Any advice on buying a food slicer for home use?

[CVF]

If space is not a consideration, at your budget I'd find a used restaurant equipment dealer and look into a Hobart deli slicer. There's no comparison. They carve through frozen meat (for jerky) translucent thin slices like butter. No comparable home units exist.

This, all day long.

I worked in restaurants for nearly twenty years and used commercial slicers in every one of them. Don't worry about cleaning them, it isn't nearly as difficult as some may believe it is. Whenever I'd slice cheese on one I'd wait for it to dry a bit and use a boning knife to "clean" the remnants off the blade when closed(think of a carving a banister spindle on a lathe with a gouge). Or if you prefer a safer method some soapy hot water and a steel scrubber will do the job also.

[ame="https://www.amazon.com/Products-Extra-Stainless-Sponge-Scrubbers/dp/B01B5BXHF2/ref=sr_1_5/159-8741035-5317124?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1472961359&sr=1-5&keywords=stainless+steel+scrubbers"]Amazon.com: ABCO Products Extra Large Stainless Steel Sponge Scrubbers - 6 Pack - 50 gram: Home & Kitchen[/ame]

If I had the space for a proper commercial slicer I'd be eating beef carpaccio daily(and I'd probably fifty pounds heavier).

 

[Muss Muggins]

We've got an Oster, received it as a wedding gift about 30 years ago. It's very handy, a pain to clean, takes up a lot of storage room. When you need a slicer, you need a slicer. Anybody saying that a sharp knife does the same thing has never used a slicer . . .

 

[Rule3]

As mentioned above every time you use it you also have the JOY of cleaning it. A real PITA!.

If you feel you will use it a lot, then by all means get one, mine like many other gadgets is up in the cabinet somewhere. We have really good knives.
Now where is that label maker??

 

[Onomea]

... Anybody saying that a sharp knife does the same thing has never used a slicer . . .

Or a truly sharp knife...

 

[Skeet 028]

I've used both and the slicer wins hands down...if it is a good slicer. There is a bit of an art to using a knife well. I remember well doing ham slices(bone in). The customers wanted it evenly sliced. I still have those knives..and the meat/bone saws...They were old when I was a kid

 

[Salty RI]

When the Butcher backed into the slicer, he got a little behind in his work.

 

[vireya]

I have/use a Waring pro slicer

I find if I slice quickly, it jams up, so, the obvious remedy to that is to make a slow pass thru the meat.

Cleaning is a bit easier ifn you pass a cpl of slices of bread after you finish with the meat

I store mine in the guest room closet and use it about 1-2 times per month

Believe me, it does better than a knife (I used to be a surgeon and know how to sharpen knives to become scalpels)

I also have a jerky cooker and use that to make bison jerky for the dog. She has 1-2 slices per day as snacks

Get a slicer...and also use a knife for other things

 

[Martinleo]

The home deli meat slicer is the my best kit, which I hev been using till now. But we have to clean it properly and after using this device, we should not forget to clean up.

 

[Targets Guy]

Be careful when using it.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I got a great food slicer at my wedding 35 years ago. It works wonderfully.

Maintenance wise, all I have to do is give her a hug now and then.

 

[eveled]

A good knife is all you need and much more useful.

I agree, good knife, and keep it sharp. I have a Hobart that belonged to my mother's uncle. He owned a variety store in the 70's. It needs a cord, I plan on fixing it someday, but it is not a priority, because I know I'll never use it anyway.