Make a Mandoline Sing

Until about a year ago, I resisted getting a Mandoline - a kitchen tool used to slice or julienne fruits and vegetables to even widths.  I have fairly good knife skills and just didn't see the point.  A year ago, I stumbled on the OXO good grips mini mandoline and decided to give it a try.  I found that I used it much more than I expected.  Hubby recently requested the Refrigerator Cucumber recipe, posted earlier, to be made so he could take it for lunch.  Great, I thought, I can really use the mandoline for the four pounds of cucumbers.  Unfortunately, the mini only goes up to a 1/8 inch slice, and I needed 1/4, so I found myself on the way to Linens N More For Less to purchase a full sized mandoline.

When I arrived, they directed me to the location of the slicers and I had 5 choices ranging in price from about $10 to about $55.  The $10 was made by the company Progressive and had a very nice case.  However, I expect that I will be using this heavily and the Progressive seemed more like a temporary solution for someplace like a college dorm or first apartment instead of a long term solution.  Next, I looked at the Oneida.  That was nice, but it did not go to the 1/4 inch that I needed.  Farberware was the next contender and, while nice, I could not find anywhere on the box that gave the actual dimensions of the slices made, so I moved onward and upward.  OXO, which makes very nice products, had a slicer that had adjustable slices, two julienne options, the dimensions I needed and, as a bonus, a crinkle cut option.  This slicer folds flat and all of its blades store right on the mandoline.  This was indeed a strong contender.  Finally, I looked at the Kitchen Aid.  This slicer also offered the width that I needed and one larger and came with an external case for its blades.  While also a good option, I preferred the OXO and went that route.

I took the slicer home and I loved it.  The cucumbers fit nicely into the handle/finger guard and the plunger option assured that I would have even slices and easy use.  The base had excellent silicone grips and did not move at all during use. 

So, if you find yourself in the market for a mandoline slicer, consider all your options and what your needs are.  If you live in the Harrisburg area, try Linen's N More For Less in Camp Hill Near Michael's - the staff is very helpful and were very nice to talk with.