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I've never used a mandoline or v-slicer before, and soon after I bought this one I just let it sit, unused, in my kitchen for a few days. I felt like kicking myself for buying yet another nonessential kitchen gadget on a whim. That was before I actually used the Zyliss Easy Slice 2 Folding Mandoline to effortlessly slice onions, cucumbers, and limes.
The directions that come with the Easy Slice 2 Folding Mandoline are very brief and clear, but be sure to read them carefully when it comes to how to turn the dial for stowing away the julienne blades. Zyliss USA also has an instructional usage video/ad on their website for this gadget, which can be useful if you've never used a similar item.
I haven't tried to use this mandoline for anything beyond hard veggies and citrus, but the results I have obtained have been great. I had trouble initially since I wasn't sure what was the best orientation to stick fruits and veggies with different shapes, sizes, and textures into the included food holder, but that's something you experiment with and I think may be required of all mandolines and v-slicers. Originally I gave up on using the food holder, thinking it to be too bothersome since I couldn't get things to stick properly to the food holder prongs. But after several near accidents, I decided it was necessary since I didn't have a cut-resistant butcher's or filleting glove lying around. Another thing one needs to learn through experimentation is how much downward/sideways pressure to apply in order to cut food smoothly with the mandoline.
The food holder can hold round and more elongated objects, and the way it's designed it doesn't waste much food. I was slicing some thick cucumbers lengthwise, and at the end of a quick bout of slicing all that was left stuck to the food holder was a thick section of cucumber peel. Be careful that you don't poke/scratch yourself with the smaller bumps on the food holder food-contact surfaces.
Although I haven't had other mandolines to compare with, I like the fact that the dial on the Zyliss model obviates the need for swapping out blades. The negative of having the dial and unswappable blades is that it isn't that easy to get around the julienne blades for cleaning purposes.
Bottom Line:
The Zyliss Easy Slice 2 Folding Mandoline is an inexpensive slicing alternative that delivers easy, consistent cuts in a reasonably safe manner. It may, however, take some experimentation to figure out the right combination of pressure and positioning needed to properly slice different fruits and vegetables.
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I began my experience with mandolines grappling with a professional German stainless steel contraption that cost twice as much as the Zyliss, was as user-unfriendly as the devil (actually, this thing seemed to have stepped out straight from a medieval torture chamber) and left my fingers in tatters. It went straight onto the top shelf of that cupboard reserved for things we never want to see again, and I went without a mandoline.Still determined to find one that worked, after doing my research I chose the Zyliss because I've yet to try something from the Swiss manufacturer that doesn't perform as promised. And I happily have to say that I'm not disappointed. The Zyliss is, indeed, a dream to handle. The instructions are clear and concise (I never needed to watch the DVD that comes with it), so putting this mandoline to work takes all of 30 seconds, especially if you've already used a mandoline before -if you haven't, I advise you to read the instructions (and watch the DVD), familiarize yourself with its parts and test-drive a few potatoes.
Here are, in my opinion, its strong points:
* Very simple to set up and use.
* No moving parts that need to be inserted or removed for any function. Everything in the Zyliss is built into it (except the holder, which is par for the course), and it's all a matter of rotating a dial.
* Safe, especially in comparison with the German nightmare. However, if you don't pay attention to what you're doing, and don't follow the instructions, you can get cut (same as with a mishandled knife or anything with a cutting blade).
* Extremely easy to clean.
* Takes up very little storage space.
* Does exactly what it is supposed to do: slices chips in several different thicknesses, and juliennes as well.
* Does the job fast and precisely, and requires no strength to handle.
I am completely satisfied with this product, and my sister will get one for Christmas!
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