Meat slicer requirements

henapple

I've been thinking of getting a slicer. It probably won't get used that much but I don't want to waste $100 on a pos that won't cut. What three things are most important to you on a slicer?

GrannyX4

Cost , easy clean up and size for easy storage. I have the Chef Choice 610 and Griffin has the 615.

henapple

@GrannyX4... I found a 610 on cl, used once for $75.. Does it cut thin slices?

GrannyX4

Yes, I have used it for pastrami, ham, turkey, pork roasts, Canadian bacon, bacon and roast beef. It's light enough for me to lift and that is a biggy for me along with easy cleaning. If a piece of meat is too big for the cutting blade I just cut the meat smaller. Griffin's is a 615 and has a slightly bigger motor. ;;)

GrannyX4

I paid $99 for mine on Amazon.

legomyeggo

I have the 610 and love it. I slice eye round like 1/8 thick or less. One of my favorite cooks is to grill it to medium rare and put it right into fridge, Slice it paper thin the next day while cold. Make a little au jus with pan juices and some beef broth.  Slap it on a roll with some horseradish mayo, french dip!

legomyeggo

A bottom round roast sliced on my el cheapo Chefs choice 610.

Skiddymarker

Have a very old one, similar to the now 632. 

use it more for cheeze and dry Italian sausage then egg cooked meats. Very handy.

Like@GrannyX4 says, ease of cleaning is most important. 

ShadowNick

I have a 615.  Takes me less than 2 minutes to break down for cleaning.  Its obviously not deli quality, you cannot quite get paper-thin, but for the money and ease of cleaning, its a fantastic machine.

Griffin

@Grannyx4 nailed it for me. Cost, cleanup and easy to move and store. I didn't want to break the bank, not knowing how much I might use it. This is some pit beef we did. Not even the thinnest setting used.

Skiddymarker

Another thought is at least a 7" blade and look for both a serrated and none serrated blade. Typically the Chef's Choice blades are available for $30 to $50 depending on the source. 

JRWhitee

I have the same as Griff's with both blades, it works great, I have done Turkey breast, Italian beef and bacon. 

ShadowNick

JRWhitee said:

I have the same as Griff's with both blades, it works great, I have done Turkey breast, Italian beef and bacon. 

I just have the serrated blade, what is the advantage of the non-serrated.  Is it worth getting?

SWVABeanCounter

I've got the 615 with both blades.  Works well andcleans easily enough.  I feel the non-serrated lets you cut the meats a little thinner than the serrated blade.  I also got the sharpening kit to keep the blades good and sharp.

henapple

Picking up the 615 for $75... I love craigslist.

fishlessman

cleaning is the biggie, if it doesnt clean quickly you wont just slice up enough for lunch but may slice up a couple pounds to make it worth while. i bought a ritter about 10 years ago, looks like the chef choice models, what ive found with the hundred dollar models that the bearing near the blade starts to wear in a couple years and the slices go from thin on the leading edge to much thicker as the cut is made. if your slicing dry italian cuts it makes a difference, if its roast beef, pastrami, ham, canadian bacon that doesnt matter too much. ive only used the smooth blade, the serrated is in the box still

henapple

Do they need sharpening often?

legomyeggo

can clean it in 5 mins.

U_tarded

henapple said:

Picking up the 615 for $75... I love craigslist.

sounds like a deal to me....as long as you don't cut a finger off you have some huge savings

legomyeggo

OH! I love using it to think slice potatoes for home made fries in the deep fryer. As mentioned  cheese and antipasto platters, Shredding lettuce for stuff. slicing cabbage for slaw.I really get nice thing slices on it. not on hot meats but chilled... no prob.

Skiddymarker

henapple said:

Do they need sharpening often?

Depends how many staples (don't ask) bones and sausage grizzle you cut..... Sharpened mine twice in four years, use it maybe once or twice a week.

legomyeggo

legomyeggo said:

OH! I love using it to think slice potatoes for home made fries in the deep fryer. As mentioned  cheese and antipasto platters, Shredding lettuce for stuff. slicing cabbage for slaw.I really get nice thing slices on it. not on hot meats but chilled... no prob.

Would make more sense if I did not misspell THIN twice! Sorry! Thin slice...

JRWhitee

ShadowNick said:

JRWhitee said:

I have the same as Griff's with both blades, it works great, I have done Turkey breast, Italian beef and bacon. 

I just have the serrated blade, what is the advantage of the non-serrated.  Is it worth getting?

I think it depends on what you are slicing, I like the non-serrated for slicing lunch meats and such as I get a thinner more accurate cut, I like the serrated for softer cuts like tomatoes, breads and such. The non-serrated will work for everything but I think it kind of rips through stuff like turkey breast and roast beef IMHO anyway.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

lookie what I just scored. $200. I'm so fired up to have a good slicer again. We sold our Globe withhe shop when we sold it and he ended up auctioning it off when he went under. I'm headed to pick it up now

henapple

I hate your face...

Skiddymarker

CT - nice machine, missed a Hobart by 5 minutes a couple of weeks ago, had no place in the kitchen for it, but that is just a minor detail. 

@henapple - did you get the 615?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

henapple said:

I hate your face...

Get in line........

I had kind of given up for a while but when I saw this pop up, I hopped on CL to look around and there it was. I got the model number and looked it up. $2500 new. I said, will you take $200 (he had it listed for $300). He said sure when can you come? I said how about right now......

The Cen-Tex Smoker

skiddy- I have no room for it either but I tend not to get caught up in such trivial details when it comes to massively overpowered (for my needs) kitchen equip. The great part is TFJ is more excited about it than me. She's doing a roast beef for the kids lunches this week and she wants to grab a fresh ham to cure for lunch meat while we are out getting the slicer. She's a keeper.

Little Steven

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

skiddy- I have no room for it either but I tend not to get caught up in such trivial details when it comes to massively overpowered (for my needs) kitchen equip.

Beautiful, just beautiful!

henapple

Centex... lols jk broski. Just picked up the 615. You scored better than I did. All the commercial units I found were really old.

Eggcelsior

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

henapple said:

I hate your face...

Get in line........

I had kind of given up for a while but when I saw this pop up, I hopped on CL to look around and there it was. I got the model number and looked it up. $2500 new. I said, will you take $200 (he had it listed for $300). He said sure when can you come? I said how about right now......

You Funk Soul Brother, you.