OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner
Product Review-Candace Baker, neighborhood homesteader
As some of you know from my blog, our family cultivates an organic garden during the summer. When we harvest lettuce or beet greens, the biggest chore I face is washing and drying the produce thoroughly. I used to do this all by hand and it took hours. Enter the OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner! This product is designed to remove excess water from freshly washed lettuce, spinach, or greens.
In addition to this purpose, I have also found that the spinner assists in the task of washing the greens, which is a huge time saver. After all of that spinning, you can even utilize the base as an attractive salad bowl for the table.
Another unexpected feature is that it is fun to use…so fun, my kids want to participate. Hmm…this spinner saves hours with cleaning and drying the harvested lettuce, reduces dirty dishes, and my kids want to help? Sounds like a win-win to me, but let’s take a closer look at the product:
Specifications for OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner, Large Clear:
· Dimensions are 10.5” X 10.5” X 6”
· Simple control with a pump apparatus and braking mechanism
· Dual usage: The clear bowl may be used for serving; the basket also functions as a colander
· Rubber ring on the bottom keeps the spinner in place while in operation
· Dishwasher safe
Where to purchase and pricing:
· $29.90 on Amazon.com
· $30 on Williams-Sonoma.com
· $32.99 on Walmart.com
Alternatives:
· OXO Good Grips Little Salad & Herb Spinner (same product, but smaller size) $26.49 on Amazon.com
· Mueller Large 5L Salad Spinner- This alternative salad spinner product priced on Amazon.com. for $25.99. I have not used it before.
The Mueller rated 4.9 out of 5 stars (2159 reviews) versus the OXO , which rated 4.3 out of 5 stars (4715 reviews). The main complaint with the Mueller spinner was that a few buyers experienced reduction in quality over time. In comparison, the main complaint for the OXO was that it failed to extract enough water from the leaves after several spins.
My experiences:
I have owned this product for a year and have used it an estimated 30 times, with the additional task of cleaning the greens. The product still is in mint shape and operates properly. I am able to spin about 16 oz. of greens at one time. As some reviews have mentioned, it does take me several spins to extract as much water as possible. I do set the greens on a paper towel afterwards to remove any excess water.
I found that cleaning and drying the top lid can be a chore. The lid does separate from the pumping mechanism, but you need to be careful. If I wash the lid and pump as one unit, it takes quite a while to air dry.
Check out my video so you can view the product’s performance first hand:
Pros:
· Has maintained function and appearance over many uses
· The dual aspect the colander assist in the entire cleaning/drying process
· After processing, the greens can easily be stored in the serving bowl and lid
· Kids love to play with it
Cons:
· Takes several spins to achieve the desired dryness factor
· Cleaning the top lid can be complicated
Conclusions:
Overall, I would recommend this product highly. Although it may take more than one spin to reach the dryness specifications, the product saves me quite a bit of time. I am willing to put up with the cleaning issue, which usually is a necessary evil when dealing with kitchen gadgets.
