chefs choice vs nesco meat/cheese slicer question.

[lantern]

So here's the deal. Due to lack of space and a need for a lighter unit so the lady of the house can feel like she can use the slicer as well I've narrowed my search down to the nesco fs-250 and the chef's choice 615 food slicers. $150 is as high as I'm going with this venture.:grin:


Does ANYBODY have experience with one or both of these? I'd like to get things where she could feel confident slicing meats as well as cheese to a certain degree. She's EXTREMELY accident prone and her knife work is downright horrifying so I'd like to keep her away from knives....especially MY knives. I've tried every type of advice and coaching, but it's just not gonna happen before she cuts into her hands....again.

Or should I say to heck with it and get an electric knife and cut slices of cheese for her myself?

 

[landarc]

Slice it for her. Buy the slicer anyways, but, slice it for her. Sounds like she is scared of blades, those folks never get good with a knife. Of course, they keep cutting themselves, so it makes sense they are nervous with knives

 

[Ron_L]

I have a Chef's Choice and it works OK, not great. It is also a pain to clean, but I suspect any slicer would be.

 

[lantern]

Slice it for her. Buy the slicer anyways, but, slice it for her. Sounds like she is scared of blades, those folks never get good with a knife. Of course, they keep cutting themselves, so it makes sense they are nervous with knives

Nope, LOL! The problem is that she's fearless and a bull in a china shop. Precision, patience and concentration are NOT in her skill set and when it comes to things made of glass, stairs, uneven walkways and sharp knives bad things happen.

In the end, I believe your suggestion is the one I WANT to take. I don't mind slicing any and everything for her(I like it actually). What I was trying to avoid is the times when she's by herself making something in the kitchen and she decides to grab one of my knives......and then I get the call.:shocked:



This has happened before. She actually has zero feeling in her left thumb from slicing deeply into it while she was in college. Well, one day a few months ago she decided she wanted a sandwich and began slicing things up. She said she was wondering why there was more resistance than usual all of a sudden but kept sawing. Until she saw all the blood. She had stuck the knife THROUGH the thumb with zero feeling and continued to try and cut whatever it was until the woman literally saw red on the TABLE.:shocked::shocked:

She beats all I've ever seen...but I love her.:heh::heh:

 

[landarc]

cut proof gloves?

cut proof bunny suit?

 

[lantern]

:laugh::laugh::laugh:


I like that!

 

[ynotfehc]

If she cuts herself easily with a knife, a high-powered spinning blade wont make things easier. Make sure to buy a chainmaille glove for her to use with the slicer. Can find them online. Ask most professionals, and they will have a story about a slicer incident.

 

[ravenoasis]

I've actually been looking back and forth at these two for myself at home. I can't find a while lot of info on the Nesco fs250, nor can I find a replacement blade. The nesco looks better to me but that's just looks. Lantern, did you ever make a choice?

 

[lantern]

No, not yet. I've stuck to my knives and kept her away from them.:heh:

 

[ravenoasis]

I got ya. The nesco seems new. I can't find replacement blades for it. Planning on calling them tomorrow to see what they have to say.

 

[Ducksmoke]

I've got the Chefs Choice, I think it's the 610. I've had it about 8 years. I'll echo Ronl, it's ok, and a pain to clean. That said I'm very happy with it. I only slice meat with it, and use it about 10 times a year. It come with a general purpose blade, I bought the meat slicing blade and it slice meat much better (thinner). There customer service is great I've "lost" the plastic nut that hold the blade on a couple of times, and both times if call they have sent a couple at no charge.

As far as cleaning, the larger used Hobart Commerical units I lust after look like a bigger pain to clean.

 

[ravenoasis]

I grew up in the restaurant industry and I know those big ones well. They are big, heavy, and hard to clean but they will slice a 2x4 if you want. These little ones I'm lost on, but don't have 700 plus to drop on a slicer.

 

[Pinkneck78]

I'd save up my pennies and look on Craigslist or one of the restaurant supply places. I got a used Univex 12" for 150 bucks. Spent a hundred or so more and a weekend ripping it apart and cleaning it. A ten or an eight is more than adequate for home use I've seen some cheap commercial ones for 300. Unless you're cutting a whole prosciutto a 12 is overkill. Finding space in the kitchen is a pain, moving it requires a rigging crew. Btw cutting anything in your kitchen is a bad idea as the blade tends to fling the juice from what your cutting on the wall behind it. The pros of course are the quality of cut. Commercial ones don't mangle your meat. Also they have the hp to cut through cheese which the cheapy ones don't do so well, and they come with a built in blade sharpener.

 

[nmeyer414]

heres my recommendation: https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=metal+butcher+gloves