Comparison UNOLD Metall Plus vs Blaupunkt FMS601

The total power consumption of the slicer. The value of this parameter is small — the performance of even the most powerful models usually does not exceed 200 W.

Almost all the power consumed is for operation of the engine, so the higher it is, the more powerful the engine is installed in the slicer. Theoretically, the higher power allows you to better cope with solid and dense products, but in fact everything also depends on the characteristics of the knife — primarily its type (see below) and the quality of sharpening. Therefore, power data are more reference than practically significant, and this indicator has almost no effect on the quality of the slicer.

The type of blade that comes standard with the slicer.

All knives used in this category of kitchen appliances are circular, rotating, and the blade in them goes in a circle. But the shape of this blade can be different — it is in this parameter that the types of knives differ from each other.

— Straight. Knives with a traditional straight blade are basic and affordable, yet with proper sharpening and skill, they can handle various slicing tasks effectively. They excel with products of uniform consistency like cheese but may be less effective for slicing non-uniform density items such as bread compared to knives with wavy or notched blades.

— Wavy. Knives with a wave-shaped blade are more difficult to manufacture and more expensive than straight ones. On the other hand, they do an excellent job not only with homogeneous products, but also with those that have different density — like ham with a crust.

— Serrated. Serrated knives have sharpening in the form of pronounced sharp teeth, resembling those of a circular saw. They are beneficial for slicing products with varying density, similar to wavy blades. Serrated knives are particularly effective for cutting vegetables and fruits with tough peels and soft cores, like tomatoes or peaches. However, these knives tend to be more expensive due to their specialized design.
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Note that some models may come with several removable blades of different types. This allows you to choose an option depending on the situation — for example, cut the cheese with a straight knife, and put the wavy one only when really necessary, so as not to wear it out much.

The diameter of the blade of the knife supplied with the slicer. Knives are shaped like discs — accordingly, the diameter of the blade is actually equal to the diameter of the disc.

The larger the blade, the larger ingredients the device can handle at a time and the “larger” the cut slices can be. At the same time, in fact it is rarely necessary to use a slicer for very thick products. Therefore, even in the most “large-caliber” modern models, the knife diameter usually does not exceed 300 mm.

The greatest thickness of the slices that the slicer can separate from the cut product.

The modern slicers usually allow you to adjust the thickness of the slices — an important feature in light of the fact that for different situations and products, the optimal thickness will be different. The ability to separate thick slices can be useful, for example, when cutting bread, or when preparing fruit for jam or compote. Such situations are not uncommon, therefore, in most modern slicers, the maximum thickness is more than 10 mm.

The ability to adjust the speed at which the slicer blade rotates. This allows you to further adjust the operating mode to the specifics of a particular situation and type of products: for example, the slicer can easily cope with relatively soft and homogeneous ingredients at low speed, but for solid, dense or heterogeneous it is better to use the “fast” mode.

Note that this function, on the one hand, is rarely required in everyday life, on the other hand, it significantly affects the cost of the device. Therefore, the presence of an adjustable speed is typical mainly for advanced slicers.

Possibility of work of a slicer in the pulse mode. In this mode, in accordance with the name, the knife of the device works nonuniformly — high speed alternates with short pauses. Pulse switching is well suited for working with dense and solid products: it allows you to develop a higher working speed than with uniform work, at the same time it does not allow overloading the knife and reduces the chance of jamming. However, even in such models, there is usually no question of cutting fruit pits or other equally solid ingredients — slicers are not designed for this in principle.

The presence of protection from accidental activation in the design of the slicer.

One of the most popular options for such protection is the use of two power buttons: in order for the knife to move, you need to hold down both. This format of work minimizes the chance of accidental start — for example, if you touch the button while correcting the cut product in the immediate near the blades. In addition, this function can also play the role of child lock: the buttons are often made quite tight so that only an adult can press them.

The presence of a tray for chopped products in the design or delivery set of the slicer.

Such a pallet can be made both as a non-removable element and as a separate device that is not attached to the slicer body. However, this piece of equipment saves the user from having to look for a board, saucer, plate or other "seat" for chunks coming out from under the knife of the unit anyway. Of course, in a modern kitchen, finding such a “seat” is not a problem, but using a tray is often more convenient.