OSTBA Meat Slicer Electric Deli Food Slicer with Child Lock Protection, Removable 7.5’’ Stainless Steel Blade and Food Carriage, Adjustable Thickness Food Slicer Machine for Meat, Cheese, Bread(150W)

I HAVE HAD THIS SLICER FOR 4.5 YEARS NOW AND IT WORKS PERFECTLY, same as the day it arrived.So why are there so many negative reviews? Because the people who purchased them don't know how to use or maintain the machine, but they are absolutely convinced that they do. It's called the Dunning-Kruger effect.Let me address some of the misguided fragments of reviews for you.1. "Blade is definitely not stainless steel"Yes, it is, and you'd know that if you knew anything about stainless steel alloys, of which there are dozens for various applications.The stainless steel used for the blade in this slicer is a high-carbon stainless steel, meaning it has a higher Carbon-to-Chromium ratio. This is necessary to more easily be put a sharp edge on the blade.High-Chromium stainless steel -- what those who don't understand the subject think of as the only kind of "stainless steel" -- is difficult to sharpen well, and so such alloys are used in other applications, such as firearms and devices that are exposed to (mostly) fresh water.So yes, the blade most definitely IS stainless steel.2. Poor slicingPoor slicing comes from not know HOW to properly slice meats, cheeses, bread, etc, on a home slicing machine like this.You cannot operate a $100 home-use slicer the same as you would that $14,000 slicer (NOT an exaggeration!) at your local deli.If you push hard on the carriage (the thing that carries the meat or bread back and forth across the blade) in any direction it will bind because it is a solid plastic sleeve bearing riding on a chrome-plated tube.The heavy-duty replacement bearings in a deli-use slicer's carriage cost more than 4 of these slicers combined, and they rarely need replacing. Manage your expectations to properly fit the context of this product.Wipe off the carriage tube HARD using a clean, dry cloth, until it is slick just from its own surface finish.Never put ANY lubricant on either the tube or the carriage bearings because many lubricants can and do "eat" various plastics over time, or they cause the plasticizers to outgas, making the plastic left behind eventually crumble.Use the carriage tray pusher to LIGHTLY press the substance to be sliced against the back plate as you SLOWLY move the carriage across the blade. If your slice cross section is somewhat triangular rather than evenly flat, then you are pressing too hard against the back plate.3. "The meat tray (Where the meat sits on [sic]) CANT [sic] be removed!"Seriously? You don't see the spring-loaded latch on the right side of the carriage tube? Push it outward, lift the carriage tube, and slide off the carriage tray (that's what it's called). You're welcome.4. Dull blade does not slice well.Now THERE'S a statement of Einsteinian proportions! You actually saw that the blade was dull, but you went ahead and tried to slice soft materials with it anyway?Folks, maybe MY expectations of the Human Race are too high, but I just do NOT see how someone would not sharpen a less-than-sharp blade before using it to thinly slice soft materials, yet still expect a quality work product. What am I missing here?5. It won't turn onYou may have seen the video of the man trying to get his brand-new slicer to turn on to no avail.Perhaps this is another Darwin Award moment, but did he check that specific socket on the power strip using a Live Wire tester to see that it was, in fact, functioning properly? Nope.Did you see him even so much as try a different socket on the power strip? Nope.Did you see him eliminate as many variables as possible by plugging the slicer directly into a wall socket -- after testing the socket for having a Live Wire? Nope.Did he use a Live Wire tester to check the slicer's power cord to see if there was actually electricity flowing to the appliance, because that would be a simple fix of replacing the plug at the end of the power cord? Nope.I fear that, as a Human Race, we are dumbing down to an almost primordial level. Thank technology. But I digress...6. "Very slow cutting speed"Yep, Sparky, it IS a very slow cutting speed! That is the optimum speed for the blade to rotate for optimum slicing results -- IF you are slicing correctly.7. "It was overheating after just ten slices"Of course it was, Wally! That's what happens when you push hard to mimic what you see them do in the deli with their $14,000 Hobart slicer.Same as trying to make a Toyota Corolla race like an F1 race car. The Corolla is a fine automobile and will last a good, long time -- IF you don't keep it floored during the entire 24 Hours of Le Mans.Folks, this is getting long so I'll leave you with a portion of a one-star review that sums up where the TRUE FAULT LIES:"While this slicer does slice meats, cheeses, vegetables, and breads it doesn't do it great. You have to push very slow if you don't want it skipping over whatever you're cutting. And if you put too much pressure on the machine not only will it open the blade further (just a little bit) but it will also cause it to slide along your counter. I had to have someone hold it in place. The blades are very easy to change and it is extremely easy to clean. So while it does what it claims, it doesn't do it good [sic!]."And there you have it: a user who doesn't know a THING about running one of these machines, doing EVERY POSSIBLE THING WRONG, and then blaming it on the machine.BOTTOM LINEThis slicer is a perfectly wonderful piece of equipment that my family has used for four and a half years now without issue, and it works EXACTLY the same as it did the day it arrived.If this slicer ever wears out and I cannot repair it, I will GLADLY buy another one from Ostba.Thanks, Ostba, for making an easy-to-use and affordable slicer for the home.Five Stars, well earned.EDIT: I just now sliced a corned beef brisket that I cooked yesterday and then wrapped and refrigerated overnight. This is on my 4.5 year old Ostba slicer, which worked perfectly yet again. See the photo.

We bought the slicer to assist in cutting meat for jerky and we were very happy with this slicer. We tested it out by cutting a couple of meats at various thicknesses until we got the perfect cuts....each slice after was just the right thickness. Our jerky turned out very delicious! It was also easy to clean and fits nicely on our countertop.

Is it really fair to compare a $100 meat slicer against a $300 one? When it comes to true value for moderate home use, that’s what it came down to for me. I’ve tested both and can only keep one. Here’s what I’ve learned:INTRODUCTION TO TWO TOP SLICERSBoth of these are very popular on Amazon and highly regarded. The Ostba has a 7.5 inch serrated blade and the Beswood has a 10 inch smooth blade. I’m a serious BBQ guy and cook and want to be able to slice thin and vac seal roast beefs, jerky, tri-tips, hams, pork tenderloins, and pork belly. My hope was that the Ostba would be enough for my needs, time saving to clean vs. the Beswood, and much easier to handle at 9 lbs. vs. 33.SIZE AND WEIGHTAs you can see in my photo, the Ostba is compact and easy to handle. Suction cups are supposed to keep its light weight firmly planted on the counter. The Beswood is truly a “Big Berta” but weighs less than many comparable 10 inch models.TESTING THE OSTBAI first bought the Ostba. Slicing is adequate. It does slice thin yet the slice thickness wheel is a bit of a guestimate. It gets the job done and I bought it because its 200 watt motor can power through meats more effectively than pretty much all other small 7.5 inch models. The motor is loud but not unexpected. Slicing action is not smooth, but not unreasonable. Even with the powerful motor, you have to muscle a bit through the meat. The Ostba is fine but won't give you results quite as satisfying as the picture above of ham from the Beswood. Unfortunately, our kitchen counters are textured and the suction cups don’t stick. This forced me to grab onto the Ostba with some force so it wouldn’t slide on the counter as I sliced. I worry this can create a safety issue because my attention on the blade and the slicing might get even slightly distracted. This should be a rare issue for others. The Ostba sticks to smooth surfaces well.TESTING THE BESWOODSlicing was an absolute dream with the Beswood. Like buttah! I have read this slicer is the equal of a 13 inch Hobart deli slicer, just sized down for smaller businesses, or home use. I realized right away the heavier weight is an asset, not liability. It stays planted on the counter, has a huge tray table to hold the meat, and spikey grabbers to grab it as you slice. The slice dial is in millimeters and I found that 2mm was perfect for ham. See the photo.If you like it ultra thin, or what they call in Pittsburgh “Chip Chop Ham” the slicer complies like an absolute pro.BESWOOD CLEANING NIGHTMARE? TIPS:I worried the Beswood would be a 30 minute cleaning headache and worried it would have to be disassembled to reach the blade. Some reviews are negative on the Beswood when it comes to cleaning convenience. In truth, it’s quite easy so let me explain the process:Unscrew the large knob to release the tray table. This cleans right up in a couple of minutes in the sink. See my photo of two easily found ideal cleaning and sterilizing solutions. The rest of the unit is cleaned in place: Unplug. Unscrew the knob holding the built in sharpener at the top of the unit. If there is any gunk inside carefully wipe it out and rinse it. Do not submerge in water however. It’s not hard to clean and takes just a minute. Unscrew the large knob holding in the blade guard, first making sure the slice thickness knob is set to zero. After unscrewing, give a poke forward, and the blade guard will drop into your hand. Again, it cleans up in just a minute at the sink. If it’s greasy, use a non-toxic grease removing cleanser. Simple Green mixed 1:10 is ideal, or stronger if you are working with pork belly.At this point, the blade will spin freely and you can spray with Simple Green, or skip this step and use a food-safe cleaner and sterilizer. “Lysol Daily Cleanser Free From” is new on the market and contains hypoclorous —many pro kitchens use this chemical to sterilize. You can spray, clean, and wipe, or to sterilize, spray, clean, and spray again, leaving the Lysol Free on until it dries. This chemical is very safe and also used for sprays to sterilize kids toys. Having a small brush to get into nooks and crannies helps. The one supplied with the Beswood is barely adequate. I used a nail brush and it had much more precision. I also use a green scrubby pad carefully around the blade edge.The whole job can be done comfortably in just 20 minutes, perhaps 25 after slicing more than 30 lbs of fattier meats. The best news? The blade does not need to be removed! Whew!GLOVE SAFETY AND CLEANUP TIPSpeaking of careful: you must wear cut resistant gloves when slicing and cleaning. I learned a trick to keep them dry and clean. Put on the cut resistant gloves and then place a tightly fitting rubber nitrile glove over it when you work.OSTBA CLEANINGThe Ostba has a bar that can be opened up, easily accessing the blade. Its tray table does not screw in so that is easy to clean as well. Use the solutions I recommend above to complete the job in no more than 15 minutes. However, the 5 minutes saved cleaning the Ostba is not truly gained versus the Beswood. The Beswood is so much smoother and easier to use that it saves time and effort during the slicing process.WHICH TO BUY?These slicers should last 10-15 years with reasonable care. The serrated blade of the Ostba is adequate for meat but once you’ve tried the Beswood, there is no going back! Yet, it’s almost three times the price and needs a large dedicated storage spot. If you can afford the Beswood, or its identical 9” model for $20 less, it is a dream slicer to use. If not, most occasional home users will find the Ostba plenty good enough.