Anyone purchased a Benriner spiralizer?

Anyone offer some feedback on this model?

[www.lakeland.co.uk]

There appears to be a horizontal (commercial model) and a vertical (domestic model) available.
I have a saladaco. Its ideal for small quantities.
Im just looking for something that can process larger items like whole cabbage.
Thanks

Lorretta

Bron, the French makers of mandolines, also make a horizontal turning slicer that is manufactured from stainless steel..It is very expensive, at around $500 USD..

It will accomidate veggies that are approximately 50% larger in diameter & in length then the Benriner horizontal turning slicer will..

Having used these machines in commercial kitchens, I have elected to purchase the Benriner horizontal turning slicer for myself..I don't feel that the extra money for the Bron is worth it..

No handheld turning slicer that I am aware of will accomidate even the smallest head of cabbage..In my opinion turning slicers are only usefull for vegetables that are solid with an even grain & texture..Loose vegetables with layers such as onions & cabbage just disintegrate fron the pressure being applied to the vegetable by the small blades..

If you feel the need to process large quantities of veggies such as cabbage I would suggest taking a long hard look at Cuisinart's largest food processor, the DLC-X Plus..This machine with a full compliment of discs will set you back about $1100 USD..It will perform tasks that no other home-oriented food processor will due to it's large capacity bowl (21 cups) & powerful motor..It is NOT a commercial-grade machine..An equivalent capacity commercial Robot Coupe food processor would cost you at least $4000 USD, maybe more..

Good luck,

Bruce

Loretta,
I just left a friend's house who has the model of spiralizer that you posted in the link. She absoulutely loves it and highly recommends. It is small and looks like a 'cheap piece of plastic' but it is actually very powerful and works well with hard vegetables like rutabaga. However, she bought her's on Ebay for much cheaper. Happy shopping!

mmmmm mmmm yummmm yummm zuchinni pasta

oh i made that bfore
but didn't hav a spiralizer
so oi just kind of used those mandolines that were like less than 10 bucks i think... ( it was a while since i bought it)

and it tasted just fine grated

besides if its all in one strand, i need scissors to cut it up otherwise its messy and i am a METICULOUS PASTA EATER.. no jus kidding

it looks like fun though how did they make the cucumber look like a circular circle like dna helix in the pic?

i thought it made strings not circles .. hmmm.. maybe its a visual trick

okay.. i think i get it.. so its just bigger in width then they twisted it for the photo, huh?

anyhow.. let us know

I also have the horizontal Benriner, like Bruce described. I love it, so fun and easy to use. I went with the horizontal over the vertical because it looked like there wasn't all that much room under the vertical for the spiralized veggies, and I didn't want them getting all scrunched up, if you know what I mean. The horizontal one lets the veggies fall in a loose pile next to the spiralizer instead of underneath it.

Also, while I was thinking that a vertical model made more sense because the vegetable would move downwards based on gravity and it would be easier to push downwards on it, I was told that you actually don't want to put too much force on the blades or they'll get bent sooner (Bruce: Any experience with this?). And that once the blades catch on the veg your turning motion should sort of pull the vegetable torward the blade after that with just light pushing, and this has been my experience so far (used it about a dozen times.) Here's a link to some pics of the horizontal (Turning Slicer, I think they call it):
[www.sharpknives.com]

la veronique - the slicer I have makes kind of corkscrew shapes, you know? Like double helix sorta, yeah.

Emily

pradiata

You are correct in assuming that minimal force should be used when turning the cranks on the various spiral slicers..A good rule of thumb with the blades of these slicers is to replace them on a fairly regular basis..

For example, if using the machine once a week for 52 weeks a year, then I would replace the bades every 2-3 years..If used 2-3 days per week for 52 weeks a year, then I would replace the blades yearly..Used 4-5 days a week (or more frequently), then I would replace the blades at least twice yearly..

Now what I have just written will probably seem excessive to a lot of people, but think of it in this way..A good chef sharpens his knives at least a couple of times a year on a stone, & periodically all day long on a steel..

The blade sets in these machines are made from fairly thin stainless steel that dulls quickly..They cannot be effectively sharpened in the home without some very sophisticated sharpening equipment that would cost WAY more then the value of the blade sets..You could purchase a lifetime of blade sets without putting a dent in the cost of the machinery needed to sharpen the blades on a spiral slicer!!

All root vegetables, & it is primarily root vegetables that cooks are spiralizing through these machines, contain fairly high amounts of dissolved minerals in the roots themselves..The dissolved minerals do a pretty good job of dulling the blades..

Using minimal force to push the vegetable will help to prolong the sharpeness of the blades..Take my suggestion for what it's worth, & remove the blades of spiral slicers (& small mandolines with removeable blades) each & every time that you finish using them when you are in the process of washing the machine..There are several reasons for doing so, all good ones..

First, it is nearly impossible to get all of the food that gets caught in the crevices between the blade & the body of the slicer or mandoline; without removing the blade to do so..Trying to get the machine clean w/o removing the blade is an exercise in frustration..It is WAY quicker to remove the blade first, rather the fighting to wash out the food bits with water pressure, or picking them out with the tip of a knife, etc..

Second, one of the MAIN reasons that cutting edge of any blade dulls, other then everyday ordinary use, is from the oxygen in water that is left on the cutting surface by cooks & chefs too lazy to take the time to properly dry off the blade after EVERY use..Since the nearly 100% move to stainless steel versus carbon steel for cutting tools in kitchens occured over the past three decades; most people are used to letting their knives drip dry instead of hand drying them..With carbon steel blades you MUST hand dry them immediatly after washing or else they will rust..

Removing, washing, & drying the small fragile blades of a spiral slicer after each use will keep them sharper, longer..Doing so will also allow you to inspect the prongs of the julienne blades for bending & deformation; & allow you to straighten them when necessary..Keeping the prongs straight will signifigantly reduce the effort of use..Bent prongs make for more work!!..

Bruce