Salad spinners are an essential tool for the salad enthusiast. The best way to buy lettuce is as whole heads, as they can last up to 1 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator. Anytime you are buying head lettuce, you want to wash it because it can have dirt and bugs in the inner layers. You probably want to wash other lettuces you buy at the store too, as most of them say “wash before using.” Salad spinners make it easy to remove any excess water from your lettuce, preventing spoilage in the fridge and making it easier for dressings to stick to their surfaces.
When we looked on Amazon, we saw more than a few models of salad spinners. We decided to rank and rate them, looking at Design, Capacity, Clean Up, and Features. We ranked each category on a 1 to 5 scale, where 1 was the worst and 5 was the best. Using these rankings, and other unique features of each salad spinner, we came up with an Overall Score.
If you look at the table below, you will see the overview of how each product stood up to our tests. You can click on each product to see more information on each brand’s individual page.
Overall Salad Spinners Review Scores
Brand | Design | Capacity | Clean up | Features | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cave Tools | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Culina | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4.5 |
Cuisinart | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4.5 |
OXO | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Cave Tools Large Salad Spinner Set
Using this quick dry salad spinner is pretty simple, even if you haven’t used one before. You chop up the food to your preferred size and throw it in the basket. Then take it to the sink and run it under the faucet for a while. Then put the basket in the bowl, put the lid on and drain the excess, and then start spinning. You can, of course, wash the salad using another method, and then use the Cave Tools salad spinner to dry it. It doesn’t have to be salad, you can dry anything that will fit, including grapes and strawberries, etc. and even pasta. In case you’re wondering, three quarts is about the size of a whole head of lettuce when it’s chopped up. Personally, that’s more than enough lettuce for most purposes!
This Product Is Ranked as the #1 Pitmaster’s Choice In The Salad Spinners CategoryCulina Salad Spinner Set
One of the best features of this large salad spinner is the positioning of the handle. It’s on the side of the unit, which means you can use one hand to steady the unit, and the other to turn it. It has three large feet underneath to stop it moving around while you use it. The handle moves smoothly with little effort, the basket spins up to some impressive speeds, making drying quicker and more efficient. The brake button also works as it should, actually stopping the basket instantly, not just slowing it down.
If you don’t mind the two points I mentioned above, this is a fair salad spinner for the money, quite robust, and there’s something very satisfying about the way it works.
Cuisinart Salad Spinner for Fruit and Vegetables
The Cuisinart salad spinner is made from green and white plastic, with a clear plastic bowl. It measures around 10” x 7”, and has a capacity of approximately four quarts. The lid has a built-in handle with a spinning knob for easy turning. There are also two clips on the lid to hold it in place on the bowl. The lid also has a coverable hole for adding water, and a slotted drain. The base of the clear bowl has a non-skid feature.
Overall, I’d say the Cuisinart salad spinner & dryer is an average product for an average price.
OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner
This particular OXO salad spinner is made from BPA free plastic. The bowl and lid are clear, the pump mechanism and basket are green. The pump handle can be locked in the down position for ease of storage. There is also a brake button built into the lid. It measures approximately 10.5” x 6” giving it a capacity of about five quarts. The bottom of the bowl features a non-slip ring rather than rubber feet.
