You know about SALAD SPINNERS?

[ilovepcot]

I read several places online that salad spinners removed water from greens, leaving them *dry and crisp*. I purchased a manual Kitchen Aid spinner tonight and am really ticked! The greens are no dryer than when I blot on paper towels. *Should* a salad spinner make the greens totally dry and crisp or simply remove "excess" water?

 

[MosMom]

Put some muscle into it!

 

[Alice's Mom]

I have one that you pump and it spins. This should take all excess water out and get your greens almost completely dry.

I also use it after I have washed and rinsed grapes, strawberries and other berries.

 

[ilovepcot]

Put some muscle into it!

Grrrr... I did and I *still* have wet sloppy greens. Ewww, that doesn't sound too good, does it?

 

[ilovepcot]

I have one that you pump and it spins. This should take all excess water out and get your greens almost completely dry.

I also use it after I have washed and rinsed grapes, strawberries and other berries.

Yep that's what I got and I'm "pumping away" ! Getting tired, too.

 

[MosMom]

Oh my.

 

[Alice's Mom]

Does your spinner have brakes?? Mine is an OXO and the brakes seem to be what makes it work.

So basically I spin as fast as I can (a few pumps) and then slam the brakes!

 

[ilovepcot]

I just ran over to the counter and spun a bit and slammed on the brake. Nope, still way too wet. If DH can't find that I've done something "dumb" in trying to operate this gadget, it's going back to the store tomorrow.

 

[Alice's Mom]

I would take it back then, no use in having a gadget that doesn't work.

 

[icebrat001]

I'll come over and dry them for ya, what'ca cooking?

 

[TravelinGal]

If you have too much water, it will splash back up on the lettuce. Spin - lift out the basket - dump the water - put basket back in - spin again.

Even if they "are no dryer than when I blot on paper towels" It's a LOT eaiser to spin them!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Ours works better than paper towels. But I've been lazy lately and I've been buying the bagged lettuce. It's not as good as the other, but I'm more likely to make a salad.

 

[ilovepcot]

I'll come over and dry them for ya, what'ca cooking?

To heck with coming over to dry lettuce leaves! I've got some *really great chores* you can do!!!!

I've got to agree with all of you...the spinner is better than paper towels but I'm having to use them after spinning. I was just hoping a spinner would make blotting unnecessary.

 

[icebrat001]

To heck with coming over to dry lettuce leaves! I've got some *really great chores* you can do!!!!

I've got to agree with all of you...the spinner is better than paper towels but I'm having to use them after spinning. I was just hoping a spinner would make blotting unnecessary.

Can I get a description of these "*really great chores*, I'd like to know what I'm getting myself into.

 

[pogo791]

There's quite a few salad spinners on the market.

The plastic one I have works reasonably well - you turn the handle on the top, the lettuce spins round and round, and centrifugal force gets rid of most (but definitely not all) of the moisture. Definitely easier than blotting all the leaves with paper towels.

Are you putting in entire salad leaves? If so, even when you spin, quite a lot of the water will simply remain in the hollow of the leaf (depending on which way the leaves face in the basket). What I do is tear each leaf into two or three pieces (at least) and then try to put some muscle into it.

Another thing to avoid is putting too many leaves in, torn into pieces or not. If you jam the basket full, the water won't be spinned off to the sides.

Aah, technology - but you still have to work with it ...

 

[all4disneyworld]

I second the OXO brand. Got it at Target. Yes, you have to 'pump' it andit's awesome. Totally dry!! The best part is hubby thinks it's so much fun he makes the salad now!

 

[Christine]

I have the OXO "pump with brakes" type and it works great. I would say that it gets rid of 95% of the moisture and is definitely better than the paper towel method.


Tigger&Belle--You don't wash your bagged salad???? Ha! I never used to either but I've read a few articles lately that says you should. Apparently they don't do it so well at the lettuce factory and there have been isolated incidents of e.coli. Nothing is safe anymore.

 

[offwegotoneverland]

The most effiecent way for me is to put in much less than you might think you should. If I fill it less than half full it works much much better.

Also the stop and dump out water thing helps.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

Mine does work well, when it works, that darn string thing always stays out and then you have to roll it back in by hand.. but once you get it going right, it does take the excess water off the lettuce...it is all in the pump action.

 

[Christine]

OP--exactly how are you washing the greens?

I put them in the inner basket and run the tap water over them while using my hand to "toss" the greens under the water. When I feel that I've rinsed them enough, I put the inner basket inside the bowl and then put it together and spin. I'm thinking maybe you are washing in a different way?