I don't generally review items the same day I get them, but I was pretty happy with this slicer so I decided to go ahead. For ... Read More
I don't generally review items the same day I get them, but I was pretty happy with this slicer so I decided to go ahead. For the price point, this seems to be an excellent slicer. I used it to slice about 8 lbs of home cured bacon that was chilled but not frozen. I followed that up with three min loaves of fairly dense (ie: poorly proofed) sourdough bread. The time spent opening the package, cleaning and assembling the slicer, slicing the bacon and bread, fully re-cleaning the slicer twice (once between bacon and bread, once when finished), and repacking the slicer in the box was definitely less than what I used to spend just slicing a slab of bacon. The best part was, I had no hand pain AND had (mostly) consistent slices!My thoughts:~The machine is much lighter weight than I expected. It is heavy enough that it mostly stays in place during use, but once in a while it will shift a bit.~The food tray is smaller than I hoped. See the video and photo for examples. The video shows a half slab, the photo shows a full slab. Since I usually slice my slabs in half, this isn't a concern for me but if you are doing a full slab of bacon or something similar, you will need to slice it at least in half, and even then you will likely need to use your hand as a pusher for the first little bit (not recommended but really, we all do it!).~Other reviews talk about the noise. Yes, the slicer is noisy, but not nearly as noisy as others will have you believe. It wasn't so noisy that I couldn't hear the audiobook that was playing on my ipad.~Other reviews mention how easy the machine is to clean. Yes, it is easy to clean, but not nearly as easy as others would have you believe. However, it still only took a few minutes for me to consider it clean.~The blade spins slower than I expected. It still spins fast enough that it will grab whatever you are slicing and push it through. It would also very effectively take off a fingertip if you are not careful. I would NOT attempt to slice bones with it.~There is a slight overhang where the blade meets the frame and whatever you are slicing may get caught there/ This is more likely to happen if you are going slow. Move with a consistent and moderately fast motion and you will be fine.~Be sure to get the optional straight blade if you will be using this slicer for meats.~Do not fall for the Amazon recommendation to buy the lube. It is fine, but the included instructions say you can use Vaseline instead.I wouldn't consider this a 5 star food slicer overall. But from what I have seen so far, it is definitely a 4 star slicer and for the price point it is very close to being a 5 star slicer. It will definitely make my life easier when it comes to bacon, meat for jerky, charcuterie boards, and more and I would not hesitate to recommend this slicer. Read Less