The Best Spiralizers, Tested and Reviewed by a Dietitian

Best Overall

OXO Good Grips Tabletop Spiralizer

Orig. $48 $40 at Amazon $48 at Williams-Sonoma $48 at Bloomingdales

What we like: This spiralizer has all the right stuff in all the right places when it comes to whipping through vegetables and holding steady, plus a smart approach to storage. 

What to know: It may stain over time with repeated use of pigmented vegetables.

It’s no secret that I’m a longstanding fan of OXO products—they tend to be thoughtfully designed, maximizing functionality while taking up as little storage space as possible. This countertop spiralizer not only met but exceeded my expectations for this brand, thanks to its ease of use and smart solution to a longstanding storage pet peeve I’ve had with past spiralizers. 

First and foremost, I have to mention this model’s anchoring mechanism. Other spiralizers may have suction cups, but the OXO’s single suction cup locks into place and was so stable it didn’t so much as wiggle while in use. 

The three blades easily pop into the “action” slot, and there’s an audible click, so you know they’re locked into place. As far as storage goes, it may seem simple, but it’s one of my favorite details: All three blades are stored in a separate container, which then slides into the body of the machine. Everything is compact and stored together, as opposed to other spiralizers I’ve owned, where blades are stored in a separate container that doesn’t attach in any way to the machine and floats around your cabinets. Plus, with other models, you have to store a blade in the “action” slot, which doesn’t feel as safe. 

Using the OXO tabletop spiralizer was simple, safe and intuitive, with color-coded blades to help you identify which thickness you want. I could spiralize a crowd-sized pile of zucchini without the machine moving an inch. My only worry is that pigment could accumulate over time on the spikes that steady the food as it's fed into the machine. While I was able to clean the machine easily, I could see this part of the spiralizer staining with repeated use. Aside from that singular cosmetic issue, I have no additional notes for OXO and am happy to give it the top spot on my list.

Number of Blades: 3 | Dimensions: 9.75 x 6.25 x 8.25 inches | Weight: 1.5 lbs

Best Budget

Fullstar 4-in-1 Vegetable Spiralizer

Orig. $20 $13 at Amazon Orig. $20 $13 at Walmart

What we like: Offering high value on a low budget, this spiralizer costs less than $20 and has multiple settings to choose from. 

What to know: You may find the blade-selection buttons a bit tricky to operate. Be sure to consult the manual so you know what you’re choosing.

There aren’t a lot of genuinely great kitchen utensils you can acquire for under $20, but this Fullstar 4-in-1 Spiralizer is on that VIP list. The low price doesn’t mean you lose out on features or functionality, and I found the Fullstar has a lot going on in both departments. 

The base of this spiralizer is a clear plastic cup, which catches your spiralized produce. The blade component sits neatly on top of this cup, or you can take the bottom off and spiralize directly onto your cutting board. The Fullstar’s blades are stored a bit differently from others I tried—all the blades are housed in a single unit that snaps onto the top of the container, and you press a series of buttons to choose from a ribbon cut, a broader “fettuccine”-style cut, a skinnier cut or both at the same time. The buttons were fairly functional, though it took some experimentation to determine which cut they represented. 

The non-slip finger guard wasn’t my favorite as it was harder to grip. However, it added an important safety element and held the food quite well. Cleaning was a snap, too, and I loved the included cleaning brush, which allowed me to get the little bits out of the blades without sacrificing my fingertips. Overall, I didn’t feel like I could crank out pounds of spirals with this model, but for someone who wants to give zoodles a try or simply wants a cost-effective kitchen tool, I think it more than fits the bill. 

Number of Blades: 4 | Dimensions: 3.8 x 3.9 x 5.6 inches | Weight: 8.1 ounces

Best Compact

OXO Hand-Held Spiralizer

Orig. $30 $18 at Amazon View on Webstaurantstore.com $30 at Home Depot

What we like: The twist-and-swap blades are so simple to use that you likely won’t need the manual to use this one. 

What to know: Make your life easier and ensure your food is appropriately sized before running it through the blades.

Whether you’re into a more minimalist approach to kitchen utensils or don’t have the cabinet space to store a larger piece of equipment, the OXO Good Grips Handheld 3-Blade Spriralizer is the spiralizer I’d reach for. At less than 9 inches tall and approximately 5 inches wide, it could easily live in a drawer or an empty corner of a cabinet. 

As with other handheld spiralizers, this one doesn’t offer much leverage and relies solely on your upper body strength to twist the food holder and push produce through the blades. The OXO has options for spaghetti-cut, fettuccine or spirals, and the blades interlock and stack onto the spiralizer for easy storage. When you’re ready to use the OXO, you simply snap on your blade, stick your produce onto the prongs of the food gripper and start twisting it against the blade.

You can start off using just your hand to rotate your zucchini (or vegetable of choice), but as you get nearer the blade, I’d suggest switching to using the food holder. The shape of the food holder was better than others I tried because it allowed for better leverage and was easier to grip, and it snaps in place on top of the blades for easy storage. The only caveat is that if your food is bigger than the blade housing, it could become difficult to turn, causing the food holder to lose its grip on your vegetable. Be sure to cut your produce down to size to avoid this, and it’ll be smooth sailing. I found that food didn’t stick to the OXO and was easy to rinse or wipe clean, but it can withstand the dishwasher, too. 

Number of Blades: 3 | Dimensions: 3.35 x 5.3 x 8.7 inches | Weight: 8.48 ounces

Best Electric

KitchenAid 5-Blade Spiralizer

Orig. $130 $70 at Amazon Orig. $100 $70 at Target $92 at Walmart

What we like: This attachment breezed through my toughest produce and comes with a peeler attachment that none of its competitors could claim. 

What to know: It may be stating the obvious, but you do need a KitchenAid mixer to use this spiralizer, and the price for the attachment alone is on the higher end.

The KitchenAid attachment started strong, arriving in a sleek box that doubles as a storage case. While nothing about using this attachment was complicated, I did find there was a learning curve as far as navigating the mechanism that locked the blades onto my stand mixer, though I eventually got the hang of it. I also really liked the peeler attachment, a unique feature that worked exceptionally well on the apple and pear I tried—I could see this being very useful for baking or other prep work. 

All five of the included blades and the apparatus itself felt very substantive. The KitchenAid attachment was the heaviest of the spiralizers I tried, which honestly made me feel confident it wouldn’t crack under the pressure of tough root vegetables. 

One point to note is that where other spiralizers have a set of small, short prongs that hold food in place, the KitchenAid uses a single, longer spike. It didn’t prove to be less functional at keeping the food in place, but it shortened the maximum length of what you could place in the machine due to maneuverability. 

Cleanup was simple, and everything washed easily. While the KitchenAid does not come with a cleaning brush, it didn’t seem necessary. Once I got accustomed to it, this attachment was easy to work with, and I’d consider it not only the sleekest option but also far and away the most functional of the spiralizers I tried. 

Number of Blades: 5 | Dimensions: 5.8 x 12.4 x 2.9 inches | Weight: 2.4 lbs

Most Versatile

Paderno World Cuisine 6-Blade Spiralizer

Orig. $35 $25 at Amazon

What we like: So many blades, so little time—this spiralizer gives you variety without compromising on safety or effectiveness. 

What to know: When storing, one of the blades will always be in the active slot, and the base only has enough space to store two of the six blades when not in use.

While I don’t think a newbie to cooking or spiralizing would necessarily need the variety of attachments that come with the Paderno, perhaps a more seasoned enthusiast would benefit from them. This six-blade countertop spiralizer has two straight blades, a shredder, a chipper, a blade for angel hair noodles and a wavy blade. The wavy blade was my favorite, and its inclusion set the Paderno apart from other models. 

To use it, you insert a blade and attach your produce to the food holder, which slides forward until your food makes contact with the blade. The Paderno has a side handle that lets you push the food through the blade while you crank the food holder. The side handle was necessary for some finer blades on the Paderno. Spiralizing tougher vegetables like beets or sweet potatoes through a smaller-sized blade required me to use more strength to push the vegetable through, and the side handle made that easier. I did attempt to use a firm cheese on the shredder attachment with some success, but I’d say stick to using a grater and reserve your spiralizer for produce. 

The pronged food holder did a great job holding my fruits and vegetables in place, and the four individual suction cups on the feet kept the Paderno firmly affixed to my countertop. Unfortunately, the plastic around the blades showed some early signs of staining, so I could see this eventually becoming an issue. Otherwise, it’s easy to see why cooks would love this spiralizer and all of the culinary possibilities that come from the many blades it offers.

Number of Blades: 6 | Dimensions: 9.38 x 5.75 x 8.63 inches | Weight:1.8 lbs