A meat slicer is one of those appliances you don’t realize you need one until you get one. There is nothing better than slicing your own pastrami or steaks.
Plus if you have your personal meat slicer, you can slice your own Iberian leg of ham for a platter!
You could spend hours cutting everything, or use your slicer to get yourself the perfect cut.
Slicers may seem like a piece of equipment that will be expensive. But you can get good meat slicers for the same price as a decent carving knife.
It’s time to have a think.. do I want to be using a knife.. or a slicer??
The Best Meat Slicers – Top 6 Comparison Table
Don’t have time to read my whole post? For a quick summary of my results see below.
| Meat Slicer Model (clickable link) | Buy Now | Meat Slicer Image | Charlies Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10″ Meat Slicer From MEAT | More Information |  | 4.8/ 5 |
| BESWOOD 10″ Premium Food Slicer | More Information |  | 5 / 5 |
| Valley Sportsman Electric Meat Slicer | More Information |  | 4.7 / 5 |
| KWS Premium 10″ Electric Meat Slicer | More Information |  | 4.6 / 5 |
| Giantex Meat Slicer | More Information |  | 4.5 / 5 |
| Chefs Choice 615 Food Slicer | More Information |  | 4.4 / 5 |
The Best Meat Slicers
BESWOOD 10″ Premium Food Slicer
My Pick For The Best Meat Slicer
Key Features of the BESWOOD 10″
- Blade Size: 10″
- Weight: 33 pounds
- Material: Aluminium
- Power: 240 Watts
- Slicing Thickness: 1 – 12mm
About the BESWOOD 10″Meat Slicer
Beswood should change their name to ‘bestwood’ after creating this meat slicer. It is nothing short of a slicing dream. If you want an all-around slicer that can make easy work of everything from roast pork to hard cheeses and tomatoes this slicer is your man.
The blade is a chromium-plated carbon steel blade that is corrosion and heat-protected. With help from the genius top-mounted, double whetstones you will enjoy not needing to sharpen your blade by hand. It is actually amazing how long the blade will stay sharp for.
The double illuminated power switch is large and placed in a handy spot, perfect for stopping in an emergency situation. The 240 watt motor slices through everything from fresh fruit to large cuts of cured meat without any issues. Perfect for the home or in a commercial kitchen/ deli.
This meat slicer has a solid thickness spectrum from 1-12mm.
Pros and Cons
Beswood Pros
- Double top mounted whetstones
- Large slice range
- Powerful motor
- Quiet and no vibration
- Non slip rubber feet
- Safety Ring Guard
Beswood Cons
- A very heavy unit
Wrapping it Up
The Beswood 10” ticks every box. It’s fairly cheap, quality built, consistently sharp, and easy to use.
It is a fantastic all-around meat, cheese, fruit, and veggie slicer that I really can not fault.
You will enjoy the ease of slicing a range of different meats. The rubber skid-proof feet keep the slicer securely in one place, even on slippery surfaces.
My top pick for the best slicer on the market right now.
Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5
Valley Sportsman Electric Meat Slicer
Best Value For Money
Key Features
- Blade Size: 8.7″
- Weight: 14 pounds
- Material: Stainless steel
- Power: 180 Watt
- Slicing Thickness: 0 – 14mm
Pros and Cons
Sportsman Pros
- Removable stainless steel cover
- Non slip rubber feet
- Cheap unit
- Lightweight construction
- Non slip rubber feet
- Safety push mechanism
Sportsman Cons
- No catch at the back
Whether your are cutting cheese for a platter, meat for a quick sandwich or vegetables for a garnish the Vally Sportsman will get the job done. It is a lightweight unit that is perfect for moving around to the store, and with its removable parts is a real breeze to clean.
The fact that it is under $100 still confuses me as it performs up there with the best of them. In my honest opinion, everyone should have one of these bad boys tucked away at home.
Overall Rating: 4.7 / 5
KWS Premium 10″ Electric Meat Slicer
The Power House Meat Slicer
Key Features of the KWS Premium Electric Meat Slicer
- Blade Size: 10″
- Weight: 38.5 pounds
- Material: Aluminum Alloy
- Power: 320 Watts
- Slicing Thickness: 0 – 10mm
About the KWS Meat Slicer
The KWS electric meat slicer is a true powerhouse built for those home slicers who take their slicing very seriously. Its also perfect for those of you out there who own a deli, restaurant or cafe.
It is one of the most powerful slicers out there, and boy does it love to slice! The built in sharpener keeps your 304 stainless steel blade well sharp and has no trouble slicing through bread, cheese, meat, and fresh fruit and veggies. Even when your goods are frozen, they are no battle.
Easily adjust your slicing thickness between 0 – 10mm for perfectly uniform slices. Your slices will look great on a home platter, shopfront window or on your customer’s plates.
KWS Premium Pros
- Solid non slip rubber feet
- Powerful unit with plenty of slicing power
- Sturdy stainless steel
- Easy adjustments
- Very low maintenance
- Very good value for money
KWS Premium Cons
- Smaller deck space than other slicers
- Smaller slice range
Wrapping it Up: KWS Premium Electric Meat Slicer
If you are looking for a slicer that will slice through anything, you can’t look past this KWS slicer.
It is perfect for anyone who takes their slicing seriously, if that’s at home, in the deli or at the restaurant. It has more than enough power to slice a selection of different food types while keeping a very consistent result.
The unit is solidly built with very low maintenance needed. The value for money is unmatched with this unit and I would highly recommend it.
Overall Rating: 4.6 / 5
Giantex Meat Slicer
The Power House Meat Slicer
Key Features of the Giantex Meat Slicer
- Blade Size: 10″
- Weight: 36 pounds
- Material: Aluminum
- Power: 150 Watt
- Slicing Thickness: 0 – 12mm
Giantex Pros
- Fixed device handle for pushing food items to be sliced
- Blade cover for protection
- Cheap unit
- Built in blade sharpener
- Non slip rubber feet
- Semi automatic
Giantex Cons
- Heavy unit
Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5
Chefs Choice 615 Food Slicer
Key Features of the Chefs Choice 615 Food Slicer
- Blade Size: 10″
- Weight: 36 pounds
- Material: Aluminum
- Power: 150 Watt
- Slicing Thickness: 0 – 12mm
About the 615 Food Slicer
Want high precision and even higher speed? Look no further.
This 615 food slicer is dedicated to its craft and can produce restaurant-quality paper-thin slices of bacon, jerky, ham, pork or bread.
This slicer has one of the best food pusher designs I have come across, which has a no-slip grip included.
Although the unit is only 120 watts if gives more than enough power to make super clean fast cuts and is a really nice quiet runner. Forget about bench shake or loud noises in your kitchen.
This unit has lots of removable parts and is a breeze to clean, which is quite hard to find.
615 Pros
- Fixed device handle for pushing food items to be sliced
- Blade cover for protection
- Cheap unit
- Built in blade sharpener
- Non slip rubber feet
- Semi automatic
615 Cons
- The suction cup feet can come up stuck fairly easily
Charlies Final Thoughts on the Chefs Choice 615 Food Slicer
This unit is perfect for the home slicer who lives for convenience and a good working machine. It works with precision and has lots of features like the nonslip food pusher, a large food carriage, and easy-to-clean removable parts.
I wouldn’t so much recommend this slicer for commercial use because of the smaller blade however would fit in perfectly in any home kitchen.
Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5
What to Look For in a Meat Slicer
Power
When buying a meat slicer you really want to make sure you are buying one that will have enough power to cut what you intend to cut.
Basically, there are two different types of slicers. Gear-driven, belt-driven and a combination of the two.
Typically belt-driven meat slicers lack the real power that you get with gear-driven slicers, so if you are planning on slicing bigger slices or harder meats you should consider leaning towards the gear-driven slicer.
However, if you are looking for a more simple in-home slicer, the belt driver slicer would be your go-to, they are quieter and work perfectly on those softer, thin-sliced meats.
Blade Type
When it comes to blades you typically have two options. A serrated blade or a smooth-edged blade.
Serrated blades are used for slicing tough meat and bread. A serrated blade can also get through most vegetables, however, can leave a messy edge.
Smooth blades work best on vegetables (you get a cleaner cut) and lean meats. You want to steer clear of tough meat and crusty bread though.
If you want a slicer that you want to use for everyday slicing, it would be best to get a secondary blade to switch in and out.
Thickness Adjustment
All slicers have an adjustable thickness, which is typically controlled by a knob on the machine.
Generally, the higher number the thicker the slice, and the lower the number the thinner slice you will get. This can differ from brand to brand though.
Feet
Its common practice to have rubberized feet on the base of the slicer. This gives the slicer more grip on the work surface and also helps protect your work surface.
Blade Safety Lock
Blade lock functions are common these days and they are a great safety feature to have. The blade lock prevents the blade from moving unintentionally.
This is a good feature if you are storing the slicer in the reach of children.
Meat Slicer Size
Slicers are a fairly large appliance. Unfortunately, they do not break down for easy storage, so make sure before you buy that you have enough room to store the slicer.
Food Tray
Some meat slicers come with a sliding food tray. This makes it incredibly easy to slice large cuts without having to stop every few slices to move them to a plate.
Cleaning
Cleaning a meat slicer should not be a difficult or long process. As the food tray cannot be removed from most slicers the easiest way is to swing the food tray out and clean over the sink.
Safety Switch
A dual safety switch prevents accidental start-ups.
However, this feature can get quite annoying and inconvenient depending on the model of the slicer.
If you keep vigilant with storage and where you are using the slicer this feature is not really necessary in my eyes.
Hand Guard
The handguard is an essential feature. It protects you against accidental slips when slicing your meat. Countless times this feature has saved my hands and fingers.
How Do You Oil A Meat Slicer?
Lubricating your slicer is just as important as cleaning. You want to keep the blade well oiled so it keeps a fast, consistent rotation. You also want to stay on top of the oiling so the blade doesn’t rust.
The best oil for the job is food-grade machine oil. Canola and vegetable oil can turn the blade blunt and rusty.
How Do You Clean A Meat Slicer?
Like all kitchen and cooking equipment is essential that you thoroughly clean your slicer. This is for two main reasons.
The first is for hygiene purposes, you want to clean all meat off the slicer to prevent any food-borne diseases.
The second is to prolong the life of your slicer. As technology develops meat slicers are getting easier and easier to clean, this is thanks to more and more removable parts being added.
The best way to clean your slicers is with hot soapy water, a cloth, and lots of elbow grease. I would advise you to stay away from nasty cleaners filled with chemicals, this has the chance to damage your slicer and also taint your food.
Hungry For More?
Hi I have just a couple of comments on the Chefs Choice 615. First off it has been discontinued by the Manufacture, It is now sold as a 615 A. I have contacted them twice over several weeks for a simple part, the plastic bearing the blade rids on. The vendor that who now reps them does not have any information, they email a tech (must be on the mon) and you never seem to hear from them. Have loved how this machine has worked but it is dead for a simple plastic part. My suggestion don’t buy from a vendor that can not provide parts for a machine they are still selling!
Hey Dusty,
Thanks for the heads up, I am going to get in contact with them and see what the go is!
hey mate,
are the blade of the beswood meat slicer heat protected?? I usually slice my meat hot and have had problems with other meat slicers.
thanks mate
Bradley
hey mate,
are the blade of the beswood meat slicer heat protected?? I usually slice my meat hot and have had problems with other meat slicers.
thanks mate
Bradley
Hey Brad!! Yepp those blades are heated protected! Let me know what you think of that meat slicer!
Cheers,
Charlie
Belt drives are characteristic of higher power slicers, not lower power slicers.
And of the slicers you listed, only the Beswood and KWS include the characteristics of proper slicers (built in sharpener, a blade that lasts years even with sharpening, a guard for the center of the blade, carriage slides underneath the body, full metal structure that does not flex)
The other 3 have underpowered motors, potential structural flex, slides above the body where food can get into the mechanism, and possibly even structural plastic that can break, causing catastrophic accidents.
Having worked in a deli department, I would not accept anything less than the KWS or Beswood. Those are the only ones where the only way you can get cut is by ignoring safety guidelines. The rest can break or flex to the point your body hits the blade – they just don’t have the power or sturdiness needed.