Cuisinart Draining Salad Spinner, 5-Quart

Salads are yummy and healthy, but buying, cleaning and drying produce can be a lot of work. Making matters worse, after you wash your vegetables, the moisture seems to cling, creating a big pool of water on your plate. With a salad spinner, you can wick away all that moisture before you eat, keeping yourself and your family safe from contaminates without sacrificing a good eating experience.

A salad spinner typically has three components: the bowl, a removable strainer basket and a lid with a mechanism to operate the spinner on it. With the strainer basket installed in the bowl, you put your vegetables inside, place the lid on top, then press the button or move the knob. This produces a spinning motion that removes water from the produce.

Although salad spinners can take up a lot of space for a single-job item you may not use every day, some newer ones are built to be useful outside of spinning vegetables. You can remove the strainer and use it as a colander, for instance. Also, the large bowl can hold fruit, dinner side items or whatever else you need on a typical day.

Traditionally, salad spinners had a handle that you used to spin your salad manually. But more recent options build in a button or lever that you use to activate the spin function. On some, once the moisture has been removed to your satisfaction, you may press a brake that stops the spinning so you can quickly remove the items inside without being splashed with water.

• Before you buy a salad spinner, consider where you’ll store it when you aren’t using it. A larger salad spinner can be great for whole families, but it also takes up more room than a smaller unit.
• Some spinners have an extra vent that lets you remove or add water without lifting the lid.
• Lightweight spinners can tend to wobble when they’re spinning. If you want a sturdier option, look for a spinner built with thicker glass or plastic that gives more stability. You can also look for spinners with a rubber base for more friction.
• Some salad spinners have to be hand-washed when you’re finished using them. If you’d prefer to just toss it in the dishwasher, look for a dishwasher-safe option that can resist the heat.
• Although many spinners feature a glass base, some are made with stainless steel. This can provide more stability while it’s spinning, but steel isn’t see-through like glass. If you opt for stainless steel, make sure it has a clear lid that allows you to see the internal contents so you’ll know when your produce is dry.
• One-handed operation can be convenient when you’re trying to do multiple things at once, so look for spinners with that option if it’s a priority.
• One of the best things about a salad spinner is that it will encourage you to eat healthier. Instead of thinking about how much work it will be to clean and dry your produce, you can easily wash the items, making it more likely you’ll indulge in veggies instead of less healthy snacks and side items.