To help you find the best salad spinner for your kitchen, I’ve personally tested each of the products on this list. I washed large and small heads of lettuce, as well as delicate herbs to assess how well each of these spinners dries, whether they cause damage to delicate produce, and how much they’ll wobble over your countertop. In addition, I considered how easy the spinners are to store, use, and clean. After all was said and done, I found the OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner is the one to have in your cabinet. From collapsible spinners for small spaces to hands-off electric driers, these are the best salad spinners for every kitchen. What We Don’t Love: Plastic bowl may scratch easily This simple, plunge-style salad spinner from OXO is an all-around winner for durability, capacity, and performance. This is the spinner I prefer to use at home. In my tests, the machine dried a full basket of chopped romaine thoroughly in about one minute. The clear plastic bowl allows you to see how much water is accumulating outside the basket, so it’s easy to dump and continue spinning. The plunge mechanism is sturdy and easy to use with one hand, plus the bowl won’t move around too much on the counter. To stop mid-spin, simply press the brake button before opening the lid to avoid flying lettuce. When you’re done, the entire spinner can be cleaned in the dishwasher and the plunge locks flat for easy storage. Price at time of publish: $30Dimensions: 10.5 x 6 inches | Capacity: 6.2 quarts | Dishwasher Safe: Yes What We Don’t Love: The plastic handle breaks easily For kitchens low on storage space, this collapsible salad spinner is a game-changer. It folds closed from a height of 5.25 inches to a compact 2.5 inches, so it can even be stored in a drawer. It’s also lightweight and would be a good option for travel, camping, or an RV trip. The plastic materials, however, may not be the sturdiest. The handle used to spin the basket came off during my tests, though I was able to pop it back into place. The interior basket also has a large rubber portion to allow it to collapse but also limits the amount of water that can drain. For this reason, the spinner took longer to dry lettuce than other models. And spinning the small handle can get tiring; it’s a two-handed job because the bowl will wobble about once it picks up some momentum. Price at time of publish: $40Dimensions: 9.5 x 5.25 inches when open; 9.5 x 2.5 inches collapsed | Capacity: 3 quarts | Dishwasher Safe: Yes What We Don’t Love: Does not fit an entire head of lettuce The smaller version of our best all-around salad spinner, this cute 11-cup device is ideal for smaller households. It’s also easier to clean for any household without a dishwasher. It can fit about half of a head of chopped romaine or a full bunch of herbs and dries things easily without bruising. During my tests, the spinner needed to be emptied a few times before the lettuce was totally dry, but the process took less than two minutes. And thanks to the clear bowl, there’s no guesswork. As soon as you see water gathering in the bottom of the spinner, simply dump it out and continue drying. This model is dishwasher-safe and the plunger locks in a flat position for storage. Price at time of publish: $25Dimensions: 8 x 6 inches | Capacity: 3 quarts | Dishwasher Safe: Yes What We Don’t Love: Multiple pieces to keep track of, pricey For a gleaming spinner that matches your appliances, you can’t go wrong with this stainless model from Skyhome. This spinner has a spacious 5-quart capacity that can easily fit a whole head of chopped romaine. This option uses a string pulley system to dry the lettuce, which may not last as long as the plunger style, as the string can fray, especially with regular dishwashing. The spinner comes with a plastic lid that secures tightly to the bowl and is handy for storing washed greens without waste or plastic bags. It also has a sturdy rubberized bottom that minimizes movement, but you’ll need two hands to pull the cord and hold the bowl in place. Dimensions: 15.75 x 11.5 inches | Capacity: 5 quarts | Dishwasher Safe: Yes What We Don’t Love: No low battery indicator Bring your salad washing into the future with a hands-off electric spinner. Once you’ve filled the basket and secured the lid, just press a button and let this whirring machine do its job. The spinner whirls for about 10 seconds with each press, so you can drain off any water between cycles if necessary (I found that one head of lettuce needed three cycles). It’s quiet and stays in place, but it’s best not to leave the spinner too close to the edge of the counter, While you do need to charge the battery via the USB port in the lid, it lasts for 100 or more spins. However, the machine does not indicate if the battery is low, so you could end up with a dirty head of lettuce, a dead machine, and no manual backup option. Price at time of publish: $30Dimensions: 9.29 x 6.38 inches | Capacity: 4 quarts | Dishwasher Safe: No What We Don’t Love: Wobbles a lot, must be used in a sink This unique spinner has a minimalist design with no outer bowl or even a lid. It’s simply a rotating colander that uses a spirling plunger to spin away excess liquid. This colander has a rounded bottom that makes it pretty unstable, though, so you can’t build up too much momentum. Because only the bottom has slits to allow water to escape, it can take longer to dry lettuce in this spinner than my other recommendations. But if you’re looking for a practical colander for drying all kinds of things, such as cherry tomatoes, grapes, and other small or chopped produce, this is a good option (not to mention good-looking!). Price at time of publish: $64Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.75 inches | Dishwasher Safe: Yes
What Are the Other Options?
Niitawh Salad Spinner: We considered this model as an option for our best budget pick. It’s certainly cute and the handle makes it easy to hold, but, during testing, the handle did break off pretty easily (it was able to be popped back on). When it came time to dry lettuce, it was too small for a full head of romaine and the spinning mechanism was uncomfortable. Between these issues and that it can’t be washed in a dishwasher leads us to not recommend it.
How We Tested
Our tester and writer Lizzy Briskin sifted through dozens of highly-rated salad spinner options, closely looking at consumer reviews and available manufacturer information, to choose her top picks. We then purchased these products for Lizzy so she could put them to the test in her home kitchen. She assessed the design and checked the specifications. To test them, she used each to dry one head of romaine lettuce and one bunch of cilantro or parsley. Then, she washed and dried each one to see if any of the finish easily came off or if it warped in the dishwasher. After testing, Lizzy submitted feedback about what she liked and didn’t like about each product and rated each one on the following features: Performance, Ease of Use, Stability, and Overall Value. Learn more about how we test products.
What to Look for When Buying a Salad Spinner
Design
The most important design feature to consider with a new salad spinner is the spinning mechanism. You’ll find plunger-style spinners, those with pull cords, and others with handles that you manually spin. And now, there are even fully electric options! I’ve found that plunger-style spinners last the longest, as string can fray and break and the manual handles can come apart.
Capacity
The size of the best salad spinner comes down to your personal needs. If you’re a salad aficionado who feeds a family of leaf-eaters, you’ll want a larger option. “I prefer a larger salad spinner because I often use it for voluminous greens, like curly kale,” says Lexi Harrison, creator of the Crowded Kitchen. “I also find that the more space there is, the easier it is to thoroughly dry your lettuce. Plus, if you don’t have a ton of storage space, you can always store some smaller, stackable mixing bowls inside.” And even if you’re only feeding two or three people, a bigger spinner gives your lettuce more space, which can make drying faster. On the other hand, if storage space is at a premium, a smaller or collapsible spinner is a great option to get the job done without dominating cabinet space.
Maintenance
If you’re using your salad spinner to clean herbs and greens, most of the time you can simply empty out the bowl, give it a rinse, and let it air dry. Then, every few uses, it’s a good idea to do a more thorough clean, especially the outer bowl, which can collect dirt and residue. Fortunately, many salad spinners are dishwasher-safe. If not, use warm, soapy water and let the pieces dry fully. If there is still some condensation in the lid or bowl, use a towel to wipe it away before storage.
Do salad spinners help keep lettuce fresh?
Moisture is the enemy of crispiness when it comes to lettuce (and most things). So as long as you remove as much moisture from the lettuce as possible and your spinner has a lid, it can help keep your greens fresher for longer. “Here are my favorite tips for keeping lettuce fresh: If you purchase lettuce or greens in a plastic box, open the box, place 1-2 sheets of paper towel on top, close it, and store the box upside down,” says Harrison. “The paper towel collects any excess moisture, keeping the lettuce fresh for longer. The same goes for loose lettuce or lettuce heads—you can wrap them in paper towel to help collect moisture, which causes soft, mushy leaves.”
Can you store lettuce in a salad spinner?
For the freshest, crispest lettuce, it’s best to wait until just before eating to wash the greens. However, if you’re prepping your veggies ahead of time and have the space in your fridge, you certainly can keep dry lettuce in the spinner for two to three days.
What can you dry in salad spinners?
To maximize the use of your spinner, use it for more than just greens. Rinse all kinds of produce in the inner colander. If things are very dirty, fill the bowl with water to soak fruits and veggies before draining and spinning dry. “I like to use my salad spinner to salt eggplant or zucchini before cooking. The spinner makes clean-up easier because all of the moisture collects in the bowl,” says Harrison. “Then, you can give the vegetables a spin before cooking to remove extra moisture for better searing. It’s also great for washing vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Give them a quick spin after washing so they crisp up nicely in the oven.”
Why Trust Simply Recipes?
We thoroughly research the top products on the market to identify the best tools, appliances, and gadgets for home cooks. From tried-and-true brands to up-and-coming newcomers worth paying attention to, we stay in the loop about all things kitchen-related so you never miss a bite. All of the products in this article were tested and reviewed by Lizzy Briskin, a chef, food writer, and recipe developer who is a daily salad for lunch girl. Read Next: The Best Vegetable Steamers
