Starfrit Easy Mandoline Product Review

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Welcome to the Starfrit Easy Mandoline Product Review! We have taken a look at a couple of different mandolines and they have worked well, but I must say that the design and storage of the Starfrit made it shoot up to the top of my kitchen essentials list.

You must meet the Easy Mandoline by Starfrit. This useful kitchen gadget slices, grates, shreds and even “juliennes” thick foods, particularly vegetables. It comes with 4 different blades to perform each task listed previously. All you need to do is place the vegetable that you wish to cut on the mandolin’s base, push down the knobbed blade onto the food (for safety), and then move the vegetable over the non-slip base while the pieces fall on its storage-easy bin. This bin plays a dual role as a container, as well.

What does it do?

The mandoline cuts vegetables and roots in different ways. Make julienne sweet potatoes, grate cauliflower, shred cabbage, chop or slice onions and cucumbers, shred garlic and slice away anything you can think of, without using a knife.

Imagine being able cut veggies such as onions and garlic with an instrument that won’t let the scent of the vegetable transfer to your hand. Also, it can help make vegetables actually fun to eat. Sweet potato chips, thin tomato slices, and sandwich-thin onion slices are more manageable to integrate into foods, particularly for picky eaters.

What does it come with?

It comes with 4 different blades, one for each: a) grating, b) shredding, c) slicing, d) julienne.
Blades and pusher store right into the mandoline, so it is easy storage.
The base of the mandoline can be made into a bowl or a container

So how does it work??

Stats:

The mandoline is around 6 inches tall, 4 inches wide, and 11 inches long. It is not heavy, and it stores within itself, so it is quite compact.

Pros:

Simple Design
Easy to use, especially thanks to the safety knob (do NOT use without it!)
Includes Tray to Catch Sliced Vegetables
Blades Stored in Body Mandoline
Easy Cleanup
Durable
Fast Cutting/Slicing
Easy Storage
No More Tears when Slicing Onions

The design & storage of the Starfrit Easy Mandoline quickly moved it into my must haves in the paleo kitchen. The fact that the mandoline and it’s parts could be stored in the mandoline itself was a real boon. I didn’t lose anything, it didn’t take up a bunch of counter space and if I wanted to put it in the cabinet; I did not have to find spots for multiple parts and pieces.

Cons:

Honestly, I didn’t find too many cons when using this. Maybe there is not an automatic way to adjust for thickness, however when I wanted thinner or thicker slices of the veggies that I was cutting, I just adjusted the way I held the item in the hand guard and kept slicing.

The only other thing is that perhaps it could have come with more blades, as some of the other mandolines come with 5 or more cutting blades. To be honest, more blades would probably alter the design and storage and I was able to slice and dice everything that I needed. The number of blades may be a personal preference., but this one was perfect for me.

Safety Warning

I cannot stress enough how important it is that you use the knob when you slice the vegetables. It is tempting to just dismiss it if you do not store it with the rest of the blades, and then take the food and slice it directly onto the mandoline. DO NOT DO THAT. The blades are extremely sharp and they slice ninja-fast. You will be at the knob of your fruit or vegetable quicker than you think, which will not be enough warning for you to remove your fingers away on time.

CASE IN POINT: I let my kid make his own sweet potato chips and apple chips one time. He thought the mandoline was a lot of fun to use and…bingo…I caught him taking the apple straight to the blade to start slicing it without placing the knob on the top first.

The thing slices extremely fast and my son was getting a bit too excited. I intervened just in time, but if he had been looking at his phone while slicing the apple without a knob, a disaster would have ensued. USE THE KNOB, PLEASE.

Another point is that, because of the importance of the knob, and the versatility of the blades, the use of the machine comes with some slight assembly (that of the knob and the blades)
STRESS to your younger users in the house (and those who do not take many precautions) on how to adapt the knob (it is extremely easy) prior to chopping or slicing any food.
Do not cut or try to slice frozen food with the mandoline. Not efficient or helpful.

Ideas:

Scalloped sweet potatoes
Super thin cucumber and onion salads
Cold chicken breasts (for shredding)
Cauliflower, carrots, celery, broccoli, beets, parsnips, eggs
Make thinner ham slices!
Cheaper crudités that you can cut yourself
Slice bigger cuts of cheese- cheaper to buy by the block
Coconut chips!!!
Slice bell peppers for perfect pizzas
Celery is super fun to slice in long sticks rather than just the c-shaped chips
Unlimited cuts for tender and juicier fruits such as tomatoes, oranges, grapefruits and pineapples
Pumpkins and squash have never been easier to cut to make in to delicious soups, casseroles, stews, pies, and all other kinds of delicious holiday treats.

Conclusion

The Starfrit Easy Mandoline is a great kitchen gadget, and a great idea for a gift that will certainly bring out the chef inside all of us. Not only can it chop vegetables and hard-to cut crudités, but it helps us to make eating fruits and vegetables in a more fun and delectable way. Again, we ask that you make sure to use the knob that comes with the mandoline to slice every fruit or vegetable that you choose. It is imperative that you keep this point ever-present, especially if you are letting your children do the cooking. Other than that, this is a great chance to eat fruits and veggies as chips, or as thinner cuts that are easier to eat, and easier to digest for some. As a Paleo tool, this mandoline definitely earns my own seal of approval.

To learn more, check out Starfrit on Amazon.