Everyone wants to prepare meals that are not only delicious but also professional-looking. Preparation is a very crucial part of ensuring that your meal tastes and looks good. With that being said, the mandoline vs food processor choice is one that you have to make. It has challenged most cooks. In most households, people have purchased food processors, assuming that they can do everything you would require. Unfortunately, that is hardly the case.
Different tools make different cuts, which are important in cooking a variety of recipes. So, which one should you get between a food processor vs. mandoline? Here is what you need to know.
A Mandoline
Compared to the most kitchen equipment, a mandoline is usually misunderstood. Most cooks will assume that it is dangerous and extremely difficult to use. Most will then conclude that it is not worth the trouble. It is true that a mandoline blade is quite sharp and might be dangerous. Nevertheless, if you use it in the right way, you will be able to get precise chops very fast.
The main difference Between mandoline and food processor is the operation. This utensil features a stand that has a blade on it. You should pass the food you want to chop, for instance, an onion or a carrot over the blade, and uniform slices are created below it in seconds. You will find some that have additional blades for different cuts. As you can imagine, it is quite lightweight and has a very simplified design, which means cleaning is very easy.
So, what can I use instead of a mandoline? In case you feel that a mandoline is not worth a try, you can prefer to use a vegetable peeler, a cheese planer, as well as a knife.
A Food Processor
Food processors, unlike mandolines, are large. Their operation is more complicated compared to mandolines. However, they allow you to do more than slice ingredients. You can also dice, puree, chop or even grind meat. Even though it is quite versatile, it is harder to store, and setting it up might take up more time.
So, when comparing a food processor vs mandoline, you will note that storing a mandoline is quite easy. It will only take you a couple of seconds to remove it from the drawer and start using it. Additionally, a food processor does not give you as much precision as the alternative, and controlling it can be harder.
Can you use a food processor instead of a mandoline? The simple truth is that you can. Even so, slicing requires finesse, which the processor will not provide.
So, when deciding on what to use, the first thing you should consider is what you intend to achieve. Chopping large ingredients will be very easy with a food processor. However, if control and precision are what you want, then you can go for a mandoline.
For further reading:
- Best Food Processor For Commercial Use
- Food Processor vs. Food Chopper
- Colander Vs Strainer Vs Sieve Comparison
Conclusion
So, what should you go for? Your choice will solely depend on the amount of time you have, the storage, as well as what you want to achieve. But we recommend that you get both. They are both useful in different situations and you can always alternate them however you want.
Feel free to share your observations with me in the comments section!
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