I used to make a lot of spiralized veggies, using my Paderno manual, horizontal spiralizer. I gave up after a while because it's not easy to use unless you have short, perfectly straight veggies. It's also not super easy to clean, and makes a mess on the countertop. I've recently started craving zoodles again :) so I went on the hunt for something easier to use, figuring that by now, they should have optimized the process. Saw this electric, vertical one, figured it was cheap enough to try. I only got it yesterday, so I've only used it once, today, to make zucchini and carrot noodles. And oh my, holy zoodle, it was SO.EASY and seamless. First, assembly is very, very easy and only takes a few seconds. Then I ran my (big) zucchini through it and ended up with perfect zoodles in a minute. No effort at all. Just put it in the chute, press the pusher into it (lightly), push the button once, and down it goes into the bowl in perfect zoodles. No half moons either. Then I did two carrots. So that was a little less perfect because they weren't thick enough (you want the thick and straight ones to spiralize, I only had long, thin(ish), cone-shape ones). But I cut them in half and only spiralized the thickest half, and they came out great. Having a free hand means I was also able to munch on the other half in the meantime. They did take more time than the zucchini because they're not as soft. But all in all it took less than 5 minutes total. The only con is the size of the leftover core. Bigger than with the Paderno, but a funnier shape. I'll just roast them with my dish and use them as decoration. Or cut them up and add them to a salad. I'd throw them in a soup if I were making one today. Washing was also very easy and quick. I did use a little brush that came with another appliance. You could use a toothbrush. Compared to the Paderno, this was so much easier, comfortable and fast. No hand hurting because you have to awkwardly hold the veggie while pushing it with the same hand and cranking with the other. No awkward cuts (half moons) because your zucchini isn't perfectly straight and centered. No zoodles and bits on the countertop. Cleaning is also much, much easier. I'd probably still use the Paderno for some things. Like veggies too big to fit the HB (beets) or to soft to be spiralized from the side (bell peppers), or too hard for the HB power (not sure what, maybe winter squashes). Or when I want a finer cut (wish there was one on the HB).
