Borner V5 (V) Power Mandoline Vegetable/Fruit Slicer Cutter Chopper + Safety Holder (Purple)

As the title says, I tried three other mandolines before giving this one a go. Two of the others were from Oxo, the other was a Bed Bath and Beyond branded mandoline that came highly recommended by a co-worker. All three were horrible. The blades just weren't sharp enough to cut anything but potatos or very firm veggies. anything else was turned to pulp as you smashed the food against the blades.I ordered the Swissmar V-7000 based on the reviews here and a couple of other sites. The reviews were pretty spot on. This thing is great. :)The blades are incredibly sharp and very thin. There is very little resistance when pushing food through. I can't stress enough how sharp the blades are. They sliced through an almost over ripe tomato without crushing it at all. It's easily sliced, and diced, everything I've thrown at it. Even the upright dicing blades are very sharp.The construction is simple, but very sturdy. Two of the other mandolines I tried had a stand. I wasn't sure about having a mandoline without some way to brace it and hold it firmly while slicing. But because the blades on this are so sharp, it doesn't take much effort at all to hold while using it. It also has these nice rubber indents so it will sit over a bowl. The blade adjustment is done by pushing the red button on the side and sliding the deck forward or back to make cuts thinner or thicker. There's even a nice little holder for the dicing blades that will hold the blades after you wash them so they dont just sit in the sink waiting for you to accidentally run your hand over them. The deck will also lock into place to keep you from running your hand over the main cutting blades while cleaning it.If I had to nitpick, I'd say that it would be nice if the adjustment went just a little thicker. But really, I'd be splitting hairs.Great product!

My first Swissmar Borner mandolin was purchased 20 years ago. As a former chef, I had purchased mandolins for over $200 and returned them because they were a disappointment. When I received my first Swissmar mandolin I was disappointed and thought it was a cheap piece of crap...until I tried it and realized that they put all the money in the blades. You can slice a ripe tomato in slices so thin you can see through it...great for pizza! I kept that unit for 15 years and threw it out figuring the company had updated the unit and made the body as awesome as the blade. It cut as well after 15 years as the day I bought it...then I found there had been no change and bought another of the same unit 5 years ago. I have that unit to this day but when I saw they FINALLY updated the body I jumped at it.First of all I LOVE the new safety feature that protects the blade flat...I now have a grandson and always worry he will find it in a drawer and cut himself...and those blades are sharp. Unlike the old unit where you flipped the plate over for thick or thin, you have several options for thickness. The grip feet at the base are nice and the holder for the other two blades is an improvement. Although it's still plastic, it doesn't look as cheap as the older model and the plastic is better quality.The blades are the gem here and it remains the same. You can still slice that tomato paper thin or nice and thick or in between. I paid a fortune for my food processor but this is what I break out 90% of the time.When my daughter found out I bought this unit she begged me for my old one...I ordered her one of these instead.Now if they would only make this in stainless steel I would pay the high price tag...maybe someday.In the meantime enjoy a really well made mandolin for a bargain price...and please don't ignore the safety holder...20 years ago I thought I could do without it until it took a good chunk of my knuckle...now I might start slicing a carrot or cucumber without it but once I get halfway I put the guard on...these blades are REALLY sharp. I have always put it in the dishwasher and never had a problems with warping, rusting or dulling.

I bought a OXO Good Grips Mandoline at BB&B and could not use it at all. It would not slice anything I tried (thus resulting in the most cruel review I have ever given any product.)The Swissmar Borner is not fancy but it works. I have used it to cut tomatoes - excellent. Sweet potatoes - a breeze. Mushrooms - flawless. Apples, pears, oranges and lemons - perfect! I have used it for many other fruits and vegetables, too, all with ease and precision.The weaknesses - the julienne sizes are too small. Other reviewers stated the same so I was aware of this at purchase time but it is still worth noting. If you intend to make fries or wedges from your vegetables, be prepared to continue using your favorite knife unless you want ultra-slim fries. For me, I do not like the slim cuts because they do not cook up right - thicker is better. Another MAJOR weakness, and almost resulting in a loss of two or more stars, is that this Mandoline does not have legs to raise up the device to allow food to flow out easily and it can easily slide on you. These are significant issues but both can be overcome. I just have to remember to regularly stop, remove the foods from under the mandoline, and then continue. My previous Swissmar could be mounted over a large mixing bowl allowing for all the food to fall nicely in without my having to stop at all.It cleans up easily. The blades are not replaceable or able to be sharpened, as several reviewers have noted and complained, but at this price, I am okay with this weakness.After using it for several major cooking projects, I decide to give the Swissmar four stars. If it had legs or was raised up just a bit more AND it had a better julienne feature, this tool would definitely have five stars.Would I recommend it? YES. Would I give it as a gift? YES. Why? Because it does its job and it does cut. I can live with the weaknesses because overall this tool will save me a lot of time in the kitchen.

Item is very sharp, lightweight, uncomplicated and very easy to operate. I owned a Borner slicer for 25 years and it stayed sharp.