Transforming a few pounds of potatoes into thin, even rounds for a gratin or shaving paper-thin slices of raw fennel for a salad takes great knife skills, not to mention patience. The alternative? A mandoline. It easily turns fruits and vegetables into uniform slices or julienne sticks of almost any thickness and size with speed and precision. It’s safer to use than a handheld slicer because it has legs for added stability. And don’t forget the mandoline’s inimitable talent: crinkle and waffle cuts. Here are our favorites among the dozen we tested.

终极：De买家La Mandoline v Professionnelle

$190; Kitchenu.com (Update: This product no longer appears to be available. VisitDe买家的网站for similar products).

Priced at the fantasy level, (but maybe you deserve it), this one’s for the cook who wants a top-of-the-line mandoline. The extremely sharp V-shaped blade slices smoothly and effortlessly, even with ripe tomatoes—the only mandoline we tested that can make that claim. It sits on its side at a comfortable 45-degree angle, has a large food pusher, and the insertion and removal of the slicing blades is intuitive and straightforward. The design of the stainless-steel pusher is a standout—it’s spring-loaded to maintain constant, even pressure on the food so you don’t have to. And it feels sturdy and natural as you move it. You can set up the handle for right- and left-hand use. Clear markings at the top of the mandoline help you gauge the thickness of your cut, and the crank that adjusts the thickness is easy to access and operate. This model also comes with lots of bells and whistles: a straight-slicing blade, a blade for crinkle and waffle cuts, and three julienne blades—4 mm (3/16 inch), 7 mm (1/4 inch), and 10 mm (2/3 inch), all easy to install. The V Professionnelle also comes with a demonstration DVD and a large hard-plastic travel case.

看我们如何使用曼陀林video for tips on using this tool safely.

全能冠军：De买家La Mandoline Swing

$90;Chefscatalog.com

Reasonably priced and user-friendly, this model is a great value for the money. The straight blades are razor-sharp and made for smooth slicing on almost everything except tomatoes and carrots. The spring-loaded pusher is easy to use and roomy enough to hold an average-size potato. This mandoline really excelled at crinkle and waffle cuts, but without measured markings you have to guess as you adjust for thickness. The Swing comes with a double-sided blade that’s straight on one side and serrated on the other (for crinkle and waffle cuts), and a double-sided julienne blade with 4 mm (3/16 inch) and 10 mm (2/3 inch) widths. It’s available in a variety of colors—orange, green, red, and black.

百思买：Oxo Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer

$40;Oxo.com

这种具有惊人锋利V刀片的塑料模型是固体入门级曼陀林。它可以切成厚度从1/16英寸到1/4英寸，创建两个宽度的Julienne剪裁（1/8英寸和1/4英寸），进行皱纹切割（但不是华夫饼），甚至是骰子（1/8英寸和1/4英寸），其他型号没有的功能。大型推杆具有易于抓地力的形状，可以使您的手保持舒适的叶片。颜色编码的表盘使设置切割的厚度变得简单，但是只有四个厚度设置。结果，我们用这种型号制造的炸薯条非常薄。刀片在设备下整齐地存放。

How it works:

•曼多尔琳由一条倾斜的“跑道”组成，中间安装了一个锋利的刀片。跑道的上半部分进行高度调整以改变切割的厚度。下半部分不动。

• Most mandolines feature “pushers” with protective hand guards to hold the food in place as it slides down the runway and across the blade. The sliced food falls underneath.

•对于Julienne片，请在直叶片前面安装带有牙齿的额外刀片。

• For crinkle cuts, replace the straight blade with a wavy, serrated blade.

•对于华夫饼或晶格切割，请使用皱纹切割刀片进行第一个（非常细的）切割，然后将推动器（随附的食物附着）滑到顶部，将其旋转四分之一弯，然后将其滑到跑道上再次。

To buy or not to buy?

您真的需要曼陀林吗？我们只想说，在为这些准备工作中的任何一个剪下很多薄薄的，甚至是Julienne削减时（仅举几例）时，它会派上用场。

• Caramelized onions
•hlatins（土豆，根蔬菜，南瓜）
• Planks of zucchini, summer squash, or eggplant
• Fruit tarts
•炸薯条（皱纹，华夫饼干或笔直）
• Shaved fennel, radish, apple, or hard cheeses for salads
• Onion rings
• Pickled vegetables
• 凉拌卷心菜
• Cucumber salad
• Vegetable stir-fries

我们如何测试

我们测试了12个广泛可用的曼陀语，评估了每个曼陀罗的易用性，构造，性能和安全性。我们正在寻找坚固的曼陀语，腿部稳定，可以抵抗滑动，直观的组装，超偏刀片和光滑的功能。我们将土豆切成不同的厚度，从纸张薄到曼多尔琳允许的厚度。我们还使用Julienne和Crinkle/Waffle Cut刀片将土豆切成薄片。我们将胡萝卜，剃光的茴香以及切成薄片的西红柿和洋葱切成薄片。