OXO Steel Salad Spinner

Product Information

Salad spinners can range in capacity from less than three quarts to over six quarts, with most falling somewhere in the middle. Consider the amount of storage space you have to spare relative to the number of people you have to feed. For a family, or the entertainer who is always hosting dinner parties, the larger the option the better. Some spinners even have a collapsible design to help you save on storage space without sacrificing capacity. Washing and drying lettuce is one of the most tedious, time-consuming and inconvenient processes we can possibly think of. When considering a spinner’s size, Sommerall says it’s important to factor in the amount of greens that will be washed on a regular basis in addition to how often the spinner will be used in general. 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. OXO Good Grips Large Salad Spinner: This was a solid salad spinner and shared many positive attributes with its winning relatives. It dried lettuce well and could accommodate large portions of greens, but if you’re looking for a plastic model, we still think the speed of the Zyliss is hard to beat. Still, if you're interested in this spinner, it's worth buying.

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.

Best large salad spinner

Pull Cord Spinners: These work just like they sound — simply pull the string to activate the spinning (kind of like a lawnmower). This style of salad spinner requires the least amount of effort, making it a great option for folks with limited mobility or reduced grip. However, the string can be susceptible to discoloration or even breakage with time. Additionally, having a clear container helps you to see the vegetables. “I also like them for storing greens in the fridge—if I can see the contents within, I find that it helps me cut down on food waste (‘out of sight, out of mind’),” Sommerall says. Standout features include the patented plunger, which is incredibly easy to operate—even one-handed. During testing, we lauded the minimal strength it took to depress the plunger while still feeling sturdy and comfortable in hand. It only took 10 pumps to completely clean and dry a large head of romaine lettuce, and no berries were bruised after five efficient plunges and fast-action braking. The wide, flat base has a rubber ring that we noted held the spinner completely secure on the counter while processing across all three tests. 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. One of the attributes we love about the Rosle salad spinner is its weight. Due to the glass and stainless steel construction, the bowl feels weighted and incredibly sturdy. The rubber seal is also very secure, which creates a tight fit. Since the glass adds stability, the offset crank handle doesn’t feel awkward, and you can get great control while spinning greens and vegetables.

In addition to the capacity, the size of the perforations in the colander should also be considered. “The perforations should be small enough to trap leaves of any size while also large enough to maximize the transmission of moisture from the basket to the outer collection bowl,” he says. 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. Fragile Herbs: Dry an 80-gram bunch of cilantro, looking to see if the salad spinner bruises or otherwise damages the herbs. Being easy to clean is key for any kitchen gadget to actually get used more than once," says McFall. Fortunately, all of the models we included are straightforward to care for: just wash them with hot, soapy water and let them dry completely between uses. All of these models are also dishwasher safe, but be aware that plastic is prone to warping or discoloration when dried with heat in the dishwasher. "Though the manufacturer may say that a salad spinner is dishwasher safe, hand wash your spinner," says Chandler. "Even the sturdiest of plastic spinners can warp in the dishwasher. I think the reason mine has lasted so long is that I always hand wash it." Handle-style spinners: Easier on the hand than the knob variety, a handle-style salad spinner is also difficult to store because of the awkward shape. The extended handle is attached to the gears, and as you manually spin the handle, the basket spins.Manual Spinners: These may be in the form of a hand crank or a knob, but all manual spinners are going to require a little effort on your part. Most spinners on the lower end of the price range tend to be manual.