Meat slicers are something you will generally only find in a deli or supermarket but they are starting to become more popular for home use as well. Not only can they slice meat but they can be used on a wide range of foods making them quite versatile and a useful gadget to have in your home. They aren’t as big as you might expect and certainly not as big as the industrial ones you will find in your local deli but you will need ample space on your counter if you are going to buy one or somewhere to store it. Manufacturers have started making these with the home user in mind so they are getting more compact as time goes by. I would say the average size is around 15 x 11 x 11 in and they weight about 10lbs.
If you’ve never used a meat slicer before then have a good read of the instructions before you do, they can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. The blades on these guys are no joke.
With that being said let’s get into the best ones on the market right now.
Contents
1. Chef’s Choice 615A Electric Meat Slicer
First up is this hugely popular model from Chef’s Choice. This has been one of the most popular sellers in the meat slicing range for some time, it follows on from the success of the Chef’s Choice 609-A which was the previous model.
This thing is really sturdy and that is something you want in a food slicer. You are sliding the food pusher back and forth multiple times so the last thing you want is the machine moving around when using it. There are no such problems here. Everything is solid and it feels right when you use it. The food carriage is steel as well making the whole thing feel safe and quality when you are using it. This is one of the more expensive food slicers so the quality is expected.
The design is a little bit old fashioned for our tastes. It certainly isn’t super modern looking. The thickness setting knob in particular reminds us of the old days but it works perfectly and everything feels great in the hand. The thickness ranges from “deli” thin which is really really thin all the way to one inch thick. Going up to one inch makes it ideal for slicing bread and cheese. The food carriage itself can hold food up to 7 inches thick.
One thing we hate about meat slicers is cleaning them, it can be a real pain and even put you off using it. Fortunately, this model is really easy to clean, it comes apart easily and there are no fiddly bits to wash.
You can lock the food carriage in place when not in use as well for that extra bit of safety.
Overall this is one of the very best slicers on the market for home use. Yes, it costs a little bit more but a food slicer really isn’t something you want to go to cheap on. If you are looking for a decent slicer then you certainly won’t regret it if you choose this one.
2. BESWOOD 10″ Premium Chromium-plated Carbon Steel Blade Food Slicer
If you want as close to a commercial machine as possible in your home without paying thousands then this is it. This is a superb slicer. It’s the most expensive on this list by far but still not at an unaffordable price. This is really top notch. To be honest this is a commercial grade machine and would happily sit in any deli but the price means it’s more than accessible for home users as well.
It has a Chromium-plated Carbon Steel Blade that is razor sharp and slices through food with ease with minimal if any shredding. This blade will rarely need sharpening as well.
The whole unit is solid and the skid proof feet mean it stays where it’s supposed to when in use. This is also one of the quietest slicers we tested. Some of them are really loud but this one was a stand out performer in this area.
Clean up is really easy as the machine comes apart easily and goes back together just as quickly. Cleaning after using any slicer is essential so having one that is easy to break down should be high on your list of priorities.
This machine will last a lifetime if taken care of. We highly recommend this slicer whether you are a home or commercial user.
3. Chefman Die-Cast Electric Deli/Food Slicer
Superb value for money with this Chefman model. It comes with a 180W motor which makes short work of whatever you want to slice. It feels nice when you are using it. Everything feels solid and it slices through meat so easily.
It’s quite compact to at only 9 x 12 inches. It comes with non slip feet to ensure it won’t move around when in use however it really depends on what surface you place it on. A normal kitchen counter is fine but on more glossy surfaces we found it wasn’t as secure.
Like the others it can slive really thinly, as low as 1mm which is as low as you will ever need. It was a bit messy though and shredded the meat on occasion making a bit of a mess. It’s fairly easy to break down and clean but not as easy as the Chef’s Choice.
One big disadvantage to this one is that you aren’t supposed to run it for longer than 10 minutes at a time. That will probably be enough time for most people but this is definitely something to bear in mind. The motor starts to get very hot the longer you have it on so going beyond the 10 minute mark is probably going to damage the product.
Overall this is a superb slicer for the money and its powerful motor makes slicing super easy no matter what throw at it.
4. Nesco FS-250 Food Slicer
Want a value for money slicer that is super easy to clean? This could be the one for you. This is so easy to clean it is quite frankly shocking! There are only 3 parts to take off the machine meaning you can clean this in 5 minutes or less. Makes such a difference to your enjoyment of home slicing when the clean up is easy.
The instructions state you shouldn’t run this for more than 10 minutes as the motor starts to get quite hot. Running it longer can be damaging. This is often the case with home slicers, the lower powered motors help keep the cost down.
One thing to consider here is that the gears are plastic. Not a huge deal but you know they aren’t going to last as long as metal gears so the lifespan of this slicer isn’t going to be as long as some of the others on this list. This will put a lot of people off but if this is for occasional use then I wouldn’t really worry about it. Most of the rest of the slicer is metal so it all feels quite sturdy.
It sliced through most things with absolute ease and was quite enjoyable to use. The food pusher doesn’t get right up to the blade though so you end up with a half inch of leftover that you can’t slice.
Overall a decent slicer that is great value for money and super easy to clean.
5. F2C 7.5″ Electric Food Meat Slicer
First thing to note with this one is that it is a lot cheaper than the Chef’s Choice. With meat slicers you definitely get what you pay for but that isn’t to say this is a bad machine. It’s actually a pretty good slicer for the money.
It can slice meat really thinly too, going from 1mm all the way to 19mm. The plastic finger guard feels a bit flimsy but it works well and does what it is designed to do.
The worst thing about this one is the instruction manual. It’s written really badly, it’;s been translated by someone with a poor grasp of the English language. If you are familiar with food slicers then this won’t be a huge concern but if you are new to the slicing game you will want to avoid this model as understanding how these machines work is essential.
We’ve included this slicer on the list for it’s great value for money however I really recommend you spend a bit more and get something a bit more sturdy. This is ok for very occasional use however but if you are planning on using your slicer on a regular basis then get something else. This is also very fiddly to clean.
Overall good value for money but certainly not the best.
Conclusion
There are a few things you will want to consider before you buy. In our opinion, these are the things you should be looking at depending on your planned use.
Clean-Up: We can’t stress this enough, you really want one that it easy to clean. Some slicers have really long-winded and difficult breakdown procedures that will put you off using your slicer at home. You need to clean it after every single use so if its a pain you just won’t want the hassle. The Beswood, Chef’s Choice and Nesco models all excelled in this area. All easy to clean and put back together again.
Price: Depending on your budget this is obviously going to be important. If you can afford it, get the Beswood. You won’t regret it for a second. It’s simply superb. Going a bit cheaper the Chef’s choice was also a stand out performer. The others on the list are perfectly good slicers but for occasional use only. If you want to use your food slicer on a regular basis then spend a bit more and get the Beswood or Chef’s Choice.
Noise: All slicers make noise. We found they were all pretty similar in this area apart from the Beswood which was notably quieter.
How easy does it cut: Take note of the power of the motor. Depending on what you want to slice will obviously dictate the power needed. Heavier meats and cheeses will need a more powerful motor. All of these slicers will handle most foods but the weaker powered ones will cause the food to shred more. Also, some of the cheaper models can only run for 10 minutes before you need to let them cool down. The Beswood has the most powerful motor at 240W. It conjunction with power you need a large and sharp blade. The Chef’s Choice actually has the weakest motor here but the blade is excellent and makes up for the lack of power.
How thick and thin can you cut: All of these can go super thin but if you want to cut thick then it takes more power and the machine needs to be capable of doing it.
Overall: We can’t recommend the Beswood enough, it’s the most expensive you would expect this outcome but it really is a top quality piece of kit. However if you have a smaller budger in mind you won’t regret getting the Chef’s Choice or the Nesco either.
Let us know in the comments below which slicer you went for and why. Happy slicing!
