The Ultimate Bread Slicer
Well, it's been a while since I've posted here so I thought I would share with everyone what I've found to be the BEST Bread Slicer I've EVER used.
I've sliced my bread using 2 different electric knives, burned out one of them, dulled the blade on the other... I've used a wooden and 2 different plastic bread slicing guides and still haven't had much luck with getting a uniform slice of bread for my sandwiches.
I finally gave up and bought an expensive serrated bread slicing knife, but it was so sharp I kept cutting myself without even knowing it so I quit using it. My bread knife was so sharp that it would cut the sides of my plastic guides and I would end up having to blow off slivers and fragments of plastic from my bread slices. Ugggg!
I think I've spent over $130 in failed bread slicing tools while trying to find a way to get consistant bread slices. It wasn't until I found the following slicer that I finally got just what I was looking for...
The Ultimate Bread Slicer
Chefs Choice 610 Food Slicer:
This slicer only cost me $99 and shipping was free because I was able to apply a 10% off coupon they sent me through email. The coupon basically paid for my shipping.
I know a lot of people make statements like, "It's the best thing I've ever bought", but I have to admit this is one of the best kitchen tools I've ever purchased. It's a multipurpose tool and does a great job slicing bread to ANY thickness I choose and each slice is perfect... And it's super Fast!
The slicer does an excellent job on meats, cheese, veggies or anything that you want cut/sliced consistantly. An excellent Multifunction Kitchen Tool. Do a search on the net for user reviews of this slicer. It's a real find.
Now, I am not affiliated with HSN in any way, but if you buy from them they give you the straight blade (preferred for slicing breads) for free, a $25 value, . Everyone else on the net sells this unit with the serrated blade only, with HSN you get both. Also, if you're new to HSN and sign up for their newsletter, they'll email you a 10% off coupon that you can use on your first purchase with them. Note: I think they still do this...
Anyway, I just wanted to let those here know of my find. I've learned so much from everyone and wanted to "Pay it forward" myself.
Hope this helps someone and Happy Baking.
Dennis
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Belief has no affect on reality.
My Website: http://www.roadtobetterliving.com
I already have too many gadgets
I mix and develop all my breads by hand, in a somewhat futile attempt to emulate some twisted idea of what peasants of olde might have put on their tables. I doubt that their slices were anywhere near as straight and uniform as what this machine is capable of doing, and I think some of the charm would be lost. My well worn cutting board and bread knife will do just fine.
Russ
Most of us here mix, knead (or s&f) and develop our breads by hand as in days of yore, their slices probably weren't uniform and, as you say, the 'charm is lost if uniformity is then introduced.
My bread knife and cutting board have seen excellent service for fifty odd years and I'd back my skills against any technology.
But why on Earth do we WANT uniformity? If 'children' like thin sliced bread for sandwiches let them cut the bread. Our five children were happy with the quality of the bread rather than the thickness.
Mary
in '93, I had one put into a lower cabinet between the dish washer and the sink on a swing and lock mechanism. I open the door and grab the front of the support and pull. It swings forward and up and locks into position in front of the counter top at about the same level. A bread storage bin is located below the support. It takes up no room on the work surface and can be quickly used and tucked away. This also keeps it away from big and little fingers. Mine is a Graef. I wouldn't want it sitting on the counter top using up space.
It's main purpose is for slicing dried and processed meat paper thin. Bread is it's secondary use. It sure speeds up food preparation. Cutting vegetables on it gets it dirty fast and cleaning is a dangerous undertaking. There are better ways to cut vegies.
Mini
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/8848/wanted-wood-bread-slicer#comment-45450
It's advertised as a slicer for meats, veggies, and fruits, but I guess if you like it for breads, that's what counts in your kitchen.
Seems like a bit of overkill, but it did make me wonder if I could convert my chop saw to a bread slicer by changing the blade should I ever need to do mass bread slicing. ;-)
A chop saw is an interesting idea, but unfortionately I lost mine in my divorce. Your post does make me wonder if this is why my Ex insisted on getting this tool from me. {;-)
Also, another poster considered a concrete blade, but this may lacerate your bread too much and cause excessive crumbing. I think the Chefs Choice is a better tool for this. {;-0}
Dennis
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Belief has no affect on reality.
My Website: http://www.roadtobetterliving.com
A concrete blade might work!
I use my meat slicer that I bought from Ebay for slicing my breads, when I decide to slice them. Normally I just use my serrated knife.
Bob
Thank you for posting. I've been looking for a good one for over a year. I'm picky after being used to commercial & restaurant slicers but didn't want to pay that much!
Margie
it is an awsome slicer. The reason I picked this particular model is the fact that you can slice to almost 1 inch in thickness. Other models only go to 1/2 or 5/8th.
anna
I bought one- thank you again. I plan on using it for sandwhich loaves, cheese & lunch meat.
Margie
Congrats Margie... I think you will be very happy with this slicer.
Again for everyone's benefit, I have no dogs in this fight, so to speak. Like others who visit here and share their finds/tips/tricks, I am sharing my great find with everyone and hope they enjoy it as much as I have/do.
Enjoy Margie,
Dennis
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Belief has no affect on reality.
My Website: http://www.roadtobetterliving.com
Thanks for posting this, Dennis. We have five boys at home, and slicing bread for sandwiches is a real issue here, believe me! We are planning to order the slicer and also use it for deli meats.
Ria
I've used mine a ton of times and it has been excellent. One of my best buys to date.
Dennis
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Belief has no affect on reality.
My Website: http://www.roadtobetterliving.com
Coronal Winds Radio is on the Air - Listen Now: http://www.coronalwinds.com
This tool is fantastic, especially for the money. I appreciate the safety factors; the thickness guide zeroes to cover the blade's edge, and the carrier locks in place to cover the flat of the blade.
Thickness adjustment is rock solid for exact repeatability. This speaks well of the product when you consider the number of products with all too much slop built in.
I compared user comments for this and another slicer sold by HSN, and this one was the winner, hands down. As a sanity check, I read the comments at Amazon. It's sold under various brand names, but as model 610 in each case. Again, the comments were highly complimentary.
I read somewhere, maybe in this thread(?), that the non-serrated blade does a nicer job on bread. I haven't tried that yet, so can't say for myself.
I am well pleased, and give it a big thumbs up. Another goes to dlt123 for recommending it.
cheers,
gary
I have a Chef's Choice 610 electric slicer and mainly use it to slice homemade bread. It slices a whole loaf in a couple of minutes. If you have one, try slicing bread on thickness setting 10 or 12. It makes perfect slices. I couldn't be more pleased with the slicer.
Here's a picture of slices from two recent homemade loaves: