# Meat slice recommendations for home use



## isuhunter (Nov 10, 2017)

Looking for a meat slicer for making bacon and slicing summer sausage that I make. 

What are you suggestions?  $100-$200 price range


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## motocrash (Nov 10, 2017)

That's a tough price range.I ended up with a Weston 9" which has an 8-5/8" inch blade,go figure.
Check craigslist...


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## flipman77 (Nov 10, 2017)

I bought an Aventco Sl310 for 269.00 and free shipping at Webstaurantstore.com
I see it's a little more than you want to spend, but it is an amazing slicer and comes with
a sharpener on it. 
I use this thing for everything.  slices 3/4 frozen meat for jerky.


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## browneyesvictim (Nov 10, 2017)

The Chefs Choice 615 is right there in the middle of your price range. Its a decent unit for what it is.


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## motocrash (Nov 10, 2017)

flipman77 said:


> I bought an Aventco Sl310 for 269.00 and free shipping at Webstaurantstore.com
> I see it's a little more than you want to spend, but it is an amazing slicer and comes with
> a sharpener on it.
> I use this thing for everything.  slices 3/4 frozen meat for jerky.


That's a cool store,all kinds of goodies!


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## flipman77 (Nov 10, 2017)

motocrash said:


> That's a cool store,all kinds of goodies!


I get all my food saver bags there as well.  love that sight


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## tropics (Nov 10, 2017)

isuhunter said:


> Looking for a meat slicer for making bacon and slicing summer sausage that I make.
> 
> What are you suggestions?  $100-$200 price range


http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/256349/meat-slicer-review

It is a good slicer
Richie


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## tallbm (Nov 10, 2017)

Chef's Choice 615 all the way!!!

I was in your shoes but borrowing a cheap old slicer from my father and oh man the cleanup was soooooooo painful!

I researched and researched (with lots of help of this site) and determined the 615 model was right for me and WOW it was such a night and day difference.  It does the job well and clean so much more easily!!!

Avoid the the 665 model, it is some one off kind of thing where you can't get a smooth blade and have to call the company up directly for replacement parts.  The parts are not widely available online for the 665 model.

Best of luck!


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## mds51 (Nov 10, 2017)

I purchased the Chef`s Choice 615 with the extra smooth blade and have good results with it for about two years. I have a Hobart 1612 and it is great but too heavy and big unless I am doing  numerous pieces of Canadian Bacon and BBB. The 615 even cuts my semi frozen bottom rounds for Jerky but you do have to go slow. The feed tray is big enough for my types of bacon but wider pork bellies might have to be cut. Clean up is a breeze and I use Petro Gel each time on the gears and sliding parts.
mds51


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## Diesel Power (Nov 10, 2017)

Where are you located? You'll get the best deal on Craigslist, there are often vintage meat slicers for not a lot of money on sale there. I just picked up a Berkel Model GC for $50 and a Hobart 410 for $250.


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## isuhunter (Nov 10, 2017)

I’m in Iowa.  

I’ll look at the 615.


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## Diesel Power (Nov 10, 2017)

615 is very good actually, however if you plan on slicing large cuts of meat, you will have to trim it down quite a bit,


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## tallbm (Nov 10, 2017)

Diesel Power said:


> 615 is very good actually, however if you plan on slicing large cuts of meat, you will have to trim it down quite a bit,


Hi there and welcome Diesel!

What large cuts are you referring to?  :)
I ask because I have had no issues with the full sized pork bellies I get at costco, but I would like to be ready for anything larger I might encounter.  I am the kind of guy who gets into all kinds of meat projects and likes to be prepared.  :) 

The only large thing that comes to mind would be slicing a brisket should I do pastrami out of it.
Well maybe if I do boneless hams or prosciutto some day... hmmm I guess there are more large cuts than I realized lol


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## Diesel Power (Nov 11, 2017)

tallbm said:


> Hi there and welcome Diesel!
> 
> What large cuts are you referring to?  :)
> I ask because I have had no issues with the full sized pork bellies I get at costco, but I would like to be ready for anything larger I might encounter.  I am the kind of guy who gets into all kinds of meat projects and likes to be prepared.  :)
> ...



Welp, you're already ahead, Brisket will be the few things you'll have to trim. But imo it doesn't matter if you have to trim it, it'll taste the same regardless. 

True story, my first slicer was an old rival from the 50's that small dinky thing with the exposed motor, it was loud, weak, and couldn't cut meat thin and uniform to save it's life, it's a toy. It was embarrassing, so from that day forward I looked for the biggest and baddest slicer I could find to pad my ego.

I honestly wish I've gotten a smaller slicer sometimes because one is VERY heavy, while the other takes two people to move.

Back on topic, the 615 is in it's own league honestly, don't know of anything that can beat it.


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## SmokinAl (Nov 11, 2017)

If your anywhere near Central Florida, I have a Torrey S/S commercial slicer for sale.
It's 12" and I paid $1000 for it with shipping. I'll sell it for $400.
It will cut any size piece of meat or cheese you can find.
I have probably only used it 5 or 6 times, It's virtually brand new.






Al


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## pops6927 (Nov 11, 2017)

I use a Nesco slicer from Walmart.  It is quite inexpensive and does a good job and light enough I can get it down off my storage unit and put it back up when I'm done; a big thing for me b/c of all the strokes I've had.







This unit cost $79.99 and I've had it for a couple years now.  Here I am slicing boned-out smoked turkey breast for a party - I sliced 12 of them with no problems, and cleanup is simple.







Here it is, the latest price.  I've had to send it back once under warranty, took off the blade before it cooled down and it warped and couldn't get it back on.  It comes with a 1 year warranty and they honored it, took about 3 weeks, replaced the blade no charge and returned it no charge, $26.00 shipping back to them with an RMA through UPS, took it to the UPS store and dropped it off.  In the meantime I bought another same Nesco unit, and now have that as a backup! They do a good job.  Yes, they do fray the bottom side of the meat but you just flip over the meat and keep going.  I've had $5,000 Hobarts do the exact same thing. (professional meat cutter for 30 years, have used professional slicers all my life).  This unit serves the purpose, the company honors their warranty, they are inexpensive and easy to replace.  i've put hundreds of pounds of meats and cheeses through them with great satisfaction.  Yes, you do have to go slowly, but on any slicer you have to anyways.  And it's light enough for me to pick up.


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## kfhunter (Nov 14, 2017)

I want to upgrade, but currently I'm using a vintage Rival food slicer.   I posted it because it was making a mess out of the bacon the blade was so dull.  I have a work sharp though, so I removed all the guards and turned the food slicer on then held the work sharp knife sharpener up to the blade as it was spinning.  After that it was a whole new food slicer.  I've since done a lot of bacon on it and it gets it done.  Hey it was free to me.


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## bill ace 350 (Nov 17, 2017)

I'm looking for an occasional-home use slicer too. I like the skin/rind on my bacon. Are any of the above mentioned makes/models suited for that? Thanks


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## tallbm (Nov 17, 2017)

bill ace 350 said:


> I'm looking for an occasional-home use slicer too. I like the skin/rind on my bacon. Are any of the above mentioned makes/models suited for that? Thanks



Chef's Choice 615 is.  I cut bacon with rind on with it no problem.
Also the smooth blade (recommended blade for slicing thin) is on sale today on Amazon for like $10-12 off normal price.  See the blade here:


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## dward51 (Nov 18, 2017)

If you go with the Chefschoice 615, also figure on adding the automatic sharpening attachment for $39.  You should still be in your price range.  But I'm reallying liking that 10" model on Webstraruant store for $70 more.

https://chefschoice.com/product/che...er-model-601-for-electric-food-slicer-blades/



kfhunter said:


> I want to upgrade, but currently I'm using a vintage Rival food slicer.   I posted it because it was making a mess out of the bacon the blade was so dull.  I have a work sharp though, so I removed all the guards and turned the food slicer on then held the work sharp knife sharpener up to the blade as it was spinning.  After that it was a whole new food slicer.  I've since done a lot of bacon on it and it gets it done.  Hey it was free to me.



I have one of these that we bought way back in the 70's.  I would be interested in more info on how you sharpened it with the worksharp (which model, the fixed diamond hones or the belt model).  But I don't want to hijack the thread so can you start another thread or PM me (I would say start a new thread as I'm sure others would be interested in revitalizing an old slicer).


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## flg8rfan (Nov 18, 2017)

smokinal said:


> If your anywhere near Central Florida, I have a Torrey S/S commercial slicer for sale.
> It's 12" and I paid $1000 for it with shipping. I'll sell it for $400.
> It will cut any size piece of meat or cheese you can find.
> I have probably only used it 5 or 6 times, It's virtually brand new.
> ...


Thats not a post I needed to see with Christmas around the corner smokinal ;-)  I'm up in Gainesville, if it's still available after thanksgiving I might need to make a trip!


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