PrintJulienne and Paper Thin Slices... I've always wanted a mandoline
As much as I dislike gadgets, and in spite of being a huge fan of knives for most jobs, I do truly detest the tedium of making pretty julienne or consistently ultra-thin slices in quantity.
What do you like or dislike about the mandolines you've owned or used?
Which is the best? (Bron comes up a lot, but they look complicated?)
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17 Comments:
I have the OXO mandoline and it's pretty good -- the only drawback is that the blade is serrated, so you have micro-thin lines in everything you cut. I didn't realize that at the time I bought it, otherwise I may have looked elsewhere. However, if the serration-marks don't bother you, it is sharp and even folds up quite nicely.
Dominic
the zen kitchen
dvchurch at 5:28PM on 10/18/07
Cheap is fine! Get a plastic Japanese Benriner which comes w a detachable straight-edge blade and two grades of serrated blades for thick and fine shredding. Even chefs (e.g. Michel Richard) use them. There's a plastic doohickey for keeping your fingers safe. Use it! What I need is a replacement for the most frequently used blade since it's quite dull after a couple of years of use. Shop around since the prices range widely and bargains are out there.
Eliz. at 5:41PM on 10/18/07
i had a few lower cost mandolines and i absolutely hated them. i'm no body builder so i couldn't cut a thing with them. i ended up pitching them all and going with a zyliss. i love it. it usually works fantastically and comes with 6 or 7 blades.
lexophile at 6:33PM on 10/18/07
I have a Pampered Chef Mandolin and what a mess. There's just so many parts to clean, and that blade is brutal! It could be me, but julienning isn't so great, instead, a julienne peeler is what I grab - it makes tiny little slivers of food and is only a little thing, so it doesn't take much for my house keeper (that's me) to clean!
plasticspoontraveller at 7:56PM on 10/18/07
I have a Bron. Pricey but cheap on Amazon during a gimme sale. Have to say, I thought the blade would be sharper. The cheap Japanese one I bought in a grocery store over there years ago lacked the adjustable blade, but was shockingly sharp compared to the Bron. When the container on the Japanese one finally broke, we angled the cutting board and continued to chop, for years.
TikiPundit at 9:16PM on 10/18/07
I have the OXO as well, and I've never noticed the serration lines. It's always worked perfectly for me, and although I originally wanted a big stainless steel mandoline, I'm happy I have the OXO now.
ChristineB at 12:01AM on 10/19/07
Go for the inexpensive Japanese kind. They're terrific, much sharper than most American ones.
thepictsie at 3:19AM on 10/19/07
I have an OXO and I am not too pleased with it. It seems unstable and the food snags on the blade, especially when you get down to the end bit of the item you're slicing.
Tellicherry at 9:43AM on 10/19/07
I have the zyliss I always craved and denied myself...and I love it! Granted, after two years I have yet to use it, but it is shiny and pretty and I like to have it close in the kitchen. It has been suggested that I store it elsewhere to make room, but I like knowing it is there!
Cary at 12:20PM on 10/19/07
I bought one after reading comments in another Serious Eats post. After opening the madonline package I decided that it had too many parts and that I wouldn't use it. I returned it.
Maybe I need to revisit the issue.
CanadianFoodieGirl at 12:27PM on 10/19/07
Ditto on the Pampered Chef model. The julienne blade doesn't work for crap and the only one that really did anything was the V-shaped one... until it got dull after slicing up a bag of potatoes. I got it as a shower gift and I'm glad I didn't pay for it.
Djinn at 12:38PM on 10/19/07
I have the Pampered Chef one & I love it....guess I'm in the minority! I've had it for a few years now, used it countless times on all sorts of veggies.....including potatoes....and the only complaint I have is that the food 'holder' doesn't always hold the food right...so I just use my hand, and pay close attention not to cut my hand. I have had no more problems cleaning it than the other mandoline I had (don't remember the brand).
A mandoline is a good investment, no matter which brand you buy.
mepolo at 1:19PM on 10/19/07
Oops: my cherished virgin mandoline is the Bron Pro, not zyliss!
Cary at 3:13PM on 10/19/07
I used to work at a kitchen store and have tried many models. For store demos, we frequently used the mid-priced OXO or Zyliss models. They both run about $50.00 or so. The finer French stainless steel versions are more expensive ($150.00ish). They are generally sharper to begin with and can be sharpened as needed. They are also infinitely adjustable, as compared with the mid-priced guys which rely on different sized plates. I have found that the high end mandolines have more complicated pieces and fewer directions. The cheapy-cheap ones often are sharp but flimsy, not good for large jobs like a big bag of potatoes, and cannot be sharpened. No directions at all. For my money, I think the OXO and Zyliss models are the best, and basically equal in quality. If pressed, I'd go with the Zyliss.
Kerosena at 3:54PM on 10/19/07
Call me cheapy cheapy, but I bought the $10 Martha Stewart mandolin from Kmart almost 7 years go, and I like it plenty. After an unfortunate incident in which I was rapidly slicing potatoes for a casserole, I learned to always use the included plastic hand-guard. No, the blade is not sharpen-able. No, it isn't fancy. But there are three thicknesses and two julienne sizes, and it works as a casual introduction to mandolines.
orangemiles at 4:26PM on 10/19/07
I bought one of these about 20 years ago through a tv infomercial. It still works as good as the day it arrived. Highly recommended!
http://www.amazon.com/Borner-V-1001-Swissmar-V-Slicer-Plus/dp/B0000632QE
grampart at 10:01AM on 10/22/07
I have a beautiful stainless steel Bron mandoline which I love. I didn't buy it. An XMIL gave it to me because it butchered her manicures. She always did have a skewed sense of priorities...
chiff0nade at 8:18AM on 10/24/07