Emulstir Salad Dressing Mixer Review

I’m not one for kitchen gadgets. Years as a restaurant cook have made me immune to the charms of quirky, as-seen-on-TV tools. Almost any task that can be done with a specialty tool can almost certainly be done by hand with some elbow grease and a little skill. I mince garlic with a knife, whip cream with a hand whisk, and you wouldn’t catch me dead with a battery-powered pepper mill (no hate). So it took me a while to come around to this salad dressing mixer—but now I’m hooked.

I first encountered this funny little tool at my mother-in-law’s house. Tasked with making a salad dressing for Christmas dinner, I was looking for a bowl and a whisk when she produced this salad dressing mixer and offered it to me. My first reaction was amusement, and I gave it a shot, sure I would immediately decide that it was unnecessary. I used the markings on the side to measure my olive oil and vinegar ratio, and threw in some mustard, minced shallot, and a touch of honey. I lifted the twist mechanism and plunged it down, watching as the dressing emulsified with the barest effort on my part.

The memory of using the mixer lingered after the holiday ended. In a last-ditch attempt at frugality (or maybe just plain stubbornness), I made a few dressings by hand over the next few months. I whisked them in a bowl by hand or shook them in a mason jar. Finally, I broke down and spent $20 on the Emulstir. I’ve never been happier with a gadget, and I haven’t purchased a store-bought dressing in over a year.

How Do You Use a Salad Dressing Mixer?

The way this salad dressing mixer works is simple but genius. A small, twisted plunger pulls up from the lid, and as you push down, an integrated whisk spins inside the container (not wholly unlike our favorite push-top salad spinners). This small but mighty gadget won’t take up much room in your kitchen. It’s barely bigger than a standard squeeze bottle, nowhere near as heavy or bulky as a food processor, and requires less effort than a mixing bowl and a whisk. The side of the container has clear, well-marked measurements in millimeters, ounces, and cups to make adding your ingredients as easy as possible. 

One of the best features of the Emulstir is that it acts as a dressing storage container as well as a vessel for creation. When pushed in, the lid’s silicone ring seals the carafe and keeps your dressing airtight. I usually make a batch of dressing and store it in the Emulstir to use throughout the week. After about 10 minutes on the counter to bring it to room temperature and a quick plunge of the stir stick, my dressing is re-emulsified and ready to dress my salad.

FAQs

Can you make egg-based dressings in a salad dressing mixer?

With a little finesse, yes. The best way to make egg-based dressing, like Caesar, is to emulsify a small amount of oil into egg yolk (we break down the process here), then stream in more oil—slowly, so you don’t break the sauce. This mixer doesn’t have a way to add more oil or vinegar while you stir (though the 2.0 version does), I have had success by opening the top, adding a teaspoon of oil, then replacing, mixing, and repeating until I have a solid emulsification. From there, the dressing is more stable and can take larger additions. 

Why We’re the Experts