The 9 Best Spiralizers for Zoodles and More

What to Look for in a Spiralizer

By Sarah Tane

Ease of Use

It’s important to consider the level of effort that you’ll need to put in based on which kind of spiralizer you choose. Spiralizers are available in both manual and motorized versions. If you’re only spinning out a few spirals for a garnish or a kid’s meal, the hand-powered models are more than sufficient. If you're going to be using the spiralizer frequently for big-batch cooking, occasions, meal prep, or large gatherings, it’s going to require a whole lot of elbow grease to power you through a task like that. In these cases, a motorized version will help save you plenty of time and effort in the kitchen.

A crank spiralizer would also be a great way to take some of the strain out of your hands, but would still not be as efficient as motorized. That said, regardless of the model, pretty much all spiralizers require vigorous and diligent cleaning. Even though some are dishwasher-safe, you’ll likely still need to get into the blade with a brush.

Size and Storage

Spiralizers come in all sorts of funky shapes and sizes, some of which can prove to be quite the storage headache. Of course, handheld spiralizers are the smallest option, so as long as you have a little extra cabinet space to spare, you shouldn’t have any issues. The stand mixer and food processor spiralizer attachments are also quite compact—if you get several different blade options, they can start to take up some space, but for the most part, these attachments are not a huge space occupier.

The largest spiralizers are the countertop hand cranks and countertop motorized versions. Committing to these models means committing to sacrificing some serious storage and counter space. These types of spiralizers make the most sense if you’re going to be spiralizing often or if you’re not worried about storage space.

Blade Options and Quality

The most important piece of any spiralizer is, of course, the blade. You want to make sure that the blade is super sharp, easy to clean, and durable. If having a wide variety of blade options is important to you, then make sure you’re seeking out a model that offers several blades you can switch out, depending on what shape you’re going for.

The most basic cuts that spiralizers offer are a thin cut, a thick-cut, spaghetti, fettuccine, and wide, flat ribbons. There are also blades that can peel veggies—a great time saver if you need to peel a bunch of apples for a pie, for example. If you’re looking for a quick tool that will jazz up the way you cut vegetables or a garnish, then the extra blades will be just one more thing you’ll have to store.

Cleaning

You want to keep your spiralizer blades just as sharp and as clean as they were when you bought them, which is a little easier said than done, given that food can very easily get stuck in the holes. In addition to the blade getting bits of food trapped in it, you also need to be diligent about cleaning the plastic body of the spiralizer, which can easily get permanently discolored, if it isn't immediately washed after coming into contact with veggies like beets or squash. Rinsing the blades in warm, soapy water and using a small brush to free up any remaining food bits are good habits to get into.

If the blades can be cleaned in the dishwasher—this is another great way to make sure that the blade is clean—just make sure the dishwasher isn’t dulling the blade. If you do opt to use a dishwasher to help clean the blade, be careful when removing the parts after they’re cleaned.

Types of Spiralizers

Handheld vs. Hand-Crank Tabletop

There are two main versions in the realm of manual spiralizers. First, there are compact handheld spiralizers. These are typically dishwasher-safe and come with a few blade options that you can switch out. They require the most elbow grease of any model, so they’re best for a person that is going to be spiralizing a small amount of food pretty infrequently. They are also not very forgiving when it comes to the size of the vegetable, so you may need to trim it before you can send it through the blade.

The second manual spiralizer option is a countertop hand crank. While this is still a manual operation, it’s much easier to churn out large batches of veggie noodles with this apparatus than with a handheld model. The hand cranks take up a good amount of counter and storage space, but they’re very easy to use and clean. They also come with a wide variety of blades that can usually be stored safely in the body of the spiralizer. Some hand cranks operate from a vertical standpoint but keep in mind that this limits how much space your spiralized noodles have to go. This is why a horizontal crank is preferred. Another aspect to consider about these hand cranks is the suction piece at the bottom of the base—because you will be applying a fair amount of pressure while cranking, you want to make sure that the suction is strong enough to keep everything in place.

Attachments

This can attach to your stand mixer or food processor; just make sure it is compatible with the appliance you own before purchasing. By securing said attachment onto your appliance, you now have a motorized setup to spiralize your ingredients. This setup is best if you're going to be spiralizing frequently and prepping large volumes of vegetables. It’s also ideal if you already own a KitchenAid stand mixer or Ninja food processor so that you don’t have to make an additional investment. There is a wide variety of blade options for stand mixers, and most food processors offer a two-blade setup. Not to mention, the attachments are rather compact, so they don’t take up a ton of storage space.

Electric

If you’re looking for a little bit easier spiralizing process, then electric models will help cut down on a lot of time and effort. Similar to the hand-crank countertop models, these take up a good amount of space (like a juicer or a blender would). That said, should this be the route you take, you’re basically just a button and a gentle press of your veggies away from endless veggie noodles. Keep in mind that you’ll need ample storage space and access to an outlet. The device still requires a hand wash.

FAQs

What vegetables can you spiralize?

You can spiralize almost any vegetable that is dense enough to hold its shape when being sliced. What does that include? Most popularly, it includes zucchini and carrots, but also most squashes, root vegetables, peppers, shallots, onions, beets, turnips, and potatoes. Fruits can be spiralized easily, as long as they’re denser fruits, like apples and pears. 

How do you spiralize zucchini?

Zucchini is one of the most popular vegetables to spiralize since it can be made into so many creative dishes. Generally speaking, a zucchini is “spiralized” by grating it in a continuous circular motion over round slicer blades, similar to those on a boxed grater. Instead of the short cuts made with a boxed grater, the circular cutting motion of a spiralizer makes one long continuous cut, resulting in zucchini noodles that can be used for any number of dishes. 

Of course, each spiralizer is built slightly differently. While you’ll get a similar product with most machines, it’s best to learn which machine works the way you’re comfortable with.

Should you peel zucchini before spiralizing?

Zucchini does not need to be peeled before spiralizing, and many people enjoy the crunchiness it adds to the noodles. When judging whether your produce needs to be peeled before spiralizing, take the following questions into consideration:

• Is this vegetable typically peeled before eating or cooking? Vegetables like beets, carrots, onions, butternut squash, and turnips are almost always peeled before use.
• Is the skin edible or pleasant to eat? Vegetables like potatoes, zucchini, and apples don’t need to be peeled to eat, but if you prefer them without the skin, it’s fine to peel them first.
  

Vegetables like peppers, small radishes, and cucumbers don’t need peeling and probably wouldn’t benefit from it. Regardless of whether or not you’re peeling your produce before spiralizing, all of your fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly washed before eating.

Can you freeze spiralized vegetables?

Many spiralized vegetables can be frozen to use later, with a few exceptions. For the most part, the denser a vegetable is, the easier it is to freeze. This includes vegetables like carrots, potatoes, beets, turnips, butternut squash, and radishes. Vegetables with a higher water content aren’t going to fare quite as well in the freezer. These include zucchini, cucumbers, apples, and onions. When thawing, many of these water-heavy vegetables tend to get soggy and should instead be spiralized fresh.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Cookbook author Donna Currie is also a product tester and writer for The Spruce Eats. She loves the cost-effectiveness and DIY nature of making her own veggie noodles. Having reviewed nearly half the tools in this roundup, she appreciates a spiralizer that is easy and comfortable to use—and gives bonus points if it's also fun.

This roundup was recently updated by Jenny Kellerhals, a food and beverage writer based in Queens, NYC. She's partial to the Braun Spiralizer Multiquick because of its ability to easily transform into both a hand blender and a blender/chopper, which she uses in her home kitchen often. This roundup was also updated by Rebecca Treon, an experienced home cook and mother of two, as well as a freelance writer specializing in food, travel, and lifestyles. Rebecca is currently writing a book called “Colorado Food Trails.”