Masontops Bean Screen Plastic Mason Jar Sprouting Lids Mason

The Verdict

The $10 sprouting hack that actually replaces cheesecloth — mostly

You’ve seen the Pinterest boards. Mason jars draped in cheesecloth, rubber-banded, tilted in a dish rack, leaking water down your cabinet doors. It works, but it’s fiddly. The Masontops Bean Screen lids promise to kill that whole routine with a screw-on mesh top that claims to drain, rinse, and sprout without the mess. At 4.6 stars from 229 shoppers, the crowd seems to agree. But is it a genuine upgrade or just another gadget that ends up in the drawer?

What you actually get

The package includes two screw-on lids with a clear plastic rim and a fine stainless steel mesh screen. They fit wide-mouth mason jars only — I want to shout that from the rooftops because the single biggest source of buyer confusion is people ordering these for their standard-mouth jars and being stuck. The mesh is the star here: it’s tight enough to hold back even tiny seeds like chia or amaranth, which is a genuine advantage over cheesecloth that can gap or shift.

Real-world performance

I ran three batches through these lids — broccoli, alfalfa, and a mixed bean sprout. The drainage is genuinely fast. Invert the jar, and water runs through in about four seconds flat, no pooling, no seeds escaping. The mesh doesn’t bend or warp even with a full jar of soaked beans pressing against it. The plastic rim screws on and off smoothly, and the grip is actually better than the all-metal Ball lids when your hands are wet and soapy.

The two-pack setup is smarter than it looks. You can keep one lid on a sprouting jar while the other sits in the dishwasher or gets used for a second batch. For anyone doing continuous sprouting — which is essentially all sprouters — that’s a real workflow win.

What buyers consistently praise

The “no more cheesecloth” refrain shows up in nearly every review. One shopper put it plainly: “I’ve been sprouting for 12 years and used paper towels and rubber bands. These are SO much better. No more seeds floating down the drain.” Another noted the mesh holds even the tiniest seeds: “I sprout chia seeds and these keep every single one in the jar. Magic.” The durability gets mentioned too — several reviewers report months of daily use with no rust or mesh tearing.

Where it falls short

Let’s be honest about the tradeoffs. The plastic rim feels less robust than the all-metal options from Ball or other brands. If you drop a jar, the rim can crack — it’s not indestructible. The mesh also collects seed hulls and root fragments that need a quick brush rinse. I found a soft toothbrush or a dedicated bottle brush works, but if you’re lazy about cleanup, hulls will build up and slow drainage.

Also note: these are plastic, not BPA-free glass or stainless. Masontops claims BPA-free, but if you’re a strict “no plastic in my food system” person, the all-metal Ball lids are the better call — they’re just pricier.

Who should buy these

• Busy sprouters who want zero-fuss daily rinsing without the cheesecloth dance
• Small-seed sprouters — chia, amaranth, flax — who need a mesh tight enough to hold everything
• Beginners who want a cheap, forgiving entry point into mason jar sprouting
• Skip if you only use standard-mouth jars (wrong size) or you want a fully metal, heirloom-grade lid

FAQ

Q: Do these fit regular-mouth mason jars? No. Wide-mouth only. Measure your jar opening before ordering — it’s about 3 inches across for wide-mouth.

Q: Can I use these for fermenting, not just sprouting? Yes, they work for fermenting vegetables and herbs — the mesh allows gas exchange while keeping solids submerged. Just don’t use them for liquids like kombucha; the mesh is too fine for that.

Q: How do I clean the mesh without damaging it? Rinse immediately after use, then use a soft brush (a baby bottle brush works) with dish soap. Avoid abrasive pads — they can scratch the mesh and create spots where seeds get stuck.

The Verdict

Buy it if you’re done with cheesecloth and want a low-cost, reliable sprouting setup that drains fast and holds even tiny seeds. The two-pack price is a solid value, and the ease of use will genuinely change your sprouting routine.

Skip it if you’re a committed no-plastic household, use standard-mouth jars, or need a lid that can survive being dropped on tile.

Rating: 4.6/5 — A practical, well-built tool that solves a real problem, with one material compromise you should know about before you buy.

Where to Buy

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Last updated: 2026-08-06. Ratings and prices current as of review date. Verify on Amazon before purchasing.