Written by Lara Yehia. Lara researches home and kitchen products for Cupindy.
Published November 2026 · Last reviewed November 6, 2026
Short answer: get the Benriner Super Slicer if you want the sharpest, most precise cut. Pick the OXO Good Grips Large Adjustable if you are new to mandolines and want a slicer that is hard to set up wrong. For a steel body and waffle cuts, the OXO Steel Chef's Mandoline 2.0 has both, though it is big and heavy.
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Our quick pick
Benriner Super Slicer (BN-95W)
A light, Japanese-made plastic slicer with a straight steel blade, a dial for the thickness and three julienne blades. Bon Appétit's testers named it the best mandoline they tried.
See the Benriner on AmazonThe drawback: the hand guard is clunky to hold, and the plastic stains after carrots or beets.
How we put this together: on November 6, 2026 we read each slicer's Amazon listing in the US store, the makers' own product pages and manuals, and Bon Appétit's hands-on test. We did not use these slicers ourselves. Cupindy is not affiliated with any of these brands.
Best Mandoline Slicers at a Glance
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| Slicer | Best for | Buy |
|---|---|---|
|
Benriner Super Slicer Our quick pick. Plastic body, dial, 3 julienne blades |
The cleanest, thinnest slices | See it |
|
OXO Large Adjustable Handheld 7 settings from 1 to 4 mm, one fixed blade |
First-time mandoline owners | See it |
|
OXO Hand-Held 3 settings: 1, 2.5 and 4 mm |
Small kitchens and small budgets | See it |
|
OXO Steel Chef's 2.0 Steel body, up to 21 cuts, wavy and fry blades |
Big batches and fancy cuts | See it |
|
OXO V-Blade V-shaped blade, 4 settings from 1.5 to 6 mm |
Cooks who want a V blade | See it |
What touches your food
Every slicer here cuts with a steel blade. What changes is the surface your food slides across, and how much of the slicer can go in the dishwasher.
| Slicer | Body | Blade |
|---|---|---|
| Benriner Super Slicer | Plastic; the listing says BPA-free | Japanese stainless steel, plus 3 julienne blades |
| OXO Large Adjustable | Plastic with a clear slicing surface | Stainless steel, fixed in place |
| OXO Hand-Held | Clear plastic | Stainless steel, fixed in place |
| OXO Steel Chef's 2.0 | Stainless steel, per the listing | Straight and wavy blades, built-in julienne and fry blades |
| OXO V-Blade | Plastic, per the listing | V-shaped stainless steel, 4 blades |
Cut size in inches: 1 mm is about 1/25 inch, 2.5 mm about 1/10 inch, and 4 mm about 5/32 inch.
What Is a Mandoline Slicer Used For?
A mandoline slices food to one even thickness, fast: paper-thin cucumber, potatoes for gratin or chips, cabbage for slaw, and matchsticks if it has julienne blades. It is a flat plank with a very sharp blade set across it. You slide the food along the plank and over the blade, and the slice drops out underneath.
Even slices cook at the same speed, which is why a gratin comes out right. Bon Appétit says a good one takes a whole head of cabbage down to fine shreds for slaw in about a minute.
Best Overall: Benriner Super Slicer
It was Bon Appétit's best overall, and the magazine says you would struggle to find a culinary professional who recommends anything else. Its testers found the blade the sharpest of the adjustable mandolines they tried, and the senior test kitchen editor likes that the plastic body is light enough to slip into a small kitchen drawer.
The Super Slicer is the middle of Benriner's three sizes, with a blade about 3.7 inches (95 mm) wide by the listing. A dial under the plank sets the slice, from paper-thin up to about 8 mm (5/16 inch) by one retailer's spec sheet. Three toothed blades swap in for fine, medium and coarse julienne. The listing describes a non-skid rubber base and a notch that hooks over a bowl, so slices fall straight in.
Japanese brands get copied: a US retailer warns that knock-offs are sold under the name Japanese mandoline. Check that the listing shows the Benriner brand and the model BN-95W before you buy.
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Best overall
Benriner Super Slicer (BN-95W)
Plastic, with Japanese stainless steel blades by the listing, an easy-turn thickness dial, a safety guard and a hook for setting it over a bowl.
Good for: cooks who want restaurant-thin slices and can respect a very sharp blade
The drawback: The hand guard is a separate plastic piece the testers found clunky and somewhat uncomfortable, and the plastic stains, especially after carrots or beets. The listing says top-rack dishwasher safe, but Bon Appétit says it is not, so wash it by hand.
See the Benriner on AmazonBest Handheld Mandoline Slicer for Beginners and Budgets
If a long, bare blade makes you nervous, start with a handheld OXO. You hold it by a padded handle, rest its foot on a board or hook it over a bowl, and push the food down a short ramp.
A marked thickness dial: set it before you start slicing.
The OXO Large Adjustable is the one Bon Appétit recommends for beginners. Its dial turns through seven thickness settings, from 1 to 4 mm in half-millimeter steps, plus a lock. Just past the blade, the slicing surface is clear, so you can see slices piling up. That matters: if they stack too high, the guard can catch on your next pass. It was the slicer the testers felt most confident setting up, without needing the manual.
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Best for beginners
OXO Good Grips Large Adjustable Handheld Mandoline Slicer
Seven labeled thickness settings, a wide ramp for potatoes, cucumbers and cabbage, and a food holder that snaps onto the underside for storage.
Good for: a first mandoline, or anyone who wants clear settings and a lock
The drawback: The single blade is fixed, so there are no julienne or waffle cuts, and in the magazine's test it needed a little more force on fibrous sweet potatoes. Its care advice is unclear (see the cleaning table), so wash it by hand.
See the OXO Large on AmazonThe smaller OXO Hand-Held was the magazine's budget pick. It has three settings, 1, 2.5 and 4 mm, and a thin, sharp blade that went through sweet potatoes at every setting without snagging and made clean cuts on cucumber and apple. OXO's Amazon listing says it is dishwasher safe, and the food holder covers the blade when you put it away.
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Best budget pick
OXO Good Grips Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer
A narrow, clear slicer with three settings, a locked position and a food holder that doubles as a blade cover.
Good for: small kitchens, a crowded drawer, a first try at slicing
The drawback: It is narrow, so wide produce such as a large onion might need to be halved first. There are no extra blades to swap in.
See the OXO Hand-Held on AmazonStainless Steel Mandoline Slicer: When a Steel Body Is Worth It
A steel body will not make the cut sharper; every slicer here has a steel blade. It buys weight and a frame that will not stain, and it costs you space, because the steel countertop models are big and heavy. This is the style kitchen shops sell as a professional mandoline.
The OXO Steel Chef's Mandoline 2.0 offers up to 21 cuts, with straight and wavy blades and built-in julienne and fry blades, and it is the only slicer here whose listing promises waffle cuts. Bon Appétit tested the Chef's Mandoline 2.0 (its write-up uses both the Good Grips and the Steel names) and liked the tab for swapping blades, the labeled lock and the julienne blades that pop up when you choose them. It still went on the magazine's don't-recommend list: it is pricey, and if sharpness is all you care about, the top picks do better for about half as much.
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Steel-body option
OXO Steel Chef's Mandoline 2.0
A stainless steel countertop slicer with straight and serrated blades, built-in julienne and fry blades, half-millimeter thickness steps and a food holder. The listing says the unused side of the blade stays hidden.
Good for: big batches of potatoes, waffle fries, and cooks who want no plastic frame
The drawback: It is the heaviest slicer here, about 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg) by the listing, and takes real cupboard space. The listing says hand wash only, and it costs far more than the handhelds.
See the OXO Steel 2.0 on AmazonFor no plastic at all, the same testers liked the all-steel Rösle Hobel handheld for its razor-sharp blade and easy cleaning, but found it pricey.
Then there is the OXO V-Blade. It comes with four blades, including a wavy one for crinkle cuts, and four thickness settings from 1.5 to 6 mm. The testers found it sturdy but fussy: too many moving pieces, jumps between settings that were too big, and julienne blades that snagged. Buy it only if you want a V-shaped blade.
How to Choose a Mandoline Slicer
- Thickness control. Clearly marked settings (both OXO handhelds) are easiest to learn. The Benriner's dial has no fixed stops, which gives you more control but less guidance.
- Blades. A straight blade covers most jobs. Julienne blades make matchsticks for slaw and stir-fries, and only the Benriner, the V-Blade and the Steel 2.0 have them here. A V-shaped blade starts the cut from two sides; a wavy blade makes crinkle cuts.
- Width. A wide plank takes a whole potato or a wedge of cabbage. Narrow handhelds need big produce cut down first.
- A lock and a guard. A lock setting covers the edge when the slicer is put away. Check that the food holder grips the food firmly.
For potatoes: any of the five. For gratin slices or chips, the Benriner or the OXO Large; for fries and waffle fries, the OXO Steel Chef's 2.0. For cabbage: a quarter head on the Benriner, or the OXO Large's wide ramp. For julienne: the Benriner's swap-in blades, or the Steel 2.0's built-in ones.
Straight-blade slices and julienne strips: the two jobs most home cooks buy a mandoline for.
How to Use a Mandoline Slicer Safely
Mandolines have a reputation for trips to the emergency room. The risky moment is the end of the food, when the piece gets small and your fingers get close. OXO's printed instructions put the rule plainly: “Always use the Food Holder to prevent injury.”
- Set it on a dry, steady surface. Rest the foot on a cutting board (our non-toxic cutting board picks) or hook it over a bowl so it cannot slide.
- Choose the thickness before you start, and never adjust the dial with your hand near the blade.
- Use the guard every time, even for one quick cucumber. Press the food holder into the food so it grips.
- Slide with steady, even strokes. Do not force it. If you have to push hard, the blade is dull or the food is too wide.
- Stop when the piece gets short. Finish the last bit with a knife, or save it for stock.
- Give it your full attention. Recipe developer Jess Damuck, quoted by Bon Appétit, never uses hers while talking to someone.
- Lock it and cover the blade before you wash it or put it away.
A sharp blade is the safer blade. Damuck points out that a dull mandoline is the most dangerous kind, because food sticks and you lean on it harder. If the guard feels clumsy, the magazine suggests cut-resistant gloves, and an emergency physician quoted by Advocate Health lists both the guard and a cut-resistant glove among kitchen safety tips.
The last piece is where slips happen. Keep the guard on it, or stop and finish with a knife.
If you do cut yourself, the same doctor advises pressure on the wound and raising the hand to stop the bleeding, then cleaning and bandaging it. A deep cut may need stitches in the emergency room, and swelling, color change or drainage later means it is time to see a doctor.
Cleaning and Care: Hand Wash or Dishwasher?
Wash the blade by hand. Dishwashers can dull a fine edge, and the listings and the makers do not always agree on what can go in.
| Slicer | The Amazon listing | The maker or tester |
|---|---|---|
| Benriner Super Slicer | Top-rack dishwasher safe | Bon Appétit says it is not dishwasher safe; we found no Benriner care page |
| OXO Large Adjustable | Says both hand wash only and dishwasher safe | OXO's product page gives no care rule |
| OXO Hand-Held | Dishwasher safe | OXO's website gave no care details when we checked |
| OXO Steel Chef's 2.0 | Hand wash only | OXO's page would not load when we checked |
| OXO V-Blade | Hand wash only | OXO's guide: blades by hand, other parts on the top rack |
Rinse the slicer as soon as you finish, before starch and juice dry on it. Wipe the blade from the spine side with a brush or sponge, never along the edge, and dry it at once. With beets or carrots, a quick rinse right away may limit the staining on a plastic body like the Benriner.
Wash from the back of the blade, with the edge facing away from your fingers.
Blades dull with use. Spare Benriner flat and julienne blades are sold separately, for example by MTC Kitchen; match the model number.
Mandoline Slicer vs Vegetable Chopper
A mandoline makes slices and strips. A press chopper pushes food through a grid and makes cubes. If most of your prep is diced onion, pepper and celery, a chopper will save more time; see our vegetable chopper picks. For thin, even slices for salads, gratins and chips, nothing else does that as well as a mandoline.
Questions People Ask
Is a mandoline worth it if I have a good knife?
Yes, if you slice a lot of produce. A good knife can cut thin, even slices, but a mandoline does it faster and the same every time, which helps for gratins, chips and slaw. For chopping, dicing and mincing, keep the knife; our chef knife guide and santoku vs chef knife comparison cover those.
What is the best mandoline slicer for potatoes?
For slices, the Benriner: its dial goes from paper-thin up to thick planks for a gratin. For French fries and waffle fries, the OXO Steel Chef's 2.0, which has fry and wavy blades. The OXO Large handles potatoes too, though it needs extra push on sweet potatoes.
Which mandoline is best for cabbage and slaw?
A wide one. Cut the head into quarters and slice each quarter on the Benriner or the OXO Large.
Which mandoline makes waffle fries?
Of the five here, only the OXO Steel Chef's 2.0 lists waffle cuts. Use its wavy blade and give the potato a quarter turn between strokes. The V-Blade's wavy blade makes crinkle slices, and the Benriner and both OXO handhelds make straight slices.
Do I need cut-resistant gloves for a mandoline?
They are a good extra, not a replacement for the guard, and they help most if you find the guard clumsy. Wear one on the hand that pushes the food. A glove resists cuts but is not cut-proof, so still stop before the piece gets too short.
Is an electric mandoline better?
Only if you slice big batches. Electric slicers and food processors with slicing discs save effort there, but they take more space and give less control over very thin slices. A manual mandoline fits in a drawer.
Can you put a mandoline in the dishwasher?
Some parts, on some models. OXO's guide for the V-Blade sends everything except the blades to the top rack. Hand washing is the safe choice for any blade, because heat and knocks can dull the edge.
Where do I find replacement blades?
Spare Benriner flat and julienne blades are sold separately; check that the blade matches your model number. The OXO handhelds have a fixed blade, so a dull one means a new slicer.
Sources (opened November 6, 2026; the five Amazon listings were read the same day from the US store)
- Bon Appétit: The best mandoline slicer (hands-on test)
- OXO: Good Grips Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer
- OXO: Large Adjustable Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer
- OXO: V-Blade Mandoline Slicer use and care guide (PDF)
- Advocate Health health enews: Cucumber slices and ER visits
- KaTom: Benriner BN95 spec sheet
- MTC Kitchen: Super Benriner No. 95
Brand names belong to their owners. Product details and listings change; check the listing and the maker's care guide before you buy.
