Does anyone have recommendations for kitchen mandolins?

I've looked at a couple of brands in stores near me, but most seem
cheaply made and will probably break or get dull quickly.

I've seen some that look good, but they are really expensive. I don't
mind paying more for a good one, but would hate to buy something that
costs more if another brand would have done equally well for less
money.

"steven_nospam at Yahoo! Canada" > wrote in message
...
> Does anyone have recommendations for kitchen mandolins?
>
> I've looked at a couple of brands in stores near me, but most seem
> cheaply made and will probably break or get dull quickly.
>
> I've seen some that look good, but they are really expensive. I don't
> mind paying more for a good one, but would hate to buy something that
> costs more if another brand would have done equally well for less
> money.


I bought a medium priced one at Costco some time ago. It was heavy and
cumbersome and difficult to put together and took up a lot of space.

For home use, I am satisfied with a cheap plastic one - doesn't even have
suction cups on the bottom, or something to catch the ingredients.
If the blades get used too much and are not sharp any longer, buy another.

It was mostly used for slicing thin potatoes; now that I don't eat potatoes
any longer, it seldom gets used.

What are you going to use it for? Consider using your food processor's
attachments -- although that can be a chore, too.
Dee Dee

On Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:51:42 -0700 (PDT), "steven_nospam at Yahoo! Canada"
> wrote:

>Does anyone have recommendations for kitchen mandolins?
>
>I've looked at a couple of brands in stores near me, but most seem
>cheaply made and will probably break or get dull quickly.
>
>I've seen some that look good, but they are really expensive....

I think you're looking for a mandoline, rather than a musical instrument. 8

Anyone who wants a Bron for $75 + shipping can have mine. Used about six times.
Cheapest price I see on the Web is around $135.

-- Larry

On Jul 30, 2:14 pm, wrote:
> I think you're looking for a mandoline, rather than a musical instrument. 8
> -- Larry

Yep. I checked on various websites and they spelled it both ways. Just
google "kitchen mandolin" and you'll see what I mean.

Started considering getting one recently when I wanted to make
scalloped potatoes, using a mix of yellow flesh and sweet potatoes.
Cutting really thin (and even) slices of sweet potato using a 7"
kitchen knife was a fun challenge! And I don't think playing them a
song with my musical talents would suffice to have the potatoes slice
themselves ... ;-)

I don't have a food processor at this time...it's chiefly a space
issue, but also because doubt I would pull it out and set it up for
the small quantities I would be making. I was thinking more of
something that could slip into a drawer or hang off a hook in a
cupboard.

steven_nospam at Yahoo! Canada wrote:
>
> Started considering getting one recently when I wanted to make
> scalloped potatoes, using a mix of yellow flesh and sweet potatoes.
> Cutting really thin (and even) slices of sweet potato using a 7"
> kitchen knife was a fun challenge! And I don't think playing them a
> song with my musical talents would suffice to have the potatoes slice
> themselves ... ;-)
>
> I don't have a food processor at this time...it's chiefly a space
> issue, but also because doubt I would pull it out and set it up for
> the small quantities I would be making. I was thinking more of
> something that could slip into a drawer or hang off a hook in a
> cupboard.

Although I do have a food processor, when I want to slice potatoes,
whether white or sweet, it's my mandoline I use. I have a pretty good
one, bought at TJ Maxx, but even my old 'Frugal Gourmet' plastic one,
which I bought for $6 on close-out after the 'scandal', does an
excellent job.

On Jul 30, 4:27*pm, S Viemeister > wrote:
> steven_nospam at Yahoo! Canada wrote:
>
>
>
> > Started considering getting one recently when I wanted to make
> > scalloped potatoes, using a mix of yellow flesh and sweet potatoes.
> > Cutting really thin (and even) slices of sweet potato using a 7"
> > kitchen knife was a fun challenge! And I don't think playing them a
> > song with my musical talents would suffice to have the potatoes slice
> > themselves ... *;-)
>
> > I don't have a food processor at this time...it's chiefly a space
> > issue, but also because doubt I would pull it out and set it up for
> > the small quantities I would be making. I was thinking more of
> > something that could slip into a drawer or hang off a hook in a
> > cupboard.
>
> Although I do have a food processor, when I want to slice potatoes,
> whether white or sweet, it's my mandoline I use. *I have a pretty good
> one, bought at TJ Maxx, but even my old 'Frugal Gourmet' plastic one,
> which I bought for $6 on close-out after the 'scandal', does an
> excellent job.


Great, Thanks all. So I will look into buying one that "looks" well
built, but does not break the bank.

"Dee Dovey" > wrote in message
...
>
> "steven_nospam at Yahoo! Canada" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Does anyone have recommendations for kitchen mandolins?
>>
>> I've looked at a couple of brands in stores near me, but most seem
>> cheaply made and will probably break or get dull quickly.
>>
>> I've seen some that look good, but they are really expensive. I don't
>> mind paying more for a good one, but would hate to buy something that
>> costs more if another brand would have done equally well for less
>> money.
>
>
> I bought a medium priced one at Costco some time ago. It was heavy and
> cumbersome and difficult to put together and took up a lot of space.

I like the one I bought from Costco. About 50 bucks, comes in a plastic
case. It doesn't have interchangeable blades for juliennes, so you are
limited to the two sizes they provide (I would like smaller juliennes, but
the price was right).

"steven_nospam at Yahoo! Canada" > wrote in message
...
On Jul 30, 4:27 pm, S Viemeister > wrote:
> steven_nospam at Yahoo! Canada wrote:
>
>
>
> > Started considering getting one recently when I wanted to make
> > scalloped potatoes, using a mix of yellow flesh and sweet potatoes.
> > Cutting really thin (and even) slices of sweet potato using a 7"
> > kitchen knife was a fun challenge! And I don't think playing them a
> > song with my musical talents would suffice to have the potatoes slice
> > themselves ... ;-)
>
> > I don't have a food processor at this time...it's chiefly a space
> > issue, but also because doubt I would pull it out and set it up for
> > the small quantities I would be making. I was thinking more of
> > something that could slip into a drawer or hang off a hook in a
> > cupboard.
>
> Although I do have a food processor, when I want to slice potatoes,
> whether white or sweet, it's my mandoline I use. I have a pretty good
> one, bought at TJ Maxx, but even my old 'Frugal Gourmet' plastic one,
> which I bought for $6 on close-out after the 'scandal', does an
> excellent job.


Great, Thanks all. So I will look into buying one that "looks" well
built, but does not break the bank.



If you buy something even close to $60, why not try to buy one where you
can return it? I know that can be close to impossible, but it's a thought.
Dee Dee

"steven_nospam at Yahoo! Canada" > wrote in message
...
> Does anyone have recommendations for kitchen mandolins?
>
> I've looked at a couple of brands in stores near me, but most seem
> cheaply made and will probably break or get dull quickly.
>
> I've seen some that look good, but they are really expensive. I don't
> mind paying more for a good one, but would hate to buy something that
> costs more if another brand would have done equally well for less
> money.
>
>
We bought the V blade Oxo Mandoline and love it.
http://www.surlatable.com/product/id...b-000423bb4e79
Shortly following Cooks Illustrated reviewed and it was their favorite
mandoline of 10 or so, including the very expensive ones from France and the
more expensive Oxo product . The V shaped blade lets you thin slice tomato.
No straight blade mandoline will slice tomato. We found ours locally for
slightly less than the Sur la Table price above.
OXO sure makes good stuff.

Ed

On Sun, 2 Aug 2009 03:07:49 -0700, "Theron" > wrote:

>....The V shaped blade lets you thin slice tomato.
>No straight blade mandoline will slice tomato....

That all depends on the ripeness of the tomato and the angle and sharpness of
the blade, doesn't it? There's nothing magic about the v-shape.

-- Larry

wrote:
> On Sun, 2 Aug 2009 03:07:49 -0700, "Theron" > wrote:
>
>> ....The V shaped blade lets you thin slice tomato.
>> No straight blade mandoline will slice tomato....
>
> That all depends on the ripeness of the tomato and the angle and sharpness of
> the blade, doesn't it? There's nothing magic about the v-shape.

No, but there _is_ a difference between a straight (unangled) blade and
an angled blade - the former is going to chop while the latter slices.
I have a moderately expensive metal, fully adjustable, changeable blade
mandoline as well as a v-slicer. Because of its adjustability and blade
choice, there are some things that the mandoline works better on.
However, the v-slicer is generally preferable on softer things...

ted

> wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 2 Aug 2009 03:07:49 -0700, "Theron" > wrote:
>
>>....The V shaped blade lets you thin slice tomato.
>>No straight blade mandoline will slice tomato....
>
> That all depends on the ripeness of the tomato and the angle and sharpness
> of
> the blade, doesn't it? There's nothing magic about the v-shape.
>
> -- Larry
>
>
There is something "magic" about the v-shape. A greater length of the blade
is used for a given diameter of what you're slicing. As well you're cutting
sightly in an angled backward forward fashion, which always makes slicing
more effective than with a blade at 90 degrees to the cut food. Jacques
Pepin made this point last Saturday on PBS when he was slicing sweet corn
for "corn parfait", an absolutely suburb dish easily made, by the way.
Tomato is tough. It works better with the V blade than the straight blade,
though for me the serrated tomato knife is usually when ends up working.

Ed

On Tue, 1 Sep 2009 13:28:47 -0700, "Theron" > wrote:

>
> wrote in message
.. .

>>>....The V shaped blade lets you thin slice tomato.
>>>No straight blade mandoline will slice tomato....
>>
>> That all depends on the ripeness of the tomato and the angle and sharpness
>> of the blade, doesn't it? There's nothing magic about the v-shape.
>
>There is something "magic" about the v-shape. A greater length of the blade
>is used for a given diameter of what you're slicing. As well you're cutting
>sightly in an angled backward forward fashion, which always makes slicing
>more effective than with a blade at 90 degrees to the cut food.....

That is what I referred to as "the angle of the blade." You've said nothing to
support any value of the V-shape. Quite the opposite, actually: if you're
sliding down one side of the V, youre likely to collide with the other side at
much closer to a 90-degree angle.

Once you're into the meat on both sides, then the V-shap increases the cutting
length. But up until that point, when you're trying to make the initial incision
through the tomato skin, the V -- meaning *both sides of the V* -- is of no more
value than a single angled blade.

-- Larry

"pltrgyst" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 1 Sep 2009 13:28:47 -0700, "Theron" > wrote:
>
>>
> wrote in message
. ..
>
>>>>....The V shaped blade lets you thin slice tomato.
>>>>No straight blade mandoline will slice tomato....
>>>
>>> That all depends on the ripeness of the tomato and the angle and
>>> sharpness
>>> of the blade, doesn't it? There's nothing magic about the v-shape.
>>
>>There is something "magic" about the v-shape. A greater length of the
>>blade
>>is used for a given diameter of what you're slicing. As well you're
>>cutting
>>sightly in an angled backward forward fashion, which always makes slicing
>>more effective than with a blade at 90 degrees to the cut food.....
>
> That is what I referred to as "the angle of the blade." You've said
> nothing to
> support any value of the V-shape. Quite the opposite, actually: if you're
> sliding down one side of the V, youre likely to collide with the other
> side at
> much closer to a 90-degree angle.
>
> Once you're into the meat on both sides, then the V-shap increases the
> cutting
> length. But up until that point, when you're trying to make the initial
> incision
> through the tomato skin, the V -- meaning *both sides of the V* -- is of
> no more
> value than a single angled blade.
>
> -- Larry
>
>
As you point out, if the blade is horizontally juxtaposed to the tomato, 2
inches of blade cuts 2 inches of tomato. On my V blade, 1.625" of blade cuts
one inch of the tomato, and 1.625" of blade cuts the other inch of tomato.
The cutting is angular, a fraction of it is vertical, and a fraction of it
is horizontal. There is some "sawing action" by the V blade, not much, but
some. There is some sawing at the advent of the cut, as when you cut the
tomato with a knife at an angle. If you saw horizontally at all at the
beginning you're doing just what the "V" does.

Ed