Choosing a Commercial Meat or Frozen Food Slicer

A commercial slicer can make a huge difference in the productivity of your kitchen. Deli meats, cheeses, and vegetables can be cut quickly and uniformly with little effort. As with all major pieces of equipment, slicers are available with a wide range of functionality, capacity and price points. First, determine how much of each kind of food you’ll be slicing each day.

Here are some basic guidelines

• Light-duty slicers: Light-duty slicers are those used for an hour or less a day to slice meats and vegetables. They are not able to cut through cheese. Their blades are either 9” or 10” and the motors are usually 1/5hp or 1/4hp. This type of slicer must be operated manually.
• Medium-duty slicers: These slicers can run for a few hours a day Its blades are usually between 10” and 14”. This is the most popular type, and is the first level that can cut through cheese. Their motors are usually 1/3hp or 1/2hp. These machines are mostly manually operated as well.
• Heavy-duty slicers: Heavy-duty slicers come with 13” or 14” blades and can run all day, cutting through large volumes of meat, cheese, and vegetables. You will need a heavy-duty slicer if you want to cut frozen foods. Most have options to run automatically or manually, so the user can step away while the machine slices. This work is supported by a 1/2hp motor and heavy construction materials.

Frozen Food Slicers

For slicing frozen foods, you will want to look for a machine with a serrated blade, which can cut through the product more easily. A serrated blade, however, will not be good for deli meats or some cheeses as it will cause the product to shred. While serrated blades can’t be sharpened, they can be replaced by the operator when needed. Cut-resistant gloves are recommended when performing this task, as well as any time the machine is being operated or cleaned.

Find Your Slicer

Need help picking out the right slicer? Contact us or give us a call anytime and we will help you find the best slicer for your needs.