Meat Slicer Pros And Cons

A meat slicer is a kitchen appliance primarily used to cut meat. Its versatility lies less with the variety of functions it can perform (obviously, a meat slicer is meant for slicing only nothing more, nothing less) and more with the variety of food that it can actually slice such as meat, cheese, bread and vegetables.

Although various brands abound, all meat slicers share common features. First, these run on electricity. Second, these utilize blades (of varying dimensions) to slice meat and other food stuff. Third, these contain receptacles (of varying capacities) where meat or other food stuff is deposited.

Although meat slicers may be a necessity to some people, they might not hold true to you. Talk is cheap, especially when you're a gullible newbie and potential buyer rolled into one. Don't be misled by the throngs of advertisers out there who are intent to peddle their ware, on the sales pitch that you need what they're selling. Before you go weak-kneed and before you say yes to that charming telemarketer's bargain, be in the know and ask yourself these two basic questions:

PROS. What makes meat slicers a hit in the kitchen?

Whether kitchens are designed for personal cooking or for commercial catering, a meat slicer is a hit because…

• It is versatile. It is great on tough meat and a number of other food stuff like cheese, bread and vegetables.

• It decreases space and clutter in the kitchen. You can use just one meat slicer instead of three or four types of knives to separately pare food, slice meat, slice cheese or slice bread.

• It improves the look of your food. The meat slicer's ultra sharp blades cut your meat and other food stuff cleanly, thinly and evenly to the point closest to perfection.

• It cuts slicing effort. All the “strength” you'll ever need is to turn on the switch and to hold the meat slicer steadily.

• It cuts time. If you're used to slicing tough meat in half an hour, leave the job to a meat slicer which can complete everything in five to ten minutes.

CONS. What makes meat slicers a menace in the kitchen?

Really, meat slicers aren't a menace, but they may be bad for certain types of people and circumstances:

• It is costly. Obviously, electric equipment sport heftier price tags than manual appliances. If you're not only on a tight budget but also on a roll to cutting utility bill costs, you might just want to settle for traditional and manual kitchen tools.

• It is difficult to clean. Cleaning a meat slicer requires dismantling the equipment. Don't be misled by the “stainless” sales pitch either. Although blades may be stainless, they are not rustproof if exposed to air and moisture. If you're not the finicky type who's into cleaning things in nooks and crannies (and then wiping them dry), you might end up damaging the appliance way before you can even enjoy a return of investment.

• It is difficult to handle. Operating a meat slicer is no job for clumsy people and certainly no job for lazy people who disdain reading the manual from cover to cover. If you think you're not good with directions or safety instructions, prepare to say “no” to that mouth-watering deal.