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The best tools are the ones you continue to reach for even when their novelty has worn off. They are the ones that you keep using over and over again. You don’t ever hesitate to invest in cleaning, storing or caring for them because you know the value they bring is so great. Such is the case of the venerable OXO salad spinner, the modern evolution of a brilliant product patented in the early ‘70s by French designers Jean Mantelet and Gilberte Fouineteau.
My own experience with the spinner goes back well into my single-in-New York days when a wise married friend of mine implored me to pick one up immediately and suggested that my culinary life was impossibly hobbled by its absence. I recall laughing about it at the time, but as soon as I pushed down on the plunger for the first time, I realized that this was going to be a game changer.
One important note: The salad spinner is easy enough to engage, but many people aren’t using it correctly. While you can use the basket as a basic colander to drain water, it’s best to keep the basket in the bowl while submerging the lettuce or greens entirely in water, and then pour out said water before spinning the vegetables dry. This way, you’re properly cleaning and drying, and you can keep your eyes on the water to ensure it’s good and clean.
I’ve always opted for the plastic version, and they have served me well for decades, but the spinner also comes in stainless and with a glass bowl, if either of those suits your fancy.
Other OXO Essentials
OXO Swivel Peeler
While we’re on the topic of vegetables and OXO, there are a few other items that can elevate your salad game. The modest peeler was the product that launched the OXO empire (now part of the multibillion-dollar consumer products company Helen of Troy). Company founder Sam Farber disrupted a staid category by designing a larger, non-slip ergonomic grip that would help his wife Betsey cook in spite of her arthritis. Thirty years later, it’s still my go-to replacement for those clumsy all-steel units of yore.
OXO Good Grips Chopper
Sometimes, a salad calls for slices of vegetables — perfect discs of cucumbers and nice big rings of onion. But other times the mood calls for more of a melange, and for that, the Chopper is a must-have. It’s like having a mini food processor in the palm of your hand, making short work of finely dicing peppers, cukes, onions, carrots, celery or olives — anything with a bit of structure and you’re good to go.
OXO 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer
The avocado is an exceptional food — they taste great, they’re a good source of fiber, and they’re full of heart-friendly fats. They are also exceptionally difficult to handle once cut, and doing battle with a half-sliced ripe avocado while holding a sharp knife is not for the novice. (Let alone removing a pesky seed.) Enter the 3-in-1 avo multi-tool, which halves, pits and slices — all with blades that are not sharp to the touch.
OXO Rotary Grater
When it comes to dressing a salad, I’m a fan of topping things off with slices of finely grated cheese. Almost anything, almost always. And for years, I grated cheese using an old box grater like our forebears used to employ. Knuckles were nicked and cleaning was a chore. There are a lot of excellent grating implements out there nowadays, but the Seal and Store Rotary Grater is a stroke of brilliance. It grates and it stores. No more fishing the parmesan out of a bag, doing your work and placing it back with a mess of shavings in tow.
OXO Precision Pour Glass Dispenser Set
There’s nothing more culinarily deflating than making a perfect salad and then destroying it with a tidal wave of oil, vinegar or dressing. The Precision Pour Dispenser solves that problem by providing a steady drizzle or stream (angle-dependent) that’s pretty much guaranteed to deliver no more than is needed. It fits nicely in the hand and cleans easily. BPA-free and dishwasher-safe.
OXO 2-in-1 Silicone Sink Strainer with Stopper
Again, chalk one up for smart designers. Stop hassling with metal or wire strainers that discolor or are difficult to clean. The 2–in-1 Sink Stopper and Strainer is genius because it’s made of flexible silicone that’s PVC-free and a cinch to rinse. So when you’re done with your vegetable peeling and cleaning, you can capture your mess quickly, pop out the strainer into the garbage (or compost bin) and clean in moments.
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Joe Rosenthal is a freelance writer in the Chicagoland area. His work has appeared in Men's Journal, Rolling Stone, Spin, and Salon, among others.
