What is the best kind of salad chopper?

"A mezzaluna is the best and simplest tool used for chopping salads. However, a Kattex Lettuce cutter is also very easy to use and produces a more consistent product,” says Taleyarkhan. Ali Banks, Vice President of Culinary for both Chopt Creative Salad Company and Dos Toros , agrees, saying, "at Chopt, we always used a traditional mezzaluna rather than some of the newer options like salad shears, which are just giant scissors. If you're cutting something with a mezzaluna, you can see exactly what size your ingredients are on the board so you can make sure you've cut down all the giant pieces but also haven't pulverized your greens."

What tools do restaurants use to chop salads?

"We use a lot of different tools,” says Banks. “We receive a lot of whole, fresh produce every day. Some of our ingredients are washed and dried and then blended right into a dressing, and some are cut to a perfect size for your salad. We use mezzalunas, chef’s knives, and even food processors to get everything to an optimal salad-ready chop.” Many choppers, including commercial-sized freestanding lettuce choppers, have a place in restaurants, "but you are likely to find a mezzaluna in every kitchen,” says Taleyarkhan.

How do you sharpen a mezzaluna?

"Sharpening a mezzaluna is typically done using a coarse diamond stone, reestablishing the bevel at 25 degrees, then using a fine diamond stone at 25 degrees, and then polishing off with an extra fine diamond stone," says Taleyarkhan. You’ll likely find it easiest to bring the mezzaluna to a professional knife sharpener. "I've sharpened mine myself before and, as a knife enthusiast, I still think it's tricky to keep the angle consistent across the whole arc,” says Banks. “I highly recommend sending it to a professional.”

What else can you use a mezzaluna for?

This multipurpose tool can do more than prep salads. "It's a great tool to cut down a lot of any item without needing to be super exact – herbs, garlic, and nuts are great candidates,” says Banks. "There are a few chefs who use a mezzaluna and a chef’s knife interchangeably. A mezzaluna can be used to chop almonds, herbs, salads, fruits, dried fruits, cooked greens, shredded meats, and a whole host of other ingredients. It’s very versatile," says Taleyarkhan.

What factors should people consider when buying a salad chopper?

Consider how often you would use a salad chopper and how much produce you would likely prep at one time, according to Taleyarkhan, who recommends smaller tools for home use. Comfort is also important, which makes a mezzaluna again an ideal choice. "You want it to be able to fit comfortably when rocking on a board with all of your ingredients in a single layer,” Banks says. “The handles can be an odd fit for larger or smaller hands, and it's important to get a good grip. It's a great tool to get kids – or kitchen-skeptical adults! – comfortable with helping in the kitchen since both of your hands are on handles and not coming between a blade and a cutting board."

The 7 Best Salad Choppers for 2023

From quick lunches to satisfying dinners, salads pack a big flavor punch without much effort. A salad chopper, whether in the form of a mezzaluna or pizza wheel-like rolling blade, can make it even easier for you to eat your veggies and enjoy the process of preparing them. Like the vegetable choppers that slice and dice tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions, salad choppers are designed to cut the time of prepping and cleaning produce, namely leafy greens and herbs. We talked to chefs who know their salads to find the best salad choppers for home kitchens.

Fanteâs Double Mezzaluna Chopper Rocking Knife

Amazon

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This Italian-made mezzaluna caught our eye for a few reasons. First is its striking design, with an attractive blade and beautiful wooden handles, it reminds us of the sort of old-school mezzaluna we would have seen in kitchens past. Moreover, it's durable for salads and beyond. It's available with a single or double blade – the double blade may help with larger batches of lettuce, while the single blade is versatile and easier to store.

Price at time of publish: $21

Materials: Wood, stainless steel
Dimensions: 9.85 x 1.37 x 5.9 inches
Dishwasher Safe: No

Amazon

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With this ready-to-go bowl and chopper set, you can throw together a salad in no time. This chopper effectively slices through lettuce, and we love OXO Good Grips because its products are ergonomic and comfortable to use. Another advantage: you can serve your salad in the same bowl, too, making it an easy choice for weekday lunches. Dishwasher-safe materials add to this chopper's convenience.

Price at time of publish: $29

Materials: Plastic, stainless steel
Dimensions: 12.5 x 5.5 x 12.5 inches
Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Amazon

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If you're looking for an affordable salad chopper, consider this nylon model. Customer reviews rave that it works great and cuts down on the mess from prepping lettuce, which helps you streamline cooking and minimize cleanup. We love its innovative scissor design, which you can use with one hand while cooking. It's easy to clean, too, and can be used in a bowl or on a cutting board.

Price at time of publish: $11

Materials: Nylon
Dimensions: 8.13 x 7 x 1.25 inches
Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Amazon

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We love this durable, beautiful mezzaluna for chopping salads with ease. Its two blades make cutting more efficient, and its stainless steel construction will last you through many meals. Blade covers ensure that sharp edges stay safely tucked away when not in use. Best of all, this tool can become part of your routine for much more than salads – cooks use it for everything from brisket to chocolate.

Price at time of publish: $19

Materials: Stainless steel
Dimensions: 6.46 x 4.41 x 2.2 inches
Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Amazon

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For cutting tender greens like arugula or delicate herbs, consider this mincer perfect. It's constructed with multiple stainless steel blades, which divide the weight of the roller across multiple points, keeping delicate ingredients from bruising. Its comfortable handle keeps hands away from the blades. It's also retractable and comes with a cover, keeping fingers safe when it's not in use. We love its affordable price tag, its comfortable grip, and how easy it is to use. Unlike some other rollers, this one is dishwasher safe.

Price at time of publish: $18

Materials: Stainless steel, plastic
Dimensions: 4.88 x 3.23 x 2.64 inches
Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Restaurant Supply

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There are many tools restaurants use to chop salads, from a simple chef knife to a mezzaluna to specialized choppers. "The use of salad chopping tools really depends on the restaurant. Kattex, Sentinel, or Prince Castle Saber lettuce cutters save time in producing the finished product," says Zal Taleyarkhan, chef-partner at Fresh Express and Corporate Research Chef at Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations. If you plan to chop a lot of lettuce, a durable, powerful tool like the Kattex Lettuce Cutter may be a worthwhile investment.

Price at time of publish: $267

Materials: Aluminum, stainless steel, rubber
Dimensions: 13 x 18 x 20 inches
Dishwasher Safe: No

$WÃ¼sthof 2-Piece Chef's Tools Mincing Set$

Amazon

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This striking set comes from Wusthof, known for its durable, beautiful knives that keep their edges well and hold up to regular wear. While the two tools are more expensive than others on this list, the quality makes them a great value. You can use this chopper for years to come. One tip: while the Amazon listing says it's dishwasher safe, we recommend handwashing it to keep the wood chopping block intact and the knife blade sharp.

Price at time of publish: $70

Materials: High carbon stainless steel
Dimensions: 8.35 x 8.15 x 2.01 inches
Dishwasher Safe: No

Our Favorite

With a simple rocking motion, a mezzaluna, like this one from Fante's, chops lettuce and herbs efficiently and evenly. For even easier salad prep, invest in a salad spinner (my favorite salad-making tool), which removes grit and dirt from your greens with ease.

Factors to Consider

Care and Cleaning

How easy is a chopper to clean and maintain? Proper cleaning and care will help keep blades sharp, which means they're safer and more effective. If you have a dishwasher, make sure your chopper is dishwasher-safe before tossing it in for a wash.

Types of Produce

Think about the kinds of veggies you like to put in your salad. Can this chopper handle the job? A multipurpose tool, like a mezzaluna knife, is an investment that will pay off quickly as it can be used for just about anything. Other tools, such as a lettuce cutter, are more limited – but could be just right if you’re primarily wanting something to chop lettuce.

Ease of Use

Choose a chopper that's easy to work with and that is suited to the way you cook. If you have little hands in your kitchen, note whether your chopper has safety features that will keep kids from accidentally hurting themselves.

Durability

There are a handful of cheap, plastic-heavy choppers on the market. Make sure to look for a chopper with a strong construction that can stand up to frequent use. Durable stainless steel blades are a plus, and there’s a reason most of these tools have them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best kind of salad chopper?

"A mezzaluna is the best and simplest tool used for chopping salads. However, a Kattex Lettuce cutter is also very easy to use and produces a more consistent product,” says Taleyarkhan.

Ali Banks, Vice President of Culinary for both Chopt Creative Salad Company and Dos Toros, agrees, saying, "at Chopt, we always used a traditional mezzaluna rather than some of the newer options like salad shears, which are just giant scissors. If you're cutting something with a mezzaluna, you can see exactly what size your ingredients are on the board so you can make sure you've cut down all the giant pieces but also haven't pulverized your greens."
What tools do restaurants use to chop salads?

"We use a lot of different tools,” says Banks. “We receive a lot of whole, fresh produce every day. Some of our ingredients are washed and dried and then blended right into a dressing, and some are cut to a perfect size for your salad. We use mezzalunas, chef’s knives, and even food processors to get everything to an optimal salad-ready chop.”

Many choppers, including commercial-sized freestanding lettuce choppers, have a place in restaurants, "but you are likely to find a mezzaluna in every kitchen,” says Taleyarkhan.
How do you sharpen a mezzaluna?

"Sharpening a mezzaluna is typically done using a coarse diamond stone, reestablishing the bevel at 25 degrees, then using a fine diamond stone at 25 degrees, and then polishing off with an extra fine diamond stone," says Taleyarkhan. You’ll likely find it easiest to bring the mezzaluna to a professional knife sharpener. "I've sharpened mine myself before and, as a knife enthusiast, I still think it's tricky to keep the angle consistent across the whole arc,” says Banks. “I highly recommend sending it to a professional.”
What else can you use a mezzaluna for?

This multipurpose tool can do more than prep salads. "It's a great tool to cut down a lot of any item without needing to be super exact – herbs, garlic, and nuts are great candidates,” says Banks.

"There are a few chefs who use a mezzaluna and a chef’s knife interchangeably. A mezzaluna can be used to chop almonds, herbs, salads, fruits, dried fruits, cooked greens, shredded meats, and a whole host of other ingredients. It’s very versatile," says Taleyarkhan.
What factors should people consider when buying a salad chopper?

Consider how often you would use a salad chopper and how much produce you would likely prep at one time, according to Taleyarkhan, who recommends smaller tools for home use. Comfort is also important, which makes a mezzaluna again an ideal choice. "You want it to be able to fit comfortably when rocking on a board with all of your ingredients in a single layer,” Banks says. “The handles can be an odd fit for larger or smaller hands, and it's important to get a good grip. It's a great tool to get kids – or kitchen-skeptical adults! – comfortable with helping in the kitchen since both of your hands are on handles and not coming between a blade and a cutting board."

Our Expertise

Julia Skinner, Ph.D., is a culinary educator, food writer, and founder of Root, Atlanta's fermentation and food history company. She regularly writes books and articles, as well as a weekly food-focused newsletter. Ali Banks is Vice President of Culinary for Chopt Creative Salad Company and Dos Toros. Zal Taleyarkhan is Chef Partner for Fresh Express and Corporate Research Chef at Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations.