Thread: What is the best kitchen gadget/appliance to slice even vegetables and meats

(from paper thin to thicker)? I've never used a mandoline, food processor, or electric kitchen slicer and the options are a bit overwhelming. I'd like the most versatile appliance with the least possibility of slicing off my fingers. I'm willing to spend money on a quality addition to my kitchen, but I don't expect to slice pound upon pound of veggies every day. I'm really looking for thin, even slices for my new food dehydrator that I can't quite seem to accomplish with my knife.

A mandolin is the best appliance for slicing meats and veggies, especially different thicknesses - but, slicing your finger is pretty easy to do; and it isn't versatile for anything else. A food processor will do all sorts of things, and my 14-cup Cuisinart is the 2nd-most used appliance in my kitchen (after espresso machine) - but you can only slice veggies the thickness of the blade, and they have to be cut into pieces that will fit into the chute....