Meat slicers are traditionally thought of as tools you’ll only see at the deli. However, for people that process large quantities of meat at home, they can be just what the doctor ordered. We’ll show you the best meat slicers for your home.
Cutting meat by hand is a time-consuming and tiresome process. It’s also quite difficult to get consistent thickness in your slices. With a quality meat slicer, though, the process can be way easier.
That being said, this article sheds light on some of the best home meat slicers on the market. We also go over the different factors you need to consider before buying a meat slicer.
Let’s jump right into it!
BESWOOD Premium Electric Slicer – Best Commercial Option
Looking for a heavy-duty slicer that performs at a commercial-grade level without breaking the bank? This is the one for you.
The Beswood Premium can hold its own in comparison with commercial meat slicers that have four-figure price tags.
This 35 lbs behemoth is crafted out of stainless steel and aluminum, so it’ll continue to provide you with slices of your favorite meats for years to come. It’ll give you slices up to almost ½”, and it can be used with semi-frozen meat.
Crafted out of chromium-plated carbon steel, the blade is 10″ and built to last. The chromium coating also reduces the need for you to sharpen the blade.
Pros
- High-quality blade material
- Excellent precision
- Virtually silent operation
- Large blade
- The rubber feet really minimizes any slipping on the counter
Cons
- The difficulty of removing the blade makes it hard to clean
Elite Gourmet Precision Slicer – Best for Beginners
If you’re buying a meat slicer for the first time and have never used one before, the Elite Gourmet Precision slicer is an excellent option.
It comes with a clear and concise instruction manual and a safety guide that will have you using the machine and using it like a pro in no time.
This model has a 7.5″ removable blade and a mid-sized food tray. If you’re looking to slice your meat into some cold cuts, you shouldn’t have any issues.
This slicer also functions perfectly well for cutting bread, cheese and vegetables.
However, it should be noted that the blade is serrated, so if you want ultra-thin slices, this isn’t the slicer for you.
Note: You will struggle to slice larger cuts of meat like a brisket or pork shoulder. These are typically quite large, and you’ll really need a larger slicer to handle them.
Pros
- Easy to clean and convenient to store
- Can handle hard cheese and raw meat
- Rubber base makes it highly stable
- Sharp and long-lasting stainless steel blade
Cons
- Smaller pieces of meat tend to get shredded when slicing
- The small tray means you need to clean it off often
Vevor 10” Commercial Slicer – Best High-End Option
If you ever decide to run a deli out of your home, the Vevor 10-inch Meat Slicer will easily have you covered.
Boasting a beast of a motor and a 10-inch serrated stainless steel blade, this machine will fulfill all of your meat slicing needs, and then some.
A major plus in the Vevor is the ease with which its blade can be sharpened. It’s equipped with embedded whetstones that allow for rapid sharpening with no blade removal required.
The whetstones can be controlled by two buttons on the machine. They allow for simultaneous sharpening of both sides of the blade.
However, keep in mind that this slicer is not made with novice users in mind. It’s a heavy-duty machine, and this is evident in its price tag.
Further, If you’re looking for a slicer that won’t take up much space, you may want to look for a different option, as this machine is about 40 lbs!
Pros
- Stainless steel blade is long-lasting and rust-resistant
- Built-in whetstones
- Comes with a waterproof cover to insulate the unit’s circuits
- Can be easily sharpened
Cons
- Quite heavy and bulky
Cuisinart Kitchen Pro Electric Slicer – Best Budget Option
If you’re willing to give up some raw power in your slicer for utility and ease of use, the Cuisinart 7.5″ might just be your best bet. If you really think about how much you use a food slicer, this might just be the right balance of functionality and price.
When it comes to cleaning and maintaining this slicer, the fact that almost all of its components are removable makes it a breeze.
It also comes with a variety of blade options and sizes, giving you the freedom to customize your cuts of meat to your preference.
Pros
- A durable, stable presence on your kitchen counter
- The learning curve is virtually non-existent
- All parts of the machine are easily removable
Cons
- The thickness adjuster tends to shift when slicing
OSTBA 200 Watt Electric Meat Slicer
This slicer combines an eye-catching sleek design with exceptional durability, performance, and ease of use.
Its matte stainless steel frame and food tray will look like a work of art on your kitchen counter. However, it doesn’t fall into the trap of looks without substance.
The OSTBA 200-watt slicer sports a 7″ stainless steel blade that’s easily removable. In fact, nearly all of this machine’s parts are removable for easy cleaning and upkeep.
Add that to its versatility and compatibility with a variety of blades and food pushers, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better meat slicer than this one in the same price range.
Pros
- Sleek, aesthetically pleasing design
- Durable stainless steel body
- Removable parts allow for easy cleaning
- Built-in whetstones make blade sharpening quick and easy
Cons
- Its slower blade revolution speed may be a turn-off for some
💭 Factors to Consider
There are several factors you need to keep in mind when trying to choose the home meat slicer that’s right for you.
The most important are the blade, motor, ease of use, and safety. Read on to learn more about how these aspects should inform your decision.
Blade
A question that will definitely arise when you’re choosing a meat slicer is how big should the blade be?
There’s no clear-cut (pun intended) answer to this question. The optimum blade size for you is based on how you intend to use the machine.
Smaller blades (7 to 9″) are more suited for cutting relatively thin pieces of meat into slim slices. An added bonus to getting a slicer with a smaller blade is that they’re easier to clean.
Bigger blades (10″ and up) are intended for use with thick chunks of meat, and they’re also more efficient when handling other foods, such as hard cheeses and vegetables.
Motor
The motor is what determines the velocity and power. The stronger the motor, the longer you can use your slicer on a given day.
Slicers with low-power motors (¼ to ⅓ horsepower) are optimal if you intend on using them for less than an hour a day. These smaller motors may struggle with larger and thicker cuts of meats.
Mid-level motors (⅓ to ½ horsepower) can handle the vast majority of meats and will allow you to use your slicer for a few hours per day without issue.
On the other hand, slicers with high-power motors (½ or more horsepower) can be used for 4 to 6 hours a day.
With that in mind, your choice of motor power should be based on the frequency with which you’ll be using yours and the foods you’ll be cooking the most.
Safety
Meat slicers are machines with obvious safety concerns. You should make sure to check if a given model has safety features such as blade guards.
It’s also a good idea to purchase cut-resistant gloves, as even the most experienced users of meat slicers can be susceptible to injury.
An easily accessible, large power button is also something to look for as it’ll definitely come in handy if something goes wrong.
Ease of Use
As with any appliance, you want to make sure the one you buy isn’t overly complicated to deal with.
Generally speaking, automatic meat slicers are much simpler to use for residential purposes and will spare you the hassle of having to handle the blade for every cut you make.
Another consideration is the size of the meat tray. The larger the tray, the less often you’ll have to empty it, which saves you time in the long run.
You should also keep in mind the ease with which the slicer’s components are removed. Slicers with removable parts will save you a lot of time and effort as far as cleaning and maintenance.
🔪 How to Use
Watching the video above is a lot easier than explaining how to use a food slicer.
There is a depth adjustment knob that allows you to control the thickness of the cuts. I find this extremely helpful when cutting things like sweet potatoes to make sure they cook evenly since they will have a uniform thickness.
The on/off switch controls the blade. If you have never used a meat slicer before, you may be surprised how slowly the blade moves. It is exceptionally sharp, and really doesn’t need much speed to do its job.
As the blade cuts the meat, the slices will fall onto a tray behind the machine. One of the benefits on the larger machines is that they have larger trays. It doesn’t take much time for the pile of meat to grow large and spill over onto the counter.
There will be some sort of sliding mechanism that allows you to move the meat through the blade. Don’t rush it. The blade will cut the meat cleanly, but don’t force it.
Tip: If I grill a large brisket or pork butt, I will typically let it rest and then I will refrigerate it for several hours before slicing to store. The cold temperature will harden the meat a bit and that results in a much cleaner cut.
How to Clean
It is extremely important to clean the meat slicer after every single use. There are a couple of safety tips to consider before getting started though. First, unplug the machine. You don’t want to risk it accidentally turning on. Second, wear a pair of cut-resistant gloves. That blade is unbelievably sharp and you don’t want an accident.
Step One: Wipe away any large food particle with a damp paper towel.
Step Two: Use a soapy solution with hot water to clean the surfaces. Make sure to get into the nooks and crannies. If your blade is easily removed, CAREFULLY remove it and clean both sides.
Step Three: Disinfect the surfaces using a disinfecting spray.
Step Four: Dry all surfaces with a lint-free towel. Reassemble any of the components and store in a cool, dry location.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
While it may be possible with some of the larger models, it is apt to damage the blade. It is much safer to let the meat thaw slightly before attempting to slice.
Larger machines may be able to handle a bone, but butchers will usually use a band saw with a blade designed just for that purpose. I do not recommend using your food slicer to cut through bone as you’ll most likely have to resharpen or even replace your blade.
You should thoroughly clean the food slicer after every single use. Without a good cleaning, you risk contamination, bacteria growing, or accumulation of food.
Final Verdict
If you’re new to using meat slicers and only intend to use yours every once in a while, you should go for the Elite Gourmet Precision Deli Food & Meat Slicer or the Cuisinart 7.5” Kitchen Pro Electric Meat Slicer.
If you’re looking for a heavy-duty commercial-grade slicer for regular use, then you should consider the Vevor 10” Commercial Meat Cheese Food Slicer or the BESWOOD 10” Premium Chromium Plated Electric Meat Slicer.
Finally, if you’re just seeking an overall solid option, the OSTBA 200 Watt Electric Meat Slicer is more than likely to render you a satisfied customer.
Ginny Collins is a passionate foodie and recipe creator of Savor and Savvy and Kitchenlaughter. Indoors she focuses on easy, quick recipes for busy families and kitchen basics. Outdoors, she focuses on backyard grilling and smoking to bring family and friends together. She is a lifelong learner who is always taking cooking classes on her travels overseas and stateside. Her work has been featured on MSN, Parade, Fox News, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many local news outlets. She lives in Florida where you will find her outside on the water in her kayak, riding her bike on trails, and planning her next overseas adventure.
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