Adding smoothly sliced meat, cheese, or vegetables to the meal makes it not only delicious but also very attractive. But when you have to process plenty of products, it can be tiresome. That’s when the meat slicer machine comes in handy!
In this guide, we’re breaking down everything related to this device. What is a meat slicer? How to choose the one that will work for you? What are top-rated meat slicers available on today’s market? Here, we’ll answer all these questions and even more!
What Are Meat Slicers And Why Use Them?
If you live to cook, you might already have various helpful kitchen appliances like meat grinder, blender, instant pot, and many, many others. But what do you know about meat slicers for home use? Some gastronomy enthusiasts think these machines are designed only for commercial use, but it’s not exactly true. If you have to handle plenty of slicing daily, you’ll definitely appreciate having such a machine in your kitchen!
So, what is a meat slicer? Well, it’s a kitchen appliance used to slice meat, sausages, cheese, and other yummy foods. It produces plenty of thin and neat slices in no time. Moreover, the best meat slicers are very adjustable and allow you to customize the thickness of your meat slices.
And now the cherry on the top – with a good deli slicer, you’ll be able to save some money since buying a block of ham or cheese is way cheaper than the same amount sliced.
Top 5 Meat Slicers On The Market: Comparison Table
A huge variety of meat slicers have flooded the market today and for buyers, it may be so frustrating to choose the right model. In the following, you’ll only find the best products. We conducted deep research and picked out the top 5 deli slicers for their quality and effectiveness. And now, we’d love to share with you the best and high-quality options in our meat slicer reviews.
Product | Motor Power | Blade Size | Dimensions | Weight |
Chefman Electric Deli & Food Slicer | 180 W | 8.6 inches | 16.5 x 9 x 11.5 inches | 14.82 pounds |
Chef’s Choice Electric Meat Slicer | 100 W | 7 inches | 15.5 x 10.4 x 11 inches | 10.61 pounds |
CUSIMAX Meat Slicer | 200 W | 7.5 inches | 11.8 x 9 x 10.2 inches | 10.89 pounds |
Elite Gourmet Ultimate Precision Electric Deli Food Meat Slicer | 180 W | 7.5 inches | 10.8 x 13.8 x 9.2 inches | 10.98 pounds |
KWS MS-10NT Premium Commercial Electric Meat Slicer | 320 W | 10 inches | 20.5 x 18.5 x 15.3 inches | 37 pounds |
Best Overall: Chefman Electric Deli & Food Slicer
If you are looking for a high-quality, versatile machine, this one may be the right choice for you. It effortlessly slices a wide variety of foods, e.g., ham, roast beef, pork roasts, hard salami, turkey, dried beef, bread, cheese, vegetables, and fruits. And the best part – this meat slicer for home comes at a great price, especially for the quality and performance it delivers.
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Easiest to Clean: Chef’s Choice Electric Meat Slicer
This electric meat slicer can boast a high torque motor that helps to effortlessly slice both tough and smooth meat and other foods. It produces super thin slices – now you can trim your shabu meat yourself! The food slicer can also work continuously to cut as many products as you wish since it has a large carriage and a food pusher that helps in transporting slices during the process. All and all, this is a great pick for all thin meat-slicing enthusiasts looking for a reliable device!
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Versatile: CUSIMAX Meat Slicer
The Cusimax meat slicer is smooth, versatile, and won’t ruin your family budget. And here’s the best thing about this model – you can either use it at home or for commercial use because it can run even the whole day. Plus, this prosciutto slicer has all features you can expect from the top-notch model.
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Budget Model: Elite Gourmet Ultimate Precision Electric Deli Food Meat Slicer
This is a unique, multipurpose, and reliable meat slicer. It has an adjustable gauge, so you can get both thicker and razor-thin to ½ inches slices. Furthermore, cleaning is a breeze, thanks to the removable blade. All in all, any home chef will appreciate this great, professional-grade electric deli slicer!
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Commercial Grade: KWS MS-10NT Premium Commercial Electric Meat Slicer
This heavy-duty meat slicer is suitable for both home and commercial use. It comes with a super powerful motor and Teflon blade, which is great for slicing foods in larger quantities in either soft or tough states. The unique feature of this model is its built-in sharpening system that ensures the blade is always razor-sharp. To sum up, it’s a super durable and effective slicer.
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Thus, whether you are selecting a slicer for your own household or seeking gifts for meat smokers, hopefully, our meat slicer reviews will help you pick the right machine!
What Should I Look For In A Meat Slicer?
Motor
Motor power is the first thing you should consider when shopping around for a meat slicer. To determine how powerful the motor is – look at its horsepower. Usually, the higher the horsepower – the better motor’s efficiency.
- Light-duty machines rate 0.25 to 0.75 horsepower, meaning they are only suitable for home use, with about 1-hour slicing for thinner meat.
- Average-duty slicers feature 0.75 to 0.5 horsepower, they are capable of slicing soft meat & cheese and can be used for a lower amount of time.
- Heavy-duty food slicers have 0.5 horsepower and above. And these don’t overheat, even when running for hours. Hence, these meat slicers are perfect for commercial use.
What Is A Good Wattage For A Meat Slicer?
The best meat slicer should have at least a 100-watt motor, this way you’ll be sure it’ll get the job done. That’s because low-wattage slicers quickly overheat and even can break down in the middle of the session.
Blade
When you’re choosing the best meat slicer for your kitchen, do consider the size of the blade.
The size you should go for depends on your needs:
- Light-duty slicers usually come with 9-10-inch blades; they are used for small tasks. Besides, small blades are easier to maintain and clean.
- Powerful machines have 12-14-inch blades and are perfect for heavy-duty food slicing.
Safety Features
Meat slicers are serious and dangerous appliances, so you’d better check whether the model you want to buy has safety features. Usually, the blades must come with the guards, plus, you’ll need protective, cut-resistant gloves. If the set doesn’t include such gloves, invest in a quality pair to make cutting yourself less of an issue. And, of course, even if you choose a top-rated meat slicer with a bunch of features, you must still never forget about proper safety rules!
Cleaning
You’ll make your life easier if you select an easy-to-clean meat slicer for home. Opt for removable alloy or stainless steel blades or for a model with a kickstand that lets you clean a meat slicer more effectively.
Ease of Use
There are two types of meat slicers: manual and automatic.
An automatic machine is easier to use – you just need to feed the meat without you having to manually operate the blade for each slice. They are also more suitable for slicing large quantities of foods in short order. It would be the right decision to buy an automatic meat slicer if you’re going to slice the deli every day for some time. That’s because an auto meat slicer is better for large-scale tasks. Plus, many automatic machines have a manual gauge for better cutting control.
On the other hand, manual machines are more user-friendly and don’t need much prep time to start operating.
Another thing you should take into account is the meat tray size. A small tray requires you to feed meat more frequently, while a large tray lets you cut more meat in rapid succession. So choose the one that works best for you.
How To Use A Meat Slicer?
Most meat slicers work on the same basic principles:
- Raise the meat slicer clamping lever and swing it out from the machine’s main body.
- Place the meat on the sliding tray.
- Move the lever back to keep the meat in place.
- Use the knob to adjust the thickness of the slices.
- Put deli tissue or wax paper at the end of the slicer, this way the food will be immediately caught and wrapped up.
- Wear cut-resistant gloves to avoid injury.
- Click the switch to the “on” position if you have an automatic machine or operate it manually.
- Let the meat pass over the rotating blade.
- Do clean your meat slicer thoroughly after using it to prevent bacteria growth.
Can You Cut Frozen Or Raw Meat With A Slicer?
Technically, a slicer can cut frozen meat, however, the blade may be badly damaged in the process. Nevertheless, some top-notch models are capable of handling partially frozen meat.
Speaking about raw meat, yes, a slicer can cut it. However, clean the blade well before using it on the cooked products to avoid cross-contamination.
Can A Meat Slicer Cut Through Bone?
While the best meat slicer can chop through bone, this can likely damage even the sturdiest blade. So we wouldn’t recommend doing that, at least too often. For such a purpose, a sturdy cleaver or, better yet, a bone saw can work a lot better.
How To Care And Maintain Meat Slicer?
How To Clean A Meat Slicer?
The first rule of thumb – you have to clean your meat slicer after each use. To properly wash the machine use good sanitizer concentrate and water. Of course, always wear gloves to protect your hands during the application of the sanitizer since it’s rough to the skin. Rise the slicer well after it’s being sanitized, then wipe it dry.
If you rarely use your meat slicer, you still need to sanitize it from time to time; this way, you’ll prevent blade quality degradation.
How To Sharpen A Meat Slicer?
Some meat slicers come with a sharpener attachment. Otherwise, you should buy a sharpener tool.
- Prior to sharpening the blade, clean the machine.
- Apply some oil to the blade.
- Set the blade against the sharpening edge.
- Keep sharpening the blade until it regains its edge.
- Avoid over-sharpening the blade since it may be damaged or easily bent when you use it next.
Conclusion
And that’s all we wanted to share on the top-rated slicers! All and all, when you look for a good deli slicer, opt for a model that offers sufficient power (according to your purpose), versatility, and a reasonable price!
Thus, keep our little tips in mind, and we have no doubt that you can choose only the best meat slicer 2023!
So which model you think is the best meat slicer? Have you ever used this device before?