Why buy a Hobart meat slicer?
For the average home cook, a meat slicer might seem like an unnecessary expense. After all, a knife can accomplish the same task, and a meat slicer takes up valuable countertop real estate. But for large families, self-styled home chefs and people who love to innovate in the kitchen, a commercial meat slicer is a great investment that will pay for itself in time saved and food prepped. But are Hobart meat slicers worth the cost?
What is a Hobart meat slicer?
When you visit the deli counter and order a pound of your favorite deli meats and cheeses, chances are they’ll be sliced right in front of you with a commercial meat slicer. Commercial meat slicers cut a large volume of food into consistent and uniform thicknesses using a carriage that slides across a spinning blade. These carriages can be manual, requiring the operator to physically move the food product through the blade, or they can be automatic and feed the product through itself.
Hobart meat-slicer blades are chrome-plated forged carbon steel, protecting them from chips, scrapes and dents. Most parts of the machine, including the product tray, slicer base, ring guard, knife cover and gauge plate are manufactured in anodized cast aluminum for easy cleaning and superior durability. Likewise, the meat-grip assembly is built from cast iron to last. Simply put, Hobart meat slicers are high-quality appliances meant for those who truly want to bring their food prep to the next level.
Foods that are sliced in a commercial meat slicer
Whenever you want consistent, thin slices, a meat slicer is the go-to appliance. Deli meats and cheese are the most common foods sliced, but you can also use it for other fruits and vegetables. Wafer-thin pieces of melon for charcuterie boards and transparent potato slices destined to become potato chips are two other applications for your commercial meat slicer. Consider also using it to slice sandwich bread and baguettes for crostini or vegetables like beets, carrots and cucumbers.
Types of commercial meat slicers
Light-duty meat slicers
If you are planning on using your meat slicer for less than an hour a day, a light-duty slicer is a good choice. For most meat slicers in this category, only half of that time can be used to slice cheese, as this strains the motor more than meat. Most home cooks will select this type of slicer.
Medium-duty meat slicers
Medium-duty slicers double the operating time but still cannot handle more than 30 minutes of cheese slicing at once. Consider these if you might use your meat slicer several times a year for a higher volume of slicing, or if you have a small deli or cafe.
Heavy-duty meat slicers
These models can handle pretty much anything you throw at them, for as long as you need them. Large restaurants and high-volume delis will opt for heavy-duty slicers.
Many Hobart meat slicers come with automatic sharpening for the blade, but over time blades can wear down. Replace your slicer blade when the gap between the blade and the carriage becomes thicker than what you normally slice.
Benefits of a Hobart meat slicer
Commercial meat slicers are fast
When you have a pack of hungry kids waiting for sandwiches, commercial meat slicers can help. Whether your Hobart meat slicer is manual or automatic, speed is a big plus when feeding a crowd.
Commercial meat slicers are consistent and easy to use
Professional chefs know that consistent knife cuts are the hallmark of greatness in the kitchen. A commercial meat slicer produces the most consistent results, slicing food to equal thickness every time. What’s more, once your commercial meat slicer is set up, it will be a breeze to operate. Hobart provides detailed and illustrated instructions for use and care with each model, ensuring any home chef can utilize the device’s superior cutting power safely and efficiently.
Commercial meat slicers save money
Any time your food undergoes processing, the price goes up. When a company packages sliced meat and cheese, or your local grocery is selling pre-sliced melon or cheese, you can bet you’re paying more. A commercial meat slicer is an upfront investment that pays dividends over the long haul.
Commercial meat slicers are safe
Even with a spinning blade, commercial meat slicers are safe to use. Automatic sharpening means cleaner cuts. Hobart also features a zero-contact blade design for cleaning.
How to choose a Hobart meat slicer
Choosing the meat slicer that works for you really depends on how often you’ll use it, how fast you want it to work, and how much you’d like to spend.
You also want to think about durability and size. Cheap meat slicers seem like a bargain until they fall apart after the first month of use. If counter space is at a premium, consider how much room you can allot for one appliance.
Finally, whether you are considering a Hobart meat slicer as a home cook or a foodservice professional, you want the slicer you choose to be easy to clean and safe to use. Look for simple construction with parts that can be removed and thrown into a dishwasher. In terms of safety, no matter what features your meat slicer has, consider operating it with safety gloves for extra protection.
Best Hobart meat slicers
Best medium-duty Hobart meat slicer
Hobart EDGE12-1 1/2 HP Manual Slicer: available at Amazon
This medium-duty slicer is easy to clean and slices products up to 9/16 inches. The 12-inch chrome-plated, carbon-steel blade can handle whatever you throw its way.
Best medium-duty Hobart meat slicer with a large blade
Hobart EDGE13-11 Manual Meat Slicer with 13-inch Carbon Steel Knife: available at Amazon
The larger blade on this model allows you to slice through bigger, tougher pieces of meat and comes with a smaller footprint and a top-mounted sharpener.
Best automatic Hobart meat slicer
Hobart Heavy Duty Automatic Slicer: available at Amazon
This hands-free automatic slicer can produce up to 58 slices a minute, making food prep quick and easy. This model's CleanCut knife lasts two to three times longer than a carbon-coated or stainless steel blade, so it's built to handle whatever project you have lined up in the kitchen.
Suzannah Kolbeck is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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