Using a mandoline slicer without hurting yourself

A mandoline produces slices more evenly and far faster than a knife, which is why they are so popular. They also cause a disproportionate number of kitchen injuries, and almost always in the same circumstances. The safety rules are few and they work.

Use the guard, every time, from the first slice

The hand guard is not for nervous beginners. Professionals use it because the blade is extremely sharp, sits flush, and gives no warning at all before it reaches skin.

The habit has to be from the first slice, because the risky moment is at the end when the food is small — and by then it is too late to start.

The last portion is where injuries happen

Almost every mandoline injury occurs on the final few slices, when the piece is too small to hold safely and there is a temptation to do just one more.

Stop while there is still a comfortable amount to hold. The last of a potato is worth a fraction of a cent; finish it with a knife or keep it for stock.

Set it on a stable surface and brace it

A mandoline that slides mid-stroke is dangerous. It needs a stable, non-slip surface and the frame held firmly with the other hand or braced against a bowl.

Some models have rubber feet or a bowl mount, which is worth having. A folded damp cloth underneath is a serviceable substitute.

Cut in one direction, with the whole stroke

Long, smooth strokes in one direction are safer and give more even slices than short choppy movements. Dragging the food back over the blade is unnecessary and adds risk.

Let the blade do the work. Pressing harder does not make it cut better; it makes it more likely to slip.

A dull blade is more dangerous than a sharp one

Blunt blades require more force, and more force means less control. That is the same principle as with knives and it applies just as strongly here.

Most mandolines have replaceable blades or inserts. Replacing them when they stop cutting cleanly is a safety measure rather than a performance one.

Wash it carefully, and never in a full sink

A mandoline hidden under soapy water is exactly how people get cut while washing up. It should never go into a sink that is already full.

Rinse it under running water with a brush, blade away from you, and dry it immediately. A brush rather than a cloth keeps your hand well clear.

Choppers and slicers here

The mandoline-style choppers on this shelf come with their own guards and containers, which is what makes them practical to use safely. On our own shelf that range currently runs from $19.99 for the fullstar Pro Core 6-in-1 Vegetable Chopper & Mandoline Slicer, White up to $33.97 for the MAYALEAD LLC 4.22 Gallon Collapsible BBQ Prep Tub with Lid & Meat Shredder Claws, Black.

The list below comes out of Cutting and Slicing, presently 3 products. The prices here are the ones you will pay, with no late additions at the payment step.

• fullstar Pro Core 6-in-1 Vegetable Chopper & Mandoline Slicer, White — $19.99
• Mueller The Real Original Pro 10-in-1 Vegetable Chopper & Mandoline Slicer, 8 Blades — $24.97
• MAYALEAD LLC 4.22 Gallon Collapsible BBQ Prep Tub with Lid & Meat Shredder Claws, Black — $33.97

Related reading

Two other pieces on this site cover ground next to this one. Most starter lists are far too long. A surprisingly small number of tools covers most cooking. And on a related note, wood splits because it swells and shrinks, and both are caused by water.

• Furnishing a kitchen from nothing: what you actually need first
• Why wooden utensils split, and how to keep them for years

Setting the thickness correctly

Adjusting thickness with food already on the blade is a common way to catch a finger, because it puts your hand near the cutting edge while the mechanism moves.

Set the thickness first, test on one slice, then adjust with the blade clear. A slice that is too thick usually means the blade is dull rather than the setting being wrong, and forcing it is the risky response.

Storing one safely

A mandoline in a drawer with the blade exposed is a hazard for whoever reaches in next, and it is how most non-cooking injuries with these happen.

Most come with a blade guard or fold flat for a reason. Storing it with the guard on, or standing upright where the blade is not in the path of a hand, takes no effort and removes the risk entirely.

Five rules

Guard from the first slice, stop while the piece is still big enough to hold, brace the frame, use long single-direction strokes, and never wash it in a full sink. Follow those and a mandoline is simply a very fast, very useful tool.

Orders are packed in Los Angeles, CA. Shipping is $4.95 and free over $39; unused items may be returned within 30 days. [email protected] is the fastest way to reach us.