Manual vegetable cutters: types and selection rules

Vegetable dishes are popular throughout the year, especially during the summer and fall season, and the ingredients often have to be chopped by hand. So that this process is not troublesome, you should take care of purchasing a suitable device for cutting vegetables. Since manual vegetable cutters are presented in stores in a fairly large assortment, it becomes difficult for many to choose the right device.

Therefore, before buying such a tool, you need to find out what the principles of their work are, their purpose (for which vegetables or fruits they are suitable), and also what criteria should be followed when choosing. All these nuances will be detailed in this article.

A manual vegetable cutter is usually a small-sized unit, the main element of which is the blades for chopping fruits. The design can be mechanically controlled or only consist of a section with replaceable shredding blades.

As a rule, the area where the shredded vegetables fall is separated by the body of the vegetable cutter or even constitutes a separate compartment. Many designs are equipped with special attachments that allow you to adjust the size of the resulting pieces. All cut pieces will be roughly the same size and shape.

This time-tested mechanical device has a lot of advantages over modern electrical counterparts.

• Such a tool does not consume electricity, which will not entail additional financial costs.
• The blades of the products have a rather long service life and are able to grind products of different hardness.
• Mechanical devices for cutting vegetables have a compact body, they are easy to store in kitchen drawers, and also easy to clean in dishwashers. In addition, the compactness allows you to easily transport the device by public transport, for example, to a summer cottage, which cannot be said about a food processor.
• The useful shredding function allows you to cut vegetables much faster than using a knife.
• Mechanical graters can be purchased at any home goods store at a reasonable price, unlike household appliances that operate on the network.

However, this device also has a number of disadvantages compared to its electrical counterpart.

• Physical effort is required during the chopping process, especially if the vegetables are tough. Electric models avoid this.
• The grinding process in a blender or combine is many times faster than using mechanical models. This difference is especially noticeable if you need to cut a large amount of vegetables.
• Electrical engineering can be equipped with a large number of grinding modes.

Manual type vegetable cutters may differ from each other in some ways. Based on this, several types of such devices can be distinguished, each of which has a special set of characteristics and operating principles.

• Metal vegetable cutter, made of metal, most often it has a round or square shape, and is inserted into a plastic groove. Vegetables are chopped on such a device by pressing on them and turning the grater mechanism. Ready-made devices of this type are usually sold complete with several interchangeable attachments so that the products can be chopped into pieces of different sizes and shapes.

• A grater called a V-knife It is designed in such a way that knives of various shapes can be inserted into its flat plastic body. With the help of such a device, it is quite convenient to shred vegetables, for example, cabbage, as well as cut food into strips or give the chopped pieces a different shape.

• One of the convenient mechanical universal vegetable cutters is such a variety as manual harvester. It looks similar to its electrical counterpart, but does not require a network connection. Blades of the required shape and size are installed inside the container, vegetables are placed inside through the holes. Then you need to twist the handle located at the top of the body so that the blades chop the food inside.

• Vegetable cutter type slicer resembles a peeler in design. She is able to cut vegetables into rather large flat pieces, as well as into strips.

• Spiral device similar in principle to a pencil sharpener. It is able to grind vegetables into a circle or spiral.

• There are also vegetable cutters alligator type. They are intended for boiled vegetables and other foods. Like the mouth of a crocodile, the structure opens, the product itself is placed inside it, and then you need to press the lid with effort - the cut food is moved into a special container.

It is worth taking a closer look at the manufacturers of such devices. Some of them have already reliably established themselves in the market of household appliances for cooking and can rightfully be included in the list of the best models:

The French brand brings to the attention of buyers the model of a vegetable chopper K1011114. This device is a stable structure on three legs, in the upper part of the body of which there is an opening for products, and in the middle part there are chopping blades made in the form of round plates. The rather impressive size of the handle, due to the turnover of which the entire mechanism works, makes the process of using this vegetable cutter very convenient.

Among the shortcomings of this model, only lack of a container for chopped vegetables as part of accessories. However, instead of it, you can place a regular plate under the device. The price of a vegetable cutter is about 600 rubles.

Swedish models are presented on the modern market in a wide range of devices that differ from each other by their attachments. Among this easy-to-use tool, there are models that cut vegetables into strips, thin plates, and small slices. Some devices even peel vegetables.

The "Lux" model is worth considering separatelybecause it is characterized by increased wear resistance and sharpness of the blades. Its body is installed on comfortable rubberized feet that prevent the tool from sliding during operation. The price of this model is 8000 rubles. Simpler counterparts of the Alligator without boxing and some other components cost about 2,500 rubles.

Germany is another producing country for manual vegetable cutters. The main material for the grater is food grade polystyrene, which has a high level of strength. The body of the device is made in the form of a V-shaped frame, and three attachments are attached to it. The structure is equipped with a special fruit holder, which helps to minimize the likelihood of cuts when chopping vegetables.

The first attachment of such a tool is designed for shredding cabbage and cutting other vegetables into slices. The second type of attachment is used mainly for slicing potatoes for subsequent deep-fat cooking. The shape of the pieces is similar to bars. Using the third nozzle, you can cut the rest of the vegetables for the salad in the form of rings, as well as half rings. For all its versatility and sharpness of the blades, the device has an affordable price of 2,500 rubles.

A very interesting and one of the safest options for a vegetable cutter will be german model... In appearance, such a product, rather, resembles a vegetable peeler, but only one of the three nozzles is responsible for this function, which has small notches that allow you to remove a thin layer of peel from vegetables and fruits. The second - ceramic - nozzle performs the function of cutting vegetables and other products into slices of the desired thickness. The third blade is designed to cut vegetables into thin strips.

The advantage of this model is ease of use... It is quite easy to replace the nozzle with a suitable one. The device is easy to clean, and thanks to its compact size, it will become indispensable for camping trips. The price of such a vegetable cutter is about 1400 rubles.

It is an unusual model of a device for cutting vegetables. The design, consisting of a cassette with knives and a main body, acts on the principle of a pencil sharpener: the vegetable is fixed on the handle of the device, then you need to start rotating this handle, as a result of which the product will be cut like spaghetti.

The process of using such a product is completely safe. It is convenient to wash it - just put it under running water. The cost of the unit is 1,500 rubles.

In order not to be mistaken in choosing a device for manual chopping of vegetables, you need to pay attention to a number of signs before buying it.

• The material from which the tool is made plays an important role and affects its service life... It is better that metal parts prevail over plastic, since they are much stronger and less susceptible to damage. It will be great if such elements are made of stainless steel. It is also better to exclude plastic for safety reasons, as it can contain toxic substances.
• Pay attention to the number of attachments included in the kit. The more there are, the more functional the device itself. This is especially useful for those who like to cook and experiment with vegetable salads.
• Be sure to familiarize yourself with the choice of devices on the Internet and study the reviews of the models that interest you. It so happens that having assembled such a vegetable cutter at home, you only get a device that looks beautiful in appearance, which in fact turns out to be completely unusable.

Those who have already tried such a unit as a manual vegetable cutter in the cooking process provide a number of recommendations, taking into account which the device will be much easier and safer to use.

• When slicing raw vegetables that are too large for salads, you may experience strong resistance from the device. In order not to damage the mechanism, it is better to cut large fruits into smaller pieces. This will significantly reduce the load on the apparatus and speed up the grinding process.
• For the purpose of more accurate operation during long cutting, you should give the tool at least a five-minute break. This can reduce the risk of breakage and defects in some models.
• It is necessary to clean the mechanism in a timely manner, avoiding the drying of the remnants of vegetables on its surface. This is especially true for the shredder attachment, in which the holes are quite small and the risk of product particles getting into them is greater.

For an overview of the vegetable cutter, see the next video.