My Review of the Benriner Turning Slicer

I must admit I bought The Benriner Turning Slicer without researching it one bit. It was recommended by Kristen Suzanne on her blog.  This was the exact thing I was looking for to incorporate more raw foods into our diets and I trust Kristen and know she has done her research.

When I received my turning slicer, I was a bit wary of its light plastic make up.  The product was a bit expensive and I was expecting a sturdier/heavier product. This was not the case.

With a closer look I began to see the quality of the product.

The frame and main components are made from ABS co-polymer  and Nylon reinforced resin (which means this is a strong, impact-resistant, plastic material). The interchangeable blades are stainless steel and the handle has metal components also … so I expect it will last a long time with reasonable care.

After some experimentation with different foods and sizes I learned it does have some constraints, but it is a great tool to easily add curly strands of cucumbers and other vegetables to salads and sandwiches.  If you don’t want the long strands, just slice down the length of the vegetable to the center before slicing to produce chips or shorter strands.  Which is exactly what I do when slicing onions for hamburgers.

Overall I am very pleased with this simple tool for quickly adding raw vegetables to our diet.  Easily slice carrots, potato strings, squash, cucumbers, onions and more.

This is very similar to the Benriner Cooks Helper ,which is slightly less expensive than this model and the crank is vertical.

Clean up is a snap. I recommend washing it off quickly after use with soapy water and rinse well. You may need a toothbrush to clean around the flat blade for added safety and to get the vegetable residue from around the prongs.

Produce Selection is the Key

When selecting produce for the slicer, the straighter the better, firm is good, mushy is bad, the fewer seeds the better.

The key to using this device is that the softer the vegetable, the larger the blade attachment that you need to use.

If you have hard seeds in the vegetables, you will also find that they will clog up the blade area in any size and make it so you can not spiralize as well.

How Many Blades?

One of the most important components of a vegetable slicer is the number of blades provided.  The greater the number of blades the
more options the chef has to try different vegetables and thickness cuts.  The Benriner Turning Slicer comes with three different,
interchangeable, stainless steel toothed blades … a fine, medium and coarse blade.  A flat edged blade is attached with Phillips head screws and should remain attached as it is required regardless of which toothed blade is being used.  I recommend starting with the flat blade only and then adding the coarse blade to get the feel for how much
pressure is required for different produce.  The fine tooted blade will require the most  pressure when turning and will work best with seedless firm produce.

WARNING: As when working with any razor sharp blade … handle with care … they are extremely sharp!

Also, plan to replace the blades at some point if you use the slicer routinely. Replacement blades are easy to find from several places … here is the amazon link for Benriner Replacement Blades.

Amazon Rating

Consumers on Amazon have given this product a 4 star rating.  If you are looking for spiral cut french fries only this is not the tool for you, but it will make nice hash browns.

Any Complaints?

I found very few complaints for this slicer on the consumer sites around the internet.  Some consumers reported they were initially frustrated with the results. But after experimenting with the different blade types and different produce they quickly identified the right combinations and were able to produce beautiful slices and curls. One user reported the slicer as being faster than hand slicing producing “50 servings in 5 minutes”.

What Others Are Saying

• “Everything turns out beautifully every single time.”
• “This model is wonderful. It does everything it says it will do.”
• “Very sharp, works very well and is well made.
• “Great for making home made potato chips.”
• “Simple to use and clean.”
• “Perfect for vegetarians”
• “Have patience, experiment and you will find this is a “must have” for the kitchen!”

How Much?

• Much cheaper at Amazon than the manufactures website.  Usually it’s available for less than $70 on Amazon vs.$100 at the Benriner site.

Where Can You Read More Reviews for the Benriner Turning Slicer?

The best place for reviews from people who actually use the product is Amazon. Click here to read more.