OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner review: useful controls, substantial cupboard space
Wet lettuce can undo an otherwise good salad. Water collects beneath the leaves, thins the dressing and makes preparation messier than it needs to be. The OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner offers a straightforward answer, with a pump-driven basket inside a clear bowl. Its appeal lies in the controls and everyday convenience, although its sizeable footprint deserves attention before you buy. This is a research-based review of the standard clear plastic model, using manufacturer information and a current Amazon Australia listing. We have not performed a drying or durability test.
Check the OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner price on Amazon Australia
Our verdict
The OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner is a sensible shortlist choice for a household that regularly prepares leafy salads and has room to store it within easy reach. The pump, brake and stable base make a coherent design. It gives you a convenient way to remove rinse water without repeatedly patting a bowlful of leaves dry.
The main compromise is bulk. This is a rigid bowl with a basket and a mechanical lid, so it occupies more space than a simple colander. If your usual task is a handful of herbs or a small side salad, a smaller spinner may be a better match. If salad is an occasional meal, the storage commitment may matter more than the extra convenience.
At the time of checking on 6 November 2026, the new standard model was A$47.95 on Amazon Australia, sold and shipped by Amazon AU. That makes it worth considering, but compare the final delivered cost with local options. The page was set to an Adelaide delivery location, so New Zealand delivery and charges have not been verified.
Which OXO spinner is this?
The linked product is ASIN B009KCFHAW, selected style Salad Spinner, with a clear plastic bowl. Amazon lists model number 1351580V4UK. It is separate from the Little Salad & Herb Spinner and the glass and stainless-steel versions offered through the same selection area. Check the selected style when comparing prices, especially if a search result presents a different material or size.
There is confusing capacity information in the Amazon listing. Its title says 4.0 litres, while other sections show different figures. OXO Australia's standard Salad Spinner page lists a 5.9-litre outer bowl and a 4.68-litre basket, with dimensions of 27cm across by 15cm high. These are manufacturer figures for the standard design, rather than a measurement we have made of the linked unit. If precise capacity is critical, confirm the supplied model with the seller.
The distinction between bowl and basket matters. The outer bowl has to accommodate the basket and the water that comes out of the leaves. Its full volume is not the amount of lettuce you should pack into the spinning compartment. Nor does a litre figure tell you how many dinner portions it will comfortably dry. Leaf shape and how loosely you load the basket affect that practical capacity.
The Amazon page showed 400-plus purchases in the previous month, an Amazon's Choice badge and 4.6 stars from 14,528 ratings. Those are useful signs of current interest, rather than proof of a particular drying result or lifespan. The page offers multiple styles, so the displayed rating should not be read as an independently verified score for this exact clear model alone.
Why the pump and brake matter
OXO uses a broad push-down pump rather than a handle that you turn continuously. The base is designed to resist sliding, and a separate button brakes the basket. For a repetitive kitchen task, these controls are more relevant than an elaborate feature list. You can start the basket, let it spin, stop it and inspect the leaves without waiting for it to coast to a halt.
The potential benefit is a simpler working rhythm. Imagine preparing a large salad while also chopping vegetables and making a dressing. The spinner gives the wet leaves their own contained step in that process. It is particularly appealing if your current method involves spreading them over several towels or repeatedly shaking a colander over the sink.
Comfort is personal, however. A pump still requires downward pressure. We cannot establish from specifications whether it will suit a particular hand, wrist or shoulder better than a crank or pull cord. If ease of operation is the reason for buying, trying the mechanism in a shop would be more informative than relying on the phrase one-handed operation.
The brake is also a convenience feature rather than a reason to overload the basket. Give the leaves room and assess the result. A second modest batch can be a better use of the tool than forcing a whole meal's worth of bulky leaves into one crowded load.
What to expect from the drying process
Spinning helps separate surface water from the leaves. It does not replace washing, revive tired produce or guarantee that every fold and stem will emerge completely dry. The useful outcome is less excess water when you dress or serve the salad. There is no need to treat absolute dryness as a realistic universal promise.
Start with a manageable quantity, rinse as appropriate, then drain away loose water before spinning. Stop and inspect the result, empty collected water from the outer bowl when needed and repeat if useful. Follow the instructions supplied with your particular spinner for assembling and operating the lid. Do not force the pump if the basket is obstructed or incorrectly seated.
Different ingredients warrant different expectations. A loose batch of lettuce and a small bunch of delicate herbs are not identical loads. Inspect tender ingredients between short attempts rather than assuming that more spinning is always better. We have not compared bruising or residual moisture across different greens, so no specific performance ranking is claimed here.
For dressing, the practical test is simple. Look for less water collecting at the bottom of the serving bowl and a result you enjoy eating. That is more meaningful in a home kitchen than an unsupported promise about how many seconds a spinner will save.
Useful parts, but a sizeable object
The removable basket can serve as a colander, while the clear outer bowl can be used for serving. That helps justify the space, particularly if you can move from preparation to the table without reaching for another large bowl. You may still prefer your existing serving dish, so count this as optional versatility rather than a guaranteed reduction in washing-up.
The pump locks down for storage. This lowers the lid's profile, but it does not reduce the diameter of the bowl. Measure the cupboard shelf and its opening, including any hinges or baskets that obstruct access. A spinner that fits only at the back of an awkward cupboard is less likely to become part of a quick weeknight routine.
Consider the sink and drying area too. A large bowl is easy to appreciate when making food for several people and harder to appreciate when it monopolises a small draining board. If you use a dishwasher, think about the rack space occupied by the separate components. Convenience includes cleaning and putting the equipment away.
For a household that eats substantial salads frequently, these are reasonable trade-offs. For someone who mainly uses herbs as a garnish, the full-size version may solve a small task with a disproportionately large object.
Cleaning and care
OXO describes the standard spinner as dishwasher safe and says the lid separates for cleaning. The removable lid section is an important detail because food fragments and moisture can collect around kitchen-tool mechanisms. Use the disassembly method in the supplied instructions rather than prising apart pieces that are not intended for routine removal.
After cleaning, allow the components to dry before stacking them for storage. Check the basket openings and accessible lid surfaces for trapped leaves. If the bowl has also held dressing, clean it accordingly rather than treating the whole task as a quick rinse after spinning water.
For a problem with the pump or brake, consult OXO or the seller with the exact model number. Similar-looking generations may use different parts, and a tutorial for an older spinner is not automatically suitable for the version in your kitchen. This review does not establish replacement-part availability or a particular service outcome for a New Zealand purchase.
Alternatives worth considering
The OXO Little Salad & Herb Spinner is the most direct alternative for modest portions. OXO Australia lists a 2.7-litre bowl and a 2.31-litre basket. It keeps the same broad pump-and-brake approach in a smaller format. The trade-off is doing more batches when preparing a large shared salad. Choose around the meals you make most often, not the largest meal you might prepare once a year.
A basic manual spinner from another range may be enough if your priority is the lowest upfront cost. Compare how the controls feel, how the lid comes apart and where the appliance will live. The OXO's premium is easier to justify when those design details address frustrations with a tool you already use.
You can also keep using a colander and a clean tea towel if that method suits the quantities you prepare. It costs little when you already own the equipment and avoids another rigid bowl in the cupboard. The OXO becomes more attractive as the task becomes frequent or the amount of leafy produce increases.
The glass and steel OXO variants are separate options for buyers who prefer those bowl materials. Do not assume that paying more for the bowl will automatically produce drier leaves. Compare the complete model, its weight, care instructions and price before deciding that it is an upgrade you need.
Value for New Zealand buyers
Use the observed A$47.95 price as a dated reference, not an ongoing offer. Check that you are comparing a new standard plastic spinner rather than a used unit, smaller model or bundle. Amazon displayed lower-priced resale options during research, so the lowest number on the page did not necessarily describe the same condition.
Enter your New Zealand address to establish availability and the total cost before ordering. Currency conversion and delivery can change the comparison with a local shop. A nearby seller may also be more convenient if the product arrives damaged or the mechanism develops a problem. Confirm the actual returns and support arrangements for your chosen offer.
For retailer information, visit the Amazon store page on Kiwi Reviews alongside the current product offer.
We would buy the standard OXO if salads are a regular part of the menu, the pump suits the user and there is an accessible place to keep it. We would choose the smaller version for herbs and modest portions, and hold off if an existing colander-and-towel routine already works well. The strongest reason to own this spinner is a frequently useful improvement to preparation, rather than a promise that it will transform every salad.
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