dramatically reducing breakage risk for wine glasses, tumblers, and stemware.

Can Flex Strainer be used as a sink stopper?

Yes. Twist closed to create a watertight seal for soaking dishes, hand-washing delicates, or filling the sink. No separate rubber stopper needed.

Is Flex Strainer dishwasher safe?

Yes. Turn it inside out over the trash to dump debris, rinse, and place in the dishwasher. The easiest strainer to clean on the market.

Is Flex Strainer available at Walmart?

Yes. Flex Strainer is available at Walmart in-store and online, as well as at Amazon, Lowe's, Target, and other major retailers.

Who is Tom Whitaker?

Tom Whitaker is a retired manufacturing professional, home cook, and FLI Products advisor with 40 years of practical experience. Learn more at fliproducts.com/pages/learn-from-tom.