PL8 by Progressive Mandoline Slicer, Multiple Adjustable Thicknesses, Julienne and Waffle Cut, Slicing Ramp, Non-Skid Feet, Vegetable Slicer, Saftey Hand Guard

Updated September 1, 2022Still with the investment and still as awesome as when purchased.Original post:I never really appreciated being able to slice vegetables so much as I do with this mandolin. I got this to replace a broken pampered chef slicer. This is incredibly sharp and has stayed so for five years it is easy to use And the slices are always consistent. The food guard is large enough for good size vegetables. It is extremely easy to switch from Julianne to straight slicing as well as the thickness adjustment it is also incredibly easy to flip the blade from the straight blade to the wavy blade. It is easy to clean and sturdy. It does not have multiple plates like so many other products seem to have but it does it’s job incredibly well. I have not yet figured out A way to great cheese compared to the pampered chef the slicer but with all the other uses this has and how much more I got used than my previous one it has well been worth it I now just use a greater over a bowl for cheese. I had purchased one other one prior to this and sent it back quickly it was not nearly as sturdy or easy to use.

I am just getting into cooking more home cooked meals since I work at home now and found it tedious and time consuming to slice and chop some of the things I was cooking to the point I was avoiding recipes that required a lot of slicing.A friend suggested that I get a mandolin but to skip the plastic ones and get a 'nice professional grade' model. OUCH!! When I saw some of the prices of the top end models I was going to just pass until I saw this one. It was still a little more than I wanted to pay but after using this a few times now I would have paid more!I love that there are no real blades to swap out and it is easy to clean with just a sink sprayer but after a day of using it it easily tossed right in the dishwasher and it's sparkling clean again.Changing between cuts is as easy and turning a know or sliding a switch and can be changed up very quickly and easily. The hand held part and the slider work flawlessly together and were very smooth no matter how much I jammed in there to slice. It only has 4 cut thicknesses which seemed low compared to some of the others but with a little practice and the pressure you use I can consistently get more than the 4.My first time using it it was so quick and easy I sliced enough potatoes to make two big trays of scalloped potatoes and some french fries in less than 5 minutes! It took me MUCH long to just peel the potatoes!!Solid, easy to use, quick to clean, and not having to mess with or touch the blades makes this perfect for me being a novice cook but I can see anyone using this and enjoying it.Normally I would do a PROS and CONS at the end of my review for something like this but there is no need here. Everything works great and if I come across something that I do not like or think it does not do well I will update this review.

This mandoline is every bit as beefy and beautiful as it looks, and it is very stable. The incorporated blades are important to me because I tend to cut myself when cutting anything at all and drop my knives a lot. Hopefully this will save my toes. By necessity, I’ve gotten very good at jumping away from falling knives and box cutters. All ten toes can testify. When first examining and testing the blade-closed position for storage I did manage to “catch” my finger in the gap between the closed blade and the deck while examining it for storage safety. No injury, but I did breathe in sharply and expected to see a cut. This is something to keep in mind. Even with it closed, be very careful.I was concerned that the combination of buttons and pull knobs would be a pain, but they are quick to manipulate while being well-made and placed. All of the knobs and buttons work easily, but are also quite secure and don’t feel flimsy. In fact, there is nothing about the PL8 1000 that feels flimsy. It feels and looks quite professional. The rear leg is also sturdy and beefy, easy to open or close, and the incorporated handle has a nice cushiony covering that feels durable. The designers did a good job with this mandoline. The only thing that would make it better was if it was all stainless steel. As a life-long klutz, I feel sure I will drop it at some point and it may break due to the non-metal parts – buttons, body, etc.The PL8 comes in sturdy, protective box with useful quick-start information on the back. It is well-packed for shipment. The price-point was a concern to me, but after seeing and using the PL8 1000 I think the price is spot on. I did a quick review of the manual, but it is so short that, while it was informative to a degree, it doesn’t give you anything thing more than the operational basics. The manual could be expanded bit to include a few tips, suggestions, and techniques without much trouble. The manual is quite small and the English portion is a very short five pages, but there is also a Spanish language version at the back.One thing that concerned me before purchase was the food handler guide. Since it’s attached in the picture I didn’t think it was removable. It is and that will aid when slicing tomatoes since a good cut requires a zig zag approach on a diagonal blade. It removes and reattaches easily when needed for use or cleaning. The guide also has nubs at the top and bottom to facilitate holding the veggies when cutting lengthwise. Nice. I got a cutting glove for the times I’m not using the guide. Today for testing I used a nitrile glove. Not great protection, but better than bare skin.Likes: the incorporated blades, the many choices in sizes and types of cuts, the professional quality and appearance, the speed of processing, the overall design, and the metal deck and legs. Clean-up was super easy. A rinse with my sprayer and I was done. I also like the video that shows the various things that can be done. I am slower and less clever at present, but that will change with continued use.Video found here:http://progressiveintl.com/products/professional-mandolinehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjR-s5egilUDislikes: the food handler and the guide – especially the handler (zero surprise). If you lift the guide up to place food the handler falls out with a clatter so remove it first or hang on to it while lifting. The metal spikes hinder more than help. They are too few and don’t really seem to help while holding the food, even with the guide. Even then they don’t retract automatically and will come in contact with the blade if you are not careful. When not using the spikes and using the guide it works fine except that you have less cutting control. It seems to me the spikes on the handler should be spring loaded and offer at least five or six. I think I will mostly be using the PL8 1000 without the guide and handler, but with my cutting glove as I suspected before receiving. After a bit of research, part of my issue with the food handler may be my fault due to lack of experience. Time will tell. I still don't care much for it though.For me this mandoline is a learning experience. It is my first and it will take me a bit to learn the possibilities, but nonetheless it is a quality tool. I already dropped the food guide and it didn’t break – very encouraging. I will update this review and the stars once I know more.