Zoodles, or Zucchini Noodles, are easy to make with the right spiralizer. Also, veggie courses get a makeover when carrots, potatoes, squash and other firm veggies get spiralized. A healthy alternative to pasta, but making them can be a chore. Many spiralizers require lots of “elbow grease” to use. The mechanics of the Brieftons Vertico Spiralizer allow for much less effort being needed to produce spirals. Even a supervised child can help with dinner prep, and an elderly person or someone who has impaired upper arm strength can use it without requiring much assistance and it creates long, curly, even spirals.
OVERVIEW: Once I got the hang of it, it was easy to create very long continuous spirals, the second one I did was more than four feet long with no breaks or tears! It makes a nice thin cut that makes for crispy, even spirals of veggies or fruits. The size of the spirals it creates is ideal for use as a pasta substitute, or for a pretty presentation of a basic veggie side dish.
CONSTRUCTION
The spiralizer is simple to put together; you don’t need directions, but it comes with step-by-step instructions. The only thing I would mention is to make sure to push the top semi-oval bar piece in tightly.
I like that the device has three suction feet to keep it stable during use. You don’t particularly have to hold the device down while using it, although there is a spot to put your finger just to stabilize it if needed.
EASE OF USE
As the name indicates, it is a vertical spiralizer, which it turns out, is exceptionally easy to use. I thought it might require a lot of elbow grease, but it takes very little effort to turn the handle to make a spiral. There is no resistance to the handle.
I tried zucchini and carrots; the zucchini spiralized very quickly and easily. The carrots took a few more tries to get an even rhythm going, but it still was easy to rotate the handle and get an even spiral out of the carrot.
One of my favorite parts about this spiralizer is that I didn’t have to stop and re-adjust the vegetable mid-spiralizing. It just vertically rotates downward until it is a tiny stub of veggie, which can still be spiralized, just a bit slow-going at the very end. This is an advantage over horizontal spiralizers, which require pausing and readjusting.
Another thing I like is the spiralized results go into a clear drawer under the device instead of falling out onto a plate next to the spiralizer. This seems to make for tighter, neater spirals and easier clean-up. For cleaning off the blade, it comes with a tiny bristle brush similar to a vegetable brush.
These very long spirals can make for a beautiful meal that is simple to make.
PREPARING THE FRUITS & VEGETABLES FOR SPIRALIZING
It is important to cut the vegetable or fruit so that it has a flat top and bottom so that the two points that secure the to-be spiralized item can grasp it well. I also thought positioning it slightly at an off angle towards your choice of the two blades makes for a more consistent curl to the spiral. They curl up tightly like very long curly fries; there were very few chips of pieces.
It would be possible to do thicker, fibrous fruits and vegetables, cut away the seeds from fruit whenever possible.
Cut vegetables such as carrots and zucchini into about 5″ long pieces so they fit comfortably into the device. Larger pieces do not fit well.
Note that there are two blades, so if you feel you need to hold the spiralizer during the process, only hold it from the top rounded surface or one of the vertical side bars, not the base. Be mindful of the second blade, so you don’t cut yourself. While it is a wonderful advantage that turning the handle requires so very little effort, the blades are VERY sharp! A child can easily turn the handle but should NOT be left unsupervised.
CONCLUSION
A VERY easy to use vertical spiralizer, it takes very little “muscle” to create spirals, it is something an elderly person could do with ease or a supervised child. The spirals are amazingly long, they are not weak or broken, they are tight, springy, beautifully appetizing spirals. Spiralizing a vegetable is very quick and easy to do. Quick to make spirals and quick to clean up.
Brieftons Vertico Spiralizer
Find it at Amazon.
DISCLAIMER
We received the Brieftons Vertico Spiralizer for testing and review purposes and received compensation for our time and effort. The opinions expressed in this review are 100% our own.
