Oxo Good Grips, £23.75, stockists 01282 613644 *****
A solid, cavernous product. The push mechanism has a good resistance and makes the inner cylinder whizz at a frantic speed. Dried the salad quickly and without any effort.
Kitchen Craft salad spin drier, £11.73 widely available, www.kitchencraft.co.uk *****
As long as you don't get too excited pulling the cord that spins the bowl (it tends to snap back), this works brilliantly. Shallow and wide but, unlike the push mechanism spinner, you will need to hold it down. Salad was soon dry.
Dynaware press to spin, £15, available from Habitat ****
Large, with a measuring facility on the side, and a spout for pouring the water away. However, it wasn't as efficient as the other press mechanism, the Oxo - the salad was left slightly damp.
Salter 548 battery powered salad spinner 548, approx £36, stockists 01732 354828 ***
Much too bulky. Promised 'no more pull and pumping' but we found that, although the button pressing was fun, the machine proved that a little muscle power is necessary to get results.
Moulinex 313, approx £7.99, available from Robert Dyas ***
This was an effort: You spin round the handle and have to practically sit on the bowl to hold the lid down. You might be left breathless, but this classic gets your salad very dry.