The 5 Best Salad Spinners, According to Chefs and Our Testing
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Get rid of grit and water residue with our top tested picks.
Food & Wine / Kevin Liang
The perfect green salad starts with fresh, crisp lettuce free of grit and insects from the field as well as grime that might accumulate before it reaches your kitchen. After a refreshing bath under the kitchen faucet, leaves need to be thoroughly dried before you dress them. If not, the oil in your vinaigrette will slide right off the wet leaves, pooling as a soupy mess in the bottom of your salad bowl. If you do dry your greens, an emulsified salad dressing will evenly coat each leaf.
The best salad spinners don't slip or wobble across the counter as they spin, still drying greens quickly and thoroughly without much user effort. We tested top salad spinners against criteria such as size, material, and ease of cleaning. Read on for our full list of the best salad spinners.
Best Overall : OXO Glass Salad Spinner
Pros
The glass bowl can also double as a serving bowl.
Cons
The glass bowl could break if not handles correctly.
It's hard not to fall in love with the glass bowl on Oxo's glass salad spinner. The glass version employs the same push-down spinner that can lock into place like its stainless steel and plastic brethren. The glass bowl has a small plastic disk that elevates the spinner above the water so your dried greens stay dry.
The plastic top fits nicely into the glass bowl, which can also be used as a serving bowl once you're done prepping. It was hard for us to choose this over the stainless version, but we like the added benefit of being able to see how clean the water is for especially dirty items, like cilantro. The sturdiness of the clear bowl was another factor that gave the glass Oxo the competitive edge.
Price at time of publish: $65
Dimensions: 7.32 x 12.05 x 12.28 inches
Spinning Method: Push button
Capacity: 4.4 quarts
Best Durability : Oxo Steel Salad Spinner
Pros
It has a sturdy build, and the push-button spinning mechanism dries greens quickly and thoroughly.
Cons
At more than double the cost of the plastic model, occasional users may not justify the additional expense.
Oxo has a well-deserved reputation for making high-quality, user-friendly kitchen tools of all stripes, and their line of salad spinners proves to be no exception. In addition to the easy-yet-powerful push mechanism that is universal to Oxo's salad spinners, in this model, we especially like the added durability of the stainless steel bowl (as opposed to the plastic or glass options). The sturdy bowl is both attractive and practical since there's no risk of it breaking or absorbing any aromas or flavors like a plastic can. It's also easier to clean, and you can sanitize the stainless steel part if you need to pop it into the dishwasher.
Kristy Mucci, author of Salad Party, also likes its versatility: "I like the strong grip of the non-slip base, and it's good for more than just salad spinning. I dress my salads in it, and I reach for it whenever I need an extra prep bowl or a lidded container for refrigerator storage. I also think it's nicer looking than any plastic salad spinner, plus it'll stay nicer looking longer because stainless steel doesn't get sad with age the way plastic does."
Price at time of publish: $65
Dimensions: 10.5 x 10.5 x 8 inches
Spinning Method: Push button
Capacity: 6.34 quarts
Best Splurge : Rösle Stainless Steel Salad Spinner
Pros
You can operate the salad spinner with one hand.
Cons
The glass lid could break if not handled correctly, and it is sometimes difficult to take off.
One of the attributes we love about the Rosle salad spinner is its weight. Due to the glass and stainless steel construction, the bowl feels weighted and incredibly sturdy. The rubber seal is also very secure, which creates a tight fit. Since the glass adds stability, the offset crank handle doesn’t feel awkward, and you can get great control while spinning greens and vegetables.
It may be pricey, but it’s easy to clean and should last you a long time. A salad spinner with a turning knob is great for produce that requires a gentler approach than setting it into motion with a push button. "Personally, I prefer salad spinners with a manual spin knob," says Jennifer Chandler, author of Simply Salads. Because it only rotates as quickly as you spin it, "the manual spin knob gives more control than the pump or string-pull spinning mechanisms, allowing you to spin even the most delicate of lettuces and fresh herbs."
Price at time of publish: $102
Dimensions: 10.43 x 7.68 inches
Spinning Method: Crank handle
Capacity: 5.7 quarts
Related: The 7 Best Kitchen Tongs
Best Value: Oxo Good Grips Salad Spinner
Pros
A sturdy spinning mechanism dries greens quickly and thoroughly.
Cons
The plastic degrades over time, turning cloudy and prone to cracks, though hand washing would help maintain it.
The Good Grips salad spinner integrates Oxo's reliable engineering with lower-cost materials, making it a strong budget competitor to our top pick — especially if you don't mind hand washing. If you do, know this BPA-free plastic salad spinner is dishwasher-safe on the top rack.
All of the chefs and experts we consulted recommended some form of an Oxo salad spinner, and the plastic model comes in both 8- and 10-inch diameters. Chef Abra Berens, author of the book Ruffage, sums up the merits of her "very trusty Oxo salad spinner," saying, "I've always had a little one and then asked for the larger version for a wedding present. Fifteen and ten years later, respectively, they are still going strong. I use the little one for herbs and the big one for greens of all sorts. I also tend to use the basket to rinse fruit like berries and then let them drip dry in the base of the bowl. I'm sure there are other brands and options out there, but until these two break, I won't look!"
Price at time of publish: $30
Dimensions: 6 x 10.5 x 10.5 inches for large; 6 x 8 x 8 inches for small
Spinning Method: Push button
Capacity: 6.22 quarts for large; 3 quarts for small
Best Fast-Dry: Zyliss E940005 Swift Dry Salad Spinner
Pros
It dried our herbs and lettuce very fast.
Cons
The salad spinner holds too much moisture in the lid mechanism after washing.
Out of all the salad spinners we tested, the Zyliss Swift Dry lives up to its name with speed. It dried our greens and fruit the fastest out of all the models we tried. It's a generous size, which means you can fit a lot into it. The price is also more reasonable if you find others too pricey. The pedal-style pump mechanism quickly spins the basket and also sits nicely inside the lid for storage. Washing the spinner is easy, but take extra care when drying since there are a lot of parts in the lid that could hold water. We like how you can operate the tool with one hand and know it will be stable. The clear bowl also allows you to see the status of your cleaning water instead of a green tint, as some other manufacturers use.
Price at time of publish: $43
Dimensions: 10.24 x 10.24 x 5.91 inches inches
Spinning Method: Hand-powered crank
Capacity: 5 quarts
Factors to Consider
Type of Spinner
There are various types of salad spinners with different types of methods for the actual spinning. A pull-cord spinner operated like an old-school lawnmower. You pull a ring of some sort, and it spins the internal compartment. There are spinners with integrated handles you maneuver with. And finally, there are knob-style and pump spinners that turn the dryer insert by pushing or turning. These often have a piece that sticks up and can get caught on drawers, but many pump styles have a locking mechanism. The pump mechanism tends to have the most power out of all the options.
Size
There's no denying that a salad spinner is a bulky contraption, but if you make a lot of salad, it's worth making room to store it. Storage aside, consider the volume of salad you'll be making to determine what size is right for you. A three-quart model will do the trick for side salads for a few people, but for anything more than that, a six-quart model is the way to go.
Material
Depending on whether you prioritize versatility, durability, or price, different salad spinners will best suit your needs. If you want your salad spinner to do double-duty to both dry greens and function as a serving bowl, glass or metal is worth spending a bit more. Metal stands on its own as the only option that will never crack or shatter, but if you don't need your spinner to do anything but occasionally dry some greens, an inexpensive plastic model will suit your needs just fine.
Cleanup
"Being easy to clean is key for any kitchen gadget to actually get used more than once," says McFall. Fortunately, all of the models we included are straightforward to care for: just wash them with hot, soapy water and let them dry completely between uses. All of these models are also dishwasher safe, but be aware that plastic is prone to warping or discoloration when dried with heat in the dishwasher. "Though the manufacturer may say that a salad spinner is dishwasher safe, hand wash your spinner," says Chandler. "Even the sturdiest of plastic spinners can warp in the dishwasher. I think the reason mine has lasted so long is that I always hand wash it."
How We Tested Salad Spinners
We washed mountains of cilantro, parsley, and lettuce to evaluate how these top brands performed. In order to score top marks, the lettuce had to be properly cleaned, easily dried with little residual water (we evaluated that with a paper towel test), and also easy to use. We also looked at how much water the unit retained after use since more complicated parts can mean moisture hangs around. We also wanted to see how easy it was to store in typical drawers and cabinets. So, overly complicated or protruding mechanisms scored lower than those with flush tops.
Other Salad Spinners We Tested
We tested three models that we don't recommend for one reason or another. The Mueller 5L Salad Spinner Vegetable Washer with Bowl is square in shape and too small for some families. The lever stuck repeatedly during use, which eliminated it from the competition. The knob on the Cuisinart Salad Spinner was clunky, and we didn't like how it protruded. It got caught in our drawer too many times during testing. Finally, the Farberware Pump Spinner did not get our lettuces and herbs dry enough. There was a lot of residual water when we pressed a paper towel onto the greens after spinning it multiple times.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do salad spinners work?
Nearly all salad spinners share the same basic construction: a basket set inside a larger bowl, topped with a lid that houses a spinning mechanism that is powered by either a cord, crank, or pump that uses centrifugal force to spin the basket, sending the residual water on the leaves out while holding the greens in.
Why should I wash my lettuce and greens?
Lettuce and greens are delicate, low-growing crops and are susceptible to a range of environmental influences as they grow. Unwashed lettuce can result in everything from a benign but unpleasant mouthful of gritty salad to ingesting dangerous bacteria like E. Coli or listeria. According to the Food and Drug Administration, raw produce can be contaminated by animals, harmful substances in the soil or water, pesticides (organic or inorganic), and improper human handling. Per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), after produce is harvested, "it passes through many hands, increasing the contamination risk. Contamination can even occur after the produce has been purchased, during food preparation, or through inadequate storage."
How can I keep my greens fresh?
Because moisture speeds up decomposition, the best way to keep greens fresh is to wait to wash them until the day you eat them. If you do want to prep them in advance, store washed greens between layers of dry-to-damp paper towels (depending on how dry your greens are) in a sturdy, lidded container in the fridge — like a salad spinner.
"Don't just use your salad spinner to clean lettuce. It's also the best way to store your lettuce in the fridge," says Chandler. "The spinner allows air to circulate around the lettuces, keeping it fresher longer than in an airtight container like Tupperware or a resealable plastic bag." If you don't have room for a larger container, a large zip-top bag will do the trick, but you risk greens bruising in the shifting and stacking of normal fridge traffic. If you notice your lettuce looking a little sad, submerge the leaves in cold water for 10 to 20 minutes to crisp them back up, then dry and enjoy.
What is a good size for a salad spinner?
It depends on what you are using it for and your household size. More compact ones, which average around three quarts, are good for herbs and berries. Larger sizes, such as five quarts, are sufficient for larger households and big quantities of greens. If you process a lot more, consider getting a more commercial type used at farms.
Our Expertise
Jennifer Zyman is a Senior Commerce Writer for Food & Wine and a former restaurant critic with a culinary school degree and over 15 years of food writing experience. Her work has appeared in Atlanta Magazine, Bon Appetit, Eater Atlanta, The Kitchn, Local Palate, National Geographic, Simply Recipes, Southern Living, and Thrillist. For this piece, she tested each salad spinner side by side.
We also consulted five chefs who know their way around a sinkful of greens: Kristy Mucci, author of Salad Party; Abra Berens, chef, farmer, and author of Ruffage; Jennifer Chandler, author of Simply Salads; Jackie Sappington, owner of Harlow Cafe in Portland; and Tom McFall, owner of Huriyali in Charleston, S.C.
Liz Mundle also contributed to this piece. She is a writer, editor, and chef in New York City with over a decade of experience in kitchens and magazines. Her writing has appeared in Food & Wine, Saveur, and Domino, among others.
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