I have a wonderful new toy to review - a shiny, slinky, slicing mandolin - the OXO Good Grips Premium Mandolin.What does it do?
The mandolin makes slices and julienne strips of vegetables,. To adjust the thickness of the slices, you simply rotate the knob on the side to the desired setting, which includes ridge or waffle cuts There is a separate blade which you slide in to make julienne strips. There is a plastic hand guard with a spiked plunger to grip whatever you are slicing safely. The Good Grips mandolin also has adjustable legs so you can position it over a board but pack it away flat easily in a drawer.The whole lot can be washed by hand or thrown in the dishwasher.
Does it work?
I've tried all the functions and the Good Grips mandolin slices and juliennes effortlessly. I've made wafer thin slices of potato and shredded onions for a gratin in about a quarter of the time it would normally take me in the food processor - and let's not even compare it to how long it would take me by hand...The handguard does takes a little bit of getting used to but makes sliding the vegetables along the mandolin a doddle and ensures you don't waste anything.
Does is make it easier to cook with arthritis?
It has certainly made it easier for me to slice large quantities of vegetables. It requires very little pressure to slice and the sliding mechanism is very fluid and easy so it's gentle on your hands and wrist. .I will confess to having an accident with it when I first got it out. It says very clearly 'caution sharp blade' but I somehow still managed to slice my hand on it. However, really that was down to me fiddling on and not a fault with the mandolin.
Overall verdict?
B+ Utterly worth it if you you make lots of gratines or salads.
I bought mine at John Lewis with 20% off, but Lakeland and Amazon also both stock the Good Grips Premium Mandolin and some decent cheaper versions too.
PS. I'm looking for a good, arthritis friendly standmixer after dropping my faithful hand mixer into a cake mix. Any recommendations? I'm currently choosing between a Kenwood K-mix or KitchenAid...
