Compare the best spiralizers

Spiralizers transform fruit and vegetables into spiral-shaped noodles to give your cooking a fun and healthy twist. They’ve experienced a spike in popularity in the past couple of years and are now much more widely available.

Compare popular spiralizers

Name	Avg. price (USD)	Type	Number of blades	Dimmensions (mm)	Weight (kg)	Purchase
Lifestyle Dynamics SpiraLife	$10.97	Handheld	2	76 x 76 x 127	0.2	Buy now
Zyliss E900025	$8.62	Handheld	2	145 x 60 x 60	0.2	Buy now
Brieftons 5-Blade (BR‌-5B-02)	$24.99	Tabletop	5	275 x 130 x 203	0.95	Buy now
Spiralizer 5-Blade PS‌-10	$24.99	Tabletop	5	320 x 170.18 x 241.3	0.91	Buy now

What is a spiralizer?

A spiralizer is a kitchen utensil or appliance that cuts fruits and vegetables into spirals. These pasta-like noodles and ribbons can then form a garnish or the base of a healthy main dish — zucchini pasta, anyone? Spiralizing food can be a great way to get fussy kids to get their daily serve of fruits and veggies.

Basic spiralizers tend to create noodles of one shape and size, but there are plenty of more advanced models available that can make noodles of different widths and shapes — some even peel vegetables.

Why should I consider a spiralizer?

There are several reasons why a spiralizer could be a useful addition to your kitchen:

• Get creative. If you’re tired of serving up fruit and vegetables to your friends and family in the same old way, a spiralizer can help you mix things up a bit. They allow you to try your hand at a wide range of new recipes you may not otherwise consider.
• Great-looking results. If you fancy yourself as something of a master chef, a good-quality spiralizer can help you create dishes that look quite impressive.
• Healthy habits. Love pasta but want fewer carbs in your diet? Spiralizers make it easier to incorporate a host of healthy ingredients into your everyday meals.
• Good for fussy eaters. If you face a daily battle to get your kids to eat fruit and vegetables, a spiralizer can help turn the foods they dread into something unusual, interesting and even fun.

What types are available?

If you want to buy a spiralizer for your kitchen, there are three main options to consider:

Handheld

• Lightweight and compact, these portable units are typically the cheapest of the bunch. They’re a useful entry point for anyone who wants to experiment with spiralizing. Handheld models often come with fixed blades, but some models offer interchangeable ones. However, they’re more labor-intensive than countertop models and may not be suited to firmer vegetables.

Countertop

• These models sit on your kitchen counter and require you to manually turn a crank to cut your food into spirals. They tend to feature interchangeable blades so you can cut a variety of shapes. Most let you spiralize your fruits and veggies horizontally, but some models allow you to feed in your items vertically.

Electric

• At the top end of the price range are electric spiralizers, which support interchangeable blades and don’t require any effort on your part. Some of these products are dedicated spiralizing appliances, but some food processors and mixers also come with spiralizer attachments.

How to compare spiralizers

Before choosing a spiralizer, think carefully about what you want to use it for, how often you plan on using it and how much you’re willing to spend. This will help you choose a spiralizer that’s the best fit for your requirements.

Factors to consider when comparing spiralizers include:

• Cutting shapes. While some spiralizers only cut food into noodle shapes, others can also transform fruit and veggies into ribbons and curls.

• Ease of use. Is the spiralizer simple and straightforward to set up and use? Does it securely hold onto the food you want to spiralize? Tabletop spiralizers are easier to use than handheld ones, but electric models tend to be the most user-friendly of all.

• Waste. Most models won’t spiralize the piece at the end of your fruit or vegetable that’s held in place by the machine. However, some models will also leave behind additional waste in the form of a central core.

• Safety. Be aware that the blades on spiralizers are quite sharp. If possible, choose a model that is safe to use without having to worry about your fingers getting too close to the blades. This is especially important if you’ve got kids who like to help out in the kitchen.

• Recipe book. While there are plenty of spiralizer recipes online, some models will come with a recipe booklet to help you get started with your new purchase.

• Price. While you can pick up a basic handheld spiralizer for $15 or $20, most countertop models are $50 and above. If you want an electric spiralizer, prices start at around $50 and can go well beyond $100.

Pros and cons

Weigh out the benefits and disadvantages of different popular spiralizers below.

Bottom line

A spiralizer can be an excellent addition to any kitchen. Because they come in a wide range of prices, you can pick the one that best suits your cooking needs and budget.

Frequently asked questions

Which vegetables can be spiralized?
Almost any vegetable you eat can be spiralized. Some of the most common include:

• Zucchini
• Squash
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Potatoes

Can you spiralize without a spiralizer?
Yes, you can use a vegetable peeler or knife, but these methods are generally more time-consuming and labor-intensive.

Can you boil zoodles?
Yes, zoodles — or zucchini noodles — can be boiled the same as regular pasta noodles.