Customer Reviews

Matfer Mandoline 2000S

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

My first mandoline was the Bron which is visually the most serious/macho/cool of the bunch, but its shortcomings were unacceptable - the slicing blade is one-piece stainless, and can't hold a sharp edge; the julienne blades are not sharp and can't be sharpened; and the safety carriage is designed to not go past the cutting edge. I sold it.

I now have a Matfer (the all-stainless model) and it has a 2-piece slicing blade: the cutting edge is high-carbon steel (which can be sharpened and hold its edge) welded to a stainless part. The julienne blades are very sharp (altho can't be resharpened). The safety -gadget thing works well, but can't be used for waffle cuts. I use the Matfer only for waffle cuts and if I have large quantities of slicing. If you want french fry size potatoes or are slicing celeriac, you're better off with a sharp knife. The disadvantage of this machine is that you can't adjust the slicing blade's uniformity of thickness - my slices are thicker on one side (the Bron had more adjustment leeway).

The machine I use the most is the Benriner - the slicing blade is very sharp and is sharpenable. The (unsharpenable) julienne blades are extremely sharp. It can't do waffle cuts and is not good for massive quantities of large cuts. It's best for finer julienne and thin slicing such as potatoes, cucumber or daikon.

Don't even consider using these machines without the safety gadget.

Unless I have a large quantity of slicing to do, I'd opt for a sharp knife, because cleanup time counts too.

I returned the mandoline. Unfortunately, it did not perform as I had hoped. I have had an inexpensive plastic mandoline for several years, but have never been able to cut anything but soft vegetables like zucchini or potatoes with it. I have an inexpensive tool that slices all vegetables in all thicknesses. When I purchased the Matfer Mandoline I looked forward to what was labeled as a "professional" model that I hoped would be able to do waffle and crinkle cuts on vegetables like carrots as well as slices and julienne. I was unable to do so. The serrated blade does not seem to be sharp enough. I called the customer service number at Matfer and they admitted cutting carrots could be difficult. Waffle and crinkle cut carrots are however, pictured in the video although the demonstrator does not use anything sturdier than a zucchini for any portion of the demonstration.

I also found the "pusher" difficult to use especially on smaller vegetables. The grip points do not really hold the vegetable. The customer service representative said it was important to use force in pushing vegetables through. But that resulted in the pusher cutting grooves in the vegetable and sliding over the vegetable.

I purchased the mandoline after reading all the rave reviews here and am very disappointed.

Contrary to the opinion of others that saw the Matfer Mandoline as difficult and even dangerous to use, I found no such problems. Foremost, it is not dangerous. Of course if you run your fingers down the side of the blade you run the risk of cutting yourself, but if you follow directions or at least have some common sense, that will not happen. In all the times that I have used it (quite a few), I have not injured myself once.

Regarding its inability to cut, specifically the waffle cut, I am puzzled in that regard as well. As soon as I opened the Matfer Mandoline, I watched the 11 minute video, and then proceeded to make waffle cuts on a potato. They were fine, and with a quick adjustment, as instructed in the video, I achieved the result that I wanted. I tried with carrots as well and attained the same success.

My only complaint, though ever so small, is the scant reading material that came in the box. I was hoping for a small book, but instead I got a pamphlet. Although all the cuts are covered on the video, some paper reference would have been nice. However, that is rather insignificant to what it can do. All the three Julianne cuts worked well, and it is designed to accommodate left as well as right-handed people. It is also convenient to clean and store. Altogether, a fine product.

I used to own something else called a Mandoline, but now I realize the error of my ways. I rarely used that other thing: it was complicated to get it to cooperate, rather dangerous, and not all that sharp. Mafter has created a legacy with theirs. This is now one of my favorite kitchen tools. My brother (the real chef) is constantly asking me to bring it along when I come to his place for dinner, and he is further delighted when I leave without it (that means he gets the thing to himself for at least a week or two). Fun, safe, solid (totally rigid), sharp, easy to use. Who could ask for more? Just close your eyes when you get to the total page (what you don't see can't hurt you?).

Cooking is my passion, but I have always had grievous difficulty slicing onions (tears, burning eyes, etc.) I received this mandoline as a wedding gift and use it all the time! It slices onions (and everything else, for that matter) razor thin in a matter of seconds. The speed with which you can slice things all but eliminates the burning eye issues. It comes with three insert blades for making julienne slices of varying widths (great for carrots and potatoes) that also help for instantly "chopping" onions. I don't know what I ever did without this in my kitchen ... I couldn't recommend the Matfer Mandoline more highly!

What should tell you more than anything is this machine sits on the shelf collecting dust instead of being used. (We end up using a food processor or knife instead.) As others have pointed out, the julienned veggies often must be broken apart like those sets of chopsticks that are stuck together when you buy them. The guard easily slips off vegetables if you are applying enough pressure to move them through the blades. And, again concurring with what others have said, there is what seems to me an unacceptable amount of wasted veggie left over that cannot be sliced without using your fingers (bad idea) to push them into the blades. It *does* work; you *can* make waffle cuts or julienne veggies, but it is definitely not simple or quick. The frustration vs. satisfaction balance makes me think twice before getting the machine out of the cupboard.

The video makes it look much easier to operate than it really is, with the demonstrating chef using the machine "with one hand tied behind his back." Perhaps this is cause for part of my disappointment. The casual, occasional user, even those who are thoroughly competent in all other areas of cooking, will find it requires a steep learning curve. And finally, speaking as someone who values his fingers, I find myself staying away from this tool because, at least to me, using it always holds an unacceptable element of danger.

I bought two of these. The first was a gift for my Dad. He's used a mandoline for a few years, and this was a replacement/upgrade. He loves using it, and he gets consistent results. Nothing beats his mandoline cut vegetables for a quick saute or stir-fry. The thin strips are delicate and tasty, and even my toddler even loves them. The other mandoline I bought for my wife, though she's scared of it.
To get consistent, attractive results takes a little practice. The first time I made cole slaw, my wife thought I was going spastic.
The first time I cleaned it, I jabbed my thumb on the corner of one of the small cutter assemblies while removing it. I figure that was operator error. It still annoyed me though, I -was- trying to be careful.
The more disappointing aspect is a design flaw that tempts a user to use fingers to hold food stock. The safety holder rides along rails that are raised a bit. Therefore, you can not use the holder to press food down the slicing assembly to the last useful slice. For example, when slicing a carrot long-ways, you get a rather large rind left over. You have to discard a lot of food stock, - unless you use your fingers to finish the job. But, if you are foolish enough to accept the temptation, I think you will be discarding pieces from your knuckles or fingertips!
My advice: Throw out the rinds, no matter how big they are. The device slices brilliantly. It will likely take a dangerously deep bite out of you before you feel it.

>>If they redesigned the safety holder to push down food a little farther, I'd rate the device a high "five." Other than that flaw, it's a rather fine and durable tool. Final note: The video is a little weak. They should show better close-ups of cutting and cleaning techniques to keep people productive and safe.

It may be constructed with spage age polymers and stainless steel but lets not kid ourselves the French are not very good at making knives. I was very disappointed with this mandoline. The knives are very difficult to insert and even more difficult to take out. Polymer blade holders being pushed into a polymer machine is a new concept and it does not work. Have a pair of pliers ready ....

Worst of all is the design, because of the way the knife is set in the mandoline at a straight angle the food gets cut with only the center part of the knife NOT with the whole cutting edge like in mandolines that have diagonal or V shaped knives. (or even the way we cut food with a manual knife ) What does that mean .. well first its harder to cut things, blades get duller in the middle and rather than cutting I guess you could compare it to chopping.

The inclusion of the two blades to make french fries is a cruel joke on this machine unless you are Arnold S. and have steel fingers ...

This machine needs some real German or Japanese blades and then a re-engineering of the product.

I bought this a few years back and it ended up collecting dust. I figured I would get it as a better option for my food processor since I was tired of cleaning the whole thing after one or two carrots or one cucumber. You know for the smaller jobs.

Unfortuanley because of the design this isn't much better for the smaller jobs, use a knife. The juline features do work but you have to break them apart by hand. Has a heck of a time with carrots and the food pusher is in adequate. You'll get spikemarks skidded down your food item. It doesn't grip to well. To do the tomatoes you practically have to squish them.

If you don't use the pusher then it performs a shade better (you can't use the pusher and do waffle cuts BTW) but fingers beware. I bought a spectra glove to wear on those occassions. Just in case.

You end up wasting a lot of food too because of the height between the pusher and the rails, you can't shave below that (unless you risk your fingers).

The one thing it has done well and why I keep it around is slicking up apple rings for the deytradtor to make apple chips. Its perfect for that.

I suppose its "proffessional" in that if you don't mind discarding 1/3 to 1/4 of your foodstock and you have a LOT of stuff to slice this would be ok. But for the average house kitchen its not really what you desire.

BTW if you want small juliene stuff OXO Good grips makes a little device the that looks like a potato peeler with juliene blades on it. Works much better for home use.

I was very disappointed with this product and am returning it as it certainly didn't meet my expectations of a "professional" tool. When I attempted to use the serrated side of the blade, I ended up being unable to do so with carrots as it just wouldn't slice through them with any kind of even results. When using the julienne attachment, I had to go back and break apart each slice as it didn't slice through the entire vegetable (I was using the guard). I also found that the support leg was very quick to collapse. It would be nice if it locked into the open position.