Screw Everything

We’re not usually ones for one-use kitchen gadgets: Fun for a minute, then they turn into dust-gathering space-hoggers that eventually get tossed into the giveaway pile.

But then came Ali Maffucci and her gadget, The Inspiralizer.

It’s true this funny-looking lump of BPA-free plastic does look like something you’d order on late-night television after one too many brownies. However, after giving it several spins, we’re giving it our full approval.

Spiralized vegetables are having their moment. There’s Hungryroot, which will ship organic, fresh-cut vegetable noodles to your door. The UK-based Hemsley + Hemsley gals sell their spiralizer exclusively through Gwyneth Paltrow’s site.

Maffucci quit her day job to spread the spiralizer love on her blog Inspiralized, then wrote a cookbook, Inspiralized: Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals. Her spiralizer has plenty of smart design nods—like four blades (to make ribbons, fettuccine, linguine, and spaghetti), counter clamps and easy disassembly—as befits someone who has been spiralizing nonstop for the past three years.

While not as small (or affordable) as some of the hand-held versions, The Inspiralizer is worth its size and price ($50 with free two-day shipping). This thing plows through anything you throw at it and out the other side comes endlessly entertaining curly apple ribbons, tender zucchini linguine, beet ribbons and sweet potato spaghetti (see a full list of what can be spiralized here). If you are trying to “eat the rainbow,” as Maffucci encourages, this thing is going to be your new best friend. We’re going wild for recipes like crab zucchini pasta with spicy avocado sauce and roasted beet noodles with goat cheese and pecans.

This is one gizmo we’re making a permanent kitchen resident.