Salad spinners top the list of underappreciated kitchen appliances. After all, they take up a lot of space…and, well, couldn’t you dry your lettuce with a dish towel? In my perspective, the answer is a resounding “no.” Truthfully, towels don’t dry greens well—at least not without much time and work. Furthermore, salad spinners are a wonderful multi-purpose purchase (depending on the model, they can double as a serving dish and cut down on dish-washing time). And for those looking for kitchen devices that promote better lifestyles. For at least ten years, I’ve owned salad spinners of all makes, brands, and sizes—and I can firmly say that the OXO Good Grips Glass Salad Spinner has outperformed every other model I’ve tested.
I’ve tried cheap plastic spinners, more costly spinners with fancy bells and whistles, and even spinners that collapse for easy storage (sadly, they weren’t as effective as the non-collapsible models I tried). Even after all these years, OXO’s rendition remains the best. It’s a near-essential item in my kitchen. The robust glass base doubles as an elegant serving dish, eliminating the need to move greens to a separate bowl when the company comes. It is also easy to use and incredibly effective.
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OXO Good Grips Glass Salad Spinner
$65
While I mostly use my spinner for greens (lettuce, spinach, kale, and fresh herbs, as well as collards, turnips, and mustard greens for stews and stir-fries), I’ve discovered that the gadget can handle much more than dry salad ingredients. It also functions as a stand-still colander for just about any fruits or veggies I need to wash. It comes in handy when I need to clean apples, pears, and stone fruit, which I keep in a countertop bowl to encourage healthy snacking. Although none of these objects are “spun,” the bowl is nonetheless useful.
The OXO salad spinner functions as a useful serving and… [+] display bowl in addition to washing fruit.
The gadget is also ideal for those who prefer the “meal prep” method. To save time during the week, I wash a bunch of vegetables in the spinner and then store them in the fridge in the bowl with the lid on. That way, they’re ready for me as soon as I am and stay incredibly fresh. I can immediately reach into my fridge and grab clean, already “spun” tomatoes for sandwiches, zucchini for a bean salad, or snap peas and radishes to eat with hummus or ranch dip.
The spinner is true kid-friendly kitchen equipment. My six-year-old niece and 13-year-old nephew occasionally help in the kitchen, and with just a few hand pumps, they can spin the fruits and veggies alongside me. The built-in brake button swiftly and easily stops the spinner, making it easy and safe to operate. Furthermore, the bowl has a non-slip base to keep it from sliding.
Cassandra Brooklyn
In terms of “convenience,” the spinner is also a winner. A storage lock keeps the pump flush with the lid, allowing the complete device to be stacked and stored in cupboards, cabinets, and refrigerator shelves. And it’s all dishwasher-safe (the lid even comes apart for complete cleaning). This ingenious contraption can be just what you need to make healthier choices, save time in the kitchen, or just cut down on dirty dishes.