Recommended Meat Slicer?

[binarypaladin]

Ever since the fine folks at Adrenaline BBQ sent me an email about "Baltimore Pit Beef" I've actually cared about making my own roast beef. It's such a simple dish, uses really cheap meat, and is great for a snack—among other things.

Cooking is easy. Slicing though? I have a pretty sharp chef's knife and decent knife skills for a self-taught home cook. What I end up with can only be described as "rustic." It's okay, but obviously, thin slicing goes hand-in-hand with lean cuts like round, pork leg roasts, and turkey breasts.

My dad loves the convenience of deli meats. I'd like to help cut his bill down to like 30% of what he's paying. To do that, some kind of deli meat slicer seems like it would be a good buy. (And cheeses too.) Anyone here have a model they like? The home ones range from like $80-$300. The price isn't a huge deal, I tend to spend more on equipment that will last longer and produce better results but price isn't always indicative of everything.

Anyway, whatcha meat slicer types like?

[ComfortablyNumb]

I would start here https://www.webstaurantstore.com/141...t-slicers.html

[Troutman]

I'll take one of those $8k Hobarts thank you very much

[CaptainMike]

Keep your eyes peeled on craigslist or other local shopping forums and you might come across a gem. You could pick up an older, but very serviceable Hobart or Globe et al commercial slicer. Parts are still readily available for most of the major brands as well. I am so fortunate to have a friend that is giving me his Hobart 1612 from his now closed restaurant.

[JoeSousa]

If you check FB Marketplace or Craigslist you should find a good commercial unit for $200-300. It might take a month or two of looking but one should pop up. Hobart, Berkel, Globe, and Bizerba are all good brands.

Seems like a lot of slicers are missing the sharpener. Those can cost $200 to replace so make sure the sharpener is there if the slicer has one.

I found a nice Berkel 827a for $200 after a couple months of looking. It can make quick work of a slab of bacon.

[Bighorn Dave]

Personally I would wait until I could find a good used commercial grade slicer such as Berkel, Hobart and Globe ETC., but if that isn't working for you a look at the Cabela's brand commercial grade slicer would serve you well for many years. Here is one to consider but they do make one a little smaller and another a little bigger.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/CABELAS-COMMERCIAL-MEAT-SLICER/2450201.uts?slotId=2

[Backroadmeats]

I agree with watching craigslist to find a older Hobart or Berkeley.. I gave 100$ for a 1712 Hobart automatic slicer that the guy said didn't work.. 15 minutes later I had it working perfectly.. only downfall of a commercial slicer is they are HEAVY!! I would recommend a cart with wheels to store it on because you aren't going to want to be moving it .

[CaptainMike]

Hmmm, I like the cart idea.

[Backroadmeats]

If ya get that 1612 see if you can find a face to face slicer stand.. it has wheel that come down with the pull of a handle to move and then go back up so it will not walk across the floor when you are slicing. If ya watch auctions or cl they are sweet..

[SonOfAButcher]

I just purchased a Beswood 250 for my slicing needs. Had a smaller Cabelas with a serrated blade that did not cut it. The Beswood was 298.00 at Amazon. It works great, and cleanup is pretty easy. As a guy who grew up slicing on Hobarts, I am pretty critical when it comes to how slicers work in the kitchen. First job for the Beswood was semi-frozen beef for an Italian dish called Spiedini. Not a problem. Motor did not even slow down. Super sharp. Built in sharpener. In the 30 to 35 LB range, so you can move it around pretty well.

[CaptainMike]

That is a nice looking unit that seems well priced.

[Backroadmeats]

That looks like a nice slicer. And you can move it around without finding help .

[Donw]

I ended up purchasing mine from Kitchenware Station. https://www.kitchenwarestation.com/p...y/meat-slicer/ after a lot of searching and comparison. Mine is a 12” but they have many 10” models at a lower price. Well built, easy to clean, and available spare parts. Good luck on your search.

[jfmorris]

I went down this path a while back, when I first got into making my own bacon using the recipes here, and most of the slicers in the under $300 price range won't handle a full slab of bacon, so I just got a good 12" slicing knife and use that. Takes a little practice, and you gotta be CAREFUL around that knife, but at $60ish, its cheap, easy to clean, and much easier to move around and store! I keep an edge guard on it when not in use, to avoid damage to the edge, as well as injury.

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fi...-4-spons&psc=1

[CaptainMike]

Yeah but were does that method fit on the "Coolness" scale?

[jfmorris]

Ok CaptainMike - I guess I am not cool, just cheap!

[Polarbear777]

I dunno. A 12” razor is pretty cool.

[Timbo54]

I found a used Globe 12 inch 1/2 hp. on e-bay for 400.00. Practically new and met the gentleman half way. I also wanted it to slice cheese thus the 1/2 hp. The downside is that its heavy (75 lbs ? ). I had to put it on a roll around cart and it has been worth every penny. Bacon, jerky, roast beef, pastrami and cheese are a few things I use it for.

[Troutman]

My wife won't let me have a slicer, she says I'll shoot my eye out...er is that cut my finger off...whatever

[Donw]

Just tell her you will also buy a tube of Super Glue. Works well on human skin.

[Bighorn Dave]

I just purchased a Beswood 250 for my slicing needs. Had a smaller Cabelas with a serrated blade that did not cut it. The Beswood was 298.00 at Amazon. It works great, and cleanup is pretty easy. As a guy who grew up slicing on Hobarts, I am pretty critical when it comes to how slicers work in the kitchen. First job for the Beswood was semi-frozen beef for an Italian dish called Spiedini. Not a problem. Motor did not even slow down. Super sharp. Built in sharpener. In the 30 to 35 LB range, so you can move it around pretty well.

This appears to be a very nice viable option. What warranty goes with the slicer? The Cabela's offers a life time warranty on Cabela's branded products which is not bad. Unless getting full blown commercial grade they all have something to question IMHO so for me it boils down to best bang for the buck and with slicers the ease of cleaning will play a role in the decision process.

[SonOfAButcher]

This is from the BESWOOD website for the 250..

[Troutman]

How well does it cut cheese, that seems to be the acid test?

[SonOfAButcher]

I have sliced Asiago and sharp cheddar on it..No breakup or tearing at all..thinness would depend on the type of cheese, but I don't see a problem with slicing most cheeses..

[OmegaDog12]

Just my .02, but I just got a Hobart 1612 for under $300. I googled websites for restaurants going out of business and found a great deal. The site I used was PCI Auctions, but there are a gazillion of them. Of course, there were a LOT of other things that I really wanted (and will likely buy if I can sneak it past SWMBO) on those sites. Before that, I had the Victorinox that jfmorris suggested and I am VERY HAPPY with it. Is there an abbreviation for "More Stuff Just Because I See It Syndrome" yet? Good luck!
The OmegaDog

[binarypaladin]

Thanks for all the input. I was looking at the Beswood if going new actually, but I took the suggestions to check the local used market for commercial units and in Las Vegas there seems to be no shortage actually.

I've already seen a few Globes in good shape. It's going to come down to space. Seems like the best part about the Beswood is the size/weight. Obviously, my needs will never even approach what someone what commercial slicers are designed for. It'd see work a couple times a month, not a couple times a day!

jfmorris your comments on a slicing knife are kind of intriguing. How thin can you get with something like that? I've mostly done slicing with my chef's knife and when I have a nice crust on roast beef, getting through that is a huge pain. Does the slicing knife work a lot better? (I think I have seen some kind of guides for these things that keep the width more consistent too.)

[jfmorris]

Donw linked to the same knife I mentioned earlier. I am not aware of any guides @binarypalidin, but haven't looked. I have used it for slicing brisket and bacon. After a little practice, I can do my bacon slices pretty consistently. You can cut thin if you want, to do a "shaved" roast beef I would imagine. It is like a razor blade, and very sharp. I use a steel to reset the edge after use, but have yet to buy a sharpener, something I need to do at some point.

[jfmorris]

I think the answer is yes - this will slice better than a chef's knife. The granton blade is made not to bind as much in the meat, and is very thin.

[jfmorris]

I keep this on the edge when not in use:

https://smile.amazon.com/yellow-sleeve-protector-Ergo-Chef/dp/B00173211U/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1CP9M4XQQ554Y&keywords=12+inch+knife+guard&qid=1552056151&s=industrial&sprefix=12+inch+kni%2Cindustrial%2C134&sr=1-4