We all have those little plastic graters with a single slicing blade. The blade was never very sharp even when it was new and now the gadget lurks at the back of the drawer, not even used for grating. The traditional metal box grater gets more use as at least it has convincing grating capacity and it also has that single blade for slicing. But it’s not sharp and results in only one thickness of carrot and is impossible to use on tomatoes or even cucumber.
OXO’s Chef’s Mandoline Slicer is described as ‘user-friendly’ and that is an important quality. We all remember the scene on a Rick Stein cooking show when he sliced part of a finger using a mandoline. OK, the injury didn’t kill him and he returned to our screens sporting a smart blue plaster, but these things are as dangerous as the sharpest of kitchen knives.
Stands firmly
When one is choosing a Chef’s Mandoline Slicer it’s important to consider safety first. The OXO Chef’s Mandoline Slicer has stable rubber feet so you won’t be juggling both food and gadget. It is substantial enough to stand firmly on a counter without moving when pressure is applied. The safety holder for the food has plenty of prongs to hold veggies securely, and the guard keeps vulnerable fingers away from those blades.
Those blades are the business end of the device and they cut with ease. There is a base on which to slice the foods and that has adjustable height to enable the chef (yes, that’s you) to create slices of different thicknesses – from chunky pennies to slices so thin one could read a cook book through them. One can cut batons and juliennes as well as waffles for truly professional game chips and the like.
The Chef’s Mandoline Slicer by OXO is one of the safest devices of its type on the market. It comes with all the features that one would wish to see. It’s well designed and cuts with precision for professional results. It’s not the cheapest mandoline on the market but it’s one of the best.
For more on the Chef’s Mandoline Slicer visit OXO here
Product review by Chrissie Walker © 2018