I use the chinois for making ice creams and sorbets. It is great for filtering out any cooked egg that may have appeared for custard-based ice creams, though you could also make do with a fine seive. For making raspberry sorbet, it is indispensible for separating the juice from the seeds. There is nothing like silky smooth raspberry sorbet. I use the cone shaped dowel for this job as there just isn't time to let gravity do this job. I'm always amazed at the amount of seeds left over.
I think for best all around use, you want to make sure you get a chinois that comes with a flexible metal mesh, and not just one with solid, perforated sides. This isn't always apparent when shopping online.
