As someone who loves to cook, I genuinely enjoy chopping vegetables – there’s just something therapeutic about it! But I’ll admit, after a long day at work, sometimes I just want everything to be done instantly, without the elbow grease.
This can be a big problem when you’re vegan and eat more produce than the average person. It can take a long time to process all those fruits and veggies!
My mandoline slicer is the ideal tool for these busy nights, or when I’m cooking for a crowd. Most mandoline slicers consist of an interchangeable blade on a sloped surface. Food is sliced or julienned when you run it over the surface of the blade.
I happen to love my mandoline, but they make some people nervous. Between the slightly medieval look and the potentially dangerous blade, these kitchen gadgets do come with some considerations.
Is a mandoline a good addition to your kitchen? Read on to find out.
Article NavigationOur #1 ChoiceBenefits of Mandoline Slicers✓ Speed✓ Consistency✓ Textures✓ Safe SlicingChoosing a Mandoline SlicerBlade shapeSafety MechanismsIs it Dishwasher-Friendly?Best Rated Mandoline Slicer BrandsOXO Good Grips V – Blade Mandoline SlicerKitchenaid Mandoline SlicerCuisinart Graphite MandolineBenriner Japanese Mandoline SlicerEasy Slicing With a Mandoline
Our #1 Choice
If you’re pressed for time (and who isn’t?), we recommend going with the OXO Good Grips of all the 4 brands featured on this page.
Benefits of Mandoline Slicers
There’s no doubt about it – a mandoline slicer increases your efficiency in the kitchen. There are plenty of benefits to these simple, yet effective, kitchen tools.
✓ Speed
The speed of a mandoline slicer is perfect when you’re in a hurry, or you need to process lots of veggies for a big crowd. My slicer makes quick work of even tough, hard vegetables like sweet potatoes and butternut squash.
Unlike quick cuts with a knife, it’s safe to go fast with your mandoline slicer. Until you reach the end of the vegetable you’re slicing, you can move very quickly across the blade, cutting down on your prep time.
Mandoline slicers can reduce kitchen prep time by as much as 50%.With a mandoline slicer, you get fast slices, without having to sacrifice your fingertips!
✓ Consistency
I don’t know about you, but my knife work isn’t always the best. When I slice and julienne veggies, I usually wind up with big chunks and thin shavings all in the same dish.
This can create problems when you’re cooking the vegetables – the thin pieces turn to mush while the thicker pieces are still hard in the middle.
Because you set the thickness of the blade, each slice of food you make is the same size. This makes it ideal for roasting or baking veggies in a gratin, or any application where it’s helpful to have all the foods be the same size. It makes your food look more professional, too!
✓ Textures
Many mandoline slicers come with interchangeable blades – one device allows you to make regular slices, as well as juliennes, fry shapes, and others.
By switching out the blades, you can create different styles of foods without having tons of different tools in your kitchen, or have to know any fancy knife work. This can give a high-quality, professional element to your food with relatively little time and technical know-how.
✓ Safe Slicing
With all their benefits, mandoline slicers are still basically a blade on a plank. Using these tools requires some caution, as incorrect use could result in some pretty serious injuries.
When you get to that last “nub” of zucchini or potato, that’s the time when you’re most likely to nick your knuckles or fingertips. Most slicers come with a protective handle that will grip the food and protects your fingers from the slicing blade. Be sure to use this every time to avoid injury!
Safety isn’t just important while you’re slicing, either. Because the blade is exposed, you’ll want to take special care when cleaning and storing the device. Make sure you affix any protective coverings when the tool isn’t in use, especially if you have small children or pets.
Though it’s relatively simple to use a mandoline slicer, I recommend watching the quick video below for quick overview on safely using one.
Overall, it’s not hard to stay safe when using a mandoline slicer!
Ready to get slicing? Check out our steps for choosing your own mandoline.
Choosing a Mandoline Slicer
1. Blade shape
There are generally three styles of mandoline slicers – a straight blade, a diagonal blade, and a v-shaped blade.
- The Straight Blade
Straight Blades are the most traditional and usually used on French slicers. The blade lies straight across the platform, and slices straight through the food that’s run over it. This style is effective on tough to slice veggies like sweet potatoes and butternut squash, but it can be hard to get slices of more delicate foods, like tomatoes.
- The Diagonal Blade
A diagonal blade is set at an angle on the ramp and is more effective for those soft yet skinned fruits and veggies like tomatoes and peppers. The angle of the blade allows the food to be cut with less force, which means less chance of injury!
- The V-Shaped Blade
V-shaped blades are the final blade type, and are most prevalent in mandoline slicers for home use. It’s ideal for large, awkwardly shaped ingredients, and allows even tough vegetables to be pushed through with ease.
The Takeaway…
Unless you feel very strongly about a certain blade style, I recommend the V-shape. It is the most versatile blade and is the best choice for safety.
2. Safety Mechanisms
As we mentioned earlier, safety is important when using one of these slicers. One slip can result in a nasty cut on the hands and fingertips – Nothing ruins dinner quite like a trip to the hospital!
Look for a slicer with some sort of food holder you can use during slicing. This allows you to keep a good grip on the food while protecting your hands from the blades. You can slice all the way down to the end of the vegetable without risking running your hands over the blade.
You’ll also want to pay attention to how you switch the blades – does the unit come with guards on each blade, or will you need to touch the sharp edges?
Of course, the level of safety you need will depend largely on your comfort in the kitchen, as well as if you frequently cook around small children or pets.
Not sure? Opt for more safety mechanisms rather than fewer.
3. Is it Dishwasher-Friendly?
We all know that the best tool is the one you’ll use. If a product is great but is difficult or time-consuming to clean, it’s just going to gather dust in your cabinets.
Many mandolines can be placed directly in the dishwasher for easy cleanup. If a mandoline being dishwasher-safe isn’t applicable to you, be sure to look for one that’s easy to clean and won’t cause you to injure yourself trying to scrub the blades clean.
Best Rated Mandoline Slicer Brands
OXO Good Grips V - Blade Mandoline Slicer
Our #1 Pick
The mandoline slicer from OXO features a v-shaped blade that makes quick work of both soft and hard fruits and vegetables.
This slicer provides an unprecedented amount of customizability, making it a perfect multi-use tool. There are straight and wavy blades for straight and crinkle cuts, as well as a julienne blade for fine, professional shreds.
In addition to interchangeable blades, the entire unit itself is adjustable, so you can change the width of your slices to as thick or thin as you want.
It’s not just customizable, either! The unit is also safe, coming with a food holder that grips fruits and vegetables while protecting fingers. The unit features non-slip feet for safety, so it doesn’t wiggle all over the counter while you’re trying to slice.
The unit is dishwasher safe and recommended by America’s Test Kitchen.
What We Love
For the price, the OXO slicer offers superior customizability, so you only need one tool in your kitchen for multiple jobs. This is a great starter slicer and is a perfect mix of value and quality.
The Downside
Those with limited strength in their hands may find the unit somewhat bulky and difficult to operate. The elderly or those with joint issues might be best served by another unit.
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Kitchenaid Mandoline Slicer
KitchenAid is one of the biggest names in cooking tools, and their mandoline slicer is one of their best products.
No detail has been overlooked when it comes to this slicer! A comfort grip handle and food guard allow for easy, sanitary operation, while non-slip feet keep the unit anchored. The V-shaped blade makes it easy to slice a variety of fruits and vegetables.
The KitchenAid slicer also allows for customization when it comes to your food prep. You can choose from three separate blades, as well as modify the thickness of the slice itself. This allows it to be used with a variety of foods, as well as create a wide array of dishes.
Where the KitchenAid really shines, however, is safety. In addition to a protective food gripper, the KitchenAid also features a retractable blade for safe storage. You won’t have to worry about accidental injury when getting your mandoline out of storage, thanks to the retraction and the blade cover. This is a great option for households with pets or small children.
The KitchenAid slicer comes in a vibrant red color, which looks fantastic out on your countertop.
What We Love
The blade on this slicer is perfect if you do a lot of thin slicing. The KitchenAid quickly turns foods like tomatoes and cucumbers into papery-thin slices, instead of turning them into mush. It’s great if you use a lot of delicate foods.
The Downside
The food holder on the KitchenAid slicer is somewhat awkwardly shaped and has a hard time holding onto foods. For the most protection, consider using slicing gloves instead of the holder that comes with the product.
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Cuisinart Graphite Mandoline
The mandoline from Cuisinart provides the most options for cutting shapes. With four separate stainless steel blades, you can choose from a straight edge or crinkle cut and shredding, as well as fine and thick juliennes.
The body of the slicer is also adjustable, allowing you to set the thickness of your fruits and vegetables.
The design of the slicer is made for easy, comfortable use. The soft-grip handle is comfortable to hold, and non-slip feet hold the slicer in place. Even the cutting runway can be adjusted to fit your comfort, locking into upper and lower positions.
The slicer is also extremely safe to use and store. The unit includes a cut-resistant glove for wear while you’re cutting, but also features safe storage options. The safety cover and storage slots prevent injuries from the blades, and the legs collapse down to take up as little space as possible.
The Cuisinart slicer is easy to care for – the blades and runway are dishwasher-safe, and the cut-resistant glove is machine washable.
What We Love
Purchasers rave about how much time this tool saves them during food prep. The blades are super sharp, resulting in an easy, even cut. Reviewers especially love the julienne blade, which makes great filling for spring rolls!
The Downside
While the unit initially has great cutting power, some reviewers note that the blades dull very quickly. The dull blades can result in injury, especially when cutting tougher fruits and vegetables.
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Benriner Japanese Mandoline Slicer
The Benriner Jumbo Mandoline slicer quickly works through larger fruits and vegetables, creating even, consistent pieces that cook evenly and taste great.|
The mandoline is made from BPA-free plastic and features a handcrafted stainless steel Japanese blade. It uses a large open handle for comfort and a non-skid rubber base for superior stability.
This slicer uses a single fixed straight-edge blade that’s best suited for larger foods like cabbage and melon. While you can’t switch blades in and out, it does a great job at the task it was designed for. If you cut lots of larger fruits and vegetables, this is the model for you.
The Benriner uses a safety guard to protect fingers during slicing. Because it’s a straight blade as opposed to V-shaped, take extra care when forcing ingredients across the blades.
This unit is easy to use and features an apparatus that hooks onto the bowl to collect slices as you go. This helps you save more time overall by reducing the amount of mess created during food prep.
The unit comes apart easily and is dishwasher safe.
What We Love
Reviewers love how simple this model is to disassemble and care for. The blades are sharp, the unit is solid, and the entire tool is light and durable. This is an overall quality product that will last for a long time in your kitchen, even with frequent use.
The Downside
Some purchasers found the unit difficult to operate, as it does not hook to the table. This requires the cook to hold and slice with one hand.
Check Price on AmazonEasy Slicing With a Mandoline
If you eat a lot of produce and are looking for a safer way to process that food, consider adding a mandoline to your kitchen toolkit.
While mandoline slicers may look scary, when used properly they can be safer and more efficient than your chef’s knife. When choosing your ideal mandoline, opt for a model that comes with a safety apparatus, like a protective food gripper or a cut-resistant glove.
By equipping your kitchen with a mandoline, you’ll be able to fly through your kitchen prep and cook for large crowds with ease. Consider adding this handy tool to your collection and get to slicing!
My favorite brand is OXO Good Grip V-Blade Mandoline Slicer. I used it for last 1 years. It’s safety food holder and the skid-proof feet, altogether makes your cutting faster than other low-cost products. With the adjustment knob, incorporated in this Oxo food mandoline, you will be able to adjust the thickness of the pieces of foods you are slicing.It features, durability, performance, and ease of use are brilliant.