Norpro V Slicer Grater, Mandolin
by Norpro
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: NorproBrand: Norpro
Model: 308
Color: White
Product features:
- 1-9 mm slicing, including wavy cuts,6mm or 9mm french fry/julienne cuts
- Notches on bottom, grater can rest securely on most containers
- Safety guard
- Dishwasher safe
- Made in France
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Norpro V Slicer Grater, Mandolin
Customer Review: There are better mandolines for less money.
Summary: 1 Stars
I used to use the German-made Borner V-Slicer Plus mandoline, which has some limitations: it only has two thicknesses of slices (3mm and 10mm). It does two sizes of julienne, like the Bron, but it won't do wavy cuts. I decided to upgrade to the Bron mandoline (same as Norpro). I wasn't too impressed. When not in use, the julienne blades dangle below the path of the slices, slightly scoring the underside of each slice as it comes out. Also, when not in use, the julienne blades get in the way of the adjustment plate and limit how much you can open the cutting slot to (I'm guessing) less than 1/4 inch. If you want to make thicker slices and/or get rid of the scoring, you have to get out a nut driver to remove the julienne blade assembly.
The blades are not particularly sharp after you use it for a while. They can cut yellow squash fine, but sweet potatoes jam halfway through the cutting slot. This makes it fairly dangerous to use because things jump around. I just saw a Bron in a store which had a different straight blade. Instead of being one piece, it had a separate leading edge spot-welded to the rest of the plate. Maybe this would solve the sharpness problem.
The mandoline guard is a complete joke. It is exremely noisy, can't hold larger items, can't hold skinny items (like carrots) upright, pushes down on the item at an angle so things tend to pop out or flip over, doesn't hold the item securely aginst the bottom so slices are uneven thickness, etc. I sent it back.
I think this particular mandoline is living on its reputation. I've gone back to using the Borner which provides MUCH better straight slices (but no wavy cuts), and only costs about 1/3 as much. It also has a much better safety holder. The frame is all plastic, so it's not good for heavy use, but the blades are very sharp and it's very easy to use: just a gentle zip-zip back and forth and the slices pile up.
Description of Norpro V Slicer Grater, Mandolin
Quickly and easily slice, grate, and shred. Five stainless steel blades for fine and coarse grating or shredding.French chefs made the mandoline famous, and this French-made version is the original, top-of-the-line tool for quickly producing perfect--and perfectly beautiful--slices, julienne strips, and fine strands of fruits and vegetables. Plain or fancy, every cut is consistent thanks to the mandoline's heavy, stable, durable construction. Among the mandoline's most popular uses is the conversion of the humble spud into french fries, matchstick or straw potatoes, lace-cut or crinkle-cut potatoes, and those thin slices called "souffl? potatoes" that magically puff up when dropped into hot oil. The mandoline sets up at a ski-slope angle on folding legs. Levers and cranks raise and lower blades and cutting plates. To clean, simply rinse under running water. A mandoline is great fun to use, but it's a serious piece of equipment: a Norpro Stainless Steel Mandoline Guard is available (sold separately) to help protect your fingers. Though the mandoline can be used without the guard, do so with care. --Fred Brack
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