Need Salad Spinner Recommendations

[Shel_B]

Yep, the old one is about to go south. Any recommendations for a good one? Features to look for?

scb

[Kerry Beal]

I like the Oxo with the pump mechanism instead of a cord you have to pull.

[feedmec00kies]

I like the Oxo with the pump mechanism instead of a cord you have to pull.

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It also has that rubber button thing that you can press as a "brake". I don't know if other salad spinners come with that, though (Oxo seems to claim that it's patented like the pump mechanism).

FWIW, the Oxo Good Grips and the Zyliss Easy Spin Salad Spinner were the top picks for Cooks Illustrator (the Easy Spin is the updated version of their original test subject, where the pull cord sometimes wouldn't retract). They said that the Zyliss was able to try a bit faster and better, but they seem to still heavily prefer the Oxo because it's easy to use and the difference in performance is minor.

(edited to add some more info)

Edited August 25, 2008 by feedmec00kies (log)

[Dave the Cook]

The Oxo works just fine (see it here).

I prefer the Zyliss, though. It has a perfectly flat top, so you can store (lightweight) things on top of it. The pump on the Oxo locks down, but the top is still rounded. (The Zyliss has a brake too.)

[NancyH]

I vote for the Oxo. We have them in two sizes and use them constantly (the little one comes in handy for so many things!).

[Chris Amirault]

I had an Oxo and loved it, then the internal mechanism shredded or something so I bought a Zyliss. Maybe I'm just a dork, but I broke it within a month from pulling on the string too hard. Went back to the Oxo.

[paulraphael]

How about ditching the spinner and just using a bunch of towels? The spinner takes up space and doesn't get greens completely dry.

[Shel_B]

How about ditching the spinner and just using a bunch of towels? The spinner takes up space and doesn't get greens completely dry.

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There is more than enough space for the spinner. I don't have the patience to hand dry all those lettuce leaves, and some would be a PITA to hand dry, such as the spring mix I often use. With the spinner I now have, a 24yo Copco, the greens are dried very well as long as the spinner is not overloaded. Of course, it is possible that the Oxo and the Zyliss won't dry the greens as well as my current Copco does.

shel

[slkinsey]

The Oxo works just fine (see it here).

I prefer the Zyliss, though. It has a perfectly flat top, so you can store (lightweight) things on top of it. The pump on the Oxo locks down, but the top is still rounded. (The Zyliss has a brake too.)

I also prefer the Zyliss. I don't think any of the pump types can approach the maximum RPMs you get on the pullcord types.

[Shel_B]

I prefer the Zyliss, though. It has a perfectly flat top, so you can store (lightweight) things on top of it. The pump on the Oxo locks down, but the top is still rounded. (The Zyliss has a brake too.)

I also prefer the Zyliss.  I don't think any of the pump types can approach the maximum RPMs you get on the pullcord types.

Didn't find a Zyliss at the local stores that I check, but I did find a Cuisinart that had a crank like my old Copco, and unless something better comes along, I may end up with that.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Edited October 1, 2008 by Shel_B (log)

[weinoo]

I also prefer the Zyliss.  I don't think any of the pump types can approach the maximum RPMs you get on the pullcord types.

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Throwdown - I'll put my Oxo against your Zyliss any day.

[gfron1]

Zyllis doesn't make the pull cord anymore - only the pumps. And I've had so many pump spinners returned that I've stopped ordering them for my store.

[eldereno]

A friend of mine, who has little storage space, swears by an old pillow case (well washed, ofcourse) that she places the washed greens in, takes it outside, and swings over her head in a circular motion!

[HKDave]

A friend of mine, who has little storage space, swears by an old pillow case (well washed, ofcourse) that she places the washed greens in, takes it outside, and swings over her head in a circular motion!

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I do the same, indoors, using a clean dry kitchen towel. Underhand, so I don't spray the ceiling. In the shower works well if you're worried about the spray.

Salad spinners are one of those mono-functional semi-disposable needs-washing the-world-got-along-fine-without-them-until-recently bulky kitchen things that I don't want in my life.

Unlike, say, vertical-piston sausage stuffers, which no kitchen is complete without.

[ray goud]

I also have an OXO push-down type spinner; don't like it because it failed soon after I bought it, and though they replaced the broken top, now I don't trust it when I want to spin it as fast as I can using my pull-cord unit. I also don't like the way the pull-cord one reverses each time, but so far it has lasted more than TEN TIMES longer than the OXO.

I still cannot find an affordable spinner with internal metal mechanism, though there is one made for restaurants ($200+).

Ray

Edited October 5, 2008 by ray goud (log)

[KarenDW]

We use the OXO pump spinners at the community meal program for the 2 cases per week of greens we wash & dry. There are just not enough towels in the kitchen to dry all that lettuce. And the laundry ladies would have a few choice words for the kitchen staff, I'm sure.

The OXO have withstood use by several different users. The brake is still working, after 8 months. For $40 each, I figured we could buy quite a few of those for the same price as the industrial models.

[CaliPoutine]

We use the OXO pump spinners at the community meal program for the 2 cases per week of greens we wash & dry. There are just not enough towels in the kitchen to dry all that lettuce. And the laundry ladies would have a few choice words for the kitchen staff, I'm sure.

The OXO have withstood use by several different users. The brake is still working, after 8 months. For $40 each, I figured we could buy quite a few of those for the same price as the industrial models.

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Wow, that pisses me off. They're 24.99 in the US!!

[snowangel]

A friend of mine, who has little storage space, swears by an old pillow case (well washed, ofcourse) that she places the washed greens in, takes it outside, and swings over her head in a circular motion!

←

I do the same, indoors, using a clean dry kitchen towel. Underhand, so I don't spray the ceiling. In the shower works well if you're worried about the spray.

Salad spinners are one of those mono-functional semi-disposable needs-washing the-world-got-along-fine-without-them-until-recently bulky kitchen things that I don't want in my life.

Unlike, say, vertical-piston sausage stuffers, which no kitchen is complete without.

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Ahem. Minnesota in January, this just won't work unless you want frozen lettuce and a deck or driveway that's slicker than snot. Since we are only a family of five, I opt for some of my bazillion flour sack dish clothes.

[Fat Guy]

Our OXO pump-action salad spinner is almost ten years old. It hasn't been used constantly for all that time, but it has gone through periods of very heavy use -- it's in the middle of one such period right now, which has lasted for about the past three years.

The primary trick to getting lettuce very dry with a salad spinner is not to put too much in it (i.e., dry in batches if you're doing a whole head of lettuce). In addition, it helps to spin a few times and to adjust the lettuce between spins. This way all leaves get a chance at the outside edge, where the velocity is greatest. Finally, you need to give it a much longer spin than most people do. As a rule, I pump the thing 50 times.

I find that the salad spinner is a great convenience compared to any other method of drying lettuce. I also use the OXO as a vessel in which to wash lettuce and other greens. Once you fill it with water and swish the leaves around, the dirt falls through the mesh.

I store it on top of the refrigerator, covered with a disposable plastic shower cap (as a dust cover) about a hundred of which I pilfered from a hotel back in the day when I was a frequent business traveler.

[prasantrin]

There's a German(?) salad spinner with a pull-cord that I saw at my local Costco the other day. I forgot to take note of the brand (starts with a "W", I think), but I tried it out (on the shelf) and it seemed to work quite well. Next time I go I'll write it down, so if people are interested in the pull-cord type, they can research it.

[Chris Amirault]

The primary trick to getting lettuce very dry with a salad spinner is not to put too much in it (i.e., dry in batches if you're doing a whole head of lettuce). In addition, it helps to spin a few times and to adjust the lettuce between spins. This way all leaves get a chance at the outside edge, where the velocity is greatest. Finally, you need to give it a much longer spin than most people do. As a rule, I pump the thing 50 times.

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One more tip: empty the water when you adjust the lettuce; if you leave it in the bottom it spits up into the lettuce. And no one wants anything spit into their lettuce.

[prasantrin]

A Canadian company, Paderno, makes a salad spinner with a turn handle. I haven't tried it, but in my experience Paderno makes very good quality products (I have a little stainless steel pan that gives the most even browning I've ever seen on a grilled cheese sandwich).

The yellow one is on sale for $20 (Canadian), but the other colours are $38. That's an awful lot of money for a salad spinner!

[andiesenji]

I have both the large and small Oxo stainless steel salad spinners. Fairly expensive but after having "several" of the plastic ones become deformed and inoperable after going through the dishwasher, I opted for these almost indestructible units.

I use them all the time, the small is ideal for de-seeding sprouts (I do a lot of sprouting) and for herbs (I grow my own) and other small batch tasks.

The large one holds a lot of greens and I find it extremely useful for removing sand from coarsely chopped leeks. (A task that seems to take forever when rinsing by hand.)

Admittedly, not everyone needs something as heavy duty as these but they work for me.

I have tried, in the past, the string pull, the crank type (broke the crank the third time I used it) an interesting model with the plunger that spun the thing on the bottom of the doughnut-shaped bowl. (It was a disaster from day one) and the various ones with the pump mechanism center top.

I have to say that the plastic Oxo ones worked just fine for a few times until they suffered from being placed in my old dishwasher. They would probably have survived had they been washed by hand or in a regular dishwasher. (I had a Hobart commercial unit for quite a few years - too hot for most plastics.)

Edited November 6, 2008 by andiesenji (log)

[Sony]

Has anyone ever used the Kuhn Rikon salad spinner before? Any comments or reviews? Saw a couple at my local TJ Maxx and thought it might be a good buy, but only want to purchase if it works well. I guess I COULD just buy it and try it out, but would prefer to hear your experiences! Thanks!

[Sony]

Went ahead and bought the Kuhn Rikon- LOVE it! Only downsize the the handle coming off makes storage slightly awkward (Picture here.) I just stuck mine on top of my fridge.

The spinning mechanism with the handle is smooth and fast, water doesn't splash up from the bottom, even with fast RPM, the clear bowl is definitely attractive enough as a serving bowl.... and I love the button brake! We'll see about durability- have only had it for a month- but I'm considering it a decent investment so far....

ETA link to picture.

Edited July 24, 2009 by Sony (log)