OXO Steel Salad Spinner

Product Information

John Sommerall, who is a professional chef and the editorial project manager, food-research and testing for Dotdash Meredith, says when it comes to shopping for a salad spinner, people need to consider size, design, ease of use and cleaning, and the spinner’s value. Prepworks by Progressive Collapsible Salad Spinner: We had high hopes for the space-saving promise of this collapsible salad spinner. Unfortunately, this model underperformed in the drying tests and wasn’t able to accommodate 10 ounces of lettuce. Expanding and collapsing the bowl and basket took a considerable amount of muscle, too.

The two-part lid easily disassembles, and the large, evenly spaced basket holes make it easier to clean than any of the others, and unlike much of the competition, the Oxo is dishwasher-safe. Pump salad spinners: All you need to do to trigger the spin is continuously push down on a large button. If you have limited space in your kitchen, the Dreamfarm Spina In-Sink Salad Spinner is the best salad spinner for you. Whether you’re an at-home chef or running a restaurant or catering business, having a salad spinner at your disposal can make a world of difference in the quality of salad you make.We tested each salad spinner using salad greens and herbs with varying water content levels, including romaine lettuce, green leaf lettuce, radicchio, and cilantro. We also used them on bulkier vegetables, strawberries, and blueberries to asses how they perform with delicate and firm produce. To test the strength of the baskets, we used each to drain freshly-cooked pasta. As the name would suggest, salad spinners work by spinning its contents really fast to remove any excess water and/or dirt. They usually have a removable colander where you can wash your greens before spinning them dry. There are several different mechanisms that a salad spinner might use to spin the greens: The lever takes some force to push it down, but once the bowl gets spinning the lever is easier and easier to push, and it can be done with one hand. The brake stops the spinning immediately, which the company says will help "fluff" the greens. We did feel like the rapid momentum that the lever motion was able to achieve, coupled with the sudden braking, helped shake every bit of water off the leaves, making this a very effective salad spinner. And the flat design of the lid makes it ideal for storing the greens right in the spinner.

Large salad spinners are great for meal prepping, preparing large salads for a family or dinner party, or even using as a container to store washed greens in your refrigerator,” he says. “If you’re only occasionally washing greens or frequently washing greens for one or two people, a smaller salad spinner is a great option and is also much easier to store.” Kristy Mucci, author of Salad Party, also likes its versatility: "I like the strong grip of the non-slip base, and it's good for more than just salad spinning. I dress my salads in it, and I reach for it whenever I need an extra prep bowl or a lidded container for refrigerator storage. I also think it's nicer looking than any plastic salad spinner, plus it'll stay nicer looking longer because stainless steel doesn't get sad with age the way plastic does." This spinner uses a pull-type handle to enact spinning, so it requires more attention during use to make sure the spinning is at optimum level. The spinner is dishwasher safe, making cleaning a breeze.

The runner-up: Farberware Pump-Activated Salad Spinner

Salad spinners should be just as easy to clean as to operate. While most of the salad spinners on our list are dishwasher safe, Sommerall prefers to hand wash his. Clean Up: After each test, wash the salad spinner by hand. At the end of testing, run the dishwasher-safe components of each spinner through the dishwasher to ensure they come out unscathed. Meal prep for weekly lunches is made easy with the Farberware Professional Salad Spinner. With 5.5 quarts of capacity in the basket and an almost 7-quart bowl, you can easily wash and dry multiple heads of lettuce. During our tests, we washed and spun two large heads of romaine lettuce and observed there was still space in the bowl for more. It can also be used as a colander for other kitchen tasks, such as draining pasta or washing bulky vegetables. Mueller Salad Spinner: An unusual “pulling bar” spin mechanism generated more force than a simple hand crank, but this still ranked toward the bottom of our drying tests. It was also unusually loud—enough to scare a (skittish) dog out of the room during testing. Oxo has a well-deserved reputation for making high-quality, user-friendly kitchen tools of all stripes, and their line of salad spinners proves to be no exception. In addition to the easy-yet-powerful push mechanism that is universal to Oxo's salad spinners, in this model, we especially like the added durability of the stainless steel bowl (as opposed to the plastic or glass options). The sturdy bowl is both attractive and practical since there's no risk of it breaking or absorbing any aromas or flavors like a plastic can. It's also easier to clean, and you can sanitize the stainless steel part if you need to pop it into the dishwasher.