Wife liked my SOS beef & Jerky so....

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

fpmich

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Jul 17, 2013
760
68
Central Michigan
She liked my smoked SOS Dried Beef, beef Jerky, double smoked bacon & ham so much,

that she surprised me with a Chef's Choice (609) food slicer for my upcoming birthday!

Lower model than I was looking at (615), but isn't it always that way it is between spouses?

One looks at want, and the other looks a money, and money usually wins, dammit!   Works both ways too.

I'm sure it will fill our needs even if is has plastic gears.  OK... that is a hope on my part.  But how do you tell your wife she bought something that will only last half as long, as another 50 bucks would double the life.  Will only use it several times a year for meat cutting, so it should outlast me, I'm guessing.  Maybe not as strong, nor made of all metal as I wanted, but then... neither is her husband.

[sub]I think her thoughts were... At last.... a size of meat to satisfy me.  LOL[/sub]

Will give it a test on some dried beef (eye of round) tomorrow.

Thank to my honey for a great birthday gift!
 
Worked great on the dried beef!  It went right though the outer hard shell with no problem.  If it can do that, then it can do bacon, ham and etc.

Only reason I wish she would've gone with the 615 model, is all metal body and a little more (20 amps) power, and the on/off switch location.  The 609 has switch right above the spinning blade.  Very dangerous location!   The 615, and above, has it in a logical place.  AWAY from the blade, at the back end of slicer (facing you).  You can turn it off with your thumb..    But I can live with this as long as my finger tips last, I guess.  Although that ER bill is going to cost much more than the extra 50 bucks for a safer model.   LOL
 
 
Worked great on the dried beef!  It went right though the outer hard shell with no problem.  If it can do that, then it can do bacon, ham and etc.

I did buy the 615, for the reasons you mentioned (and also because of the Christmas bargains). I read a lot of reviews suggesting to get the solid blade for thin slicing. As long as your meat is semi-frozen, the blade that comes with it will shave paper thin. I have fluffed ham, sliced bacon, and just did a sirloin tip for french dips, and it has done a fine job on all. My only druther, would be a larger table, but I am still very happy with it.

Brian
 
Thanks for your feedback Brian.   I appreciate it!

Glad to hear that it will shave meat if it's solid enough (semi-frozen).  But for me 1/16" is fine enough.  I'm not big on shaved meat.

I like it, but I'd rather a little texture left in.  That's just me though.

Yeah, I wanted the 615, but all she knew was, I mentioned a slicer, and off she went, searching on her own for one.  LOL 

I'm thankful that at least she settled on this brand.

It did pretty good on some dried beef I had.  The stock blade knocked a little bit of the crusty outside of the beef off, but I just saved that for added flavor in the SOS.  It's all good.  I cut it fairly thin (1/16" - 3/32") with no problems. 

The only things I DO NOT like is the switch right above the blade (Scares the heck out of me!  LOL),  and the plastic body.  But if I'm careful....

I doubt I will spend money for the solid smooth blade either.  This will be good enough for me. 

After all... I'm not a chef in a high end restaurant looking for presentation.   I'm a low end cook in a low end shack.  <grin>

Happy smokin', slicing and eating to you.
 
My little slicer is plastic and cheap, but it works good too!  $81 at Walmart.  I've been brought up on $3,000 Hobarts and Globes.  But my little Nesco 150 does the job!  Bacon will shred on the bottom, but so does when slicing on a $5,000 automatic Hobart too, lol!  You just have to flip the slab or piece over and slice off the trailing edge on the next slice is all.  My gears are plastic too.  Oh well, for what I use it, it's great, have had it 3 or 4 years now, it doens't owe me a thing.  Got one for my oldest son for Christmas, too!


I got the one for George Jr. from Walmart, ordered it with free shipping.  They're now out of stock, normal after Christmas.
 
 
My little slicer is plastic and cheap, but it works good too!  $81 at Walmart.  I've been brought up on $3,000 Hobarts and Globes.  But my little Nesco 150 does the job!  Bacon will shred on the bottom, but so does when slicing on a $5,000 automatic Hobart too, lol!  You just have to flip the slab or piece over and slice off the trailing edge on the next slice is all.  My gears are plastic too.  Oh well, for what I use it, it's great, have had it 3 or 4 years now, it doens't owe me a thing.  Got one for my oldest son for Christmas, too!
When you get a tail on your meat when slicing it on a slicer, it means your blade is serious need of sharpening.  That is the beauty of smooth blade, easily sharpened.

This is the slicer I own

 
Last edited:
 
When you get a tail on your meat when slicing it on a slicer, it means your blade is serious need of sharpening.  That is the beauty of smooth blade, easily sharpened.

This is the slicer I own

That may be true on some slicers, on my Chefs Choice, and I'm sure some of the other lower cost slicers, there is a pretty good sized void between the tray table and the back stop. If the meat isn't firm it tends to push down into that gap with repeated slices. Maybe like you say, a smooth blade wouldn't push me meat down like that, but like Pop says, just flip your meat for a slice or two, and your good to go. With semi frozen meat, I don't have that issue.

Fpmich, The gears on the 615 are also plastic (or at least the blade gear, if that's what you meant). Honestly, as long as the gears are lubed, I don't think it will be an issue. I haven't sliced anything yet that has even put a strain on the motor.

Brian
 
Last edited:
I'm with you Pops.  For all I'll use it, I don't need an expensive one.

However, I do think I'll talk with my honey, and see if we can send this one back and get the one with a safer location for the on/off switch, without insulting her, or her gift.  Somebody send me some wife diplomacy.

It just plain scares me to place my fingers over a spinning blade like that.  My fingers don't always go where I tell them to these days.  LOL

I bought a slicer back in the late 70's and it was crap!  I was very surprised at how this one performed so much better.

I traded that one to a lady I was seeing back then, for an Oster processer that slices veggies and grates things.  I'm still using the Oster today, 35+ years later,  but I doubt she still has that crappy slicer.  LOL
 
 
However, I do think I'll talk with my honey, and see if we can send this one back and get the one with a safer location for the on/off switch, without insulting her, or her gift.  Somebody send me some wife diplomacy.
I bought mine online at bed bath & beyond. If you hit sign up and save, you get a 1 time 20% discount, plus free shipping. I continue to get 20% coupons from them so there's some diplomacy :)

Brian
 
 
 
When you get a tail on your meat when slicing it on a slicer, it means your blade is serious need of sharpening.  That is the beauty of smooth blade, easily sharpened.
That may be true on some slicers, on my Chefs Choice, and I'm sure some of the other lower cost slicers, there is a pretty good sized void between the tray table and the back stop. If the meat isn't firm it tends to push down into that gap with repeated slices. Maybe like you say, a smooth blade wouldn't push me meat down like that, but like Pop says, just flip your meat for a slice or two, and your good to go. With semi frozen meat, I don't have that issue.

Fpmich, The gears on the 615 are also plastic (or at least the blade gear, if that's what you meant). Honestly, as long as the gears are lubed, I don't think it will be an issue. I haven't sliced anything yet that has even put a strain on the motor.

Brian
Yeah, I know the gears are plastic, but the main body on the 615 is coated aluminum and easier to clean and less prone to crack (I think).

And my main concern is switch location.  <shudder>

Tnx for tip on BB& Beyond.
 
Last edited:
I still use a plastic Oyster that I scabbed off my parents. It's from the early to mid 70's. Works great even after all these years.

Chris
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky