If there’s one kitchen tool that no chef (pro or amateur) should be without, it’s a mandoline slicer. Today I’m going to talk a little bit about what these gadgets are, and then I’m going to discuss some of the more popular brands available to help you find the one that’s perfect for your kitchen and cooking needs.
First off, what exactly is a Mandoline?
Well, it’s sort of a mix between a grater, a slicer, and a cutting board all wrapped into one. You can use it for cutting julienne or many other ways. It’s blades can handle fruits (apples, pears, etc), vegetables (potatoes, carrots, onions, whatever), and just about anything else you throw at! Most people use them because the slices they produce can be uniformly thick, that is, you get the same thickness with each cut and are easily adjustable. Plus it’s just darn fast! Much faster than using a knife.
How much do they cost?
A simple manual one can cost as little as $15-$20 and the fancier ones can go between $20 and $40. On the other end of the spectrum are the super electric automated ones that can run hundreds of dollars. I’m going to focus mainly on the lower end of price range today because generally those are the ones that most people use in their kitchens for ordinary everyday use.
So let’s look at three distinct brands:
- Kyocera Adjustable Mandoline Slicer
- OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer
- Pinzon Stainless-Steel Mandoline
Kyocera Adjustable Mandoline Slicer
At about $21 this is a great entry-level manual product. It’s easily adjustable to the thickness of .5 mm, 1.3mm, 2mm, and 3mm; it should handle most of your needs. It has a ceramic blade that will stay sharp much longer than a regular metal blade and also comes with a hand guard which is especially important. This model is dishwasher safe which allows for very easy clean up, which is also very important! Based on 44 customer reviews, I give this a 94% A (or 5 out of 5 stars).
OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer
At $29 this is a slightly more substantial model. It has four blades and a height adjuster that comes with 4 different thicknesses (1.5mm, 3mm, 4.5mm, and 6mm). Right away you can see it offers a more versatile range of thicknesses. The blades are removable for easier cleaning (you should wash them by hand) while the body itself is dishwasher safe. This is a very nice looking unit but some people have suggested that the blades are not quite sharp enough, and based on 24 customer reviews, I give this an 83% B- grade.
Pinzon Stainless-Steel Mandoline
At $35 this is a very nice solid model that is made out of 18/10 stainless steel which should make it pretty sturdy. It has four blade attachments that allow for wave, rough, fine, and smooth cuts. You will probably need to hand wash this one – which is a little bit of a pain. Based on 48 customer ratings, I give this a solid 88% B+ grade.
So there you have three entry-level Mandoline Slicer options to choose from. Some people have several slicers in their kitchen to focus on different foods, and I really would recommend that myself, but if you had to go with just one, I’d point you towards the Kyocera model. Cook on!
