I was eating dinner with a friend today. She asked how I prepared the micro green salad I served. I said, simply, “Just wash in the salad spinner.” “What?” she said, genuinely not knowing what a salad spinner does.
This isn’t a story to make fun of her, because up until a few years ago, I had no use for a salad spinner either. It seemed like a gimmicky one-use tool, precisely the kind of junk I try to avoid bringing into the kitchen.
Now that I’m consuming lots of fresh from the garden greens, I use a salad spinner almost daily. I clean mint for cocktails, kale and greens for meals, and leaves for salad.
If you don’t know, a salad spinner has a colander type bowl in which you place greens, herbs, or other unwashed leafy vegetables. Veggies are rinsed with water in the colander. Then, the colander bowl is placed inside a solid bowl and a lid with spinner is set on top. A pump or pullstring spins the colander. Water spins to the sides and collects in the solid bowl. You are left with washed, dry fresh greens.
I have an OXO SoftWorks Little Salad and Herb Spinner
my friend the salad spinner
It is perfect for making salads for two. When I make a big salad for large family gatherings or potlucks I run two or three batches. I prefer the small size because it fits easily in our kitchen cabinets. We have used this with no sign of wear for over 3 years.
While I have not tested many other models, I can say I do not recommend the KitchenAid Professional Salad Spinner
don't buy this one
The size is unwieldy and the design is overly complicated. A lock mechanism is very difficult to un-secure and use.
Do you have a salad spinner? Do you love it as much as I do?
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I have the oxo small one too! It’s the perfect size, I agree. Maybe this is a dumb question but where do you store all of your gadgets? In cupboards, on a shelf somewhere or on the counters. I’m having a difficult time with figuring out where to store everything. We dont’ have many storage options in our home.
i just discovered your blog and have been sifting through your posting when i discovered your salad spinner story.
i completely understand. even 2 years ago, i would have laughed at such single use item, but i also use mine almost every day. i actually have the large oxo version of the small one you have. ours fits on the top shelf of the potato cabinet- easily accessible and right next to the sink.
i never knew how useful a gadget could be. and now our baby loves to make salad, too. i sit on the floor, get the spinner spinning and she gets us the rest of the way there.
Daily use gadgets go in cabinet drawers or shelves. Specialty things (waffle iron, food mill, etc.) are stored in our basement pantry. Even with the kitchen remodel I feel like I could use hundreds more cubic feet of storage.