Description of electric slicers and their selection

Each kitchen appliance is purchased in order to facilitate this or that work. Housewives are very sensitive to the choice of any technique, weighing the pros and cons. A slicer will be a waste of money for some. Others think that such a device is necessary only for restaurants.

Basically, many simply do not fully understand the full potential of this device. In this article, we will consider an electric slicer and its main features.

The slicer or, as it is also called, the slicer (translated from English slicer means "slice") is a kitchen technique that helps to cut various products into slices of a certain thickness. Such an apparatus facilitates slicing, providing quick and beautiful results. The main feature that slicers are fond of is that the slices will be cut identically and have a certain thickness. It is very difficult to achieve such a result with a simple knife.

It is noted that the electric slicer is suitable for most vegetables, fruits and some types of meat. But there are a number of products that in no case should be processed with a slicer, namely:

• solid or heavily frozen foods;
• raw meat or meat on the bone;
• fruits or vegetables with seeds inside.

These limitations exist due to the principle of operation of the device. When setting up the machine, the required cutting width is selected. All packaging and mica are removed from the product to be cut and placed on the work surface. The slicer turns on, and with the help of the carriage, the product moves along the apparatus towards the knife and back. The finished cut falls into a special tray.It turns out that due to the strong rotation of the knife and the speed of the procedure, any solid object can damage the machine or damage the knife.

A good quality slicer should consist of:

• an iron case in which an electric motor is installed;
• circular knife and protective cover;
• pusher, guide plate and carriage;
• tray for sliced ​​products;
• control panel, cable and sharpener.

Initially, all slicers were purely mechanical. Instead of a motor, they had a handle (like on a sewing machine), which made the knife spin. But time does not stand still, and today a large number of electric slicers are presented on the market, not only for a restaurant, but also for a home.

Nowadays, there are two relevant models that are most often purchased by consumers.

• Automatic... Refers to a professional technique that is aimed at processing a large number of products. These models have many times more power. This means that much less time is spent on cooking. The whole procedure takes place automatically. The necessary parameters are set on the control panel (slice width and the number of required slices). After that, the product is placed on the work surface and the slicer is turned on. Further work takes place completely autonomously. There is no need to follow the process, as the machine will automatically cut according to the specified parameters and then turn off.

• Semi-automatic... In these models, the motor independently makes the knife turn, but the carriage with the product must be fed manually. That is, you need a human presence to cut. The thickness is set on the panel and the number of slices is controlled. The machine will not stop working until it is turned off.

Besides, the technique is divided according to the number of knives used. In some models, disks are included, and in some, they must be purchased. This should be taken into account, because if the technique is multifunctional, it is purchased for cutting different products, then there must be separate knives for each type of cutting. For example, for bread, the knives have large notches, and the disc works like a nail file. And for cheese and sausage, it is better to choose Teflon-coated discs for better glide.

The rating of models is always influenced by a number of specific qualities that the consumer wants to see. It doesn't matter if you buy professional or semi-professional equipment. Below is a ranking of the most frequently purchased slicer models.

• Clatronic AS 2958. Country of origin - Germany. It is a budget and compact model. Suitable for non-solid foods such as cheese, sausage, bread. The equipment is easy to care for as the body is made of hard plastic. The built-in knife is well sharpened and quite sharp. The power is high for home appliances. Among the pluses are compact size, easy maintenance, safety and price.

• Gemlux GL-MS-190. Produced in Russia. This brand has been on the market since 2015 and has established itself as a worthy manufacturer. The body of the equipment is made of nickel-plated metal, and the platform itself is made of plastic with a nickel coating. Therefore, you should be careful with plastic so as not to scratch it. The model has a good security system. There is a special lever next to the power button that prevents the machine from turning on if turned in the wrong direction.

• Gorenje R 506 E... Country of origin - Slovenia. The slicer is one of the versatile models that can handle hard and soft products. The knife of the machine has a wave-like sharpening, there is a self-sharpening mechanism.The thickness can be adjusted from 2 to 15 mm. The body is made of plastic with stainless inserts. Improved safety system (holder against injuries and accidental start). Among the disadvantages is the lack of a tray for slices.

• Bosch MAS 4104W... Suitable for slicing most foods. The model is compact in size and can be folded for further storage. The legs are rubberized and non-slip. The machine can be adjusted in speed. The minimum cutting thickness is 1 mm, the maximum is 17 mm. The minus of the slicer is that the knife is not suitable for slicing soft cheeses. To work, you must constantly hold the start button. Also, the model has a too short power cord.

• Philips HR 1388/50. A feature of the model is that it comes with 5 additional attachments for the knife. The machine is designed for slicing all products. The power is equal to 200 watts. The motor is equipped with overheating protection. The disadvantages of the model are considered too noisy work, the lack of a tray and the need to pre-cut large vegetables.

• Moulinex Fresh Express Cube DJ905832 is a representative of multi-cutters on the market. The chopping functions include not only slicing thin slices, but also cutting into strips or cubes. The set includes a cleaning brush, 5 additional attachments, an insert for a grater. Power - 280 W. There is no tray included.

In order to choose a good technique, you need to familiarize yourself not only with the characteristics of the device, but also answer a few questions for yourself.

• How often the technique will be used - the required power of the machine depends on it.
• What is chosen for - for home or business use.

After that, you can select the characteristics that the desired model will have.

• The power of the device should be in the range from 80 to 200 watts. For cutting at home, the performance of the machine is also suitable at 100 watts.
• The knives need to be given a little more attention, since, in addition to the engine, the knife is the heart of the machine.... First of all, it is the quality of the knife. The disc must be made of stainless steel with increased strength. The instructions should contain the rotation speed, because a certain rotation frequency is selected for each product. If the model is equipped with a speed regulator, then this is a clear plus. For many, the type of disc sharpening does not matter. Both straight sharpening and undulating - both do their job well. But more expensive models use exactly wave-like sharpening.
• Frame... Here, attention is paid to appearance and functionality. It can be made of metal or plastic. This does not affect performance and operation, but the plastic case is lower in the price segment.
• Machine legs... It is necessary that they do not slide on the table.