For most cooks, the best mandoline slicer is a sharp model with a straight blade and a thickness you can set precisely. America's Test Kitchen's mandoline review (published June 24, 2025) names the Super Benriner Mandoline Slicer its best overall for having the sharpest blade it tested, and the OXO Good Grips Chef's Mandoline Slicer 2.0 the easiest to use.
A mandoline cuts potatoes, cucumbers, fennel, and onions into slices of the same thickness far faster than a knife. It is also one of the most dangerous tools in the kitchen, because the blade is very sharp and your hand moves toward it on every stroke. The testers found most hand guards do little, so a cut-resistant glove belongs in the same drawer.
This guide compares flat, V-blade, and handheld mandolines, explains how to slice safely, and covers what the testers liked and how to clean one.
| Flat (straight blade) | V-blade | Handheld (paddle) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blade | One straight or diagonal blade across the platform | Two blades meeting in a V | One blade on a small, light paddle |
| Slice quality in testing | Most even | Some slices showed V-shaped dents | Clean, within a narrow range |
| Thickness range in testing | About 0.5 to 9.5 mm on the top picks | Only two thicknesses on the Swissmar | 0.7 to 2.5 mm on the Kyocera |
| Stability | Kickstands or rubber feet on the best models | Some slid or sagged | Works best held over a bowl |
| Best for | Regular slicing and julienne | Cooks who already like the style | Small jobs and small kitchens |
Flat, V-Blade, and Handheld Mandolines
America's Test Kitchen preferred models with straight blades, which cut more evenly than V-shaped ones. All three of its picks are straight-blade or paddle designs.
Flat or straight blade
A single blade runs across a flat platform, and you set the thickness by raising or lowering part of the platform. The Super Benriner and the OXO Chef's 2.0 are both this type. The best ones in the test had rubber feet or kickstands that kept them from moving.
V-blade
Two angled blades meet in the middle. In America's Test Kitchen's testing, the V-blades doubled the resistance, their blades or platforms sagged, and the Mueller and Swissmar V-slicers left slices with V-shaped indents.
Handheld or paddle
A small, light frame with a blade that you hold at an angle or hook over a bowl. America's Test Kitchen's compact pick, the Kyocera, is this style. It is easy to store but cannot handle large produce and slides on the counter if you stand it up.
Guillotine-style safety slicers
Models such as the Dash Safe Slice keep your hand away from the blade by pushing food down a chute. America's Test Kitchen found it safe, but its small hopper meant cutting food down first, and its slices were less thin and even.
Using a Mandoline Safely
America's Test Kitchen's testers found that most hand guards were next to useless: their prongs failed to hold food securely, and several stopped working once the food got short. A sharp blade is part of safety too, because it needs less force, so the mandoline does not fight back.
Wear a cut-resistant glove
America's Test Kitchen advises wearing one on the hand that holds the food, since even good guards cannot handle long pieces. Its glove review (published August 19, 2019) notes the gloves are cut-resistant, not cut-proof, and found that loose fingertips snagged on mandoline blades, so a snug fit matters. Our guide to cut-resistant gloves covers sizes and ratings.
Use the guard if it works
A spring-loaded guard, like the OXO Chef's 2.0 has, protected testers' hands and pushed food along. Use a guard only if it holds the food firmly.
Give it a stable base
Work on a flat, dry surface so the mandoline does not shift under your hand. Set it on a cutting board that does not slide, or hook it over a bowl if it is designed for that.
Flatten round foods first
Cut potatoes, apples, and onions in half so they sit flat on the platform instead of rolling.
Keep a steady pace
America's Test Kitchen suggests a moderate speed: too fast and you lose control, too slow and you lack the momentum to cut cleanly. If food sticks, knock it loose with a knife handle or wooden spoon instead of pushing harder.
Stop before the end
Leave the last short piece. Several guards in testing stopped working once the food got that short. Chop it by hand or save it for stock.
Thickness and Julienne
America's Test Kitchen sliced tomatoes at the thinnest setting, beets and fennel at 1/16 inch, potatoes at 1/8 inch, and eggplant at 1/4 inch, then julienned carrot, daikon, and celeriac.
Thickness range
The top two models slice from about half a millimeter up to 7.5 mm (Super Benriner) or 9.5 mm (OXO Chef's 2.0). That covers paper-thin cucumber through thick potato slices for gratin.
How you set it
The OXO uses a clearly marked dial in 1/16 inch and 1 mm steps. The Super Benriner has no fixed settings, which testers liked because you can fine-tune it. The Kyocera has four numbered settings that do not match any measurement.
Julienne blades
The Super Benriner comes with three julienne blades. The OXO has two preset julienne widths. The Kyocera cannot julienne.
Cleaning and Care
America's Test Kitchen recommends keeping mandolines out of the dishwasher and washing them by hand in hot, soapy water.
Wash blades by hand
America's Test Kitchen says blade parts should be washed by hand to keep their edge, then patted dry.
Sharpen or replace
The Super Benriner and OXO blades can be removed and sharpened on a whetstone or by a professional service. If the blade is fixed, replace the mandoline when it gets dull, because a dull blade is less safe.
What to Look For
These points come from America's Test Kitchen's mandoline testing and its advice on how to use one.
A very sharp blade
Sharpness decides both slice quality and safety. A dull blade drags, jams on dense carrots and celeriac, and makes you push harder.
A straight blade
Straight blades cut more evenly than V-blades in testing, with less resistance.
Precise thickness control
Look for a marked dial or a stepless adjustment that goes down to about 1 mm or thinner for cucumbers and up to 7 mm or more for potatoes.
Something that stops it sliding
Rubber feet, a rubber bumper, or kickstands. Models without them were harder to keep still.
A guard that holds food, or a glove
Most guards failed in testing. If yours does not grip food well, plan on a cut-resistant glove.
Removable blades
A blade you can take out is easier to clean and can be sharpened instead of thrown away.
Photo by Mateusz Feliksik on Pexels
Tester Picks
These are the models America's Test Kitchen recommends in its mandoline review published June 24, 2025. We did not test them ourselves.
Super Benriner Mandoline Slicer
America's Test Kitchen's winner (June 24, 2025), with the sharpest blade it tested. Testers said it sliced and julienned even the toughest foods as if they were butter. It adjusts without fixed steps from 0.6 to 7.5 mm, comes with three julienne blades, and its rubber bumper means it rarely budges.
Look for
- Removable blades you can sharpen
- Three julienne blades
- Can be used flat, upright, or hooked over a bowl
Watch out for
- Testers called its hand guard pretty much useless
- No marked settings, so it takes practice to dial in a thickness
OXO Good Grips Chef's Mandoline Slicer 2.0
America's Test Kitchen's easiest-to-use pick (June 24, 2025). A clearly marked dial sets thickness from 0.5 to 9.5 mm, and its spring-loaded food pusher did a great job of protecting testers' hands. Rubber-coated kickstands and its weight keep it steady.
Look for
- Marked dial in 1/16 inch and 1 mm steps
- Spring-loaded hand guard
- Crinkle and waffle blade plus two julienne widths
Watch out for
- Not quite as sharp as the Super Benriner, so it sometimes choked on fibrous produce
- Bulky to store, and holding the spring guard gets tiring on long jobs
Slice Without the Scraps on the Counter: Get the ROO Mat
ROO is a silicone mat that sits under your cutting board. It grips the counter so the board stays put while you slice, and its 7-cup pouch hangs over the edge to catch peels, ends, and the last bits you should not slice. It works under the board you already own.
Shop the ROO Mat →Kyocera Soft Grip Adjustable Mandoline Ceramic Slicer
America's Test Kitchen's compact pick (June 24, 2025). It is a light, paddle-style slicer with a reasonably sharp ceramic blade and four thickness settings from 0.7 to 2.5 mm. It worked well held over a bowl.
Look for
- Small enough for a drawer
- Ceramic blade
- Four simple thickness settings
Watch out for
- Cannot handle large produce, julienne, or thick slices
- Its hand guard was useless, and it slides if you stand it up on the counter
Upgrade Your Prep Workflow: The ROO Bundle
A mandoline is only as safe as the surface under it, and it leaves a trail of peels, ends, and the last short pieces you should not slice. Set the mandoline on a cutting board on the ROO Mat: the mat grips the counter so the board stays put, and its built-in pouch hangs over the counter edge to catch up to 7 cups of trimmings as you work. It fits boards up to 16 inches, and the ROO Bundle pairs it with a rubberwood board that fits it.
Upgrade Your Prep Workflow: Get the ROO Bundle
A rubberwood board that is gentle on knives, a non-slip silicone base, and a 7-cup scrap pouch.
Check out the ROO Bundle →How This Guide Was Put Together
This guide is built from America's Test Kitchen's mandoline review (published June 24, 2025), its guide to using a mandoline (published February 18, 2021), and its cut-resistant glove review (published August 19, 2019), all checked October 19, 2026. We did not test these mandolines ourselves. ROO makes a silicone cutting board mat and a rubberwood board, not mandolines.
Related Reading
- The Best Cut-Resistant Gloves for the Kitchen
- The Best Vegetable Peelers
- The Best Vegetable Choppers for Home Cooks
- How to Julienne Carrots
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best mandoline slicer?
America's Test Kitchen's winner is the Super Benriner Mandoline Slicer, for the sharpest blade it tested. Its easiest-to-use pick is the OXO Good Grips Chef's Mandoline Slicer 2.0, which has a marked dial and a spring-loaded guard.
Is a V-blade or straight-blade mandoline better?
Straight-blade, according to America's Test Kitchen. Its testers found straight blades cut more evenly, while V-blades doubled the resistance and some left V-shaped dents in the slices.
Do I need a cut-resistant glove for a mandoline?
It is a good idea with any mandoline and essential with one that has a weak guard. America's Test Kitchen says you need one to use the Super Benriner safely. Gloves are cut-resistant, not cut-proof, so still keep your fingers back.
What is the safest type of mandoline?
Guillotine-style slicers like the Dash Safe Slice keep your hand away from the blade. America's Test Kitchen found it safe but less precise, with a small chute that needs food cut down first.
Can you put a mandoline in the dishwasher?
America's Test Kitchen recommends against it. Wash the blade by hand in hot, soapy water to keep it sharp, then pat it dry.
Why does food get stuck on my mandoline?
Usually a dull blade or slices piling up under the platform. Clear the slices as you go, knock stuck food loose with a knife handle rather than pushing harder, and sharpen or replace a dull blade.
Pick a sharp, straight-blade mandoline you can adjust precisely, set it on a surface that will not move, and wear a cut-resistant glove. Leave the last short piece for the knife. A mandoline used that way is the fastest way to even slices at home.