Salad Choppers: Hand-Held, Manual, and Electric

When I first started thinking about writing an article about salad choppers, I was thinking of the as seen on TV salad chopper that you put on top of an onion or a tomato (or whatever) and it has blades inside that come down when you push on the handle on top. The one on the right is similar to what I had in mind, but it's even better because you don't need a cutting board.

This one is pretty simple. It's like a double pizza cutter that comes with its own bowl. Put your lettuce in the bowl and go at it with the modified pizza cutter (I mean salad chopper). It can't get much easier than that, and it doesn't use electricity either.

Otherwise known as the Progressive International Manual Food Chopper and Salsa Maker, this is more than just a salad chopper and spinner. It looks a bit like a food processor, but it doesn't require electricity. You have to turn the crank at the top to operate it. In addition to chopping and spinning salads, it has the ability to separate eggs, and there is a set of blending blades that you can use to mix things up.

This 2-speed food chopper has a 3-cup bowl with a lid for storing the food after you're done chopping it. It has a sleek style and can be operated using only one hand. The blades are stainless steel and you can wash the parts in the dishwasher.

Last, but certainly not least, is the Salad Shooter. This thing is just awesome. My Mom had something like it when I was a kid, but I think the name may have been different. I love how well it grates cheese. You just put in the grating attachment, put a chunk of cheese in the chute, and push it gently but firmly against the rotating blade with the pusher. I can't remember using it for anything but cheese, but if it can handle that, shredding lettuce should be a breeze.