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Battle of the Slicers

  • Yasmin Coles
  • February 23, 2011

Not all of us have the perfect flick of the wrist and the quick fingers to make cutting and slicing easier and safer.  After all those nights of wanting to make uniform slices without chopping off my fingers, I came to the conclusion that a mandolin will go perfectly with my small collection of knives.

The first thing we all look for in a mandolin is the material it is made of; after all, it determines whether the mandolin can stand all those days of slicing and julienning.  The Swissmar Borner has a light plastic frame with sharp surgical steel blades made in Germany.  The professional mandolin produced by M.V. Trading is made of stainless steel, has a support stand, and — this might not matter to some, but to me it does — it’s shiny.

Now would I rely on the fate of my fingers and my slices of fruits and vegetables on a plastic-framed gadget?  Honestly, why not?

Unlike other “plastic”mandolins, the Swissmar Borner has a sturdy ABS plastic frame that does not feel flimsy to the touch.  Its three insert blades let you shred, julienne, and slice vegetables and fruits into varying thickness.  I was pretty impressed with this product especially as it was my secret tool when I made my signature coleslaw for a community event.  The cabbages were finely shredded and the carrots were in uniform sizes.  It also made chopping onions easier for me; I cut them in uniform small slivers and I finished them off with a rough chop.  Now that’s how you make them fine.

I finished the salad fast that my eyes managed to spot the pile of untouched apples and fruits in my fruit bowl.  These fruits went through the mandolin — after washing the blades thoroughly in a snap — and I had a second salad ready in no time.  If I had all night, I would have shredded and julienned food the entire week.

The Swissmar Borner is safe to use with its food safety holder.  The German stainless surgical blades do not fail and after using the gadget, you do not have to worry about having this tool falling in the wrong hands.  It comes with its own protective storage caddy that you can conveniently store in your cupboard.  All these for just a mere $39.90.

Although I have to sing praises for the Swissmar Borner, I would have to invest in M.V. Trading’s Stainless-Steel Professional Mandoline Slicer when I want to take my cutting process to the next level.  With its five-blade attachments, it can make straight, waffle and julienne cuts.  I also find the handle more comfortable to operate thanks to its easy-grip knobs.  It is easy to switch blades, and is easy on the washing: just pop it into the dishwasher and you’re done.

Battle of the SlicersI got to touch this baby when I took helped prepare for a self-catered event with more than 150 guests.  Since I was no longer on coleslaw duty, I was given the sous chef function.  For someone who was stuck in the kitchen a couple of hours before having the time to change into glad rags, I was actually having a great time.  I even had enough time to change and make three make-up modifications.  Slicing vegetables of this amount has never been easy and fast — and to think that this Stainless Steel Professional Mandolin Slicer will sit comfortably well in anyone’s kitchen and not just in a restaurant kitchen.

The Swissmar Borner is very much recommended for those who are starting their kitchens and those who love to cook without the fuss of going through the prep process.  The Stainless Steel Professionalr Mandolin Slicer, however, is for those who take slicing seriously.  It’s a great investment and you can tell that this baby is going to be with you for the long haul.  With a price tag of almost $75, this tool is a must-have if you are putting together your dream kitchen.

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