I purchased the OXO Good Grips Handheld Spiralizer at the start of the Keto diet craze a few years ago. It has held up to thousands of zucchini pasta dinners and managed to survive three Military moves through different states up the East coast. It has a sharp blade that shreds through veggies without issue and a hand protector that prevents accidental injuries. My only complaint is the blades leave about an inch of produce untouched when prepared. Otherwise, this $10 TJ Maxx find is a purchase I cannot recommend enough!

This spiralizer is simple and easy to use. It would be hard work for large quantities, but is fine for small amounts. Unlike the larger models, it can be put away easily in a small space when not in use. It is best to hold the vegetable in your hand and use the spiralizer like a pencil sharpener until there is only a little left, then use the spikes in the lid to hold the vegetable to finish off. The cutting edges are very sharp, so care is needed when cleaning it. The lid covers the sharp edges for storage. I was unwilling to pay a lot for a larger model in case I got tired of spiralized vegetables, so this model was just right.

Compact Gadget

If you need a compact spiraliser this is a good choice a bit fiddly to use at first but once your get the rhythm it works OK. The trick is to use firm veg and keep the pressure up while you turn otherwise goes into a soggy mess and you waste a lot of the veg, especially courgettes. It's not a quick process or if you don't like using your hands.

Great for more than just zucchini

I don't have the counter space for a large cranked spiralizer, so I bought a handheld one - the common hourglass-shaped one. I wasn't necessarily looking for a new one when I stumbled across this while browsing the site, but when I saw it, I knew I had to have it/try it because it seemed to account for all the things I didn't like about my other, soon to be former, spiralizer. To that end...Pros:- It's actually easier to spiral veggies in this than my other, one. Having a flat surface instead of conical structure for the blades, you can work the vegetable much further down than in my previous one, even without the safety assister cap- It's not just for skinny vegetables like zucchini and carrots. This was 1 of the 2 main reasons I bought it. In the short time ... MoreI don't have the counter space for a large cranked spiralizer, so I bought a handheld one - the common hourglass-shaped one. I wasn't necessarily looking for a new one when I stumbled across this while browsing the site, but when I saw it, I knew I had to have it/try it because it seemed to account for all the things I didn't like about my other, soon to be former, spiralizer. To that end...Pros:- It's actually easier to spiral veggies in this than my other, one. Having a flat surface instead of conical structure for the blades, you can work the vegetable much further down than in my previous one, even without the safety assister cap- It's not just for skinny vegetables like zucchini and carrots. This was 1 of the 2 main reasons I bought it. In the short time I've had it I've spiralled potatoes for curly fries and even an onion (although this was trickier to do and the bits were harder to get out from between the blades ).- Clean up is easy (aside from onions) in that a quick tap and rinse dislodges particles. And then a quick swish with a brush/sponge for hygiene.- It's so compact and easy to store, the other main reason I bought it. For my previous spiralizer, the length and shape made it hard to store in our utensil draw, even for a handheld device. This one, however, tucks nicely into the corner. Also, I love the assister cap snaps onto the top to protect the blades and your fingers during storage.Cons:- Compared to other models (handheld or otherwise), there are no other blade options. So you can't vary the thickness of the spirals nor can you julienne vegetables. This isn't a deal breaker for me as I have a peeler that julienne's vegetables for me just fine.- The spikey nodes in the assister cap don't work well in softer vegetables. In both my onion and one of my smaller zucchinis I found at the cap just turned around mulching the top of the vegetable instead of helping it around. But for me, again, this isn't a deal breaker because unlike my other handheld you can twist almost all of the vegetable down to the surface with your hand without fear of grazing your fingers before any assistance is needed.- For the above reasons I'd give this 4.5 stars if I could, but the benefits so massively outweigh the negatives, that it seemed a shame to give something less than 5 stars that is a joy to use and so easy to clean and store.Bottomline, if you want an intro level spiralizer to work with multiple types of vegetables and aren't bothered about having different blade types, then you're on to a winner with this one.

Great gadget for the kitchen

This is a great gadget for the kitchen. It's easy to use and clean up is much easier than with the hand cranked spiralizer I have.With the OXO, I spiralized two zucchinis and a small Idaho potato. The directions suggest using a zucchini with a 1-1/4 inch diameter. The larger size zucchinis are not in season where I live but the smaller size still worked.I quick fry my zoodles in a tiny bit of oil and add a pinch of salt and a quirt of Lemonade Mio water enhancer. It's delicious.I do need to find some deep frying recipes for the potatoes. I think they should be quick deep fried for that golden color and crunch.I also want to try spiralizing the long stem of a broccoli. I saw it on Youtube and I was totally surprised.This gadget is fun to use.

Hard work so I just keep on burning those calories

I really love this little toy. It's definitely made to serve one person only, but I'm having so much fun with it. Making interesting salads with cool toppings and also great pouring a heated sauce over them. Heated sauces that were all excellent include: panang Thai curry, Indian korma, regular tomato sauce, Korean barbecue sauce, peanut sauce.

Makes my Kids eat Veggies!!!

I bought this at the recommendation of Robin in the Chestnut Hill store. She was a delight to work with this as she was clearly an experienced cook. Explained how to use and went over some ways to prepare the food. This is easy to use and can be cleaned in the dishwasher. I have made zuchinni "noodles" several times,quick stir fry with olive oil and garlic for a wonderful side that fools my kids into thinking they are eating a new kind of pasta. Also used it to make cucumber swirls to dress up a salad.

Nifty gadget with drawbacks

This is a well made product, easy to use and clean. It's a nice way to prepare some vegetables in a different way, whether substituting for pasta, potatoes or using in a stir fry. It takes of lot of strength and stamina though to do all that twisting and pushing. The drawbacks are that you have the central core left when say spiralising carrots, which you then have to decide what to do with. You have to use larger fresh produce for it to work. A skinny carrot will end up being almost no spiral and all core. If things like corgettes are not firm and fresh they tend to collapse and break when using the product and you end up with a pile of messy veg in various shapes and sizes. The top lid with prongs is used for when you get near the end of a vegetable to avoid ... MoreThis is a well made product, easy to use and clean. It's a nice way to prepare some vegetables in a different way, whether substituting for pasta, potatoes or using in a stir fry. It takes of lot of strength and stamina though to do all that twisting and pushing. The drawbacks are that you have the central core left when say spiralising carrots, which you then have to decide what to do with. You have to use larger fresh produce for it to work. A skinny carrot will end up being almost no spiral and all core. If things like corgettes are not firm and fresh they tend to collapse and break when using the product and you end up with a pile of messy veg in various shapes and sizes. The top lid with prongs is used for when you get near the end of a vegetable to avoid cutting your fingers. Sadly is most cases the spikes just shred the top of the veg rendering it mess. I think it is a useful thing to have just not the wonderful thing everyone thinks it is. It'll end up at the back of cupboard once the fad has passed.

OK for Beginners / occasional spiralizers. Has limitations

This is quite a neat little spiralizer- good for softer veg eg courgette but for harder veg like carrot, sweet potato etc I found it very difficult. I am left handed so for me, found using it awkward. As I am now actually spiralising a lot of vegetables and fruits for vegan recipes I have moved on to one with a handle.So this would suit the occasional spiralizer and is small enough to fit neatly away. Cleaning it is ok but take care near the blade. Reasonable price for handy little gadget.

it gets fusspots to eat courgettes

This is a simple item in every way. It doesn't take up too much room. Quick rinse to clean. It is in two pieces which sneck together firmly when not in use (so you're not searching for the 'other bit' at the back of the drawer). You use it manually - so you don't need extra space on your worktop and you don't need a power outlet. Requires human effort, but where courgettes are concerned, very easy - a bit more effort needed for a carrot! If I never use it for anything else but courgettes, it will have been a worthwhile purchase. The result is very satisfying to see - and those pretty spirals require minimal cooking, so nutritionally, they're a winner - especially now that they get eaten (and not picked-out-and-pushed-to-side-of-plate). It has been a fairly recent ... MoreThis is a simple item in every way. It doesn't take up too much room. Quick rinse to clean. It is in two pieces which sneck together firmly when not in use (so you're not searching for the 'other bit' at the back of the drawer). You use it manually - so you don't need extra space on your worktop and you don't need a power outlet. Requires human effort, but where courgettes are concerned, very easy - a bit more effort needed for a carrot! If I never use it for anything else but courgettes, it will have been a worthwhile purchase. The result is very satisfying to see - and those pretty spirals require minimal cooking, so nutritionally, they're a winner - especially now that they get eaten (and not picked-out-and-pushed-to-side-of-plate). It has been a fairly recent purchase, so I can't comment on its long term robustness, but I feel confident.