Light Duty V. Heavy Duty Slicers: Which is Right For Your Kitchen?
Surprises can be delightful, except in the kitchen where consistency is key. There are few, if any, pieces of commercial kitchen equipment that deliver the exceptional consistency of a slicer. Their whole purpose is perfectly uniform slices every single time with no exceptions. But get the wrong one and the results can be not only costly, but potentially dangerous. Save yourself a trip to the repair shop by answering these quick questions before investing in or upgrading your slicer.
What Are You Slicing?
This is by far the most important thing to consider when looking for a commercial slicer. Light and heavy duty slicers are made for meat (slicers and I have this in common) and will give you the uniform results you expect. While light duty slicers cost considerably less than their heavy duty friends, they’re not recommended for cheese or frozen foods at all. Disregarding this advice is a fast track to burning out your motor, dulling the blade and mangling the food you’re slicing. Heavy duty slicers can slice just about any food you’ve got in the kitchen, fresh or frozen, including cheese.
How Much Are You Slicing?
Sometimes in commercial kitchen equipment the line between light and heavy duty can get a little bit blurred. Not so with slicers! The line is very clear. A light duty slicer can take up to two hours of slicing or 700 slices each day. With a heavy duty slicer that capacity jumps up to six hours per day or 1400 slices. So if you’re slicing up ham for made-to-order breakfast sandwiches or making paper thin slices of prosciutto for a Sunday brunch special, a light duty slicer would be just what the chef ordered. However, a deli, steakhouse or cheese shop requiring a slicer that barely gets a break, can’t go wrong with a workhorse heavy duty slicer.
A Cut Above The Rest
Now that we’ve got those two questions answered, what’s next? Well, it’s time to get your slicer! Globe brand slicers have set the industry standard and the Globe Chefmate C9 manual slicer is a great entry into the world of light duty slicers. It’s crafted from anodized aluminum with a quarter horsepower motor with a uniquely angled chute that allows the operator to see the finished slices. Speaking of which, the Chefmate C9’s 9” blade can slice from 0 to 9/16” thickness.
If a heavy-duty slicer is more your speed, you can’t go wrong with Globe S13 Premium Manual Slicer. This is Globe’s most popular heavy duty slicer for very good reasons. It’s loaded with features not found on other slicers like the no-drip base with Marine edge that guides liquids away from the operator and exclusive stainless steel construction that resists food acid corrosion. The top mounted sharpener is removable and immersible for easy cleaning. But where the Globe S13 really shines is it’s ½ horsepower, 7 amp motor continuous use motor that can run smoothly all day without slowing down or overheating. Just in case you’re still not sold, the premium knife drive gears have a 15 year warranty! It’s refreshing to see a company so confident in their product that they offer such a generous warranty.
Both the Chefmate C9 and S13 are NSF and ANSI 8 certified, so chefs can rest assured that Globe takes the safety of you and your kitchen staff seriously.
.png)
