Chef's Choice 632 International Gourmet VariTilt Electric Food Slicer
by Chef's Choice
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List Price: Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Chef's Choice 632 International Gourmet VariTilt Electric Food Slicer
Customer Review: It's still new, but so far, it's WONDERFUL
Summary: 5 Stars
Originally, we used our (30 year old) meat slicer for slicing rump roast for roast beef sandwiches. But the the unit broke, Toastmaster no longer made a slicer, so we carefully researched currently available models and manufacturers. The result was the purchase of a Chef's Choice 632, the cheapest of the Varitilt Electric food slicers and a product of a company that got far fewer complaints about noise, smells and cleaning problems than the others in my price range ($100-$300).
We opted for the varitilt because it allows the user to slice more than just goodly sized chunks of meat and cheese. Using the tilt function allows you to slice everything from vegies (including tomatoes) to bread. The pull of gravity allows the slices to continue through to the end of, for example, a slice of bread -- in the non-tilt varieties like our previous unit, that meant everything piling up in the cutter itself. There are still lots of discoveries to be made on this front, but so far, we've LOVED everything....from the bread and tomatoes to the thick/thin/or extra thin deli cuts of meat.
I especially like the child protection control on the bottom, on the back of the machine, out of casual reach, and use it religiously. Grandchildren make you cautious that way -- you have to remember that the blade is REALLY sharp!. It became automatic to turn it on the very first day,
The slicing controls on this machine are wonderful (though I'm comparing to a 30 year old machine) We did a deli night using a very small corned beef brisket, a very small smoked turkey breast and a small cure 81 ham. In each case, the four adults and two children wanted different thickness, and it took half a second to make the adjustment. Then, someone got the idea for paninni sandwiches, and we started to experiment with cheese slicing....we wound up with raves for the thinnest possible cheese slices because they melted so easily and because they curled well. And we wound up using thicker slices of cheese for hors d'oeuvres.
So far, cleaning is easy, but I haven't yet taken apart the machine for full washing. BTW: Try using a toothbrush or a Dawn automatic brush (available at Walgreens and similar stores). There's been no smell, and noise is non-existant -- these were all complaints against other machines on the market.
I should also note that this manufacturer got good reviews everywhere, including by the consumer reports folks.
Summary -- at this point, this is a dream appliance, and one that can be left out without worries. Next experiment, sweet potatoe fries. You have to microwave them for about 30 seconds to soften them up, but then it's supposedly very easy to cut them like french-fries or like potato chips and have a nice, but healthy, sweet treat.
I highly recommend the unit at this time. If anything changes, I'll log in again with an adjustment. But at this point, it's a 5 star unit.
Customer Review: Deli Meats & More!
Summary: 5 Stars
I originally ordered the Chef's Choice 610 model and found many awful reviews, for example it couldn't cut prosciutto thin enough and the thinnest it was able to cut was the same thickness as sliced bacon you'd buy in a pack at the supermarket. Now after hearing all this I decided not to keep it and didn't even use it because I didn't want to take the risk of not being able to return it. So at that moment I went online and looked up some higher models. The 620 was lookin pretty snazzy, but it didn't have the tilt function that the 632 had (mind you that there was also a 630 model yet it also lacked the tilt function as well). And if there's one thing I know from all the research I'd done on slicers, it's that a tilt function makes usage so much easier because you're not pushing the meat on a horizontal surface. You just let gravity take it's toll while giving a nudge to the meat or whatever you're cutting, and voila! out comes beautiful and equally sliced pieces! Okay I'm geting wordy now, back to the subject. I used the slicer and tried cutting some rib eye I marinated the night before in some teriyaki sauce (Thanks Outback!). I set it to the thinnest possible amount that I would be able to slice and man was that thin. I meat it wasn't like "see-through" thin but it was damn thin. I think I've found a new way to make bulgogi too by the way (a korean bbq dish). I sliced turkey, cheese, salami, lettuce, onions, human flesh (okay so maybe I didn't do a human but i think this slicer has the ability!...geez) and every time it came out "fantastico". My opinion...BUY IT! I'm from north jersey and love deli meats. Now that I'm out in california I get frustrated dealing with awful dry shriveled deli meats that are sold at safeway and etc. If you can get your hands on some "thumanns" deli meats (only sold in tristate area) those are awesome to slice too. Anyway, bottom line is I love my slicer and I'm glad I bought it cuz I just checked the website and there's only 3 left!
"Hurry up and buy!" [spoken in the most chinese accent I can enunciate]
Customer Review: Excellent Product!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had this slicer for 30 minutes - love what it did, had to post a review.
First, I've read the neg reviews and suspect the users missed something; for example, raw meat should be frozen for 15 minutes before trying to slice it. This procedure is recommended even for knife-slicing of beef, to get really thin slices. The user who didn't like the tilt feature might not have been slicing veggies or bread or cheese. I don't get the "unpredictable heel" comment and I completely disagree about "hard to clean."
I sliced a vidalia onion after setting the machine to the lowest possible thickness; it cut paper-thin slices all the way to the root end. I think there might have been between 1/16 and 1/8 inch left - the necessary gap between the blade and the carriage, anyhow, a VERY thin "heel" and it was pretty easy to control. (Maybe the user who complained about that was trying to slice too fast.)
I've wanted a wide-blade slicer for onions, cabbage, cheese, meat and bread, and am convinced this will do everything I want. I'm sure we will use this machine every single day (we make a lot of shredded veggie salads). Our mandoline may be relegated to julienne-ing.
Cleanup is FAST!! I think it took me all of 3 minutes to disassemble it, wipe down the base and back, and wash the blade, guard, and tray, dry them off and reassemble the slicer.
I love the relatively small size.
There are a few cons: (1) there are a lot of plastic parts; (2) the included blade is serrated; (3) it's definitely a "home" version of a commercial slicer. The consequences of those are (1) have to slice slowly to retain control and avoid stressing the machine; (2) have to use it carefully; (3) should clean it immediately after using it. I am willing to put up with all of this in order to get a good quality slicer that gives me the results I want, in a footprint I can "afford."
Customer Review: Chef's Choice 632 Slicer
Summary: 5 Stars
Positive: Great! Great! Great! I spent weeks going over reviews and comments about electric food slicers in preparation for replacing one that I had been using for about 25 years. It was heavy, clunky and would slide around the counter when used. I only took it out to use when nothing else would work. But it did slice. After reading all that I could in the reviews, I decided that the Model 632 seemed the best fit for my use. Cooking is a hobby and not a profession so I needed nothing more than a good quality, home slicer. I decided to keep the new slicer on the counter for a while so I could try it out. I think it has found a permanent home. I find that I am using it almost every day for bread, meat, cheese and vegetables. The operation is smooth and with the caliper dial, very repeatable. It is stable and does not "walk" on the counter when slicing. It appears to be well manufactured and durable. Several reviewers pointed to the on/off and lock switches locations as being a problem. I find just the opposite to be true. Their location is both logical and easy to use. Though I don't use it often, I found that the little extra that I paid for the tilt table was worth the cost. Overall, it has met and/or exceeded every expectation that I had prior to purchase.
Negative: If there is a downside, it would be that the component parts are not dishwasher safe. This is nothing more that a very minor annoyance, since the unit comes apart very easily and requires little or no effort to clean. (Just use caution when cleaning the blade.)
Overall: I may find problems in the future, but for the present it gets 5 stars plus. In my opinion, a good buy.
Customer Review: A slice of life!
Summary: 5 Stars
I put-off buying a slicer like this because I had heard they were a problem to operate, lacked power and were difficult to clean. Then I saw the reviews for the Chef's Choice 632 and took the plunge. When it arrived the first thing I noticed was that the blade had a Titanium-gold coating just like my power drills which meant extra durability. The machine itself is very well made. Fit and finish is top-notch. And the tilt feature makes it easy to slice heavy items like meats ( tilted up ) and soft vegetables like tomatos ( tray down ). The slicing is prcise and effortless. I use my machine to cut baked bread into perfect 5/8" slabs or steak into paper thin slices for steak sandwiches.
Cleaning is a snap. The tray and holder are made of hard, tough plastic that repells sticking food and stains. The blade comes off with a twist and washes up quickly with soap and water. The body is also so smooth nothing sticks to it and is almost like cleaning a well waxed car- the food just slides away.
All in all a very well designed, compact and fun to use piece of kitchen machinery.