The Best Meat Slicers (Review) in 2020

Why You Need a Meat Slicer

It’s fair to say that, if you’re running a professional catering company, work as a chef or do side-jobs with events, then a meat slicer is definitely more of a need than a want. This is because slicing meat can be a long, tedious task that can take away your attention from other important matters during your cooking and catering. However, using meat slicers makes short work of an otherwise exhausting and time-consuming task – leaving you free to focus on bigger plates and a wider range of options for your spread.

As well as this, however, they can be extremely handy for use around the home. Not only can they save you a surprising amount of money, thanks to your being able to buy in bulk and slice away in your own kitchen, they are also incredibly versatile. Not only do they work on meat but they can also be used as fruit and vegetable slicers – or even be used to create even slices of bread from homemade baking.

Things to Consider When Buying a Food Slicer

• Size

The size of your meat slicer matters when it comes to how much food you’re looking to work with, during each use. Naturally, commercial users will often receive larger chunks of meat and so on, and therefore will need a larger surface area to work with and a wider blade to match. For home use, a standard 7.5 inch blade or close diameter to this will be more than enough for most uses.

• Adjustability

One of the biggest factors when choosing your meat slicer is looking into the range of thicknesses provided by the meat slicer itself. The best meat slicers will allow you to adjust the blade and create a wider gap between the blade and the wall/exit point. This added space gives you room for thicker slices, and vice versa. Check to ensure that your next purchase has an adjustable blade, so you can cut your meat and other foodstuffs to a wider range of thicknesses, to your own taste.

• Power

The power of your meat slicer matters, as this allows the slicing action to work more smoothly. The more powerful the motor, the easier the slicing will be and less drag will occur. Less drag ensure that your meat won’t be torn, rather than slicing in a clean motion.

• Safety and Cleanliness

When slicing, safety is paramount. Therefore, it is important that your slicer is easy to use – so that you don’t need to put any extra effort into the slicing motion and risk slipping and damaging your hands. The slicer should also come with a wide range of additional safety measures, which will be different, depending on which slicer you choose.

Many slicer options will come with additional grips and a barrier, which your hand sits behind to give you a smooth slicing action and reduce the risk of cuts. However, additional safety measures, such as a child-safe lock on your slicer or a blade guard will be a major help when it comes to keeping everyone safe.

Finally, cleanliness is just as important as safety, as cross contamination from your slicer can lead to food poisoning. Opt for a slicer that is easy to clean, with removable components from the main body of the slicer than can be thoroughly washed in warm, soapy water.

How to Use a Meat Slicer

Remember that each meat slicer is different, with a different blade and different tracking, size and grip, as well as thickness. Before you being to use your meat slicers, always get associated with your slicer and read the manufacturer’s guidelines. Be aware that different blade types work better on different foods – serrated blades work well on cheese and bread, for example, while smooth blades work better with deli meats.

Before you begin, be aware that you shouldn’t need to use force to push the meat or food products through the slicer. The food should easily pass through the blade and leave you with your preferred thickness, and placing too much effort on this can cause damage to the machine – as well as to yourself. So, take your time and be patient as you get used to the rhythm required to slice your meat.

If this is your first time using the machine, give everything a wipe down before you begin, to remove any dust and general dirt that can be accumulated over time. Then place the food securely along the track, using the grips, if there are any on your chosen purchase. Once this has been done, you can turn on your machine.

Move the food across the track, using the safety guards – never work by freehand! And check to see if the thickness of the food is to the standard you require. If not, adjust as necessary and try again. Practice makes perfect and, before you know it, you’ll be using your meat slicers with speed and ease.

Once you’re done, make sure to clean your machine down – including the blade and any added safety components which have had contact with the food. In particular, if you’re cutting meat, be sure to clean everything that has been touched by the meats before and during use.

Best Meat Slicers FAQ:

Q: What can I slice with a meat slicer?

A: Part of the joy of meat slicers is that they can be used with just about anything – provided the size of the food fits onto the slicing track. A serrated blade can be used on bread and cheeses (the serrations on the blade reduce the level of drag caused by the spinning motion, making a cleaner cut), while the smooth blade can be used on meats, vegetables, fruits – whatever you like!

Slicers can work with everything from salad preparation through to regular use as a deli meat slicer. Simply adjust the thickness to meet your needs and use the appropriate amount of pressure as you work with the blade, to keep yourself safe.

Q: Are they noisy?

A: Most meat slicers can get very loud, unless you buy an option that ensures lower decibels (the rating at which sound is measured). These are often more expensive and, for most users, not worth the extra money spent. That said, if you or your family members are sensitive to sound, it is also possible to reduce the noise by opting for a motor with less wattage, which will reduce the noise created in most slicers.

For commercial use, the meat slicers are not seen to be so noisy that they require major adjustments and they are unlikely to damage your hearing, provided they are not used for long periods of time. If this is the case, it is always recommended that you use ear plugs – even with quieter models and motors – to maintain your hearing.

Q: What are the basic safety precautions?

A: Most meat slicers will come with a range of safety components as part of their overall design, allowing you to work with minimal extra requirements. However, the basics of using meat slicers mean you should always ensure every part of the machine is affixed properly and securely. You will also need to make sure that your hands are never near the blade itself and that you use the feeding system as instructed by the manufacturer.

Q: How often should I clean and sanitize my food slicer?

A: You should clean the meat slicers after each use, by ensuring the machine has been turn off and wiping down the components with some warm, soapy water. Most meat slicers have removable parts, which make it much easier to get into the otherwise tight spaces and provide a more thorough clean. Most meat slicers and their matching blade will not be dishwasher safe, so avoid using a dishwasher and only ever hand wash, being careful not to catch yourself on the blade.

Depending on what you use the meat slicer for and how often you use it, giving your slicer a deep clean and sanitizing each part is an important part of cleaning your slicers. If you use these professionally, then you’ll need to sanitize your blade and meat slicer after each type of food is used and before swapping to another food type. This is to avoid the risk of cross-contamination. At home, however, providing that you are cleaning your blade and slicer after each use, there is less requirement to thoroughly sanitize your meat slicer – providing it’s being used in the same household, each time. For these purposes, we recommend sanitizing your meat slicers roughly once a month, or after each use, depending on how often you use it.

Q: What if it gets dull? How do I sharpen my slicer?

A: There are a couple of ways to sharpen your slicers, depending on the type you buy. Some options use a removable blade, making it easier to clean and sharpen where required. However, most will be fixed and will require sharpening while the machine is on. Be very careful when it comes to sharpening your blade, and use appropriate safety measures, where possible.

Some meat slicers come with sharpening stones, but they can also be bought online for a relatively cheap price. They are reusable, so don’t throw them away once you’ve sharpened your blade – save them for the next time they’re required, instead!

Before you being, make sure the blade is clean and has been disinfected. Some brands will have their own way of allowing the sharpening tool to access the blade without doing this. If this is the case, follow the instructions given in the manual.

Most meat slicers will have a locking knob that needs to be removed, or screwed into an open position, to allow the sharpening tool to settle into the right position. Once the stone has been placed in the right spot, tighten everything back up again and turn the machine on. The stone will work to sharpen the blade and you should not need to be near the machine or the blade in order for it to be sharpened.

Once you’ve finished, reverse the steps and be sure to clean down the surfaces of the slicer, again. This will clear up any left over dust and metal or stone scraps that are caused through the sharpening process.

Our Top Pick

This is the most efficient meat slicer on the market, which provides ample ability to neatly cut and slice through your food with minimal effort – and all of this comes at a great price, making this the best meat slicer available today. A powerful motor and efficient design take away the effort required to create your deli meat or slice any food, whether it’s needed for an event or simply for your dinner.

Coming with everything you need to get started, this is a great choice for anyone looking for a high-quality electric meat slicer that offers a steady workflow and adjustable thickness. Best of all, it’s extremely easy to clean, thanks to the main components of the slicer being removable.