A salad spinner includes an outer bowl configured to hold an inner basket. The bowl and basket are each configured with a central post supported by a base structure having a pillar and a piston. A helical screw positioned within the pillar engages a drive shaft within the piston in order to rotate the drive shaft as the piston moves upward and downward with respect to the pillar. A spring biases the piston in the upward position to enable reciprocal telescoping movement.