OXO Good Grips Little Salad & Herb Spinner, Plastic

Product Information

Sometimes, you can find an outer bowl with a flow-through design with holes in the bottom to drain the water as you spin. The advantage is that the lettuce dries faster, but this has to be done over a sink to avoid messy spillage. Many types of salad spinners have an outer bowl that doesn't feature holes in the bottom, though. The upside is that you can do your spinning on the counter, but you must dump your bowl periodically to drain the water. There are some models, like the Westmark, that have pour spouts that allow for a more convenient draining experience. As far as bowl material goes, for efficient spinning, you need to be able to see your product to know when it's dry. Clear bowls are best for this, but they're not as attractive if you want to also use them as a serving bowl. Stainless steel bowls tend to be more expensive but make attractive serving bowls. A plethora of great features make this all-plastic salad spinner a winner. The lid has a hole and a strainer, so you can fill the whole thing with water, use the spinner to agitate the greens, then pour the water out through the hole, while the strainer keeps everything inside. This is especially helpful for very dirty or sandy greens, such as spinach, and it's the only spinner we tested that had this feature.

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 OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner is one of the best push-button style models in our fleet. The push button fits nicely into the palm of our hand, and the downward force made the spinning operation very simple. Cleaning is quite simple, simply requiring you to pull apart the lid — unlike other units that require you to remove a screw. The included brake button worked well and did not need excessive force to stop. In our water and dirt removal tests, this unit performed above average. The colander did not have sharp edges, making it easier to clean. 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. Both lids – one to top the basket and the other housing the spinning mechanism – are transparent, allowing you to easily see when your food is ready. As the bowl is clear and elegantly styled, it can also be used for serving your salad dish.

Along with overall construction, size, and quality, we tested the bowl's versatility with other tasks—such as mixing pancake batter. Since we love multi-function kitchen tools, we also noticed how the bowls worked as serving vessels (for example, if they retained food temperature). Additionally, some units had a colander that was more difficult to clean for one reason or another. We attempted to take apart, clean, and prepare to dry each unit in under five minutes. All of the contenders were cleaned within this timeframe, but some were easier than others. Five of the models impressed us throughout the cleaning process; these were the Cuisinart CTG-00-SSAS, OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner, OXO Steel, Mueller 5-Liter Vegetable Washer, and Prepworks Collapsible 3-Quart Spinner. Constructed from BPA-free plastic, the lime green basket is housed in a transparent bowl. Measuring 26 cm in diameter and with a depth of around 13 cm, this spinner is ideal for feeding a family. Saving even more washing-up, the bowl can also be used to serve your salad. Once you’ve finished your meal, the basket, bowl and lids all separate easily, for straightforward cleaning.

Conclusion

However, if you don’t remove enough water, you’re guaranteed to end up with a puddle on your plate, making everything else soggy, too. You're not limited to spinning with this model. After using the colander to rinse an entire box of tagliatelle, we segued it to the table in the brushed stainless steel bowl for family dinner. We also used it to mix pancake batter and lauded its versatility for more than salad spinning. Our one negative comment was after following the manufacturer’s instructions to wash it in the dishwasher, we found water spots all over the stainless steel bowl that took some vigorous rubbing with a clean, dry hand towel to remove. As such, we recommend not washing the bowl in the dishwasher to preserve its beauty and longevity. Certain units performed poorly in this category, specifically the Brieftons BR-SS-02, which only removed 67% of the dirt water, and the Mueller 5-Liter Vegetable Washer, which only removed 70% of the dirt water. Ease of Spinning Keeping the spinner secure while operating is a concern. Look for a wide base to ensure stability and features like non-slip coating or feet that make them even more balanced and steady.