Electric Cuisinart Spiralizer (Prep Express SSL-100)

Cuisinart's electric spiralizer, the Prep Express SSL-100, is available from Amazon and Wayfair

Electric spiralizers are all the rage amount health-conscious people, and for good reason: these compact yet powerful gadgets transform ordinary vegetables like zucchini and carrots into attractive, versatile and nutritious veggie "noodles" in seconds. And, some of the best spiralizers, such as Cuisinart's Prep-Express Spiralizer SSL-100 (aka CUI3539), go beyond their call of duty, cutting vegetables into other shapes as well. Here, we take a look at some of the pros and cons of the electric Cuisinart Spiralizer SSL-100/CUI3539 to help you evaluate whether this model is the right choice for your kitchen.

Pros of Buying the Cuisinart SSL-100 Spiralizer

Spiralizing vegetables with the Cuisinart Prep-Express SSL-100 requires little manual work

Spiralizing vegetables like zucchini, carrots and sweet potatoes with a manual, hand-crank spiralizer can be a tedious task, especially if you need to spiralize a lot of vegetables. Equipped with a motor, the Cuisinart Prep-Express SSL-100 has no handle that would require cranking. To make spiralized vegetables with this motor-operated spiralizer, all you have to do is prepare the vegetables and guide them down the spiralizer's feed tube when the machine is on, and within seconds, you will be rewarded with a pile of perfectly shaped veggie noodles ready to be served or cooked.

The Cuisinart Prep-Express SSL-100 is one of the most versatile electric spiralizers on the market

The Cuisinart Prep-Express SSL-100 is one of the most versatile electric spiralizers out there, producing eight different types of cuts (spirals and other cuts). It comes with two interchangeable feed tubes, and each tube is compatible with the four cutting cones that should be included in the price when you buy this spiralizer from Amazon. The straight feed tube is used to turn foods into spirals and ribbons of different sizes, whereas the angled feed tube is used to produce slices and shreds. The following chart provides an overview of the different types of cuts you can create with the Cuisinart Prep-Express, including information about which tube and cutting cone you should use to produce the desired shape.

Cons of Getting the Cuisinart SSL-100

It's not exactly the cheapest spiralizer out there

If you are looking for a cheap, simple spiralizer, you might want to go for another spiralizer. With the ability to produce eight different types of cuts, it shouldn't come as a surprise that this 3-in-1 spiralizer/slicer/shredder is not exactly the cheapest spiralizer out there (you can check the current Amazon price here). However, it's also not the most expensive spiralizer/slicer/shredder combo on the market, and if you are looking for a multi-functional kitchen appliance that does more than just spiralizes vegetables, the Cuisinart SSL-100 might be a good choice for you.

The vegetables you want to spiralize have to be the right size, shape and texture

If you have already done some research on electric spiralizers and their pros and cons, you probably already know one major downside that all popular models have in common: the limited size of the feed tube. This means that with the Cuisinart SSL-100, you can only process foods that fit into the feed tube. In addition, you will have to pay attention to the shape and texture of the food, with oblong, firm vegetables like zucchini being the best candidates for the spiralizer.

Where to Buy the Electric Cuisinart Spiralizer SSL-100

If, after weighing the pros and cons described above, you think that the Cuisinart SSL-100 Slicer, Shredder and Spiralizer might be a good addition to your kitchen, head to Amazon or Wayfair where you can check the current price, read user reviews, and view more detailed product specifications.