Best Meat Slicer Buying Guide
Having a meat slicer at home is really convenient, especially if you buy a lot of bulk meats. You can use a meat slicer for cheeses, breads, and vegetables. While this handy device may not be the first item on your wishlist, it certainly is a useful tool to have in any kitchen.
Thinking of purchasing one? We have compiled this helpful buyers’ guide to help you choose the right meat slicer for your specific needs.
Check out the rest of the article below.
What is a meat slicer?
A meat slicer – also known as a deli slicer, slicing machine, or a slicer – is a piece of apparatus predominantly used in delicatessens, butcher shops, and restaurants. It is used to slice a variety of foods including; sausages, meats, cheeses, and breads. Less effort is needed when using a meat slicer compared to a traditional knife. They also keep the texture of food more intact than a regular handheld knife.
Most meat slicers can be adjusted to slice meats and cheeses to varying degrees of thickness. New meat slicers operate by using an electric motor. Originally, they were operated by a crank. Most meat slicers are owned by people who work in the food industry, however, meat slicers are becoming more and more popular in the home.
What are the benefits of a meat slicer?
There are many reasons why you may be looking to buy a meat slicer. You may need one for your home or your business, which is not surprising as they offer plenty of benefits.
You can save money in the long run
If you buy the same portion size of the same meat that has not been sliced, it is much cheaper than buying pre-sliced meat from a deli. The money you could save in a year will probably be more than enough to pay for the meat slicer.
They provide very appetizing thin slices of meat
If you like really thin slices of meat, a meat slicer is a necessity. You will not be able to get the thin slices you desire with a knife unless you are a trained chef. That being said, even chefs who are skilled enough to slice the meat so thinly use a meat slicer. We’re sure you’ll agree – there’s nothing better than home-cut slices on a sandwich
They are great if you work as a chef
If you are a chef and need to slice a lot of produce daily, you will need a meat slicer in your kitchen. If you are slicing things by hand for a long period of time, it may lead to repetitive strain injury. Visually, a meat slicer allows your slices to look uniform and much more professional than they would otherwise.
Things to consider before buying a meat slicer?
A meat slicer is a useful piece of kitchen equipment in any home. However, there are a number of things you may want to consider before making a purchase.
Blade size
Meat slicers come in a variety of sizes. The blade comes in different diameters – normally between 8 and 14 inches. Larger blades cut through the meat faster and more easily. Heavy-duty meat slicers usually come with 13-14 inch blades. Light duty meat slicers have 8-9 inch blades. If you’re not cutting up lots of meat on a regular basis, you may only need a light-duty slicer.
HB-350 Floor Frozen meat slicers
Gravity or vertical feed
Generally, there are two types of meat slicers available: gravity feed and vertical feed. Gravity feed meat slicers push the meat against the blade, but vertical feed meat slicers allow for more precision in your cuts.
Metal
Stainless steel is considered the best metal for meat slicer blades. A stainless steel blade is less likely to rust and can cut through almost anything. There are other blade materials on the market, but we wholly recommend stainless steel above all others.
Built-in sharpener
If you want your meat slicer to last a long time, we suggest purchasing a meat slicer with a built-in slicer sharpener. This will ensure your meat slicer continues to perform well.
Safety features
All meat slicers should come with a guard. This rests on the carriage of the meat slicer and will protect your hand from being injured. If you want extra protection, you can also invest in a pair of cut-resistant gloves.
Adjustable blade
Some meat slicer designs come with levers that adjust the blade size. This is a useful feature if you wish to perform a variety of jobs.
Easy to clean
You ideally want to look for a meat slicer with completely removable parts. Check to see if the device has a cleaning leg or kickstand. These make cleaning much easier.
Meat tray size
If you purchase a meat slicer with a small meat tray, it means you will be feeding meat into the tray more often. If you know you will be cutting large amounts of meat or cheese, a larger tray will save you time and energy.
Manual or automatic
A manual meat slicer requires you to push the meat towards the blade itself. An automatic meat slicer allows you to set your preferences and leave the machine to do its job. A manual meat slicer is often cheaper than its automatic counterpart so you need to decide if the price difference is worth it.
A crank-operated meat slicer is also an option, requiring no electricity whatsoever, but this is a lot more effort than the automatic machines.
Meat slicers price range
You can buy a meat slicer for anything between $80 to $20,000. For a decent meat slicer in your home, you should budget for up to $200. You don’t need to spend the top-end price unless you’re purchasing an industrial-scale machine.
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