Power
The total power consumption of the slicer. The value of this parameter is small — the performance of even the most powerful models usually does not exceed 200 W.
Almost all the power consumed is for operation of the engine, so the higher
it is, the more powerful the engine is installed in the slicer. Theoretically, the higher power allows you to better cope with solid and dense products, but in fact everything also depends on the characteristics of the knife — primarily its type (see below) and the quality of sharpening. Therefore, power data are more reference than practically significant, and this indicator has almost no effect on the quality of the slicer.
Blade diameter
The diameter of the blade of the knife supplied with the slicer. Knives are shaped like discs — accordingly, the diameter of the blade is actually equal to the diameter of the disc.
The larger the blade, the larger ingredients the device can handle at a time and the “larger” the cut slices can be. At the same time, in fact it is rarely necessary to use a slicer for very thick products. Therefore, even in the most “large-caliber” modern models, the knife diameter usually does not exceed 300 mm.
Min. thickness of slice
The smallest thickness of slices that a slicer can separate from the cut product.
The modern slicers, usually, allow you to adjust the thickness of the slices — an important feature in light of the fact that for different situations and products, the optimal thickness will be different. It is worth paying attention to the minimum thickness if the ability to cut graceful thin slices is important for you — for example, for serving a holiday table, on which food should be not only tasty, but also beautiful.
Max. thickness of slice
The greatest thickness of the slices that the slicer can separate from the cut product.
The modern slicers usually allow you to adjust the thickness of the slices — an important feature in light of the fact that for different situations and products, the optimal thickness will be different. The ability to separate thick slices can be useful, for example, when cutting bread, or when preparing fruit for jam or compote. Such situations are not uncommon, therefore, in most modern slicers, the maximum thickness is more than 10 mm.
Speed control
The ability
to adjust the speed at which the slicer blade rotates. This allows you to further adjust the operating mode to the specifics of a particular situation and type of products: for example, the slicer can easily cope with relatively soft and homogeneous ingredients at low speed, but for solid, dense or heterogeneous it is better to use the “fast” mode.
Note that this function, on the one hand, is rarely required in everyday life, on the other hand, it significantly affects the cost of the device. Therefore, the presence of an adjustable speed is typical mainly for advanced slicers.
Pulse mode
Possibility of work of a slicer in the
pulse mode. In this mode, in accordance with the name, the knife of the device works nonuniformly — high speed alternates with short pauses. Pulse switching is well suited for working with dense and solid products: it allows you to develop a higher working speed than with uniform work, at the same time it does not allow overloading the knife and reduces the chance of jamming. However, even in such models, there is usually no question of cutting fruit pits or other equally solid ingredients — slicers are not designed for this in principle.
Slicing tray
The presence
of a tray for chopped products in the design or delivery set of the slicer.
Such a pallet can be made both as a non-removable element and as a separate device that is not attached to the slicer body. However, this piece of equipment saves the user from having to look for a board, saucer, plate or other "seat" for chunks coming out from under the knife of the unit anyway. Of course, in a modern kitchen, finding such a “seat” is not a problem, but using a tray is often more convenient.
Compartment for cord
The presence
of a compartment for the power cord in the design of the slicer.
This feature greatly simplifies the storage and transportation of the device: the cord can be placed compactly inside the slicer body, and it will not hang out, cling to other objects and create other inconveniences. And in some models, the compartment may have devices for uniform winding, which makes it easier to lay the wire and avoid damage due to bending.
Foldable
The ability
to fold the slicer when it is not in use.
The meaning of folding in slicers is the same as in any other technique — it allows you to reduce the dimensions of the unit and make it more convenient for storage and moving from place to place. However the folding structure is considered less durable and reliable than the unibody; however, in this case, this difference is not fundamental.
Also note that this category also includes such a specific variety as built-in slicers — without the possibility of folding, such devices would be too bulky and would cause inconvenience when embedded.
