Bacon Slicers...Again!

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Bacon Slicers...Again!

Postby porker » Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:58 am

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone had recent views on the all metal bacon slicer that is sold on the site? It looks the part in my eyes, but I'm concerned about its rated power output.

My bacon falls down on the fact that it is sliced by hand, and is rather too thick. I've watched out for a larger machine but have had no joy.

Thanks

porker



:)
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Bacon Slicers...again

Postby TonyE » Thu Nov 01, 2007 6:54 pm

Porker


Frustrating isn't it, you buy something like a Bacon Slicer for an amount you can afford, only to find, once you start using it that it does not perform as well as you hoped - As happened to me.

I trawled the Internet and found even a small commercial slicer suitable for a Deli will set you back �500.00. I tried E-bay and was outbid, I have come to the conclusion for a half decent second hand unit will cost about �150.00.

If anybody knows of a slicer that will cut Parma style ham, wafer thin and evenly thick, please tell me which one it is, and how much I can expect to pay.

I guess you get what you pay for

TonyE
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Postby porker » Fri Nov 02, 2007 1:35 pm

what do you use to slice bacon?

How do you rate your machine?

What thickness is best for bacon, 3, 4, 5mm?

Any other suggestions?

Cheers

:)
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Re: Bacon Slicers...again

Postby porker » Fri Nov 02, 2007 1:38 pm

TonyE wrote:Porker


Frustrating isn't it, you buy something like a Bacon Slicer for an amount you can afford, only to find, once you start using it that it does not perform as well as you hoped - As happened to me.

I trawled the Internet and found even a small commercial slicer suitable for a Deli will set you back �500.00. I tried E-bay and was outbid, I have come to the conclusion for a half decent second hand unit will cost about �150.00.

If anybody knows of a slicer that will cut Parma style ham, wafer thin and evenly thick, please tell me which one it is, and how much I can expect to pay.

I guess you get what you pay for

TonyE


Thanks...Yes, thats where I'm at...hopefully I can decide on a cheaper slicer with the help of the members on here, as slicing by hand is not the best solution!

Cheers

:)
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Bacon Slicers...again

Postby TonyE » Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:24 pm

Hi Porker


I paid �30.00 + �10.00 postage for my slicer through e-bay it came from Germany.

Appearance - Looks first class, just like a minature version of those you see at the Deli counter.

Rating - 100 watts
Blade - Serated Steel about 8" in diameter

The most annoying thing about it is it makes clunking noises if you try to cut too quickly, I am not sure if it is the belt stretching and then slipping, when it works hard.

I was hoping it would slice Parma Style Ham paper thin, not sure it was designed for that. I found it helps to wipe the blade with Olive Oil or vegatable oil before cutting.

I have actually placed a For Sale add, in my local supermarket, if it cannot do what I want, there probably is not much point in keeping it.

Regards - Tony
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Postby Oddley » Fri Nov 02, 2007 4:18 pm

Hi Porker, I have a buffalo 10 inch blade slicer, and to be honest, it has trouble with bacon because it is not gravity fed.

I don't really expect the cheap slicer's to work very well, or last very long. If I were buying one now, I would hold out for a berkel or similar bargain on ebay.

I tend to leave slicing as long as possible, because once sliced and in the freezer, you only have a limited amount of time, before the fat oxidizes. So I to tend to hand slice.
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Postby Ianinfrance » Fri Nov 02, 2007 5:22 pm

Way back, about 35 years ago, I was in Germany and saw an electric domestic slicer from a company called Graef. It looked seriously good, so I bought it. It came with a plain (not serrated) blade because that's what I chose, though it can be bought with a serrated one. It's not very big, and so it has some trouble swallowing a large slab of streaky, but I use it for parma type ham, in fact all my cold meats, for bacon, and for home made brown bread. It is still in perfect condition and the blade is as sharp as ever it was, thanks to the fact that it comes with a sharpener. The only thikngs that have gone wrong is that the sharpening stone broke after 25 odd years use (replaced in 2 days free of charge from Germany) and the teeth of "pusher" which you use to press the meat against the blade have got a bit blunt, so sometimes it can slip a bit.

This looks even better than the one I bought.

http://www.cookinstyle.co.uk/default.as ... 1a953a17e#
All the best - Ian
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Postby welsh wizard » Fri Nov 02, 2007 5:31 pm

Hi all

I went through a number of slicers but in the end I was lucky enough to get one out of a butchers for �100, and really I havent looked back. The two cheaper versions I purchased cost over that so in effect I have spent �200+ on slicers to date, but hopefully the one I have now wil last me out.

I think at the end of the day you only get what you pay for - well thats my experience anyway...........

Cheers WW
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Postby saucisson » Sat Nov 03, 2007 11:36 am

Without trying any out other than a sixties hand operated 6" slicer I came to the conclusion that most small slicers are essentially the same as mine but with motors of varying wattages and various qualities of finish, from plastic to stainless steel. On that basis (which may be flawed) I wouldn't replace it with anything less than a second hand Butcher's machine, but I have neither the space nor the funds to do this, so I make do with hand sliced, either by my hand cranker or a knife.

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Postby porker » Sat Nov 03, 2007 11:45 am

Looks like we're all pretty much in the same boat...if only I was brave enough to try that Graef slicer, sure looks the part, but its a lot of cash if it happened not to do the job!

edit: does anyone know if the smooth edged blade like on the larger slicers is a big part in why they're better than the smaller machines with a serrated blade.

Its just that all my butchery knives are smooth edged and my bread knives are serrated, just a thought!

does anyone actually have a slicer from this site? thanks, its just that I'm really wanting to get a slicer, soon.

Cheers

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Postby wallie » Wed Nov 07, 2007 12:22 pm

I knew a guy a few years ago and he had a Graef slicer which he swore by. It had a hollow ground blade and a blade sharpener.
Looking at the Graef website I think is was the Master 188.
Its priced at �199 maybe worth the bit extra if you are getting a good machine.
At least its metal built not one of these flimsy plastic jobs and it weighs over 7kilo so its quite sturdy.

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Postby Heather » Fri Nov 09, 2007 1:47 pm

I bought one like this http://www.nisbets.co.uk/products/ProductDetail.asp?SiteType=cat&productCode=K238 as I too had gone through 2 smaller cheaper slicers. So far it's been great, and works best if the bacon is pretty dry already.

I have also used it to slice frozen smoked salmon, and got a really good result.

What I liked about this is that it isn't huge (but still has to live in its box in the garage as it won't fit in the already crammed kitchen) and there are spare parts available.
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Postby wallie » Fri Nov 16, 2007 5:44 pm

I took the plunge and purchased the Graef Master 188 ordered yesterday from Cook in Style and it arrived today.
It looks good, quite heavy and sturdy all metal it has a hollow ground blade with a diamond sharpener.
I will give a full report in a few days time after I slice my bacon.

Thanks to Ian for mentioning this one.

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Postby saucisson » Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:43 pm

Must...not...read..this..thread...anymore...

:D

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Postby harterz » Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:02 am

Hi Saucisson - just read it one ... more... time...

You mentioned the manual slicer - I notice Ascott offers 1 in its catalogue (but I cannot see it on the website).

I would be interested to know if yours might be similar. If you do not have the catalogue perhaps I can scan the image in.

Would this type of slicer work on frozen bacon? I made some a while ago and froze it as a single piece in the opinion it would preserve better as a whole rather than ready sliced, but of course that does throw up its own challenges when you come to need some

:?

I feel I tend to favour your logic that a manual slicer is likely to be no worse if not better than a cheaper electric on. The Ascott one is �40. I too do not have the funds nor space nor indeed the requirement for a large butcher's version.

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