Lush Food & Drink

Buying Guide ·Prep

Best Salad Spinners for Fast Weeknight Salad Prep

The deciding specification is how a spin starts and stops, because a pump with a brake button is a different tool on a Tuesday night than a knob you have to wait out.

By the Lush Editorial Team·Researched & Compared

  • Researched & ComparedSpecs pulled from the manufacturer listing
  • Like-for-LikeSame measures across every model
  • No Paid PlacementsNobody pays to appear here

I compared drive mechanism, whether a brake is stated, bowl against basket capacity, drainage without opening the lid and published weight across five salad spinners, using each listing's own text and nothing else.

Our shortlist

Five products, one set of published numbers.
  1. OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Salad Spinner
    Best for a one handed pump and a real brake

    OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Salad Spinner

    A 6.22 quart stainless bowl with a soft-touch pump, a brake the maker calls instant, a lid that comes apart, and the only statement on this page that all parts are top-rack dishwasher safe. Published at 10.5 x 10.5 x 8 in and 3.9 lb.

    • OXO
    • 6-2/74-Quart
    • 3.9 lb
  2. GATBO Commercial Salad Spinner
    Best for the fewest batches in a week

    GATBO Commercial Salad Spinner

    A 2.5 gallon drum stated to dry 3 to 4 heads of lettuce at a time, on a sealed gearbox with an aluminum handle, in food-grade polypropylene. Published at 13 x 13 x 17.3 in and 5.8 lb, which is a countertop appliance rather than a bowl.

    • GATBO
    • 2.5 Gal
    • 5.8 lb
  3. Farberware Easy to use pro Pump Spinner with Bowl
    Best for knowing what the basket actually holds

    Farberware Easy to use pro Pump Spinner with Bowl

    The only listing here that publishes both figures, a 6.65 quart bowl and a 5.25 quart basket, on a pump with a brake button and a nonslip clear bowl. Published at 1.36 lb, the lightest of these five.

    • Farberware
    • 6.6 quart
    • 1.36 lb
  4. GoodCook Deluxe Salad Spinner - 6 Qt. Capacity
    Best for draining between spins with the lid on

    GoodCook Deluxe Salad Spinner - 6 Qt. Capacity

    A 6 quart transparent container with a 4 quart basket, turned by a non-slip rotary knob, with a built-in pour spout and a handle so water leaves between spins. Published at 6.8 x 10.3 x 12.5 in and 1.45 lb.

    • GoodCook
    • 1 count
    • 1.45 lb
  5. Ourokhome 6.3 QT Stainless Steel Salad Spinner
    Best for a handle that folds out of the way

    Ourokhome 6.3 QT Stainless Steel Salad Spinner

    A 6.3 quart thicker 304 stainless outer bowl with a one-hand press pump, a quick brake button and a retractable handle the maker says folds down for cabinet storage. Published at 10.4 x 10.4 x 9.1 in, with no weight published.

    • Ourokhome
    • 6.3 QT
    • Weight not listed

Side by side

Blank means the maker does not publish it.
ModelBrandSize (capacity)WeightBest for
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Salad Spinner OXO 6-2/74-Quart 3.9 lb Best for a one handed pump and a real brake
GATBO Commercial Salad Spinner GATBO 2.5 Gal 5.8 lb Best for the fewest batches in a week
Farberware Easy to use pro Pump Spinner with Bowl Farberware 6.6 quart 1.36 lb Best for knowing what the basket actually holds
GoodCook Deluxe Salad Spinner - 6 Qt. Capacity GoodCook 1 count 1.45 lb Best for draining between spins with the lid on
Ourokhome 6.3 QT Stainless Steel Salad Spinner Ourokhome 6.3 QT not published Best for a handle that folds out of the way

Each pick in detail

What the listing says for it, and against it.
1 Best for a one handed pump and a real brake

OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Salad Spinner

A 6.22 quart stainless bowl with a soft-touch pump, a brake the maker calls instant, a lid that comes apart, and the only statement on this page that all parts are top-rack dishwasher safe. Published at 10.5 x 10.5 x 8 in and 3.9 lb.

  • For it
  • The only listing on this page that says all parts are top-rack dishwasher safe, which is the part of the job that eats a weeknight
  • A brake button the maker calls instant, so the basket stops when you want the greens out
  • One-handed pump operation stated, with no cords or plugs needed
  • The lid comes apart for cleaning, which the two knob-driven picks here do not claim
  • Against it
  • 3.9 lb, heavier than three of these five, and a pump mechanism adds height you cannot fold away
  • Its size field reads 6-2/74-Quart while the title says 6.22 Qt, and the listing never reconciles the two
  • Publishes no basket capacity, so how much lettuce fits per spin is unstated
2 Best for the fewest batches in a week

GATBO Commercial Salad Spinner

A 2.5 gallon drum stated to dry 3 to 4 heads of lettuce at a time, on a sealed gearbox with an aluminum handle, in food-grade polypropylene. Published at 13 x 13 x 17.3 in and 5.8 lb, which is a countertop appliance rather than a bowl.

  • For it
  • 2.5 gallons, the largest capacity on this page by a wide margin, and the listing states it dries 3 to 4 heads of lettuce at a time
  • A sealed gearbox is named, which is a drivetrain claim none of the other four make
  • An ergonomic aluminum handle rather than a plastic knob or a pump dome
  • Food-grade polypropylene described as impact resistant and BPA free
  • Against it
  • 5.8 lb, the heaviest of these five, and at 13 x 13 x 17.3 in it does not live in a cabinet with bowls
  • No brake or stop button is stated anywhere in the listing
  • Publishes no dishwasher statement at all, and no basket capacity
3 Best for knowing what the basket actually holds

Farberware Easy to use pro Pump Spinner with Bowl

The only listing here that publishes both figures, a 6.65 quart bowl and a 5.25 quart basket, on a pump with a brake button and a nonslip clear bowl. Published at 1.36 lb, the lightest of these five.

  • For it
  • Publishes a 6.65 quart bowl and a 5.25 quart basket, the only pick here that gives both numbers
  • 1.36 lb, the lightest of these five, so it lifts out of a cupboard one handed
  • A pump plus a brake button, the same two-part control as the OXO
  • A soft nonslip base is stated as protecting the countertop, not only holding the bowl still
  • Against it
  • Says nothing about the dishwasher anywhere in the listing
  • The bowl is clear plastic rather than steel or glass, which shows every scratch from a knob or fork
  • No drainage feature is described, so the lid comes off to pour
4 Best for draining between spins with the lid on

GoodCook Deluxe Salad Spinner - 6 Qt. Capacity

A 6 quart transparent container with a 4 quart basket, turned by a non-slip rotary knob, with a built-in pour spout and a handle so water leaves between spins. Published at 6.8 x 10.3 x 12.5 in and 1.45 lb.

  • For it
  • A built-in pour spout and a handle, so water goes out between spins without removing the lid
  • Publishes both container and basket, 6 quarts and 4 quarts, the same courtesy the Farberware extends
  • 1.45 lb, the second lowest published weight here
  • Dishwasher-safe is stated for the unit, and the transparent container doubles as a serving bowl
  • Against it
  • No brake or stop feature appears anywhere in the listing, so the basket coasts to a halt
  • One published figure is 12.5 in, so a standard shelf may not take it upright
  • A knob takes both hands in practice, one to hold and one to turn, unlike the pump picks
5 Best for a handle that folds out of the way

Ourokhome 6.3 QT Stainless Steel Salad Spinner

A 6.3 quart thicker 304 stainless outer bowl with a one-hand press pump, a quick brake button and a retractable handle the maker says folds down for cabinet storage. Published at 10.4 x 10.4 x 9.1 in, with no weight published.

  • For it
  • A retractable handle the maker says folds down for easier cabinet storage
  • One-hand press pump and a quick brake button, both stated, which is the fastest control pairing here
  • A thicker 304 stainless outer bowl the maker says is dishwasher safe
  • A fully removable lid, described as separating for rinsing and air drying to cut hidden moisture
  • Against it
  • Publishes no weight at all, so it cannot be compared on that anywhere on this page
  • Only the outer bowl is called dishwasher safe, which leaves the lid and basket to the sink
  • Publishes no basket capacity, so the 6.3 quart figure is the bowl and not the greens

Our verdict

OXO is the pick for a weeknight, a pump with a brake button the maker calls instant and the only listing here that says all parts are top-rack dishwasher safe. GATBO holds 2.5 gallons and states it dries 3 to 4 heads of lettuce per spin. Farberware publishes a 6.65 quart bowl and a 5.25 quart basket. GoodCook drains through a spout between spins, and Ourokhome folds its handle down.

“The spin takes seconds. The cleanup takes the rest.”

Lush Editorial Team

What separates these five

How it spins OXO, Farberware and Ourokhome use a pump. GoodCook uses a rotary knob. GATBO uses a geared handle on a sealed gearbox.
How it stops OXO states an instant brake, Farberware a break button, Ourokhome a quick brake. GoodCook and GATBO state no stop at all.
Capacity published GATBO 2.5 gallons, Farberware 6.65 quarts, Ourokhome 6.3, OXO 6.22, GoodCook 6. Only Farberware and GoodCook also publish the basket, at 5.25 and 4 quarts.
Water out without the lid off GoodCook publishes a pour spout and handle. The other four describe no drainage feature, so the lid comes off to empty them.
What goes in the dishwasher OXO says all parts, top rack. Ourokhome says the outer bowl. GoodCook says the spinner. Farberware and GATBO say nothing.

How we chose

Priorities, not a computed score. The inputs are published specifications, so we rank by what matters most and say how much.

  1. 30% How the spin starts and stopsA pump you press with a palm and a brake button you tap is a different tool from a knob you turn and then wait out. OXO, Farberware and Ourokhome state both halves. GoodCook and GATBO state neither a brake nor a stop button anywhere.
  2. 25% How many batches the week needsThe bowl figure is what the maker sells and the basket figure is what holds lettuce. GATBO publishes 2.5 gallons and 3 to 4 heads per spin. Farberware publishes a 6.65 quart bowl with a 5.25 quart basket, and GoodCook 6 quarts with 4.
  3. 20% Getting the water outSpinning wet greens twice is normal, and the second spin is only quick if the first lot of water can leave. GoodCook publishes a pour spout and a handle for exactly that. The other four describe no drainage feature at all.
  4. 15% What the cleanup costsOXO is the only listing here that says all parts are top-rack dishwasher safe, and it also says the lid comes apart. Ourokhome commits to the outer bowl only. Farberware and GATBO say nothing about a dishwasher in any bullet.
  5. 10% Where it lives between mealsOurokhome folds its handle down for a cabinet. GATBO is published at 13 x 13 x 17.3 in and 5.8 lb, which is a machine that stays out. GoodCook publishes a 12.5 in figure and does not fold.

How the Five Compare on the Numbers

Sixteen listings sit on the fact sheet and eleven are off this page. Several are the same 5.3 quart stainless bowl with a different name on it. Two publish no dimensions and no weight, and one of those two publishes only a carton at 10.6 x 10.6 x 6.6 in. A 3.2 quart glass spinner is a real product and the wrong tool for a week of family salads.

What matters for a week is not the material. It is how the basket gets going, how it stops, whether the water can leave without dismantling anything, and how much of it the dishwasher will take afterward. Those four things are published unevenly. Three of the five state a brake. One states a drain. One states that every part goes in the dishwasher.

Specification OXO GATBO Farberware GoodCook Ourokhome
Drive mechanism stated Soft-touch pump, one handed Geared handle, sealed gearbox Push-down pump Non-slip rotary knob One-hand press pump
Brake or stop stated Brake button, called instant not published Break button not published Quick brake button
Capacity published 6.22 quarts 2.5 gallons, 10 quarts 6.65 quarts 6 quarts 6.3 quarts
Basket capacity published not published not published 5.25 quarts 4 quarts not published
Load stated in heads of lettuce not published 3 to 4 heads per spin not published not published not published
Drainage without opening the lid not published not published not published Pour spout and handle not published
Published dimensions 10.5 x 10.5 x 8 in 13 x 13 x 17.3 in 10.31 x 10.31 x 7.44 in 6.8 x 10.3 x 12.5 in 10.4 x 10.4 x 9.1 in
Published weight 3.9 lb 5.8 lb 1.36 lb 1.45 lb not published
Outer bowl material Stainless steel Food-grade polypropylene Clear plastic Transparent plastic Thicker 304 stainless steel
Dishwasher statement All parts, top rack not published not published Dishwasher-safe, parts not named Outer bowl only
Lid comes apart for cleaning Stated not published not published not published Fully removable lid
Storage feature stated not published not published not published not published Retractable handle folds down

What the table cannot give you is how long a spin takes or how dry the greens end up. Not one of these sixteen listings publishes a spin time, a speed, or any measure of water removed, and those are the two figures a busy week would actually care about. Every claim about speed on every one of these listings is an adjective. What can be checked is the control scheme, the capacity and the cleanup, so that is what this page compares.

How Long One Spin Actually Takes

Pump, Knob or Geared Handle

Three mechanisms appear across the five. OXO, Farberware and Ourokhome all use a pump you press down with a palm, and all three describe it as one-handed. GoodCook uses a non-slip rotary knob. GATBO uses a handle on a sealed gearbox, the only drivetrain claim in the group, and the only listing that talks about water getting into the mechanism rather than only out of the greens.

The practical difference is what your other hand is doing. A pump leaves it free to hold the colander or the bag of spinach. A knob wants one hand on the lid and the other turning, which is fine standing still and awkward while something else is on the stove. A geared handle is faster per turn and asks for more countertop, which is what the 13 x 13 x 17.3 in figure on the GATBO describes.

Stopping It Is Half the Cycle

OXO states a brake button and calls the stop instant. Farberware states a break button. Ourokhome states a quick brake button. Those three let you open the lid on your own schedule, check whether the leaves are dry and spin again without waiting. GoodCook and GATBO state no stop of any kind in any bullet, which means the basket slows down at its own pace.

On a weeknight that gap is larger than it reads. A spinner is almost never one spin: you check, tip water out, spin again. Every cycle of that on a brakeless basket ends in standing there. It is also the specification most easily verified from the listing text, because a brake either gets a sentence or it does not, and here it gets three out of five.

How Many Batches a Week Needs

Bowl Capacity Against Basket Capacity

Four of these five publish a capacity in the 6 quart neighborhood: Farberware 6.65, Ourokhome 6.3, OXO 6.22 and GoodCook 6. That looks like a tie and it is not, because the number describes the bowl. Greens go in the basket, and the bowl also has to hold the water that comes off them, so the working volume is always smaller than the figure on the front.

Two listings say by how much. Farberware publishes a 6.65 quart bowl with a 5.25 quart basket. GoodCook publishes a 6 quart container with a 4 quart basket, which is a third of the stated capacity going to water and air. OXO and Ourokhome publish one figure each and leave the split unstated, so their basket volume is not on the page because it is not in the data.

Ten Quarts and Three to Four Heads

GATBO sits outside the cluster at 2.5 gallons, and it is the one listing that translates capacity into food: 3 to 4 heads of lettuce at a time. That is the most useful sentence on any of the sixteen listings, and it is also unverifiable against the others, because nobody else states a load in heads. A week of salads for a family is somewhere between one head and several, and only one maker will say.

The cost of that capacity is stated plainly in the numbers. 5.8 lb and 13 x 13 x 17.3 in is a machine that stays on a counter or in a pantry, not one that nests with mixing bowls. It also states no brake, no drain and nothing about a dishwasher, so it buys fewer batches at the price of every convenience the smaller picks publish.

Between Meals

Draining Without Taking the Lid Off

GoodCook is the only one of the five that publishes a way to get water out with the lid in place, a built-in pour spout and a handle, and the listing says it exists so you can drain between spins. On the other four, the sequence is lift the lid, put the wet lid somewhere, carry the bowl to the sink, tip, come back. Twice, usually.

It is worth saying that the wider pool solves this repeatedly and these four do not. Other listings in the same pool publish straining holes in the cover, a drainage spout and a drain outlet in the lid, so the feature is common in the category. Among the five picked here for their control schemes and capacity, it appears once, and that is a real trade rather than an accident.

Where It Goes When You Are Done

Ourokhome is the only pick that publishes a storage feature, a retractable handle it says folds down for easier cabinet storage. Against that, its published height is 9.1 in, so the folding handle is saving the part above the lid rather than the bulk of the bowl. OXO publishes 8 in of height, the lowest of the four that publish one, with a pump that does not fold.

GoodCook is the shape to watch, published at 6.8 x 10.3 x 12.5 in. That 12.5 in figure is taller than a lot of cabinet shelves, and the listing does not say which part of the spinner it describes. GATBO at 17.3 in has settled the question in advance. Nothing in the OXO or Farberware bullets mentions storage at all, though the wider pool shows makers do claim a pump lock and nesting parts when they have them.

Which One Fits Your Kitchen

A weeknight and a dishwasher. OXO, a 6.22 quart stainless bowl, one-handed pump, a brake the maker calls instant, and the only statement here that all parts are top-rack dishwasher safe. Published at 10.5 x 10.5 x 8 in and 3.9 lb, with a lid that comes apart.

Several heads of lettuce at once. GATBO, 2.5 gallons and a stated 3 to 4 heads per spin, on a sealed gearbox with an aluminum handle. Published at 13 x 13 x 17.3 in and 5.8 lb, with no brake, no drain and no dishwasher statement anywhere.

Knowing what actually fits. Farberware, a 6.65 quart bowl with a 5.25 quart basket, the only pick here that publishes both, on a pump with a break button. 1.36 lb, the lightest of these five, in a clear plastic bowl that also serves.

Two spins without a trip to the sink. GoodCook, a 6 quart container with a 4 quart basket, a rotary knob, and a pour spout and handle for draining with the lid on. Published at 6.8 x 10.3 x 12.5 in and 1.45 lb, with no stop feature stated.

A cabinet you have to close. Ourokhome, 6.3 quarts in a thicker 304 stainless bowl, press pump and quick brake, with a retractable handle stated to fold for storage. Published at 10.4 x 10.4 x 9.1 in, with no weight published at all.

What We Could Not Verify

Every figure above is from the maker’s own listing. These are the things we went looking for and could not source in any of the sixteen.

  • No listing in this pool publishes a spin time, a rotation speed, or any measure of how much water comes off the greens.
  • OXO, GATBO and Ourokhome publish no basket capacity, so on three of five picks the stated figure is the bowl and not the load.
  • GATBO states 3 to 4 heads of lettuce per spin and no other listing in the pool states a load in heads, so the claim stands alone.
  • Farberware and GATBO say nothing about a dishwasher in any bullet, so their cleanup cannot be set against the OXO statement.
  • OXO publishes 6.22 Qt in its title and a size field reading 6-2/74-Quart, and nothing on the listing explains the second form.
  • No listing says how many spin cycles the mechanism is rated for, which is the only figure that would separate a weekly tool from a daily one.

Frequently asked questions

Is a pump faster than a knob on a weeknight?+

The listings imply it and none of them measures it. OXO, Farberware and Ourokhome all describe one-handed pump operation, and all three also state a brake or stop. GoodCook describes a non-slip rotary knob and no stop of any kind, so the basket coasts. A knob is gentler on a wrist over a long session, and a pump is the one you can work while your other hand holds a colander.

Which of these holds the most lettuce in one spin?+

GATBO, by a wide margin, at 2.5 gallons with a stated 3 to 4 heads of lettuce per load. After that the bowl figures cluster: Farberware 6.65 quarts, Ourokhome 6.3, OXO 6.22 and GoodCook 6. The more useful number is the basket, and only two publish it, Farberware at 5.25 quarts and GoodCook at 4, so three of these five never say how much actually spins.

Why does the bowl capacity not tell me the batch size?+

Because the greens go in the basket, not the bowl, and the bowl has to hold the water that comes off them. Farberware makes the gap explicit by publishing 6.65 quarts for the bowl and 5.25 for the basket, and GoodCook publishes 6 and 4. On OXO, GATBO and Ourokhome only one figure is published, so the difference between the container and the working volume is not stated anywhere.

Can I drain the water without taking the lid off?+

On one of these five. GoodCook publishes a built-in pour spout and a handle, and says water can be drained between spins without removing the lid. Nothing in the OXO, Farberware, GATBO or Ourokhome bullets describes a drain, a spout or straining holes, so on those four the lid comes off and goes somewhere while you tip the bowl into the sink.

How much of the cleanup can the dishwasher take?+

OXO is the only listing here that says all parts are top-rack dishwasher safe, and it separately says the lid comes apart for thorough cleaning, which is where a spinner traps water. Ourokhome commits only to the outer bowl and says the lid separates for rinsing and air drying. GoodCook says the spinner is dishwasher-safe without naming parts. Farberware and GATBO say nothing at all.

Is the commercial one too much for a home kitchen?+

GATBO names home kitchens itself, alongside small restaurants and cafes, and the sealed gearbox and aluminum handle are the reason. The cost is physical: it is published at 13 x 13 x 17.3 in and 5.8 lb, states no brake, states no drain and says nothing about a dishwasher. It is the right answer if a week means several heads of lettuce and the wrong one if it means two salads.

Specifications come from the manufacturers' own published listings. Lush Food & Drink may earn a commission if you buy through a link on this page, at no extra cost to you. How we research.