It chops, it mixes, it dices, and it's fun! For the creative cook, the mezzaluna-type Good Grips Salad Chopper by Oxo can be more than just a salad chopper.
Today I use it to mince up onions, peeled tomatoes, and mushrooms for my beef picadillo dinner. And it was so easy! Throw it all in the bowl, chop up with the rolling dual blades and it's neatly ready to go when you are. This made food prep so fast and easy to do. I chopped up several items together in about the same time I would have finished mincing up one onion.
Once you start using the OXO Salad Chopper set, you begin to realize the potential this normally unassuming kitchen tool set brings.
Pros:
1. A safer alternative to using a knife. Hands and fingers are away from the blades. Also, the blades are not that sharp, so incidental light contact with it will not draw blood.
2. OXO's chunky non-slip design of the rolling blades, which is basically a dual-blade pizza cutter, would server well for those who have hard time gripping a knife handle due to arthritis or other similar hand problems. The design allows you to handle the cutter in different positions, whichever is more comfortable for your hands. Good idea for cutting down on fatigue.
3. You can mince foods outside just salads. Be creative. Chop eggs for egg salad. Mince nuts without pulverizing them. Chop chives, cilantro, parsley, olives, mushrooms, bacon, or anything else veggie for the dinner you're cooking. Don't limit yourself for just making salads.
4. The generously sized plastic bowl is sturdy and easy to clean. After my rigorous (but not abusive) use tonight, there was barely a scratch on it. I was able to wash the bowl clean in seconds with a bit of soap and water. The outside of the bowl is an attractive smooth glossy surface. The interior is a soft matte finish.
5. It's fun to use.
Cons:
- There is no protective covering for the blades for storage. I'm going to have to be creative in storing it somewhere where it won't be in the way nor get damaged. Enough for me to deduct a star.
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I'm very happy with my OXO Salad Chopper and Bowl. I foresee using it quite a bit in a lot of different ways, for salads and otherwise. I have every intention of buying extra sets for my family as Christmas gifts (it's never to early to plan). I especially will buy one for my mother-in-law who is horrible with handling knives (too scary =:0) and suffers hand problems. I know she'll love it. The price is fair too.
While initially this OXO Salad Chopper set may seem hokey, give it some thought, and you will probably find more ways to use beyond chopping salads. But if all you want to do is use it for salads, that is fine too. Either way, the OXO Good Grips Salad Chopper and Bowl set can be a valuable addition to the kitchen while also being fun to use and easy to keep.