Optimal Meat Slicers
image of Meat Slicers
Meat Slicers: To identify the best meat slicer for the kitchen, we cut through 10 pounds of meat and cheese. The Cuisinart FS-75 was the clear victor since it produced paper-thin slices of hard salami, roast beef, and semi-soft cheese, precisely like you would find at a deli. We also loved the Arksen A-048-GM-48087, which performed similarly to the Cuisinart but missed a few details that made the Cuisinart superior.
Comparing the top meat cutters
Cuisinart’s FS-75 meat cutter is the best.
The Cuisinart – FS-75 not only cuts slices as thin as tissue paper, but it also boasts a number of ergonomic and safety features that none of the other meat slicers we examined had.
It could seem frightening at first if you’ve never used a meat slicer before. The circular blade is as sharp as it appears to be and resembles a small buzzsaw. So it was comforting to see that the Cuisinart’s blade was entirely recessed into the blade’s case when we opened the appliance. Since Cuisinart’s slice control dial is set to a real zero, there is virtually little danger of harm occurring when it is being stored.
The knob is also made with ergonomics in mind. The peculiar comma shape serves two purposes. Your thumb first fits inside the curvature, enabling accurate cut size adjustment. Additionally, it is safe because the knob moves away from the blade rather than toward it like the majority of the other slicers’ knobs do.
The performance was outstanding. We tried the smallest setting, and the cheese and salami were cut as precisely as you’d see on a charcuterie board at a restaurant. We increased the cut size to the subsequent thickness (1/16 inch), which prevented the roast beef from shredding too much.
Any meat slicer’s cleanup is a headache, but Cuisinart makes it simpler. It is the only slicer that has a detachable carriage that you can clean the crevices beneath by popping it out and back in. Additionally, the Cuisinart has a cleverly recessed grip in the middle of the blade. A little handle emerges once you press a button, allowing you to lift out the blade without contacting its edges.
The cost of the Cuisinart is comparable to that of the other slicers we examined. The Cuisinart is the best meat slicer in our opinion because it is the simplest to use and has thoughtful safety measures.
Key conclusions:
- The Cuisinart – FS-75 regularly produced razor-thin slices of cheese and meat for charcuterie boards and deli-style sandwiches.
- Fingers and hands are shielded from the blade by extra safety elements.
- The Cuisinart was the most straightforward to clean thanks to its detachable sliding carriage.
- Similar in price to comparable meat slicers, the Cuisinart is better built.
Second place: Arksen
The Cuisinart and the Arksen – A-048-GM-48087 meat slicer were nearly equal in performance. The blade is receded in its housing, making it the only other slicer we examined with a true-zero adjustment setting. The Arksen has a curved adjustment knob that rotates away from the blade, just like the Cuisinart. The knob was first difficult for us to turn, but with continued use, it became simpler to adjust.
Everything was very precisely cut with the Arksen, but cheese benefited the most from its use. It cut cheese so thinly and evenly at its lowest setting that when we brought a slice up to the light, it was translucent. The salami slices were likewise very thin.
Although we upped the thickness to the next level (1/16 inch), the roast beef did not slice quite as thinly. However, the slices were evenly cut.
The only aspect of the Arksen that we didn’t like is that like the other slicers (except the Cuisinart), a sticky white lubricant has been poured into the blade shell to keep the blade from sticking. The (presumably food-grade) lubricant is not to be cleaned off, according to the instructions. However, it is inevitable when you need to thoroughly clean the blade and the lubricant coats the blade’s inner and outer sides with a greasy film that is challenging to wash off.
We can understand why The Arksen routinely publishes “best of” lists. It is a well-made slicer that is lightweight, convenient, and reasonably priced.
Key conclusions:
- The Arksen – A-048-GM-48087 can make the smallest cuts possible on almost anything.
- It includes a few of the safety measures that our top selection Cuisinart provides to guard against cuts from the sharp blade.
- When you try to clean the blade, the lubrication in the blade casing frequently smears.
Additional meat cutters we tested
The Gourmia – GFS700
To get an even slice out of the Gourmia – GFS700, it took some trial and error. The Cuisinart and Arksen’s thickness adjustment knob, which should be turned toward the blade rather than away from it, is less accurate. The cheese wouldn’t slice much thinner than 1/16-inch without crumbling, but the salami cut nicely. The roast beef was shredded till it was 14 inches thick.
The blade’s insertion and ejection were difficult as well. A plastic screw holds the blade to the hub. The risk of injury increased when we had to force the blade out of the shell after it had been taken out. The plastic screw had to be precisely aligned or centered in order to insert the blade back into the case.
RJ49-CA Chefman
The chassis and casing of the Chefman – RJ49-CA are composed of die-cast metal, which gives them a premium appearance and feels. The Chefman and Cuisinart are nearly comparable in terms of their blades and blade locks, but that’s where the pleasant comparisons end. Since the Chefman lacks a true-zero option, the blade is always visible when the appliance is in storage. Since the labels on the adjustment knob are reversed, we were unable to see what thickness we had set it to and had to estimate the thickness as we cut. Everything was sliced too thickly, even when the Chefman was set to the thinnest cut.
Platinum Elite – EMT-625B
The chassis and casing of the Chefman – RJ49-CA are composed of die-cast metal, which gives them a premium appearance and feels. The Chefman and Cuisinart are nearly comparable in terms of their blades and blade locks, but that’s where the pleasant comparisons end. Since the Chefman lacks a true-zero option, the blade is always visible when the appliance is in storage. Since the labels on the adjustment knob are reversed, we were unable to see what thickness we had set it to and had to estimate the thickness as we cut. Everything was sliced too thickly, even when the Chefman was set to the thinnest cut.
How we choose the test finalists
We read through customer testimonials on Amazon to learn what individuals think of the meat slicer they purchased and how they use it. The cost of purchasing cold cuts at a deli counter or prepackaged at a supermarket is almost often cited as the justification for buying a meat slicer for the house. In addition to generating paper-thin meat slices for home-roasted meats, many people use meat slicers to slice meat for jerky in the food dehydrators we examined.
There are restrictions on the amount of meat and cheese you may slice using home meat slicers, which are roughly one-fifth the size of a professional meat slicer. For instance, all of the slicers we examined could handle a slab of roast beef that was no thicker than 4.5 inches and roughly 8 inches long. Therefore, unless you chop the meat or cheese into many bits and slice them one at a time, they’re actually not meant for large quantities.
The 7.5-inch circular serrated blade is the same on all meat slicers, including those you may buy on Amazon and others. Although there are some larger models available, we choose to remain with the standard size with the 7.5-inch blade.
How did we test?
We chose hard salami, roast beef, and semi-soft cheese because that is what a meat slicer is designed to do: slice meat and cheese. It’s not particularly difficult for a meat slicer to cut thick slices unless the motor is poor (none of the finalists we tested were). However, the meats and cheese must be extremely thinly sliced if you want to create a sandwich in the deli manner. Therefore, we tried to cut a slice at each slicer’s lowest setting of one millimeter.
We also looked at the slicer’s user-friendliness and safety features. After all the slicing, we checked how simple it was to clean and put away the slicers.
Important aspects to think about
When looking for a meat slicer, you’ll find that they all essentially have the same appearance. Each meat chopper will include:
- chassis made of metal or metal and plastic that holds the motor
- serrated blade with a circular shape that fits into the center hub
- thickening-adjustable control knob
- For forcing food through the blade, a sliding carriage
- Safety measures to prevent harm
- Non-slip shoes
However, there are a few minute variations among the best meat slicers that you should search for.
Blade lock: Without requiring your contact, the serrated circular blade should lock and unlock into the middle hub. When withdrawing or reinserting the blade into the hub, the blade should have a recessed handle that pops in and out. The blade of a meat slicer is murderously sharp, yet the handle of the lock will shield you from getting cut.
Blade recess: Every slicer has a knob that can be turned to change the thickness from 0 to 15 millimeters (12 inches). The blade should be fully sunk in its housing while the knob is at zero; otherwise, it’s simple to cut your fingers when putting the slicer away. When their adjustment knobs were at zero, the blades of two of the meat slicers we evaluated were recessed; however, the blades of the other meat slicers were slightly exposed even at zero.
Removable carriage: The slicer must be properly cleaned after each usage since food particles get lodged between the blade and its housing. You will have easier access to securely clean the crevices where food is stuck if the carriage is detachable.
The conclusion
A meat slicer will save you time, effort, and money if you are craving a deli sandwich but don’t want to mess with slicing the meat and cheese with a knife. Vegetables may be thinly sliced using a meat slicer, and if you love bread machines, you can even make flawless slices of homemade bread with one.
Although it costs roughly the same as the other meat slicers we tried, the Cuisinart – FS-75 was the simplest to use and consistently produced super-thin slices of cheese and meat. The safety elements that assist shield users from the effective, razor-sharp blade add to its exceptional performance.
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