Cool Tools in the Kitchen - Kevin Kelly [11]
Instead of a crank arm and string pulley, the OXO model sports a pump-action plunger-like mechanism. Click a button, and the pump springs up from being flush with the lid. Depress the pump a few times to get the sucker spinning real fast. Then, a push of the brake button stops the spinning in seconds.
The plastic is non-porous, so it’s much more resistant to odors. To top it off, there’s a rubber rim around the bottom, which keeps the bowl from slipping as you enthusiastically spin your Cocard or Rouge d’hiver.
For several years, the Zyliss was the gold standard in salad spinners. They first replaced the traditional crank arm design with a pull-string that reduced time and elbow strain dramatically. But eventually they changed their design just enough to make a once-elegant device clunky and annoying. Since the Zyliss doesn’t spin freely (it stops when the string gets reeled back in), the parts are yanked to a stop, which puts a lot of stress on them.
The OXO beats the Zyliss hands-down. I’ve been using mine almost daily for a year. I haven’t found another spinner quite like it. I grew up in a family that graduated from keeping a small garden to an actual farm, so I have always eaten copious amounts of salad, even when it wasn’t bursting out of the ground chez nous. Needless to say, I really appreciate a good salad spinner!
—David Jacoby
OXO Salad Spinner
$30
Manufactured by OXO International, LTD
Available from Amazon
Improved Ice-Cube Tray
Quick Snap Ice Tray
These ice trays aren’t glamorous or costly, but they do the job. Below each cube’s compartment is a button that releases the cube. The trays are very easy to use. My husband has very little hand strength. As such, we’ve tried aluminum, plastic and several other different ice trays. These are the only ones he has been able to use in several years.
—Laurie Gelb
Joseph Joseph Quick Snap Ice Tray
$8
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by Joseph Joseph
Stirs PB With Less Mess
Peanut Butter Mixer
Natural peanut butter is delicious, but the initial stirring causes a mess. The minute you put in a spatula, the oil on top overflows everywhere. Instead, try this stirrer integrated into a screw-on lid. With a few quick turns, the peanut butter is completely mixed with zero spillage. Plus, when you remove the stirrer from the gasket once you’re done, it automatically cleans the stirrer! These days, my husband actually sneaks in a new jar of peanut butter just so he can mix it up before I get to.
—Sessalee Hensley
Peanut Butter Mixer
$12
Manufactured by Witmer Products, Inc.
Available from Amazon
Or $10 from Lehman’s
Easy Carbonated Water Maker
Sodastream Home Soda Maker
Concerned with our household’s waste-stream of plastic bottles and cans, we started using this counter-top soda maker to concoct our own soft drinks with tap water processed through a Britta. It’s easy to use. The durable bottles are said to be good for three years. Best of all, Sodastream’s proprietary CO2 cartridges can be conveniently exchanged either via mail or at accessible chain stores like Williams-Sonoma.
If you’re looking to save a little money, you can build your own set up, like the previously-reviewed carbonation system. However, the Sodatream has the benefit of being plug-and-play; it’s smaller and less clunky; and it’s only about $30 more than the DIY set-up. Plus, the DIY set-up requires you to lug around a big scuba tank every time you refill the CO2. But hey, to each his own, no?
After the initial investment, the only things I ever need purchase are carbonator refills and new bottles of flavoring. So far, we’ve enjoyed Sodastream’s cola, faux Dr. Pepper, tonic, and pink grapefruit—all diet with Splenda instead of aspartame (They also sell sweetened syrups without hi-fructose corn