What it is:
A slicer, usually made of strong plastic or metal, that lets you slice tomatoes, onions, carrots, etc, into perfect slices, or potatoes into fries, quickly and without cutting your fingers off.

What it's not:
A musical instrument, or that cheap infomercial product from the 80s.

How to use it:
Take whatever you want to slice and jam it on the prongs on the underside of the hand guard. This keeps the food securely in place and keeps your precious digits away from the blade. Some mandolins have adjustable blades so you can select the thickness of your slices. Some also have julienne blades that cut potatoes into fries or smaller veggies like carrots into matchsticks for salads or for garnishes. Sliding the blade guard back and forth over the blade produces the slices.

Why you should have one:
You can whip through a ton of tomatoes and onions for the tailgate or bbq in a fraction of the time as hand slicing. And without a trip to the ER. You can also make impressive and fancy veggies and garnishes for her salad when she comes over for dinner. (Anything to score extra points.)

What to look for:
Adjustable blades are a must (and make sure the blades are stainless steel so it will last), as are interchangeable blades that julienne. You want to be able to use it for a variety of stuff. And some people prefer to use a V shaped blade, rather than just a regular angled blade.

Make sure it's sturdy and has rubber on the bottom to keep it from slipping. Some mandolins have notches on the bottom to let them rest on top of a bowl as you slice. Not necessary, but a nice feature.

You don't have to go high end, either. There are a number of inexpensive mandolins that will get the job done. For example, the mandolin pictured from Progressive comes with six cutting blades, a rubber comfort handle, folds for storage, has all the other features mentioned above, and will cost you less than $20. Much less than having one of your fingers reattached.

$19.99
www.progressiveintl.com
800.426.7101 to find a store