Here they are, perfectly spiralled strands of carrot, potato, and in previous posts, courgette – but which spiraliser actually works best? Having tried two now, I can tell you that some really are better than others…
When I tried out my first spiraliser, I immediately likened it to Victorian copper jelly moulds – they will be at the height of culinary fashion for a few years, yet they seem quite limited in their real-life use.
Now, I do think this assumption is a little off, but it all comes down to the spiraliser in question. I invested in my first around six months ago, a small handheld version I picked up from eBay for a tenner, and chewed a few fresh veggies to pieces. Granted, there were a couple of instances that did work – courgettes were a sure bet so long as they were ripe enough – but I really struggled with root vegetables. On top of this, I would have to put a lot of effort into making smooth, well-formed courgette noodles, with the little elbow grease I do have getting completely used up, and having a lump of courgette left over that I would end up slicing anyway so as not to waste it. In the end, I left it rolling around in the back of a kitchen cupboard because of how much effort it actually took to use.
This is my new Gefu Spiralfix Spiraliser*, and while it was given to me to try out by the lovely family at Steamer Trading, I have to say it’s made me change my outlook on spiralising completely. It slices courgettes with ease, as well as carrots and potatoes without any real frustration at all. On top of that, it doesn’t take up an entire work surface, which was my qualm when contemplating a better one – I much prefer veggie noodles over wheat ones, but I rarely eat wheat noodles more than once a week!
To use this spiraliser, you need to cut your vegetables so they fit inside the top compartments diagonally, and then choose your spiraliser setting – there are three, from thin to thick, with a fourth ribbon setting. Then all it takes is a slight pressure while rotating the lever, and your spirals will all be caught in the bottom, leaving only a thin slice of vegetable left at the end – so much less waste than my first one.
From the first photo, you can see that potato and carrots come out perfectly, and the other delightful element is that if there is any leftover spirals, you can detach the bowl from the bottom and place the lid that comes with it on top, making an air-tight container perfect for the fridge (it’s good to note that all plastic used is BPA-free).
If you’ve been sitting on the fence when it comes to spiralising, I would definitely recommend assessing how much pasta and noodles you eat, and how much you enjoy fried veggies and raw salads before investing. If you’re like me and love to try out lots of healthy recipes, they can be a dream – so long as you choose the right one wisely. For me, that was this effective yet compact one, which may be triple the price of a handheld but actually does the job. If you’re a budding chef, you may prefer the larger variety – but I just want something that suits my irregular veggie noodle urges!
