Whether you’re slicing up a piece of leftover meat or simply slicing meat to make sandwiches, getting the thickness desired in a consistent way can be the biggest challenge.
When you have a lot of meat to process and slice, using a knife is not only tedious and tiring, it also leads to an inconsistent thickness in the slices, which is always a pain to deal with.
Plus, repetitively slicing meat with a knife can lead to easy mistakes, and mistakes with a knife are to be avoided at all costs!
Instead of dealing with that hassle, why not use a meat slicer? That’s right.
You can get a meat slicer to use at home, and it’s the easiest and fastest way of getting consistent slices, in a safe and low-effort way!
Ever since I got into using meat slicer, I simply can’t go back to using the knife. (Unless I need to slice up a bigger piece of meat like brisket or such.)
And I simply can’t recommend getting a good meat slicer enough!
OUR TOP PICK
The Chef’s Choice Electric Meat Slicer is also my choice when it comes to choosing the overall best meat slicer, as it truly does work with excellent reliability and efficiency.
This rugged-looking slicer is completely constructed with cast aluminum and stainless steel, including a metal food pusher.
And trust me: it will last you a long time.
It’s also very powerful, mainly due to the high torque motor with a gear drive, allowing it to function at full efficiency.
It features a tilted food carriage, which provides faster and more efficient slicing.
You can also secure this food carriage into its lock position to limit access to the blade when it’s not in use.
Which I love because safety should always come first with these things.
The blade itself is 7-inch stainless steel, and it can easily slice the meat to a thickness between deli thin (see how long deli meat lasts) to ¾-inch thick.
The Chef’s Choice meat slicer is easy to use,
And it’s also very easy to clean as you can remove the various components to do so.
It also includes a serving tray for all your neatly sliced slices and comes with a product guarantee.
Overall, it’s great as a first meat slicer, or for those that are looking for something versatile and high-quality.
Pros
- Incredibly durable thanks to the tough construction – it will last you for a long time
- Very efficient thanks to the powerful motor – works smoothly in a reliable way
- Faster slicing thanks to the conveniently tilted food carriage
- Safe and easy to use, plus it’s easy to clean after use
Cons
- It struggles a bit when it comes to ribbon thin slices
EDITORS CHOICE
The Cuisinart Kitchen Pro Food Slicer is a close second on my list of top picks, as it manages to combine a simple design.
With surprisingly high-quality components, turning into a highly competitive product option.
It’s also a super convenient option, as most of its components are removable.
Making it not only incredibly easy to clean but also to store away in your kitchen when not in use.
It’s made and constructed from premium-coated stainless steel, and a die-cast aluminum housing.
The blade is 7.5-inch and is also removable.
There is also a slice control knob that you can use to adjust the thickness of the slices.
It can go from paper-thin slices to roughly 1/2 -inch slices, which is a pretty decent range.
The motor is heavy-duty and holds up pretty well, with efficient slicing.
There are also non-slip feet at the bottom of the meat slicer, to ensure it stays in place while in use, which adds to the overall safety.
It’s great for slicing meat, and you can slice plenty of other food with it too, so I definitely recommend checking it out!
Pros
- Super convenient to clean and store away, as most components are removable
- A wide range of thickness for the slices – versatile in its use
- Decently durable and long-lasting, with non-slip feet for stability when in use
Cons
- The meat holder it comes with is a little flimsy
BEST VALUE
If you slice meat quite regularly, and in large quantities, you’ll probably be looking for a sturdier heavy-duty meat slicer that can take on the higher demand.
If that’s the case, then I recommend you take a look at the Beswood Premium Electric Meat Slicer.
As it is not only of premium quality and highly efficient.
But also comes with some commercial-grade slicers that are seriously the real deal.
Be warned, this meat slicer is a bit bigger and weighs a good 35lbs, so you’ll need the appropriate space in your kitchen.
However, it’s completely worth taking up that extra space, as it works like a dream.
The blade stays sharp, and there’s barely any need to maintain it.
In fact, it’s made from premium chromium-plated carbon steel, with protection against corrosion.
Plus, you can get razor-thin slices, and even deal with half-frozen pieces of meat that smaller meat slicers would struggle with.
The Beswood meat slicer is fairly easy to use, with a double illuminated on and off button switch.
It’s also USA standard approved, as well as ETL and NSF certified.
So basically, it’s completely safe to use and it gets the job done smooth and fast.
Overall, I consider this meat slicer ideal for those that are going to use it often.
And that want professional slices to rival that of the butcher’s!
Pros
- Insanely high-quality blade, not only durable but able to cut both razor-thin slices and through bigger chunks of meat that would usually struggle
- Big and heavy, sturdy and ideal for heavy-duty use
- Completely safe to use, highly efficient, with commercial-grade components
Cons
- The blade is quite hard to remove from the meat slicer, which complicated the cleaning process
RUNNER UP
The Nesco Adjustable Meat Slicer is another great product option that I often recommend.
As it surprisingly has one of the best motors for a powerful and smooth performance.
That powerful motor is what allows it to slice through bigger and tougher pieces of meat.
So there’s less of a worry about whether it will be able to handle them or not.
The blade is extra large at 8.7-inches, made from hardened stainless steel, serrated, and completely detachable.
There’s a control knob for adjusting the slice thickness.
With the sliding food carriage being made out of full stainless steel, for extra durability.
What I especially appreciate about this meat slicer is that it has a thicker guard, compared to others.
Meaning it will keep your fingers completely safe from being sliced.
The power switch is slightly recessed into the surface so that you can’t accidentally switch it on or off
And I honestly never thought that this feature would be as convenient as it actually turns out to be!
Overall, this meat slicer is very easy to use and I highly recommend it for its safety features alone, plus its ability to deal with bigger meats.
Pros
- It can slice through bigger pieces of meat without a struggle thanks to the powerful motor
- It has great safety features! Both the thicker guard and the recessed power switch are incredibly useful
- Highly durable and long-lasting, thanks to the tough construction
Cons
- It’s only available with a serrated blade, which limits the use
RUNNER UP
Okay, so last but not least on my list of top picks, I present to you the Elite Gourmet Ultimate Precision Meat Slicer.
Despite the fancy name, it’s actually one of the more simple meat slicers.
But as it maintains high reliability and amazing quality, it’s one of my favorites for beginners or those that won’t be using it as often.
It’s made from premium-quality die-cast aluminum, which is super durable and long-lasting, but also highly resistant to rust.
The blade is completely removable, which makes cleaning this meat slicer a lot easier (and a lot safer).
The thickness of the slices can be easily adjusted from razer thin, to roughly around ½-inch slices.
There’s also a non-slip base to ensure that it doesn’t move when in use, which improves the overall safety.
It also features a safety guide, which helps guide the meat, or any other food, towards the blade.
That way your fingers don’t have to get as close, and you avoid the awful risk of slicing your fingers.
Overall, it’s a compact meat slicer that can easily fit into a kitchen, and it works really efficiently. Great for average usage.
Pros
- Highly durable and long-lasting, as well as being resistant to rust
- Completely removable blade, making it easier to clean
- It features a safety guide for easier and safer use. Less risk of an accident
- Ideal for average usage at home, with a great thickness range
Cons
- Compared to other meat slicers, this one is loud and slow
The Best Meat Slicers Buying Guide
Hopefully, one of the meat slicers in my list of top picks will turn out to be well-suited to your needs and preferences.
But if not, there are plenty of other options available in the market, with plenty of different designs and features on offer.
The problem is, that with something as specific as a meat slicer, it can be really hard to know which product is actually good, and which is less than ideal.
Especially if you haven’t bought one before or don’t have the eye for it.
That’s why I also wanted to share a small buyer’s guide, with the different factors that I usually take into consideration when choosing a good meat slicer.
Those factors are all about ensuring that you choose a product that meets your standards and needs, and does so in a reliable and efficient way.
It’s also a good way of comparing different products with certain points, to ultimately decide which one is best!
But let’s get into the actual factors themselves. Here are the main things I take into consideration:
Size and Design
Meat slicers, like most kitchen devices, can come in many sizes and designs (see the most common casserole dish sizes here for example). This factor mainly depends on the available space that you have in your kitchen, or on how often you’re going to be using the meat slicer.
If you’re going to be using it on a regular basis, and you’re going to be dealing with a large amount of meat, or tougher pieces of meat, then you’re going to need a bigger and sturdier one.
However, if you just want a meat slicer for average usage, for when you have leftover meat or are wanting to slice regular-seized meats, then a smaller, more compact design will do.
Take into account that the larger the meat slicer is, the heavier it will be, and the less easy it is to move around or store away.
A smaller meat slicer is usually more convenient for home use, especially if it has removable components.
Motor Capabilities
The more powerful the motor is, the smoother the meat slicer will function, and the more efficient it will be. It will also likely be able to deal with tougher and bigger pieces of meat, even including semi-frozen ones.
For an average use meat slicer, I would recommend aiming for ⅓ of horsepower. However, if you want a more powerful meat slicer, aim for ½ horsepower and above.
Take into account that the more powerful the motor is, the more expensive the meat slicer will be. However, the more you will be able to use it, and the fewer limitations you will have.
It’s all about finding the balance between what you want and what you need.
The Blade
When it comes to the blade that slices the meat, size really does matter.
Larger blades will be able to deal with larger pieces of meat, and will usually have a larger range of thickness for the slices, although that can vary.
They will also be able to deal with a larger variety of food, as the meat slicer doesn’t just limit you to slicing meat.
A smaller blade, on the other hand, will usually be a lot easier to clean and will be able to slice thinner pieces to a higher finesse.
Once again, it depends on what your aim for the meat slicer is.
What I do recommend, is that you look for a blade that is made out of premium quality materials, and that is preferably resistant to rust and that doesn’t need sharpening too often.
The better the blade works, the better the slices will come out!
Convenience and Ease of Use
When I talk about convenience and ease of use, I’m referring to how easy the meat slicer is to handle and use overall.
No meat slicer should be too complicated to use, not even the more professional ones. It should be straightforward and designed to be convenient.
For this factor, I always look at the power switch, the control know, the way it is plugged in, and whether any components can be removed for easier storage or transportation.
Safety Features
I’ve left this factor until last because I really want to stress how important it is. Meat slicers, when handled correctly, should be completely fine to use.
However, there is always a slight risk of an accident occurring, which is why looking out for safety features to minimize the risk is so important.
Some of my favorite safety features are things such as thicker guards, to protect your fingers from being sliced, or a recessed power switch to avoid accidentally turning it on without meaning to.
If you want to improve the safety even more, outside of the meat slicer, then you can buy some cut-resistant gloves.
I know I definitely feel more at ease when I’m wearing them, because you can never be too careful!
FAQ’s
How often should you clean your meat slicer?
Choosing the right meat slicer is all well and good, but you then have to maintain it so that it lasts as long as possible.
You should clean your meat slicer after every single use, without exception. It might seem tedious to do so, but it will avoid any meat juice or bacteria pooling on the surface and turning it into a health risk.
If you haven’t used the meat slicer for a while, I also recommend you wash it before you use it again, as dust and other dirt might have accumulated on the surface.
Hi all! I’m Cora Benson, and I’ve been blogging about food, recipes and things that happen in my kitchen since 2019.