Norpro V Slicer Grater, Mandolin

I wasn't too impressed. When not in use, the julienne blades dangle below the path of the slices, slightly scoring the underside of each slice as it comes out. Also, when not in use, the julienne blades get in the way of the adjustment plate and limit how much you can open the cutting slot to (I'm guessing) less than 1/4 inch. If you want to make thicker slices and/or get rid of the scoring, you have to get out a nut driver to remove the julienne blade assembly.

The blades are not particularly sharp after you use it for a while. They can cut yellow squash fine, but sweet potatoes jam halfway through the cutting slot. This makes it fairly dangerous to use because things jump around. I just saw a Bron in a store which had a different straight blade. Instead of being one piece, it had a separate leading edge spot-welded to the rest of the plate. Maybe this would solve the sharpness problem.

The mandoline guard is a complete joke. It is exremely noisy, can't hold larger items, can't hold skinny items (like carrots) upright, pushes down on the item at an angle so things tend to pop out or flip over, doesn't hold the item securely aginst the bottom so slices are uneven thickness, etc. I sent it back.

I think this particular mandoline is living on its reputation. I've gone back to using the Borner which provides MUCH better straight slices (but no wavy cuts), and only costs about 1/3 as much. It also has a much better safety holder. The frame is all plastic, so it's not good for heavy use, but the blades are very sharp and it's very easy to use: just a gentle zip-zip back and forth and the slices pile up.


Just Awfull   July 18, 2002
 36 out of 37 found this review helpful

Price doesn't always correlate with quality. So proves the Norpro. I found that this unit is clumsy and clogs often. The guard (sold separately) will not admit reasonably sized items, e.g. a large potato, doesn't secure the item to be sliced, and leaves an annoying amount of waste. Their legal department should take a look at the policy of selling the mandoline without a guard. You are looking at some serious time in the emergency room without it. I suggest you look elsewhere.


Every Serious Cook Needs One Of These   April 23, 2002
 5 out of 17 found this review helpful

I have fallen in love with this wonderful piece of steel.
It can be dangerious, but you need to know how to use it.
This mandoline is great for shredding veg.
Example Carrots, potatoes, summer squash, and zucchini.
I love my Mondoline


Some tips from a chef   March 3, 2002
 67 out of 69 found this review helpful

First, the Norpro is %100 compatible with the Bron, including the Bron's replacement blades (available in a wide variety of sizes, though not at amazon--yet).

Safety: First, if you haven't put in at least a hundred hours on a mandoline, be sure to use protection. No, not that ...worthless/dangerous pusher. Use a butcher's glove (or "oyster glove"), preferably a chain mail one. You could get by with significantly more affordable Kevlar or "Fibers Woven with Stainless Steel Threading" ones, but you will be more prone to bruising and nicks. Second, keep your eye on the blade, not on the vegetable. Third, use smooth, swift strokes applying as much pressure toward the mandoline's face as you do on the stroke itself. Last, and most importantly- don't rush! Take your time, maintain your focus, zone out that burning smell coming from the oven.

The mandoline produces narrow shallow decorative crinkles. While waffle cut vegetables are quite possible with this sturdy industry standard, it takes a lot of adjusting and they come out thin without good definition of holes. For a better waffle cut consider a stand alone crinkle cutter. The washboard style ones typically aren't adjustable, so I'd recommend a hand held crinkle blade (look for deeper/wider scallops).

To produce uniform slices, you can either move the julienne blades to neutral or remove the blades completely. The first method often produces slices with nicks on them from where the slices catch on the hanging julienne blades. The second method is time consuming and may lead to eventually stripping out the nuts (so be careful not to over tighten).

This is a time saving and indispensable tool once you get accustomed to it. It could use more documentation.