The best salad spinners, and why they help you eat more salad

The best salad spinner for most kitchens is the OXO Good Grips model with a pump on top: you press it a few times and the leaves come out dry, with one hand and very little effort. A pull-cord spinner like the Zyliss Easy Spin 2 does the same job and packs flatter. If you mostly wash herbs or salad for one, a small spinner is easier to store and to clean.

Why a salad spinner makes a difference

Wet leaves make watery salad. Dressing slides off them and pools at the bottom of the bowl, so the salad tastes bland and you add more oil and salt to make up for it. Dry leaves hold a light dressing and stay crisp.

There is also the matter of effort. If washing and drying lettuce means patting leaves with a tea towel, salad becomes a weekend food. A spinner turns it into a two-minute job, which is often the difference between eating greens on a weeknight and not. That small change helps with the fibre and vegetables in our fibre guide.

A spinner is also good for washing herbs, rinsing berries gently, draining washed beans or pasta, and drying greens before you store them for the week.

What to look for

• Mechanism. Pump, crank, pull cord or a turning knob. Pump and pull-cord designs are the easiest to use with one hand. Cranks can wobble on a small counter.
• Size. A large spinner holds a whole head of lettuce. Smaller ones suit herbs and single portions and fit in the fridge more easily.
• Brake. A brake button stops the basket quickly so you can check the leaves and spin again.
• Stable base. A non-slip base stops the bowl dancing around the counter.
• Bowl. A clear bowl that is attractive enough to serve from saves washing a second bowl.
• Cleaning. Check whether the lid comes apart and whether the parts can go in the dishwasher.

How we chose

We looked at mechanism, capacity, stability, storage, how easy each is to clean and how long each model has been sold. We have not run our own tests. Prices change often, so check before you buy.

Best overall: OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner

Around $30

The spinner most kitchens should buy. A few presses spin the basket fast enough to dry a whole head of lettuce, and the brake lets you stop, toss and go again. The large size is the most useful; it is roomy enough for washing a week of greens at once.

What we like

• One-handed pump is easy to use
• Brake button stops the basket
• Non-slip base
• Clear bowl doubles as a serving bowl

Keep in mind

• Bulky to store
• Lid has several parts to dry after washing

Check price at Amazon

Best pull-cord design: Zyliss Easy Spin 2 Salad Spinner

Around $30

A good alternative if you find pumping awkward or want a lid that stacks flat in a cupboard. Pull the cord a few times and the basket spins up; the basket also works as a colander.

What we like

• Pull cord is quick and easy
• Cord retracts into a flat lid
• Lid handle folds down for stacking
• Basket can be used as a colander

Keep in mind

• Cord mechanism has more moving parts
• Bowl is plain rather than one to serve from

Check price at Amazon

Best small spinner: OXO Good Grips Little Salad and Herb Spinner

Around $25

For one or two people, or for anyone who washes a lot of herbs. Parsley, coriander and mint dry well in it and store better in the fridge once they are dry.

What we like

• Compact and easy to store
• Good for herbs and side salads
• Same simple pump and brake as the large model

Keep in mind

• Too small for a whole head of lettuce
• Costs nearly as much as the large one

Check price at Amazon

At a glance

How to wash and store salad greens

1. Separate the leaves, fill the bowl with cold water and swish the leaves in the basket.
2. Lift the basket out, tip away the gritty water and repeat if the leaves were muddy.
3. Spin in two or three short bursts, emptying the water between each one.
4. Store the dry leaves in a container lined with kitchen paper. They usually keep crisp for several days. Our glass meal prep containers guide covers boxes that seal well.

Questions people ask

Is a salad spinner worth it for one person?

Yes, if you eat salad or cook with leafy herbs more than once a week. A small spinner takes little space and makes washing a handful of leaves quick enough that you actually do it.

Do I need to wash bagged salad?

Bags labelled ready to eat or washed have been washed already. Washing them again at home can add a risk of cross-contamination from the sink, so follow the label. Whole lettuces and loose leaves need washing.

Can I use a salad spinner for other foods?

Yes. It rinses berries and cherry tomatoes gently, dries herbs, drains tinned beans and even dries washed potatoes before roasting. It is one of the more useful tools to keep after a kitchen declutter.

Photograph: AI-generated image

Filed under salad spinner, salad, vegetables, kitchen.