Kitchen Gadget of the Month: OXO Good Grips Mandoline Slicer

With all the fresh fruits and vegetables coming in season, we'd love an easy way to prepare them. The OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer will make quick work of tomatoes and peppers, peaches and plums, among many others.

While a professional chef can do almost anything with a sharp knife and cutting board, we prefer to use a mandoline for some cutting tasks. Keep reading to learn the three primary reasons we recommend the OXO Mandoline.

Faster Prep

If you've ever tried to julienne vegetables or thinly slice potatoes or cucumbers with a knife, you know it's labor intensive. Careful knife work takes a great deal of time.

With the OXO Mandoline, you use the control knob to set the height of the blade. This means every slice will be the same thickness and every julienned strip will be the same size, even when you're moving quickly. Watch the video below to see how simple it is:

Of course you still have to wash and peel your fruits and vegetables, but the OXO Mandoline makes slicing them a breeze.

Safer Slicing

Because knife work takes time, too many of us get careless when we try to move faster. This is a recipe for injury.

The OXO Mandoline comes with a food holder that anchors to food using four tines. Hold onto it while running your fruit or vegetable over the length of the mandoline with each slice.

The holder keeps your fingers away from the blade. It also ensures you can safely slice nearly every last bit of food.

Better Results

Even when you work carefully with a knife, you're not always satisfied with the results. The control knob on the  OXO Mandoline adjusts the height of the blade, so all slices will be uniform. Likewise, the different blades -- straight, wavy, and julienne -- give you a variety of options.

It isn't just the looks of your slices that are important. Evenly-sliced fruits and vegetables also cook more evenly. You won't end up with overly crispy slices next to half-raw ones.