The Best Mandoline Slicers, According to Our Test Kitchen
Updated: Jul. 25, 2024
Make prep work a breeze with the best mandoline slicer. Our Test Kitchen team put nine popular brands to the test to find their top picks.
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Even with a great chef’s knife, tasks like slicing cucumbers to make pickles or shaving radishes for a salad can become fairly tedious. Not to mention difficult—ever tried making translucent slices by hand? Even with one of the best knife sets, it’s hard to ensure each slice looks cohesive. Not to mention the possibility of accidentally cutting yourself! Here’s when I put that knife back in its sheath and pull out the right tool for the job: the best mandoline slicer.
These slicers make quick work of breaking down produce for stunning salads. In a few seconds, you can transform a potato into paper-thin slices for potato chips and cut up threadlike cabbage and carrots for coleslaw. Or, put it to work shaving apples to make the perfect apple rose tart from one of our favorite baking subscription boxes. Once you snag one of these ultra-helpful kitchen tools, you’ll never go back to hand slicing carrot medallions again.
Take my advice, though: Don’t snag the first slicer you see at the store. For reliable results, make sure you’re getting one of the best mandoline slicer options out there. I put nine slicers to work, whipping up thin slices of tomatoes, julienne carrots, French fries, crinkle cut cucumbers and waffle cut potatoes in order to find the four best mandoline slicers on the market.
Best Overall
Chef'n Glass Mandoline
Pros:
- Cuts soft produce with ease
- Extremely versatile with three different slicing options
- Deck is large enough to accommodate all sorts of fruits and veggies
- Glass surface is aesthetically appealing and easy to clean
- Non-skid grip on the foot and kickstand keep the slicer sturdy and safe while in use
- Included hand guard
Cons:
- Switching blades takes practice
- This gadget must be washed by hand
- Pricier than other options
If you use a mandoline slicer at home regularly, you may want to splash out on a top-of-the-line, durable model. That model, in my opinion, is the Chef’n Glass Mandoline.
This mandoline delivered perfect cuts with every bit of produce tossed its way. Potatoes, cucumbers and squash all slid through this slicer with ease. Even tomatoes—one of the most challenging pieces of produce for mandolines—were no match for this Chef’n slicer. All of the slices were basically perfect.
The Chef’n mandoline does more than create even, flat slices, though. With the change of a blade, you can also make wavy cuts (perfect for making refrigerator pickles) or julienne cuts. Versatility like this means you can reach for this gadget more frequently and save yourself time prepping in the kitchen.
No matter the setting, my team found that veggies moved easily across the glass surface for snag-free, even slices. The bottom line: This is a great mandoline and very accurate.
Best Compact
Microplane Adjustable V-Blade Mandoline Slicer
Pros:
- Compact and easy to store
- Creates paper-thin slices
- Slice and julienne cutting options; just flip the cutting deck over to switch between the two
- Black finish is pleasing and doesn't stain
- Non-slip foot and bowl anchors to keep the mandoline steady
- Includes handguard
Cons:
- The compact size is a great space-saver, but it does mean this slicer isn't suitable for cutting large pieces of produce like eggplant or oversized sweet potatoes
- This gadget must be washed by hand
When you have a tiny kitchen or don’t want to sacrifice a lot of precious drawer space, reliable, compact gadgets are essential. For folks looking for a mandoline on the smaller side, I recommend the Microplane Adjustable V-Blade Mandoline Slicer.
This compact slicer from Microplane is only 4 inches wide and 14 inches long (that’s including the handle). But don’t let the small size fool you into thinking that this slicer performs on a smaller scale. I was extremely impressed.
So what makes this petite mandoline such a standout? It’s super straightforward, consistent and easy to use.
To use, twist the dial to the desired thickness. With this model, there are no pre-sets, so you can really customize the size to your exact specifications. That’s one of the reasons we picked this as one of the best mandoline food slicers. No matter the setting, though, I found this super-sharp V-slicer to work very well. I was really happy with how thin the slices could go and still come out in perfect condition.
After shaving dozens of radishes to make this refreshing radish salad, you can flip over the cutting deck on this best mandoline slice pick to transform it into a julienne slicer. This allows you to make matchstick-like cuts ideal for this editor-favorite pickled carrot and daikon recipe.
Most Durable
Sur La Table Stainless Steel Mandoline
Pros:
- All blades are integrated into the mandoline so there's no need to swap when you want to switch between julienne and slice
- Hand guard is very comfortable to use and slides easily across the stainless steel surface
- Easy to clean
- Three slice presets (3-, 6- and 9-millimeter), and two julienne options (4.5- and 9-millimeter)
- Rubberized grip on the foot and kickstand for stability and safety
- Includes hand guard
Cons:
- Firm veggies require a bit more pressure and effort to move through the slicer
- This gadget must be washed by hand
Stainless steel is all over our kitchens, from appliances to drinkware. That’s because this material is easy to clean and durable. You’ll find those same qualities in the Sur La Table Stainless Steel Mandoline.
You’ll find this mandoline only at Sur La Table stores (and on their website), and it’s worth the trip. I really enjoy the all-stainless look, and it’s a great basic model for everyday cooks.
When it comes to performance, this mandoline does great slicing all sorts of produce—even tomatoes made it through the slicer evenly. Firm veggies like sweet potatoes do require a little extra effort to push along, but the cuts turn out even and whole thanks to the extremely sharp blade. The included hand guard also fits very well along the cutting surface.
Best Budget Mandoline Slicer
OXO Good Grips Handheld Mandoline Slicer
Pros:
- Dishwasher safe; the only one of our top picks that can go in the dishwasher!
- Easy to use and store
- Works well with firm produce like root veggies
- Notches and rubberized edge keep the slicer secure during use either on a surface or over a bowl
- Three slice settings: 1-, 2.5- and 4-millimeter
- Includes hand guard
Cons:
- Doesn't work especially well with very soft produce like tomatoes
- The white cutting surface can stain with veggies like carrots or beets
Shopping for your first mandoline? I understand that you may not want to spend a lot. The good news is that one of the best mandoline slicers on the market is under $20: the OXO Good Grips Handheld Mandoline Slicer.
I like this one because it’s super convenient. With only two pieces—the slicer and the hand guard—this OXO slicer is very intuitive to use.
To slice, slide the knob to the desired thickness—either 1, 2.5 or 4 millimeters. Then fit the guide onto your produce and slice away. I found that this affordable mandoline did extremely well slicing firm veggies like carrots, cucumbers and sweet potatoes. This mandoline is really consistent with these cuts, and the non-slip notches fit perfectly over a mixing bowl.
Softer produce like tomatoes and lemons aren’t a great fit for this slicer. They had a tendency to stick to the blade or be irregular thicknesses.
This being said, this mandoline slicer is absolutely worth every penny you’ll spend on it. Think of all the time you’ll save prepping veggie sides like these citrus rainbow carrots.
What to Look for When Shopping for Mandoline Slicers
When shopping for the best mandoline slicers, there are a few things to take into account. First, safety. As stated before, safety features are so important for these gadgets since the blades are extremely sharp. Look for options that have hand guards, anti-slip coatings or feet and that don’t flex or warp.
Secondly, consider your applications in the kitchen. Are you a baker looking for something that can safely slice up apples for tart making? You may not need a mandoline that offers specialty blades or other attachments. Those who cook a variety of recipes may prefer to snag a set that offers blade options for julienne slices, waffle cuts or French fry cuts.
Another aspect to think about is whether you need an option that cleans up easily. While most of the picks that made the list require hand-washing, our budget find is fine to run through the dishwasher.
How We Tested Mandolines
Here in the Taste of Home Test Kitchen, we’re no strangers to mandoline slicers. In fact, we use them nearly every day as we test and style recipes! To find the best options, we considered sharpness, variety of attachments, ease of use and, of course, safety.
But first, our team first did their research. Our pros scoped out the 15 most popular models of slicers from the stores our readers love best for kitchen gear. In the end, our testing squad settled on nine different mandoline slicers ranging from under $20 to over $100; we want options!
From there, my team sliced everything from tomatoes to lemons to eggplant. During this lengthy product test, I judged each slicer according to its performance in these categories:
- Slicing: A good mandoline should be sharp and accurate. My team sliced tomatoes, lemons, potatoes, cucumbers and more in this test in order to gain insight on how each slicer performs on a range of textures. They looked for precise cuts at thicknesses ranging from 1 millimeter to 7. For any slicers that come with attachments like waffle and julienne blades, we put those to the test as well. No ragged edges or incomplete slices allowed!
- Adjustability: Sometimes you need a wafer-thin slice for homemade sweet potato chips. Other times you may want a thicker cut for making scalloped potatoes. A good mandoline should have various settings so you can tackle any recipe, but should also perform just as well on thicker cuts as it does on thinner ones. Each slicer should also slice a variety of food sizes, from the larger eggplant to the teeniest lemons. However, no pick is perfect, so we noted when our slicers failed to work on huge produce. Bonus points to any mandoline that offers a classic cut and julienne slicing.
- Durability: Any gadget worth investing in should last a good while. My team used products in our busy Test Kitchen to determine how they hold up over time. For mandolines, that means that the blades stay sharp and nothing cracks or breaks. Our preference was mandoline slicers that offer sturdy materials like stainless steel or thick glass rather than acrylic or plastic.
- Safety features: Mandolines have super sharp blades. Any good mandoline slicer should come with a hand guard. These gadgets should also feel sturdy as you work; rubberized bottoms and bowl grips are always welcome. For more protection, snag a pair of cut-resistant gloves. We tried these picks both with and without gloves to ensure they’re safe to use.
- Price: Our team always ensures that products are worth what you spend. We included a range of budgets so every kind of home cook can find a pick that works for their kitchen.
Like our knife tests, we wanted to ensure that each pick was properly vetted for quality. One of the most important aspects of using a mandoline slicer is the safety features—mandoline slicers are notoriously sharp and can cause accidents if they’re not used carefully. This was a pass/fail test; any of the picks that failed in this regard were discounted entirely.
Our team can’t count how many cucumbers they sliced during this experiment. But it was all worth it to name our top four Test Kitchen-Preferred mandolines.
FAQs
Are mandoline slicers worth it?
For folks who find themselves slicing and dicing almost daily, a mandoline slicer saves time and offers chef-quality cuts. Really, everyone can benefit from these oh-so-handy kitchen gadgets!
What is the difference between a grater and a mandoline?
While they perform similar actions, graters are geared towards tinier cuts while mandoline slicers typically focus on more substantial cuts like slices. The grate (get it?) thing about opting for a mandoline slicer rather than a grater or microplane is that some options include grating attachments, making them multifunctional.
Why to Trust Our Test Kitchen
At Taste of Home, we’re serious about good food. That’s why every single recipe that our readers submit gets reviewed, made and sampled by our team of culinary experts. We want to make sure that everything from our kitchens deserves the label Test Kitchen-Approved.
The same goes for products. Our pros want to know what foods, gadgets and cleaning supplies are the best to fill your pantry and home. We put every product through a thorough testing process, using our expert knowledge to inform our picks. Then our Test Kitchen team chooses the winners.
Those best-tasting and top-performing products get our stamp of approval. In the end, these become go-to products that the team uses again and again—and so far, all of our picks for the best mandoline slicers are holding up to the high volume of recipes!
Originally Published: February 07, 2023
