Spin your way to the perfect salad

f you’re not yet familiar with the wonders of salad spinners, we are pleased to be your official introduction.

As far as covetable kitchen gizmos go, these souped up bowls are up there with water taps directly above the hob, spiralizers and air fryers (that might be stretching it).

These forward-thinking contraptions enhance the humble art of salad curation, allowing you to throw in your ingredients and have them thoroughly washed, dried and then evenly coated in dressing with just a flick of the wrist - or rather, a push, pull or turn of the handle. Say goodbye to soggy salads: by using centrifugal force, your veggies are whizzed around so they remain as fresh and crisp as the day you bought them.

Think lettuce, berries, herbs, vegetables, and even pasta - all of which have shed the water you used to rinse and are fluffed up in the process. It has never been easier to incorporate healthy ingredients into your meal prep.

Salad spinners typically have a colander interior and double up as a way to serve up your innovative combinations with a non-slip base to stop it sliding off the shelf.

Pair your salad spinner with the kitchen gadgets you didn’t know you needed, a sharp chef knife to slice through the ingredients with ease, a garlic press (can you ever really have too much garlic?) and a cheese grater and you’re ready to create the perfect salad.

Shop our favourite salad spinners here

In small or large, transparent or opaque, stainless steel, borosilicate glass or BPA-free plastic, OXO has a salad spinner to suit all needs.

The smaller models are best suited for single-use, couples or smaller families with a 1L capacity, whereas the larger will have you ready and rearing to go during hosting duties, packing 6L of salad goodness within the bowl.

The brand is known for its innovative kitchen solutions and these salad spinners are no different. Place into the colander provided in the interior to wash and drain the leaves, fruit or vegetables in question - and then the real fun begins. With just one hand, you push down on the top and the spinning starts. There’s a brake button to instantly stop, but throughout it should stay firmly in place on your counter thanks to the non-slip base. Then dress and serve. It’s as easy as that.

The parts can be removed and placed in the dishwasher. The entire spinner is hard-wearing, sturdy, and look far more attractive than the cheaper versions of these products. The bowls can take you from prep to serving to save you on the washing up. and you’ll notice the durability too as the hard-wearing plastic shouldn’t crack over time.

Revolutionise your meal prep with this ultimate salad-making companion from Joseph Joseph. While it comes with the bowl and basket that many of the other products on this list also include, it’s the additional attachments where this salad spinner hits its stride. You have the spinning device for washing, as well as a grater, slicer, spiralizer, and even a helpful finger guard for clumsy cookers. The discs are easily interchangeable and can be stored within the bowl so you can stash it away even in smaller kitchens.

It is hand-wash only and measures 15.5cm in height and 24cm in diameter. The spinner works through a manual turn of the top handle.

You can find real gems as part of John Lewis’ own-brand kitchen offering and this salad spinner is one of them. It comes as this large (H19.5 x Dia.25cm) or in a smaller variation (H14.5 x Dia.20cm, £15) and at an affordable price tag, proving it need not cost an arm and a leg to get fresh leaves, herbs and berries that are washed effectively and ready to enjoy. The spinners come with an internal colander and with the manual spinning mechanism - just turn the handle.

With a vibrant green interior, this salad spinner will never get lost in your kitchen cupboards. You’ll spot it a mile off - if you ever put it away, that is.

In small (two to three servings) or large (four to six servings), this is probably one of the most enjoyable to spin as there is a retractable cord that you pull to get it going.

Sure to elevate your healthy dishes, the brand’s AquaVent technology moves the contents in a gentle fashion to maximise air circulation and part away with water. It’s also easy to clean and can be placed in the dishwasher as needed (all but the lid). There’s a five year guarantee too for peace of mind.

This salad spinner from ProCook may just be one of the most attractive takes on the kitchen gizmos that we’ve seen. It comes in a lovely sage green hue that is the perfect balance between minimalistic, chic and yet still eye-catching. But aesthetics is just where the fun begins.

Not all style over substance, it is made from a solid, hard-wearing plastic that can double up as a salad bowl once the preparation is complete. The spinning is made possible through the manual handle with a quick-stop button. It measures 25cm and there’s a one year guarantee included too.

Whether you’re serving up veggies, salad leaves, pasta, berries or fruit, the high speed action of this salad spinner will have you chowing down on your favourite roughage in seconds. Pop them in the bowl and wind the handle to wash. For even greater ease, the lid doubles up as a drainer to remove water quickly or you can remove the colanader interior.

The parts are robust and it comes with non-slip feet as well as a clip so that if, for some reason, the contraption finds itself falling from your kitchen countertop, the contents will stay inside where they belong. It measures 24.5 cm and is dishwasher safe.

The Judge salad spinner comes with a chic black and grey top lid that is as aesthetically-pleasing as it is practical. The top handle is the mechanism that gets the spinning to begin and through this centrifugal force, your greenery is more thoroughly washed than just simply running under the tap. It measures W25cm x H22cm x L25cm.

Not content with just spinning your salad, this gadget set is an all-encompassing kitchen must-have that combines washing and grating in all shapes and sizes. There are seven actions capable with this one product that includes a mandolin slicer as well as ones more suitable for cheese.

The cutters can be easily swapped out but when you’re in spinning mode, you lock the lid in place, turn the handle and the lettuce, leaves or items in question are ready to go in a matter of seconds. Leftover water can be removed through the drainer on the lid or through the sieve inner basket.