Kitchen Gadgets Under $25 for Easy Salad Prep

We love a well-crafted and balanced salad, especially this time of year (I eat one every day, all year round). It’s the perfect opportunity to add all of nature’s plentiful produce in one complete meal. The one thing that isn’t ideal? All of the chopping, slicing and dicing that needs to be done. 

Thankfully, there are kitchen gadgets out there that make this tedious process easier, like a handy mandoline slicer or a convenient salad dressing shaker. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars either—we’ve rounded up some fantastic options below, all for $25 or less. 

Kitchen Gadgets for Salads Under $25  

Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler

Having the right vegetable peeler can make prep work easier. I’ve always been partial to Y-shaped models because they’re easier to grip and maneuver with a variety of produce, no matter the size or shape. The Kuhn Rikon ones are great—they’re sharp, effective and inexpensive, which is important for something you need to replace every year. Even Ina Garten recommends this nifty $5 peeler on her website. 

OXO Good Grips Handheld Mandoline Slicer

A mandoline is one of my secrets to better salads. Its fine, straight blade cuts paper-thin slices of produce, like radishes, apples, carrots, cucumbers or zucchini. You can also use it for ingredients like cheese. Not only are the slices more consistent, but they can work through large amounts faster than with a traditional knife. I grab it when I want to add different flavors and textures without fussing around for hours.  

Prepworks by Progressive 3-Quart Space Saving Salad Spinner

A salad spinner is a must-have if you love preparing salads, especially this time of year when we’re frequenting farmers’ markets. The fresher the produce, the more likely it is to contain some unwanted debris or pests. We love the $22 option from Prepworks by Progressive because it collapses into a flat shape that is a third of the size of the open salad spinner—a convenient perk for small spaces. You can still rinse, drain and dry everything from big lettuce heads to small berries. With this gadget, you can say goodbye to grainy, wet and soggy salads. 

Henckels Statement Razor-Sharp 5-inch Serrated Utility Knife

I couldn’t make a single salad without a serrated utility knife. These knives are known for their longer body and tooth-lined blades that slice effortlessly through lettuce, soft fruits and root vegetables. Henckels’ 5-inch knife is only $15, making it an excellent addition for times when you don’t want to fuss with your fresh heirloom tomato. 

Pyrex Colors 2-Piece Sculpted Tinted Glass Mixing Bowls With Lids Set

The tint on these Pyrex bowls makes them equally as chic as they are functional. Because they come with matching lids, you can use them easily for meal prep or storing leftovers—just grab the bowl from your table, seal it and pop it in the refrigerator. This set includes two medium-sized pieces: a 2.3-quart and a 4.5-quart ribbed bowl, so they’re the ideal volumes for the veg-packed salads we know and love. 

OXO Good Grips Little Salad Dressing Shaker

Gone are the days of buying bottled salad dressings. Crafting homemade vinaigrettes takes minutes, and with a dressing bottle like this OXO one, you can make enough to last you the whole week. It’s conveniently marked with both cup and millimeter measurements for quick gauging of ingredients. Add everything in, twist the lid and shake it up. There’s a built-in leak-proof spout, so there’s no need to worry about losing a drop. 

Rubbermaid FreshWorks Produce Saver Set

The key to a good salad is a plethora of produce, and there’s nothing worse than grabbing an ingredient you bought a few days ago, only for it to have gone bad. That’s where produce keepers come in: These nifty Rubbermaid containers keep foods fresher for longer thanks to their built-in ventilation. The lid filters out pesky carbon dioxide, which can spoil fruits and vegetables faster. There’s also a raised pattern on the bottom to keep ingredients away from any excess moisture. 

Mueller Vegetable Chopper

Shoppers say this chopper is a “safer, faster and better way to chop ingredients for salads,” with some stating that it cuts their prep time “in half.” It’s all due to its clam-shell-like design, which pushes ingredients through the interchangeable blades to an even dice in one fell swoop. Best of all? Everything accumulates in the chopper’s built-in container, allowing you to collect ingredients neatly. 

Lipper International Acacia Oblong Salad Servers

There’s nothing more frustrating than a poorly mixed salad—one bite could be coated in dressing and cheese, while the next is a sad and dry leaf. You need to mix ingredients well without crushing everything, which is where these salad servers come in. They’re nice and long, so they’ll fit into every size bowl. Because they’re two separate pieces, you have more control over how much pressure and mixing you want to do. The pronged utensil can handle a range of textures, while the spoon side helps scoop up all of the ingredients for even portions for everyone.