Chef's Choice Electric Meat Slicer 662

I purchased this slicer for use in the hospitality rooms of conventions, which entails slicing a few hundred pounds of meat over the course of a couple of days. The unit performed flawlessly, cutting the final piece of meat just as smoothly as the first. The motor ran cool and quiet, the meat slider was smooth and fluid, and the blade cleanly cut everything from pastrami to provalone. Cleaning can be an issue as the clearances under the blade are small, but I was able to keep it at the same state that I maintained my professional slicer years ago at a sandwich shop I worked for. I recommend completely dismantling it after heavy use for sanitation and longevity. Summary: It's not a $1500 slicer, but for $400 it can't be beat. I would say that you could probably even get away with this unit at a small deli with how admirably it performed under the grueling trial I put it through last weekend. It might be a touch overkill for the average home chef though.

I first ordered a model 645 Veri-tilt unit but was disapointed because the "travel" on the slicer was not adaquate to slice my much loved prosciutto.The blade was only 7 inches and was serrated. It also lacked a blade cover so I was sure it would "drag" when slicing. (At $20.00 a pound for good prosciutto I didn't even try!) I bought the The larger model 662 with the 8.6 inch smooth blade was a far better choice! It had a covered blade that only exposes the cutting edge of the blade to the meat surface. This is also a much safer configuration then the "exposed" blades found on the less expensive models. The unit is solidly built and appears to be of a very high quality. The travel on the slicing cariage is long enough to cut most meats. The "rump" side of the average prosciutto is still a bit larger than the travle distance of the slicer but this is easily overcome by trimming the sides of the meat to slightly narrow it. I have been thrilled with how thin this slicer can can "shave" a piece of meat. I can actually read through some of the slices. I have used this slicer to cut Roast beef, salami,turkey,chicken, tomatoes,onions, prosciutto, and even limes! It has never failed to perform as I had hoped. This is truly a "deli" quality slicer even if it is a bit small. Don't get me wrong, it is still a rather large machine and needs a bit of counter and storage space to operate. I actually am happy that it will fit in my cabinet, because my wife wasen't thrilled with the idea of this thing being on the countertop all of the time! Having this machine has saved me both time and money when entertaining friends. (We throw parties a few times a year and it has made quite an impression on our guests!) I said I would let you know how the 662 blade sharpener has performed. Sorry to tell you that I can't do so because I have not had to sharpen the blade yet!! This machine still cuts like new! I have used this slicer on MANY occasions and am still pleased with its overall performance. I will use it again this weekend. As others have noted clean-up takes a few minutes. The sliding carriage can be put in the dish washer if you like, but the rest is clean by hand! As far as durability is concerned I have to replace the small plastic "slice-stopper" that keeps items from getting sucked into the blade. This is not dangerous but it can add to clean-up time. I would still score this "home" slicer at 95/100. Enjoy.

Excellent machine; fulfills all the representations made in the product description. Large blade is great but still need to trim down large items like proscuitto. Didn't give it 5 stars just because it is a bit heavy

This is an excellent slicer, and works well. It is extremely well built. The tools it comes with makes it easy to use. My previous slicer was a Krups and this one is so much better. If anyone has worked with professional grade slicers you should know they aren't a snap to clean, and this one is no different. However, for what it is cleanup is quick and easy. I smoke meat and this machine handled brisket and turkey with ease, producing thin sliced meat quietly, quickly and tastily!