Mandolin

[Oryxdesign]

My bread knife wants one for her birthday but I can't fathom why some are £180 and some are £8, none of them even seem to have clever storage systems. Please can somebody give me a recommendation. I know it's not really a hand tool but I'm sure another tool head out there has some info.
Thanks Simon

 

[bugbear]

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.food ... mandoline#

I use a Benriner which is small, sharp, and not bad.

Only problem is the overwide, non adjustable mouth.

http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blo ... riner.html

Good price here:

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/products/Produ ... tCode=D445

(+VAT , + shipping)

BugBear

 

[wizer]

This is the one I have:

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/products/produ ... opByBrand=

It's the one used in most professional kitchens. Top quality.

 

[TheTiddles]

Wizer, do you perchance, have the best of everything?

Aidan

 

[wizer]

Yes I do. I'm very modest too.

 

[bugbear]

This is the one I have:

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/products/produ ... opByBrand=


It's the one used in most professional kitchens. Top quality.

But is it an eight-times-better slicer than the Benriner.

BugBear

 

[Oryxdesign]

I like that one WiZeR but I'm a bit of a cheapskate and although I think the world of the wife I suspect it may get left in the cupboard and not used, it would be better if there was one with a storage system that could be left on the worktop. However I can't find anything like that so I've been looking at this one....

http://www.miufrance.com/90799.jpg

I think I can get one on ebay for £30-£40, does anybody have any experience of these?

Bugbear, I suspect that it isn't eight-times-better slicer than the Benriner, in fact I suspect that the Ben may even be better sometimes but she wants stainless steel!

 

[bugbear]

It's the one used in most professional kitchens. Top quality.

At the risk of topic drift, top quality industrial equipment is not always ideal for domestic use, and I'm not talking about amatuers not being able to afford professional kit. I'm not talking about price at all. In any case, some amatuers can afford to indulge

Most designs are compromises (Murphy's law of engineering says that the solutions to multiple design goals often conflict).

In industrial kit, longevity and durability are given a high weighting in the design process. It's the 8 hour a day thing.

Further, if productivity can be added to the item, at the cost of a high skill requirment (and hence steep learning curve) this is also acceptable in the context of industrial 8 hours a day use.

These decisions/weighings are not (IMHO) the same as the ones you'd make for "dream" domestic equipment.

BugBear