The best Japanese mandolins in the UK 2023

The Japanese mandolin, despite its name, is becoming a real trend in Western kitchens. It allows you to cut fruits and vegetables more easily, but also to add more elegance and style to your dishes. The tool is distinguished by its regular cuts, its interchangeable blades as well as its safety and comfort of use. Focus on this efficient kitchen utensil.

Benriner 64W 1
9/10

Best value for your money

Benriner 64W

The best Japanese mandolin in 2021

The presence of the finger guard makes this Japanese mandolin easy to use. Thanks to its extra blades, your dishes will only be visually beautiful.

34,10 £ on Amazon

Benriner is a leading brand in Japanese mandolins. Like a Japanese knife, each stainless steel blade has been heat treated after being compressed for a sharp and durable finish. This is the reason why it shows a remarkable efficiency.

There is a dial on the side of the Benriner 64W Japanese mandolin so you can adjust the cutting thickness to suit your needs. It goes from 0.5 to 0.8 mm. Potatoes, carrots, onions... no vegetable can resist its sharp blades. You'll receive 3 interchangeable blades, including a flat, straight-edged blade and 2 blades for medium and coarse julienne.

Leifheit 4 + 1 ComfortLine
7/10

Best value for your money

Leifheit 4 + 1 ComfortLine

The best entry-level Japanese mandolin

The Leifheit 4 + 1 ComfortLine is the perfect solution for your vegetable cutting needs. What's more, it's affordable for all budgets.

12,07 £ on Amazon

The Leifheit 4 + 1 ComfortLine is one of the most compact. In fact, it saves space in your cupboards thanks to its practical storage system. It comes with several blades, adjustable in thickness, to make cutting cheese, vegetables and fruit faster and easier. You have a special pusher to protect your fingers.

The Japanese mandolin is easy to clean in the dishwasher. It consists mainly of a robust plastic body and stainless steel blades. The only major drawback is its practicality. Of course, you have to hold the mandolin and the bowl at the same time with one hand while grating the vegetables with the other.

Lacor 60357
8/10

Best value for your money

Lacor 60357

The best high-end Japanese mandolin

Designed for those who want to cook like a professional, the Lacor 60357 is distinguished by its all stainless steel body. The personalization of the preparations will be facilitated.

78,32 £ on Amazon

Everything has been well thought out to make the preparation of your ingredients more comfortable. Made of 100% stainless steel, this Japanese mandolin comes with a carrying case. Moreover, it has a non-slip base for stability on all flat surfaces (work surface, table...). The pusher also serves as a protection for your fingers.

All the blades of the Lacor 60357 are rotating. Among them, the julienne cutting blade offers a height of 0.3 cm. The accessory allows for 9 mm high stick cuts, wavy or smooth slices and waffle cuts.

Mastrad F21000
8/10

Excellent selection

Mastrad F21000

Multifunctional and stable

Stability? You'll enjoy it thanks to the Mastrad F21000's non-slip feet. Safety? You'll get it with its reliable handle and pusher.

23,62 £ on Amazon
Buying guide • November 2023

Best Japanese mandolin

Any specific needs?

The best Japanese mandolin in 2021

The best entry-level Japanese mandolin

The best high-end Japanese mandolin

Multifunctional and stable

Your guide : Samuel

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Comparison table of the best Japanese mandolins

TOP OF THE LINE CHEAP TOP OF THE LINE EXCELLENT
Benriner 64W 2
9/10
Leifheit 4 + 1 ComfortLine
7/10
Lacor 60357
8/10
Mastrad F21000
8/10
OUR SELECTION
Benriner 64W
Leifheit 4 + 1 ComfortLine
Lacor 60357
Mastrad F21000
The presence of the finger guard makes this Japanese mandolin easy to use. Thanks to its extra blades, your dishes will only be visually beautiful.
The Leifheit 4 + 1 ComfortLine is the perfect solution for your vegetable cutting needs. What's more, it's affordable for all budgets.
Designed for those who want to cook like a professional, the Lacor 60357 is distinguished by its all stainless steel body. The personalization of the preparations will be facilitated.
Stability? You'll enjoy it thanks to the Mastrad F21000's non-slip feet. Safety? You'll get it with its reliable handle and pusher.
Material
Stainless Steel, ABS Plastic
Plastic, stainless steel
18/10 stainless steel
Plastic, stainless steel
Number of blades
3
3 graters and 2 blades
5
4 blades and 3 graters
Dimensions
32 x 12 x 4 cm
13.41 x 7.01 x 32.69 cm
13 x 50 x 10 cm
36 x 14.5 x 22 cm
Cutting thickness
3 to 11 mm
-
3, 6 and 9 mm
3 to 7 mm
Blade type
Flat blade with straight edge, medium julienne, coarse julienne
V-shape
Julienne cutting blade, stick cutting blade, a wavy slicing blade, embossed cutting blade and smooth slicing blade
Stick, julienne, waffle or wave cutting blade

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Buying guide - Japanese mandolin

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How to choose your Japanese mandolin

With the many models on the market, choosing a mandolin can be difficult. Indeed, manufacturers often use ready-made formulas that make it difficult to choose the right model. To help you, here are some models to consider when buying a Japanese mandolin.

#1 - The shape of the blade

There are three main blade shapes on mandolins. The straight blade is the one found on most models. There is also a blade perpendicular to the ramp. This is used to cut directly into the ingredients you slide on. While this design works well for slicing hard vegetables, it requires a lot of force and can crush softer fruits and vegetables with tough skins, like tomatoes.

The diagonal blade used on the Japanese models pierces a small portion of the vegetable's skin before sliding over the rest of the surface. This allows soft ingredients like peppers and tomatoes to slide easily. It also allows harder vegetables to slide through with less force, greatly improving their safety.

Finally, the V-shaped blade, the most common style among home mandolins, capitalizes on the advantages of the diagonal blade. Two diagonal blades cut through food, which is especially beneficial when working with larger ingredients.

#2 - The design

There

are two basic models for mandolins: the flat portable and the stand. The portable models typically have a handle to hold while leaning the base against a counter or bowl. This allows the user to choose the angle at which they slice and also gives more of a sense of control. Plus, it makes it easier to cut directly on a bowl or plate. The stand model has legs that allow it to stand on its own. Some users think this is safer and sturdier, which is helpful when incorporating additional features .

Another design feature to note is whether the blade settings are fixed or rolling. Some mandolins offer set cutting depths. This is useful in that you can repeat a consistent slice width each time you remove your tool, but it also limits you to working within the unit's predetermined parameters. A bearing adjustment allows you to vary the width to your exact specifications, but it can be difficult to duplicate a slice to the exact fraction of a millimeter.

#3 - Security

As

mentioned earlier, mandolins can be dangerous. For this reason, additional safety features are very important. Most mandolins come with a food holder. This works like a handle that clips onto the food, so you can slide your ingredient down the ramp without putting your fingers too close to the blade.

The effectiveness of the model's food holder is a key factor in whether or not the mandolin is a safe purchase. Some models clip into the ramp so that each slice is straight, while others are free-standing and depend on user control.

#4 - Dishwasher compatibility

It

might be tempting to choose a model that boasts dishwasher

safety.

While a few models claim such a capability, others specify that only the body should go through the machine. It should be noted that the soaps and chemicals used in dishwashers will wear down the blades and increase the rate at which they become dull. For this reason, it is always best to hand wash all sharp objects, from mandolin blades to knives.

#5 - The thickness indicator

Some

mandolin models tell you exactly how thin or thick you are slicing and allow you to easily adjust it, which is essential for following recipes and consistent cooking times. A common problem with vegetable slicers is uneven thickness of slices, although much of the problem is related to uneven pressure applied by the user during the stroke.

Japanese mandolin or classical mandolin ?

Japanese mandolin

The Japanese mandolin is a manual cutting utensil. It allows you to cut fruits or vegetables into thicker or thinner slices according to your needs. With one or more blades, it is mostly made of stainless steel or ABS plastic for the most common models. With this equipment, you can create julienne vegetables without having to carry a kitchen knife, for example, and without having the skills of the greatest chefs.

Advantages:

  • Easy to use
  • Does not dull easily
  • More affordable
  • Practical

Disadvantages:

  • Very sharp blade
  • Not suitable for professional use

Classic mandolin

The French mandolin is the model most students use in culinary school. They are usually large, bulky slicers with a stainless steel surface and a blade that goes straight horizontally.

Advantages:

  • Interchangeable blades
  • Adjustable thickness

Disadvantages:

  • Thick blades
  • Dulls easily
  • Requires regular sharpening

Verdict

The Japanese mandolin is ideal for individuals looking for a mandolin that can be used at home. French mandolins are more suitable for professional use.

Why buy a Japanese mandolin?

If you are planning to buy a mandolin but are still not quite sure, here are some reasons to help you make the right choice.

Criteria #1: Ease of use

One of the main reasons many people decide to buy a mandolin is that it is easy to use for cutting vegetables, fruits and other foods. Simply place the food to be cut on the platform under the safety cover that serves to hold the food (so your fingers won't get cut) and start slicing! Some mandolin styles even have blade attachments to make more sophisticated cuts, such as crinkle cuts and julienne cuts.

Criteria #2: Beautiful Presentation

If the presentation of the meal is important to you, then it is best to buy a mandolin. A mandolin can make salads look like works of art with thinly and evenly sliced vegetables or uniquely cut garnishes. Cooked dishes are just as enjoyable when vegetables are sliced with a mandolin, and cutting all the food the same way ensures that the food is cooked evenly since it is all the same size.

Criterion #3: Versatility

There are several models of mandolines available. If you just want an inexpensive model that makes cutting vegetables quick and easy, you can choose a basic model. If you really love to cook and are quite creative, then there are models that offer a lot of blades and attachments for slicing, dicing, shredding, or even julienne cutting.

The versatility of the mandolin allows you to choose the type of gadget that best suits your needs to get exactly what you want. If you prefer a small and inexpensive mandolin, there is a model that can meet your needs, and if you want an elaborate and high-end mandolin, you can also buy a mandolin that meets these criteria.

Criterion #4: Blades stay sharp

One of the advantages of using a mandolin over a regular kitchen knife is that the blade is durable. Granted, mandolines can be dangerous because the blade is so sharp, but this is important to get a good cut. Most mandolins come with safety brackets to keep hands and fingers away from the cutting blade so that users stay safe during operation. In fact, if used properly, mandolins are safer to use than kitchen knives because there is less risk of accidental cuts on the body.

Criterion #5: Wide variety of price ranges

If you think you can't afford another kitchen gadget, think again. Mandolines come in a wide variety of styles and price ranges, so you can buy a mandolin that best fits your needs and budget. In fact, many mandolins are cheaper than a kitchen knife and they are also much easier to use.

Tips

Use a finger guard

The finger guard is designed to work perpendicular to the mandolin, but it also works the other way, making it easy to change directions.

Position the blade accurately

Test it to see if the thickness and width of the vegetables are right for you.

Cut in the other direction in case of blockage

If

sliding in one direction is a little difficult, flip the vegetable in another direction.

Rinse the mandolin after each use, especially the blades.

To

prevent vegetable pieces from sticking to the blades, wash the mandolin after each use

.

Do not use the dishwasher

After

a good rinse, there is no need to use a dishwasher. Indeed, the heat of the dishwasher can deform the plastic.

FAQ

What is the best Japanese mandolin?

The best Japanese mandolin depends on your needs and budget. Read our buying guide for the best products available.

Is the Japanese mandolin sharp?

The Japanese mandolin is very sharp. It does not dull easily and is more durable.

Is the Japanese mandolin dangerous?

Like any other mandolin, the Japanese mandolin is dangerous. It must be used with great care and kept out of the reach of children.

Can professionals use a Japanese mandolin

The Japanese mandolin is more suitable for home use, but professionals can also use it.

What type of mandolin should I choose?

The choice depends on what you want to do with the mandolin.

Sources

Note: Below are some of the sources we have consulted in writing this article. Links to other sites are not continuously updated. It is therefore possible that a link may not be found. Please use a search engine to find the desired information.
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  4. , japanfoodstyle.com
  5. , globalkitchenjapan.com
  6. , nytimes.com
  7. , eater.com
  8. , gourmetwarehouse.ca
  9. , thespruceeats.com
  10. , chicagotribune.com
  11. , couteauxduchef.com
  12. , couteaujaponais.com
  13. , amazon.co.uk
  14. , decideur.co
  15. , ecomparatif.fr
  16. , couteaujaponais.com
  17. , amazon.ca
  18. , testeur-du-dimanche.fr
  19. , cdiscount.com
  20. , meilleurduchef.com
  21. , mathon.fr
  22. , alicedelice.com
  23. , tompress.com
  24. , mathon.fr
  25. , latabledeschefs.fr
  26. , lesdelicesdalexandre.fr
  27. , m.youtube.com
  28. , alicedelice.com
  29. , cdiscount.com
  30. , lajoliemaison.fr
  31. , couteauxduchef.com
See more

Updates

March 2022 : Translation of this buying guide from our partner meilleurtest.fr

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Our selection
Benriner 64W 3
Benriner 64W
Leifheit 4 + 1 ComfortLine
Leifheit 4 + 1 ComfortLine
Lacor 60357
Lacor 60357
Mastrad F21000
Mastrad F21000

Lecteurs

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