Best Meat Slicer
As much as I believe that food preparation is a form of art, some things are perfect left to machines.
The machine will never be able to cook a meal as I can, but when it comes to routine things like food slicing, I’m all for turning that engine on.
So yes, you guessed it right, today’s hot topic is food slicers. A good food slicer can give you a top-notch sandwich in the comfort of your home. Like to wait in line to get your food? Me neither.
So you’ll be thanking me when I help you pick out the right food/meat slicer you can get.
Food slicer – What is it for?
I prefer the name “food slicer” over the somewhat used “meat slicer” since they can slice more than just meat. They were in fact invented to be used on meat, but later people figured out that there is a variety of things these machines can slice.
You’ll be able to serve professional-looking sandwiches to your friends next time you call them over for a movie or to watch a game.
Other than that, you can slice all kinds of meat (they should be frozen if raw) and vegetables.
Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t try to slice anything too soft or juicy, or you might end up with splatter all over your kitchen.
And to answer the question – What is the food slicer for? – it’s for making your life easier.
Manual slicing can be a tiring process and can give very inconsistent results. In such fast-paced life we live in, this device can save you the valuable time you can later spend with your family.
See Also: Which is the Favorite Slicing Knife
A clean cut with style – how to find the right food/Meat slicer?
There are few things that make up a good food/meat slicer. I’m sure some of you know this, but for the others – there is good old me.
So pull your chair forward and listen well:
1. Blade type and size
There is no wrong or the right type of blade – generally speaking.
There are two types, and both are good for different types of food.
So you need to know what you’ll be cutting when you pick the blade type.
- Smooth edge blades are good for leaner meats and vegetables.
- Serrated edge blades are suitable for denser meats and bread.
I would actually recommend that you get an extra blade, so you can change it based on what you are slicing. This way, you are equipped for all types of food and nothing can catch you off-guard.
The ideal blade size would be somewhere in the range of 7-9 inches. You shouldn’t go below 7, and you most likely won’t be needing anything too big.
2. Engine power
Engine power is crucial in your slicer’s ability to slice the food. You shouldn’t even consider getting anything under 120W. Low-power engines will struggle and die out pretty fast. Slicers are an investment, and make sure that yours lasts.
See Also: Meat Grinder on the Market
3. Engine transmission
Engine transmission can be divided into two types:
- Geared
- Belted
Gears output more power, but they are louder, and after they wear out they can be more expensive to replace. You’ll be needing someone to replace them for you.
The belt is quieter, cheaper, and easier to replace. I’m fonder of this option because as a family person, I tend to keep the noise down as much as possible.
4. Safety features
Safety features may be the most important aspect of a food slicer.
Remember that you’ll be handling a machine with a very sharp edge that slices things. This is potentially the most dangerous item you have in your kitchen. That’s why it’s recommended that you don’t use it until you get some formal training.
You might be surprised to learn that most cuts actually happen when the machine is off, during the cleaning of the blade. That’s why it’s recommended that you use cut-resistant gloves at all times during the handling of the food slicer.
Cut-resistant gloves are cheap and fairly common, and for a few extra bucks, you can save yourself from a nasty cut. Remember rule number one – always stay safe!
Your slicer needs to have a good blade guard, as well as a handguard. I’d recommend you also look for at least some switch safety features. This can be a switch that is recessed into slicer housing or a double switch system, so you don’t accidentally turn it on.
5. Ease of use
Ease of use is right up there with safety. Slicer needs to have a good food pusher.
Never use bare hands, it could lead to a massive injury!
Here’s a handy video of a food slicer and how it’s used:
With all this in mind, let’s see the offer and find the best meat slicer.
Those sandwiches can’t wait!
Current Popular Meat Slicers On The Market – My Reviews 2022
Chef’s Choice 615 Premium Electric Food Slicer
We’ll start off with the most expensive one. Chef’s Choice 615 isn’t the prettiest piece of kitchenware I have seen. From the back, it looks fine, but from the front, it kind of reminds me of an old radio. But, since food slicers are a bit different than other kitchen utensils, I’m not going to take that into account.
Right after the first use, I can tell you that it’s sturdy. The entire device is made out of cast aluminum and stainless steel. I love that the food pusher is made out of metal. Plenty of slicers have plastic food pushers and it just makes me nervous.
The food carriage is tilted for easier use and it’s plenty big. The mechanism runs smoothly, and it feels nice under your hand. You can tell that it’s a higher-end product.
Deli’s setting works great. Meat cuts are nice and thin, just like I like them. It works well on bread and cheese, although I did notice that the engine slowed down a bit with cheese. But this does not come as a surprise; cheeses can be very dense.
Just to clear something up-there are food slicers that can effortlessly slice just about anything you throw at them. But they tend to cost 3000$ and we are talking about products that are affordable, do their job and are for home use.
Chef’s Choice 615 was fairly easy to clean and it comes with a serving tray.
Things I Liked
- Sturdy
- High-quality build
- Metal food pusher
- Performs more than fine
Things I Didn’t Like
- A bit bad looking
- The engine slowed a bit when cutting cheese
Cuisinart FS-75 Kitchen Pro Food Slicer
The truth is I am not satisfied with this slicer. It’s not all bad, but it disappointed me in a few ways.
The kitchen is my piece of heaven, I enjoy cooking there, but for that, besides food, I need good and reliable utensils. I believe if you are doing the job you love, you feel the same way I feel.
Let’s see the first thing I didn’t like. The slicer moves all over the kitchen workspace and I couldn’t control it. But to make the bad things worse, I found out it can not slice the bread, nor cheese.
You can actually cut the cheese with this one. But it will most likely take you so much time that it’s just not worth it. I figured out that it would be much easier and faster doing it with a regular knife.
Everything has its good and bad sides, so it does this one. The good thing about this slicer is that it cleans easily and it does not rust. The blade is more or less ok, it’s 7.5 inches in diameter so it a bit above the average.
Things I Liked
- Price
- Easy to wash
- Does not rust
- Gift-wrap available
Things I Didn’t Like
- Warranty
- Not stable, which is a major flaw
- Can’t cut bread or cheese
Elite Gourmet EMT-503B Maxi-Matic
Here’s a nice-looking black sleek food slicer that promises. It has 7.5 inches blade and cast aluminum housing. Legs are covered with rubber so it’s nice and stable. I’m liking the design and it looks gorgeous in my kitchen. I would gladly use it as decoration.
Overall it did very well. While it did cut the veggies well, I noticed some inconsistencies with meat. This didn’t bother me much, they weren’t big, but they were noticeable. I wasn’t having trouble with bread, but I did have to work to get the cheese done. I’d recommend you cool it a bit before cutting.
I didn’t have to chase this slicer around the table, so that’s definitely a plus. But I’m not liking the cleaning process. Food gets stuck in recessed holes and it’s hard to get out. High-pressure water can do the job but that can make the whole process messy.
This being said, I’m actually happy with how this slicer did its job. Bear in mind that this is today’s budget version and it’s 3 times cheaper than the most expensive one. All things considered, if you are short on cash, you’ll get your money’s worth and then some.
Things I Liked
- Nice design!
- Performs great with veggies and fair with meat
- Stable
- Price
Things I Didn’t Like
- Thickness nob doesn’t hold very well
- A bit loud
- Hard to clean
Stainless Steel Electric Food and Meat Slicer
The first thing I noticed when I started to use this slicer is that it has non-slip feet. When I turned it on it didn’t walk all over the kitchen workspace, which is a very good thing. The next thing is the blade which was good for slicing literally everything.
I was making dinner the other day using this slicer, and something started to smell funny. Soon I realize it wasn’t my cooking – it was the engine! I turned it off quickly and called my husband. He inspected it and turned it back on, and it was fine. What an odd event. I haven’t had any problems since.
With this slicer, you get also a removable stainless steel carriage cover and I was truly happy with this thing. I really don’t know what to think about this slicer. It served me well, but again I was so confused with that smell.
If that happened to me it doesn’t have to mean that it will happen to you also, but why take a risk? Even if you purchase it, you can always return it and take your money back.
Things I Liked
- Good blade
- Carriage cover
- Nonslip feet
- Slices everything
Things I Didn’t Like
- Engine smell
- Price
Nesco FS-250
Nesco FS-250 has all the qualities on the paper. It has a strong 180w engine, 8.7 inches in diameter blade and the design looks good. All that sounds nice, but how does it perform?
Well, not very well actually. First of all, I had a bit of a problem in keeping it in place during slicing. Nothing drastic, but if you have a large fast-spinning serrated blade spinning close to you, you want to know that it will stay in its place. I’m an experienced cook, so I hustled through that.
The slicing itself was also neither here nor there. I expected more from a 180W motor, which slowed down quite a few times. Again, nothing drastic but come on, I don’t need that in my kitchen.
The food pusher is plastic, and at times it seems to flex or bend, and I can feel the resistance under my hand. It just makes the entire process unnecessarily harder.
This one is a bit odd; you can basically do everything with it. You just need to work harder than you should. Everything takes more effort than it should, and it started frustrating me quickly.
It is, however, the easiest to clean of all I tested. That’s odd since it didn’t say that anywhere on the site. It’s just one oddity to add to the list I guess.
Things I Liked
- Good looking design
- It can, basically, perform most tasks
Things I Didn’t Like
- Everything is unnecessarily hard
- Not stable
- Engine is weak
- Build just seems low quality
Conclusion
Often in my job, I have had a chance to see that the priciest product is not the best.
Some manufacturers use their reputation to raise the prices and customers are usually willing to pay for what they think is a good product.
But this time the priciest product actually turned up to be the top one.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Chef’s Choice 615 Premium Electric Food Slicer, winner of today’s competition.
It served me well and it has proven to be most safe and reliable.
Given the nature of this device, be smart, invest a bit more, and enjoy your time in the kitchen with peace of mind. 🙂