We Tested Four Different Tools for Making Zoodles — The Winner Was Not What We Expected

I’m on a endless quest to eat extra greens. And whereas I like a superb aspect salad, a cauliflower steak, and fries made out of eggplant, I actually love zoodles. As in, “noodles” product of straight-up zucchini. (I particularly prefer to eat them with meatballs, sautéed in olive oil, or uncooked in a salad with cilantro, lime, and pistachios.)

You’ll find zoodles, prepared and ready for you within the grocery retailer, both within the refrigerated a part of the produce part or within the freezer aisle. After all, you’ll pay up for the comfort of getting that prep work completed for you. To save cash, and have a little bit of enjoyable, I want to noodle-ize the zucchini myself. Which requires a particular software: a spiralizer, if you’ll. (I didn’t make up the phrase; it’s actually a brand name like Kleenex, however it’s turn into so mainstream, folks use it generically.) There are a number of choices: You need to use an attachment in your stand mixer, a handheld mannequin, a countertop model, or perhaps a peeler. Some spiralizers can be utilized to spiralize different produce, too — like summer season squash, candy potatoes, beets, apples, butternut squash, cucumbers, and extra.

Which sort of gadget works one of the best? I did some testing to search out out! Right here’s the way it went.

To check every spiralizer, I purchased a number of zucchini! (Yum.) I used every software to noodle-ize a number of zucchini every. I paid consideration to notice how straightforward it was to make use of every choice, how properly each labored, and the way straightforward all of them had been to wash.

The scores: Every methodology obtained an general score, with 1 being my least favourite and 5 being one of the best. Like the remainder of our showdowns, this one thought of the ultimate outcomes, ease, cleanup, and worth. Hold studying — together with the score, you’ll discover extra detailed notes.

This isn’t technically a spiralizer, however a julienne peeler is commonly advised as a strategy to make zoodles with out having to purchase a specialised gadget. Whereas the peeler did efficiently make strands of zucchini, it didn’t produce the twirly noodles I used to be after. What I received was extra like matchstick fries than spaghetti. It additionally took the longest to make use of, and there was a superb little bit of leftover wasted zucchini that I simply couldn’t peel. Nevertheless, it cleaned up simply with only a fast scrub and rinse. Total: Not dangerous, however not nice. Onto the following software, I say!

This stand mixer attachment (that pops into the hub of a KitchenAid stand mixer) is tremendous straightforward to make use of. The mixer’s motor does the entire spiralizing be just right for you! It makes lovely, lengthy zucchini strands. And if you happen to personal a KitchenAid stand mixer and need to spend the cash, it’s a superb choice. It comes with a number of completely different blades for various configurations and dimensions of spirals and may accommodate all kinds of vegatables and fruits — like apples and candy potatoes. It’s additionally top-rack dishwasher-safe. All that mentioned, it’s dear. It additionally didn’t match an entire zucchini directly (I needed to chop it in half).

That is, for essentially the most half, a improbable standalone spiralizer. It has suction-cup ft that preserve it from skipping alongside on the countertop when you work. To spiralize zucchini, you merely affix the zucchini within the machine and crank the deal with. I discovered that it labored finest once I halved the zucchini and spiralized it in two components. (Once I did a full zucchini, there have been a number of little half-moon-shaped zucchini items together with the gorgeous, twirly zucchini strands.) It does include a number of completely different blades and may accommodate each tender meals (zucchini) and arduous fruits and veggies (like beets!) and breaks down right into a compact, storable dice. As a result of it has extra components, although, it’s more durable to wash. That mentioned, if you would like an inexpensive standalone spiralizer and plan on spiralizing greater than zucchini, that is the software for you.

I’ve used a number of sub-par handheld spiralizers that don’t really work properly. This one, nonetheless, was a pleasant shock! To make use of it, you place the zucchini within the middle, maintain the zucchini in a single hand and the spiralizer within the different, and apply strain whereas twisting the zucchini clockwise. It’s type of like sharpening a pencil. (Bear in mind pencils?) Whenever you get in the direction of the tip of the zucchini, merely use the spiralizer’s meals holder to maintain your fingers away from the blades and carry on twisting. The top end result: Stunning strands of zucchini with little or no effort. (And plenty of enjoyable!) It doesn’t include further blades and may’t accommodate, say, an apple or a beet. Nevertheless, if you happen to’re considering simply spiralizing zucchini, summer season squash, and even cucumbers, that is the perfect, not-too-expensive, simply storable gadget. I didn’t count on to like a handheld spiralizer a lot, however, hey, right here we’re! And I couldn’t be happier with my zoodles.

Do you could have a favourite zoodle software? Inform us within the feedback beneath!