A Mandoline is designed to slice and julienne fruits and vegetable in no time. It is one of the most used tool in a professional kitchen. However, it wasn’t until recently that these slicer started to make their way to the home kitchen. Ever since then, marketer has been flooding the market with cheap Mandoline. Most of those model use flimsy plastic that cannot withstand vigorous use. Luckily, the Commercial and Stainless Steel Mandoline are still around. Since most people dont know who they are, we have compiled a list of some of the best in the industry.

How to Use a Mandoline Slicer

Using a mandoline slicer is pretty simple, all you need to do is run the food through the blade. However, if you’re not careful, you can easily send yourself to the hospital room. It is known as one of the most dangerous tools in the kitchen. To protect yourself, I recommend using the guard and a cut resistant glove. While they may seem annoying, its better than the alternative.

With that being said, most professional opt out of using the guard. Most find it to be slow and they damage food with its spikes. The benefits outweighs the risk to them.

On most mandoline, there will be multiple setting for different thickness and cut. Most will use a metric system when measuring the distance between cut, so you might want to brush up on it a little.

Depending on the model, you can usually adjust the thickness of the cut. There will be usually a knob to change that. Some models will have interchangeable blade that can be replaced when dull. Others are integrated into the mandoline itself. I personally prefer those that can be changed out. This way you dont have to worry about it dulling out.

Two Grip Method

There are two ways you can mount the mandoline, either by hand or bowl. Whether you can do both depends on the model. The most commonly used method is by hand. Grab one end of the mandoline and lift it upward. Use your dominant hand to get slices.

For models with little notches on the bottom, you can rest it on top of a bowl. From there, all you need to do is run it back and forth.

Dull Blades and Sharpening

After a while, the blades will start to dull. If you leave it as is, you will start using more effort. A already dangerous tool now becomes even more dangerous. So its always best practice to keep it sharp.

Some models have removable blade for easy sharpening. You can also get replacement blade for factory sharpness. Others are integrated and can be annoying to sharpen. In these instance what you can do is change it to the widest setting and get a metal file. Put the file at an angle and try to sharpening it as evenly as possible. Its pretty challenging really, but you dont really have any other option.

Best Commercial and Stainless Steel Mandoline Slicer

Below, you will find some of the best Mandoline slicer used in the professional kitchen. These models are a few steps above the models that you see in the supermarket. They outperform both in build quality and performance. The downside is that they do cost a bit more. Luckily, there is a affordable best buy model that you will find below.

Bron Coucke Stainless Steel Classic Chef’s Mandoline (Best Overall)

Bron Coucke is the standard in the high end French Kitchen. They are the original that most other manufacturer try to imitate. The heavy duty stainless steel construction gives it a solid feel. The blades are integrated into the machine so you dont have to swap out blade either. However, this is where it falls short. Since the blades cant be replaced, you will have a difficult time sharpening it. You basically have to use a file once it gets dull.

Matfer Bourgeat (Most Expensive Stainless Mandoline)

If you want something that is of similar quality but with changable blade, then consider Matfer Bourgeat. This model is made in France like Bron Coucke and you can easily find replaceable blade online. For those of you who dont know who matfer bourgeat is, they are one of the largest commercial kitchen cookware manufacturer in France. Their cookware are easily some of the best in the industry. However, since they rarely target to consumer, most people have never heard of them.

Benriner Mandoline Vegetable Slicer (Best Buy)

Benriner is another favorite among kitchen professional. Thanks to its affordability and performance, this Japanese slicer can be seen in restaurant all throughout the world. The blades are interchangeable and its lighter than the stainless steel model. There are even notches for you to rest this on a bowl. Out of all the plastic mandoline slicer out there, this is the only model you should get. I would even argue that this is the best money can buy, considering how much it cost.

NoCry Cut Resistant Gloves (Best Cut Resistant Glove)

For your safety, I recommend a Cut Resistant glove. They will protect your hand and save you a costly hospital trip. Its affordable and will do its just. While it wont save you from a knife puncture, it will do the job on a mandoline. Just do go purposely slicing your hand on it…

Best Commercial and Stainless Steel Mandoline Slicer Thoughts

A mandoline was the original food processor. If you need consistent and even cuts, this is the only way to go. While these commercial units are more expensive, they outperform those consumer models. Even then, the Benriner is a excellent commercial slicer that is cheaper than a lot of junk out there. I hope you give these slicer a shot and wear a glove. Its not worth cutting your hand open!

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