This Salad Spinner Collapses to the Size of Two Frisbees

When I moved into my new apartment, I was horrified to find that my trusty, industrial-sizesalad spinner from OXOhad shattered in transit. It was probably a blessing, though, because I had misread my agent’s listing: My apartment was actually sized for a mouse, but meant to be lived in by a human. I could barely fit in the bathroom, let alone house my wide assortment of highly specialized kitchen accoutrements.

I refused to accept this space-induced food desert, however. Determined to find a successor to my OXO, I did hours of online research and discovered theGourmia GMS9100 Collapsible Salad Spinner. It does all the same things as my ordinary salad spinner — storing mushrooms and $300-a-pound butter lettuce — but it can also be easily flattened and tucked away. Compressed, it’s roughly the size of two Frisbees, fitting seamlessly into the closet next to my travelsteamerand writing lap-desk.

One thing: It’s difficult at first to expand and contract the salad spinner, but I quickly got the hang of it — I just put my palms on either side and use my fingers to push until it pops into place. I’m now able to gorge on Caesars and Cobbs and Waldorfs, all of which can stay crisp and fresh for around a week. It’s cheaper than my OXO salad spinner, and though it’s not quite as sturdy, it handily does what a salad spinner should do, with the added bonus of collapsing. This spinner’s as easy as any to clean, too: Just separate the lid, base, and spin chamber, then pop the latter two into compressed mode after they’re dry. You could also just send your prayers to Hygieia for a dishwasher — it’s safe for the machine.

Writer Caroline Bankoff adores herfoldable water bottle: “When full, it looks and feels much like a full-grown Capri Sun (and can be played with similarly). When empty and rolled up, the one-liter model takes up about as much space as an iPhone 5 (severalsmaller varietiesare alsoavailable, which I imagine are very convenient for people who are comfortable running out of water).”

Writer Mark Byrne makes a strong case for hiscollapsible Japanese pen: “Surely there are hundreds of other collapsible pens. There are also, I know, many very beautiful pens. I submit that the Midori is a rare combination of both, and for that reason it is extraordinary. It is both very good-looking and small. I keep mine in the coin pocket of my jeans. I carry it almost everywhere.”

In our reviews of thebest foam rollers, celebrity personal trainer Gunnar Peterson said of this collapsible version: “I love the Morph collapsible foam roller because it’s portable and amazing to travel with.”