NescoStainless Steel Food Slicer Adjustable Thickness, 8.7",Silver

I waited to post a review until I used this slicer a few times. I have cut a ham into breakfast steaks, a pork loin into chops, 2 London broils into jerky strips, and a bottom round roast beef into deli slices. The machine performed flawlessly. I was initially concerned about the manual warning against running it for more than 10 minutes at a time, but not now - it makes short quick work of everything. Nothing I have cut came anywhere close to taking 10 minutes. While there are several competing brands and models available on Amazon, all with well deserved 4+ star ratings, few have the Nesco FS250's large 8.7" blade, fewer still have an all metal chassis, and fewer yet have a professional-style metal pusher/handle assembly. After 30 years of managing and owning restaurants, I found those features irresistible. Yes, when it comes to slicers, size matters. A lot. So does power, and nothing in this price range surpasses the Nesco FS250's 180 watts of power.The ham was cut cold right out of the wrapper. One half-inch thick slice makes a perfect breakfast steak, grill two for a nice dinner, and diced up or julienned they're great for making omelets and chef salads.The London broil and pork loin were defrosted to a firm, semi-frozen state. I agree with a lot of other reviewers - semi-frozen works best with home slicers. The completely defrosted bottom round roast (3.5 lbs.) was seasoned and put in the oven at 480 degrees for 17 minutes, then the oven was turned off and the meat cooked in the steadily cooling oven until it was cool enough to touch the pan - a perfect rare-medium rare 130 degrees on the meat thermometer. I then put the cooked roast in the freezer for a few hours to firm it up, then cut the strings, and trimmed off the little bit of bottom fat. It sliced perfectly - wafer thin, with almost no crumbling. Between me and the dog, about half of it never made it back to the refrigerator. With everything I cut, the thickness control knob remained as set and the support plaque didn't bend, nothing wandered or lost setting - slices were uniform - that's something a few competing machines have a problem with. And the big, sharp blade spins fast enough so it didn't yank the meat around - the spiked metal pusher kept everything under control.Cleanup is a breeze - everything comes apart and reassembles easily without needing any tools. And there's just something nice about working with a steel/aluminum product for a change. This machine has a strong, professional appearance - it makes the whole kitchen look sharp. And it performs perfectly for my purposes. Buy it! And live happily ever after.

Works great and I've had no problems with it. I've saved tons of money on lunchmeat since I can buy quality meats in bulk and slice it myself for a fraction of the price. Can handle anything from thick ham steaks to deli-thin slices.Few comments with the design:- The sliding board on the back is a bit too flimsy, and depending upon your technique may cause your slices to be SIGNIFICANTLY thicker (or thinner) than intended- The way the meat exits the slicer wasn't really well consider and it just flops there on the back of the unit, requiring frequent pauses- The slicer comes apart well for easy cleaning of the components- There's no good way to clean the main unit since you can't exactly put it in the sink (and it comes in contact with food no matter what you do)Be sure to purchase food-safe lubricant with this, along with cut resistant gloves for everyone that will be using it.

I finally got a chance to use this. I specifically got it for slicing my homemade bacon. It worked very well although the size of the tray required me to cut my pork belly in half. Still, it sliced cleanly and evenly. It was easy to clean. I recommend this product for a decent slicer that does not break the bank.

I have been using this slicer for a year now and love it. I am in the fabricated materials industry and can attest that the slicer is well built for a home machine. It is easy to clean because the sliding carriage can be removed quickly. The serrated blade, though more expensive to make, means that the blade does not need to be sharpened (just like serrated knives). Motor speed is geared down to give ample torque yet enough cutting speed to do the job without getting dangerously fast. Speaking of gearing, the gears are made of a nylon filled plastic that give both strength and lubricity. There is liberal use of aluminum die castings and polished & bent stainless steel sheet.I have read some comments comparing this machine to a professional unit. Hobart was a customer of mine and the professional units are bult for daily use in a commercial envionment, not occassional use in a home. If it is a professional unit you want, then buy one. If, however, you have the need for an occassional use slicer, I don't think you will find a better unit than the Nesco on the market.