Slice Thin, Slice Quick, Store Folded

Progressive International HGT-11 Folding Mandoline Slicer

Kitchen gadgets that offer quick and reliable usage are practically indispensable. When it comes to prep work, slicing is usually best handled by a knife. That is, unless the desired result is super thin slices—the kind a mandoline can easily provide.

There’s nothing fancy about the Progressive International HGT-11 Folding Mandoline Slicer. For less than $15, however, it can do so much: thick slice, thin slice, super thin, thick julienne, thin julienne, and super thin julienne. When said and done, just pop it in the dishwasher for easy cleaning. It even folds for convenient storage. Just try doing that with a fancy knife.

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Capturing the Cooking Storm (Or at Least Some of the Prep Work)

Oneida 7pc Mandolin Slicing Bowl

Kitchen life is messy. There is good reason, after all, that ‘cooking up a storm’ evolved into an expression. If you prefer to keep your tempest in a teapot, you’re going to need a teapot… or in this case, a bowl.

The Oneida 7pc Mandolin Slicing Bowl comes with four slicing blades and a 1-quart stainless steel bowl. The combination of a mandoline slicer with a bowl makes for a convenient and efficient prep tool. Simply snap the lid over the bowl and slice away. The results are captured in the bowl for easy transport or storage. Currently priced at $19.99, the prepping gadget is one kitchen item that is as affordable as an umbrella–not that you’d need rain gear in the kitchen or anything.

Grate and slice with a mandoline

zyliss_mandoline

Kitchen gadgets are easy to accumulate: they are fun, encourage you to cook and make excellent gifts. One measure as to the usefulness of any kitchen gadget is how many degrees separate it from being a unitasker. Any device meant to do one thing is just going to end up cluttering up the junk drawer. If a gizmo can do two things, great. Three things, even better. But four? Hey. I’m on board.

Okay, this Zyliss 4-In-1 Multi Slicer/Grater might be pushing it, as almost any grater will at least offer the choice between fine and course, but not as many can handle slicing too. If you got a mandoline hanging out in your kitchen, there’s a good chance it doesn’t do any grating (although many do). Likewise for your grater, the slicer portion can be woefully inadequate. With the added bonus of a finger guard, this grater-meets-mandoline makes for a fine addition into the collection of kitchen gadgets designed to do more than one thing.