One of the most missed foods by people on the ketogenic diet is PASTA! If that’s you, don’t worry, I’ve been there too. Nothing quite compares to a delicious bowl of Fettuccine Alfredo!
…But sticking to a keto diet, doesn’t mean you have to totally go without some of the things you love. Many “replacement” foods just don’t cut it for me; falling too far short of whatever the real things is.
Thankfully, Zoodles (zucchini noodles) are one replacement that are quite satisfying and a food my wife and I look forward to eating. After sautéing them for just a bit in some butter or olive oil, they soften like regular noodles, and they also do a great job of soaking up the flavor of whatever sauce you’re using, just like regular pasta does.
But how do you go about turning a zucchini into zoodles?
…Enter, the Vegetable Spiralizer If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. !
A SUPER handy kitchen gadget, the vegetable spiralizer will cut all kinds of vegetables – beets, carrots, broccoli stalks, cucumbers, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, and other firm vegetables – into ribbons, angel hair noodles, spirals, and more. But, it’s most common use is for creating zoodles, so many people simply call these kitchen tools Zoodle Makers If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. . And the best thing is they’re very affordable, ranging from $15 to $40, with that average price being about $20.
Table of Contents
- My Top Picks
- Other Best Selling Zoodle Makers
- Which Spiral Slicer I Use
- Drawbacks
- Video Review Of The Spiral Slicer I Use
- Care and Maintenance
- Zoodle Recipes?
My Top Zoodle Maker Picks
THE Best Zoodle Maker
OXO Good Grips 3-Blade Spiralizer with StrongHold Suction If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. – While almost all zoodle makers are made of plastic, this brand and model seems to have the sturdiest/best construction of those reviewed. The three blades (fettucine, spaghetti, and ribbon cuts) are brightly colored, which is kind of nice for helping you quickly determine which one you want to grab.The difference maker that drove this one to the top of our list was the feedback from multiple customers (some who own both this one and the Paderno) that the one single large suction cup on the bottom of this OXO model really holds tightly and firmly to the countertop, whereas the Paderno with its four smaller suction cups, slides as you work the vegetable through the blade.
Second Choice
The Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade Vegetable Spiral Slicer If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. – Very similar to the best choice above, in construction, design, and functionality, but with the difference of suction cups that don’t hold the unit quite as strongly to the counter surface as the OXO brand does. But it’s also only about $30 on Amazon, so it’s still a great buy for the job it does.
This is the one my wife and I have had for several years now, and we love it.
I personally like that the blades not in use are stored nicely out of the way at the bottom of the unit, in little trays that the blades slides into and clicks/locks in place.
Budget Choice
The Zoodle Slicer ZS001 is a handheld vegetable spiralizer that offers the cheapest option of zoodle makers. It’s a more cumbersome task with this model to spiralize your veggies, having to hold the gadget with one hand and twist the vegetable into it with the other. But if you only want it for the occasional use, or you have very limited space in your kitchen, this could be the model for you.
…Also note that it will only cut narrower vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, and zucchini; not bigger things like beets, sweet potatoes, cabbage, etc.
It may be small, but reviewers are quite satisfied, saying it works very well with sharp blades. At our latest search, it was only $15 on Amazon! Check this one out here If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. .
With one of these great Zoodle Makers, you can treat yourself to a delicious bowl of Zoodles any time! These are seasoned with Italian spices, drenched in healthy olive oil, and sprinkled with parmesan cheese.
Other Best Selling Zoodle Makers On The Market
4. Zoodle Slicer ZS001
One more handheld option. While I really prefer the countertop models, I wanted to throw in one more handheld model, that is a top seller with great reviews, for your own comparison. It comes with a handy little pipe cleaner like brush to get leftover vegetable peelings out of the nooks and crannies of the blades.
5. Oster Electric Spiralizer
Oster offers this electric vegetable spiralizer that would make quick work of the task. But there is one significant downfall, mentioned by various reviewers, that the glass container holds a small amount of vegetables after being cut, and needs emptied often.
6. KitchenAid KSM1APC Spiralizer Attachment (with Peel, Core, and Slice)
If you already have a KitchenAid mixer, this attachment could be right for you. It’s more expensive, at roughly $90, but you can be sure it won’t slide around, being attached to the heavy-duty mixer…and being powered by the mixer, you wouldn’t have to do the manual cranking to make your zoodles!
Which Spiral Slicer I Use
I’m the kind of person who usually doesn’t get the most expensive choice, but also not the cheapest – a middle-of-the-road kind of person. I know I get what I pay for, but don’t necessarily need premium or luxury versions of things. And that is what I did in this case as well, going with the Paderno model of Zoodle Maker If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. . At only $30 or so on Amazon, and judging by how often we use it, it has been a fantastic purchase for us!
We’ve had it for several years now, and have even loaned it out to a few different friends, and it has held up well through it all.
Scroll down the page just a bit to see my video review of our experience with it.
Drawbacks – But Not Deal Breakers
- Not easy to get completely clean – the blade teeth and small crevices catch and accumulate peelings, making it quite a challenge to get completely clean. The handheld ZS001 Zoodle Slicer has the advantage of coming with a little pipe cleaner like brush, but I wouldn’t buy that model purely on that point alone.
- Unit slides around a bit when cutting bigger or more firm vegetables – the suction cups are a smart idea, allowing you to plant the gadget firmly on your countertop, but I’ve found that when pressing firmly against the machine while turning the handle to cut the vegetables, it will tend to move around…so I end up having my wife hold the base of the zoodle maker for me while I crank the handle.
Video Review Of Our Zoodle Maker At Home
In this video, I review one of the best zoodle makers to buy today, the Paderno Tri-Blade Vegetable Spiral Slicer If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. . Take a look, I think you’ll find it helpful!
Proper Care and Maintenance
As I mentioned above, one of the drawbacks of pretty much all of these vegetable spiralizers is that they’re challenging to clean…the “teeth” of the blades catch and accumulate the peelings, and it takes something like a brush, toothpick, or higher water pressure to rinse it all out…scrubbing with a cloth doesn’t get down in the nooks & crannies.
It’s wise to rinse off as much as you can immediately after using it, and then soak the blades and other dirty pieces in warm soap water for a little while. Doing so will make the process easier on you!
Some Great Zoodle Recipes
- Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken Pasta
- Cajun Zoodle Pasta – If you like hot and spicy dishes, this one’s for you!
- Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Zucchini “Fideo” Soup
…More recipes coming. Check back!
