Best Type of Mandoline Slicer for You

Introduction

Mandolines can seem intimidating, but they’re the best at precisely and consistently slicing fruits and veggies—and do it almost effortlessly. Your dreams of thinly-shaved cucumber salad, a delicate French apple tart, or potato gratin will come true once you decide it’s time for a mandoline in your life. They make excellent sidekicks when you’re prepping for a crowd, making a holiday feast, or searching for a gift for your foodie friend. Which mandoline size and design will best answer your needs? This guide will point you in the right direction.

Why Choose an OXO Mandoline Slicer?

At OXO, we’re all about making it easy for you to pull off your culinary goals, and our mandolines are designed to get the job done as safely and skillfully as possible. When prepping, food guards keep produce securely in place and allow your hand and fingers to stay a safe distance away. You can also rely on our mandolines to stay put, whether over a bowl or on the countertop, and yield even slices every time. Enlist their help when making crudité platters, salads, sandwiches, potato and other veggie chips, and more.

OXO mandolines adjust to cut different thicknesses and slice types. And when you’re done, cleanup couldn’t be simpler; most of our mandolines are dishwasher safe. They also store neatly, with blade guards to protect you and the mandolines’ sharp blades.

OXO Mandoline Slicers

OXO offers a range of mandolines—from compact models perfect for small kitchens to chef-grade tools built for precision and versatility. Check out the options below to find what best suits your cooking style and space.

Best Mandoline for Thinly Sliced Garlic

Garlic Slicer

If you cook with garlic all the time, but don’t love slicing it by hand (and don’t want your fingers always smelling like garlic), this little mandoline is for you. It slices garlic into delicate, paper-thin pieces so you get a milder, sweeter flavor in sauces and stir-fries than you would from mincing or chopping garlic. This mandoline also works well for ginger or shallots. Also nice: it tucks into any kitchen drawer given its smaller size.

Compact Mandoline for a Small Kitchen

Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer

If you want a mandoline but lack the drawer space for storing—or are unsure how often you’ll use it—the adjustable hand-held mandoline is the way to go. It’s not too big or bulky, has three thickness settings, and gets the job done. Use it directly over a plate or bowl to slice zucchini, eggplant for eggplant parmesan, or potatoes. And its hand guard will keep you out of the ER (use it, even when you don’t think you need to!).

Want more range without sacrificing space? Opt for the Large Adjustable Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer that comes with seven thickness options and a wider ramp that fits more types of produce.

Beginner-Friendly Mandoline

Simple Mandoline

This mandoline is a solid starter version that can handle most fruits and veggies and deliver basic slices. It offers three different thickness options, as well as a julienne setting. To use, prop it up on its stand, which grips safely onto your countertop, and use the spring-loaded food holder to push zucchini, cucumbers, apples, or other items across the blade.

Multi-Blade Mandoline for Ultimate Flexibility

V-Blade Mandoline

This versatile slicer can bust out all the fancy moves: wavy cut, crinkle cut, french fry-cut, and the classic julienne. It also comes with four thickness settings. Turn squash into thin noodles, make fancy-shaped potato chips, or Thai papaya salad. When not in use, stash blades on the board and fold up the feet for compact storage.

Best Chef-Grade Mandoline 

Chef’s Mandoline Slicer 2.0

Want a pro-level mandoline that can tackle all the tasks? OXO sliced over 100 pounds of potatoes to test the many different settings of the Chef’s Mandoline Slicer 2.0. This top-rated tool is ready for any mandoline job, with 21 settings (!) from 0 to 9 mm thickness (increasing in ½ mm increments). Did someone say waffle fries? And julienned snap peas? And all the homemade veggie chips? If you use your mandoline often and love showing off your mandoline moves, this is your perfect partner. In fact, chefs Joanne Chang and Gregory Gourdet both rank it among their favorite OXO products.

Perfect Mandoline Gift for an Advanced Cook

Steel Chef’s Mandoline 2.0

This mandoline has all the perks of the Chef’s Slicer, plus a few exciting upgrades. Made of elegant stainless steel, this tool includes an angled Japanese blade (sharp and durable) and a top-view indicator window and dial so you can easily see and adjust your settings. Give it to the family member who’s always whipping up four-star meals.

In short, there’s a mandoline for every type of cook and kitchen. Explore the complete OXO collection and find the best fit for you.

How to Use a Mandoline

A mandoline can be used to cut foods into thin slices, julienned strips, as well as fun shapes like wavy and crinkle cuts. Some versions are handheld and can rest over a bowl or countertop when cutting. Others come with feet or a kickstand that stabilizes them on a surface.

To use, first choose your setting. For even, round slices (tomatoes for burgers, cucumbers for salad), use a straight blade, then select a thickness. Place produce atop mandoline and press the food holder into it to secure. Swipe food across blade to slice.

For fries or other thin julienned strips, you’ll want a thin, julienne setting. You may need to cut potatoes and other larger produce in half before securing with the food holder. Cut widthwise for waffle fries and rotate potato and food holder 90 degrees after each slice. For matchstick or thin fries, use a julienne setting at ⅛-inch to ¼-inch square.

Check out these how-tos for more tips on mastering your mandoline.

Conclusion

A mandoline unlocks the potential to up your cooking game. Suddenly, you have the power to slice up foods safely and precisely, making thin strips and even cuts that can be used in a variety of ways. Summer salads? Grilling season? Breeze through the prep work and impress guests with your restaurant-worthy results. Mandolines are also an ideal holiday or other gift for newlyweds, first-time homeowners, or anyone who calls the kitchen their happy place.