Which kitchen mandoline to buy?

The kitchen mandoline can be a very handy kitchen tool, but if you're thinking of buying a mandoline it's important to choose the right one for you. Compact or professional mandoline? French or Japanese cut? What differences are there between mandolines and which one suits you best? Or let's go back to basics: What can you do with a kitchen mandoline? You will discover everything about kitchen mandolines!

In this post you will see:

1. What is a kitchen mandoline?

A kitchen mandoline is a rectangular utensil, similar to a board, that helps to cut food quickly and evenly thanks to the blade on its surface. To put it another way, it's the fusion of two tools (the cutting board and the knife) into one. This way you not only save time and gain precision when cutting without being an expert cook, but all the pieces cook at the same rate, giving better results. A clear example that unity makes strength.

Thus, if we stuck to this basic definition and the “traditional” use it has been given, we would find a utensil for making slice cuts on potatoes and other vegetables. A simple fruit and vegetable slicer. But as you'll see throughout this post, the kitchen mandoline is much more than that.

2. The kitchen mandoline: much more than a potato slicer

Beyond the huge convenience of cutting potatoes into cubes for omelettes or into pan-fry slices to accompany meat in the oven, the mandoline is an extremely helpful kitchen tool. Although some may seem more complicated to handle, the time you spend getting to know and familiarizing yourself with it will be worth it, as it will allow you to use it safely and get the most out of it.

Surely you agree that a good cut of the ingredients improves the presentation of any dish, whether salads, desserts or side dishes. Also, the kitchen mandoline is a fabulous aid for preparing ingredients for elaborate recipes. It makes it fast, safe, practical and attractive.

A common question is which kitchen mandoline to buy. The differences between models, the types of blades or which accessories to use are doubts I will address in the following lines. If you're reading this post because you are looking for information or tips to help you choose YOUR kitchen mandoline, or want to get more use out of the one you have, join me in this guide where I tell you everything about THE KITCHEN MANDOLINE.

Mandolina Kobra De Buyer and Mandolina Viper De Buyer

3. What is a kitchen mandoline used for?

Surely you want to know what you can do with a kitchen mandoline besides slicing. Depending on the model you choose, the range can be so varied and wide that it allows you to obtain all these results:

• The simple smooth cut of rounds or slices (depending on the shape of the fruit or vegetable).
• The cut of crinkle-cut slices.
• The waffle or “gaufrée” cut, which is, at first glance, a more complex or artistic cut.
• Julienne cuts in various sizes.
• Cuts into cubes and diamond shapes.
• The option of fine and coarse grating.
• The cut of flakes and shavings.

If you'd like to achieve this variety of results, you shouldn't ask what you can do with the mandoline you choose, but which mandoline to choose to be able to cut in the shape you want. Now that you know what you can do with a kitchen mandoline, it's important to know how you can do it. And the best way is to know the different types of mandolines that can be found. Will you come along?

Mandolina Viper De Buyer

4. Types of kitchen mandolines

By their shape and the possibilities they offer, they can be divided into two categories: compact mandoline and professional mandoline.

4.1. Compact mandolines

The compact kitchen mandoline is a simple, small-sized mandoline, easy to handle, which offers very good results and takes up little space. It's the perfect solution if you want help cutting quickly, precisely and evenly, for smooth slices. The thickness is adjustable, usually in 3 different widths, although some can reach up to 5 different thicknesses, like the Violi mandoline by Gefu or theKomi mandoline by De Buyer,

with which you can also make julienne cuts. To cut with it you need to hold it with one hand and keep it raised or rested on a bowl, a tray or the counter, while you slide the piece to be cut with the other hand. They usually don't have feet to rest on, although some do, like theGood Grips mandoline by OXO, which are more comfortable to use.

Some, like the Kobra by De Buyer, incorporate a very useful guard not only to push and help slide the food toward the blade, but to prevent injuries while cutting. It's a highly recommended accessory that I'll talk more about later.

They are usually made of plastic with stainless steel blades, although we can find some with a ceramic blade, like the Kyocera ceramic mandoline, which offers a very good cut and long-lasting sharpness, but requires a bit more care against the small knocks that happen in the kitchen.The cost of compact mandolines is reasonable and, for their price-quality ratio, it's the most suitable option if you only want to make these types of cuts.

OXO Good Grips Mandoline

, Adjustable Kyocera ceramic mandoline, Violi mandoline by Gefu, Kobra mandoline De Buyer and Komi compact mandoline De Buyer4.2. Professional mandolines

The professional

mandoline is a more complete tool, with which we can make a wide variety of cuts thanks to the different interchangeable blades and combs it includes. It is larger, more robust and sturdy and offers greater features. Generally it has more points of support, such as fold-out feet with non-slip pads that raise and stabilize the mandoline on the work surface, which is also aided by its front legs with the same type of pads.

Remember the protective accessory I mentioned earlier? All professional mandoline models include it. It provides great safety, as it completely covers the food while cutting, preventing injuries. It usually has two parts: a perforated base and the guard. The base fits into the mandoline's guides; the food is placed in the hole and the guard sits on top, holding and pushing the food while the base moves back and forth across the mandoline's surface when cutting. No risks and full use of the piece being cut until the end.

The range of options in this category includes mandolines like the Vantage by De Buyer, which allows several thicknesses in its only two types of cut (slices and julienne), more versatile mandolines with plastic bodies like the Viper by De Buyer or mandolines made entirely of stainless steel that provide all possible cuts in a greater diversity of thicknesses, such as the Revolution by De Buyer.

Vintage Mandoline De Buyer, De Buyer Revolution Mandoline and Viper Mandoline De Buyer

The combination of blades and combs these mandolines include results in the cuts I mentioned at the beginning. The blades determine whether the cut will be smooth or wavy and the combs define the thickness we want to give, for example, our julienne vegetables.

The possibilities with the professional mandoline don't end there, since some, like De Buyer models, even have additional accessories such as the Gravity to comfortably slice long and narrow foods, or the extra long accessory to slice or cut sticks lengthwise.

The materials they are made from are strong and durable, like stainless steel and composite polymers, although the most robust ones are entirely stainless. Their price, given their greater features and materials, is higher, but so is their durability. A well-cared-for professional mandoline can be a mandoline for life.

Gravity accessory for De Buyer mandolines and extra long accessory for De Buyer mandolines

5. Mandolines by blade type

They could also be classified according to the shape of their blades. If you've seen the mandolines I've talked about so far, you will have noticed different blades.

5.1. French mandolines

The one we're most familiar with is the French mandoline, flat and arranged horizontally. It's a blade that can perfectly cut potatoes and hard vegetables as well as cold cuts, but it may not perform the same way with soft-skinned foods like tomatoes, or hard ones like eggplant, which also pose problems when cut with a straight-edged knife. That's where the value of the micro-serrated blade is appreciated, like the one included in the Access mandoline by De Buyer, which penetrates foods at different points, reducing impact and the effort needed when cutting.

5.2. Japanese mandolines

The blade of the Japanese mandoline is positioned diagonally, which provides greater control of the cut on all types of food, since they progressively come into contact with the blade, resulting in a clean, tear-free cut.

5.3. Mandolines with V blades

The mandoline with V blades also offers a clean, precise cut without crushing the food, however delicate it may be. The shape of these blades is inspired by the cutting technique of professional chefs, slicing or laminating progressively as the piece to be cut enters from the sides, sliding along the blade to the end, smoothly and without tearing.

Revolution mandoline De Buyer, Komi compact mandoline De Buyer , Extra long accessory for De Buyer mandoline and Vintage Mandoline De Buyer

6. Which mandoline to choose?

Now that you've seen what you can do with a kitchen mandoline and how you can do it, I'm sure it will be much easier for you to choose which mandoline to buy.

My recommendation is that you first consider whether you want a compact mandoline, for quick and nimble use but without a very wide range of cut types and quantity of vegetables to cut; or consider getting a more professional mandoline if you plan to cut large quantities and variety.

From here, think about your preference regarding price range, types of cuts and adjustments each option allows you to make.

As I mentioned at the beginning, if you follow the usage instructions it's a safe utensil that will save you a lot of time. Most mandolines include the protective accessory for cutting safely and you also have the option of using the protective glove which is a perfect complement for the simpler ones.

Whether you want to cut slices quickly, or you are looking for the greatest variety and perfection possible in the decoration of your dishes, I hope this post helps you choose the kitchen mandoline with which to cut in quantity, with precision and effectiveness. And if you want to see them in action, I recommend taking a look at the videos you'll find on each product's page, just below its description.

Cutting or grating glove Microplane and Kobra mandoline De Buyer

At Claudia&Julia we are great specialists in mandolines. You can consult us, and you can see all those we have in the MANDOLINES SECTION.