Chef's Choice Video Demo

The Cuisinart Video Demo

The Della Video Demo

What Are Buyers Saying?

The Chef's Choice

The first electric food slicer we examine is the Chefs Choice option- it is a stainless steel and aluminum built machine with a 7-inch steel blade. It features and integrated food deflector, food carriage, food pusher- all of these elements make it simpler for you to clean the electric meat slicer after you're done using it.

Examining their promotional materials, they say that it's equipped with precision thickness control- this means that you can adjust the thickness of the deli cuts from ultrathin to 1 inch thick.

Buyers we spoke to say that it's capable of cutting pepperoni down into thin slices, as well as shaving down entire ham sections into delicate slices for delicatessen sandwiches. One buyer we interviewed endorsed it as a frictionless option- the slider easily moves the meat across the stainless steel blade.

Another deli owner told us that he has used it on prime rib roast as well as pre-cooked ham, saying that the ham was cut at a 1 mm setting and produced a neat pile of cleanly cut pork meat for the day's sandwich makings.

• In terms of cleanup, the device easily disassembles so you can sterilize it after a day's use, before reassembling it.
• Other buyers advise that in terms of safety, you'll want to keep your hands and fingers free and clear (possibly using cut-resistant gloves) of the blade- you'll also want to be careful when disassembling it that your skin doesn't come in contact with this ultra sharp meat-cutting blade.
• Another Chefs Choice buyer was similarly impressed, saying that he was pleased by the smoothness of the slicer, its solid construction, its relative lightweight and its one year warranty.
• On the downside, some buyers complained that the instructions were insufficient and customer service was somewhat nonexistent, and also observed you will have to hand wash rather than dish wash it.
• Another deli owner purchased an aftermarket non-serrated slicer edge blade to install- he also made sure to lubricate it with a silicone type of lubricant.
• This ended up being a mistake- the manufacturer advises you need to use a mineral-based food grade Vaseline to lubricate it after you washed it.
• Another buyer who purchased it to prepare thin deli-style sliced meats for his large family tells us that if you push too hard on the powered slicer, the resulting cuts will be thicker, while lighter pressure produces thinner results.

The Cuisinart

The second commercial-great food slicer we examined was manufactured by a Cuisinart- it features a 7.5-inch cutting blade, removable carriage and a slice control knob for adjusting meat thickness. Reviewers were of a mixed mind about this electric meat slicer.

The gist of the criticism is the buyer expectation that this inexpensive food slicer can provide commercial-quality results- some buyers responded saying that if you're looking for paper thin cuts of meat this is not the option for you.

On the positive side, reviewers say that it's much easier than manual cutting, easy to use, can handle cutting bread, is a good option for bulk cutting, or if you are doing your own meat curing, and that it is a fairly small option.

On the downside, buyers criticize the construction of the adjustment knob, the flimsiness of its plastic handguard, that you need to rest it after running it every 10 minutes, and the relatively low RPM.

• In terms of getting the best results, some experienced Cuisinart users say that the zero setting will get you closest to paper thin cuts, though the results are not always consistent.
• Indeed, buyers say this is a value option that is not really commercial grade, but can be a functional accessory for home kitchens.
• Other buyers who cook large quantities of meat and are left with hunks of leftovers say they've used it for corn beef and pot roasts, slicing them down to create sandwiches for the whole family.

The Della

The third commercial electric meat slicer we examined is manufactured by Della. It comes in 8.7 and 7.5-inch blade length designs and includes an integrated blade sharpener to maintain the cutting edge.

Examining their promotional materials, they say that this deli meat slicer can handle vegetables as well as traditional deli meats- providing a commercial solution for the bulk cutting requirements of the user.

• One buyer criticizes the slow functioning motor and the tendency of meat to get stuck in between the guard and plate- this makes it especially hard and annoying to clean.
• Another reviewer who cures bacon at home tells us it is a tremendous upgrade over manual cutting- enabling thinner slicing much faster. However, other buyers were under impressed, saying that it is slow, difficult to use, and cheaply constructed.

The Nesco

The fourth food slicer we examined is manufactured by Nesco. It features a detaching 8.7-inch blade and is marketed as a vegetable, cheese, bread and meat cutting solution powered by 180 W motor.

• One buyer says that it's not quite a professional-standard option. However, for his salami slicing purposes, it has served him well.
• Because it weighs under 12 pounds, it's fairly portable and doesn't take up much space-though it's somewhat annoying that you can't run it for longer than 10 minutes at a time.
• As well, while the blade is over 8 inches in diameter, the cutting height is 6.5 inches, which means that you often have to cut down a section of meat to fit the slicer.
• Another buyer who has worked in restaurants his whole life says that while it is inferior to a much more expensive commercial-grade option, he can endorse it as suitable for home use saying he even cut a frozen ham with it.
• On the positive side, because it disassembles into three different elements, it's much easier to clean than more powerful restaurant-style options.
• Indeed, buyers have expressed relatively positive feedback, saying that it sufficiently powered for home use, though the blade does turn a bit slow while turning out pastrami, corn beef, Canadian bacon and dried beef.

The Giantex

The last commercial meat slicer we examined was the Giantex- it is an aluminum built, 150 W option with a 10-inch blade diameter. Buyers say that this semi-automatic option includes adjustable thickness settings.

On the whole, buyers say vegetables and meats were a cinch to slice, but the unit was somewhat troubled by cheeses which stymied the blade.

Others are impressed by the quiet motor, though they also complained that for thicker cuts it had some trouble performing a smooth and consistent slice.