Product Review - Jaccard Mandolin Slicer

A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by Ashley, a promo representative for CSNStores.com. She offered me the opportunity to review an item from any of their web-based stores. I gladly agreed and waited patiently by my mailbox for the item to arrive.

Let me begin by saying that Ashley was very helpful at every step along the way. She gave me basic guidelines about the review and placed my order for me. My item arrived right on schedule in what appeared to be good condition. To date, I have had nothing but good things to say regarding CSNStores.com and the customer service they provide.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same thing about the product I received, the Jaccard Safehands Mandolin. I've never owned a mandolin slicer, but have always wanted to give one a try. I'm sorry to say that my experience was a disappointment and, overall, my opinion of the mandolin is neutral at best.


I like to give good reviews when I can, so let me start by highlighting what I think are the positives about this item:

• It is easy to assemble and disassemble.
  
  
• It is easy to clean.
  
  
• The cutting blades were easy to insert and remove.
  
  
• The waffle cut slicer works well.
  
  
  
  
• The grater works well.
  
  
  
• The directions are clear, and ideally, the mandolin should be easy to use.

This is where the store changes.

• I found the Safehands food holder (hand guard) uncomfortable to use and ended up gripping it around the outside rather than putting my fingers into the guard. The design still afforded protection to my hands, but I wasn't able to use it in the manner described.
  
  
• I felt the tomato slicing blade ripped through the tomato rather than slicing it. Using a firm tomato, per the directions, I ended up with rough and uneven slices with ragged edges.
  
  
  
• Most troublesome of all was that the straight cut blade, the one that I would probably use most often, would not cut. I tried numerous times and each time the blade would slice just halfway through a potato then stop suddenly. The food holder didn't seem to be caught up on anything, so I asked Shane to give it a try. The same thing happened to him. After close inspection of the blade, we found that the cutting edge was curled or rolled up, without a sharp edge. Only the speed of the food holder's downward motion was causing the half-way cut. With no speed behind it, I don't believe it would have cut at all.
  
  
  
• Further, with a straight blade that wouldn't cut, the three julienne blades were rendered useless. I couldn't even try them. What a disappointment, because I think I would have used them often.
  

I can't in good faith recommend this product. I have to say that I am glad to say that I didn't have to pay for it. I am aware that, as far as mandolins go, this was not an expensive one, and I expected it to perhaps feel a little flimsy. But I did expect it to at least slice a potato when put to use.

Ashley at CSNStores.com will be receiving a link to this review. Again, I have nothing negative to say about her or her company. I don't know if this is where the review ends or if a replacement product will be sent out; I'm fine with whatever happens at this point. Although I didn't like the product I chose, I had fun working with Ashley and writing this review.


Disclaimer: In the interest of transparency, when I do product reviews on my blog, I will always indicated whether or not I was compensated in any way (cash or merchandise) or if I’m sharing my views without compensation. In either case, the opinions I express are entirely my own. Your opinion may be different.