Save your pennies....buy a cuisinart...you won't be sorry! It grates and slices, makes slaw, makes bread and pastry, Chops herbs and nuts...makes ham salad out of cooked ham, and slices enough onions for a big pot of onion soup in about 2 minutes.
You need one!
Linda C

Here is a link that might be useful: cuisinart

Well the best tool for Parm is a microplane. Thin and will fit in a drawer. Plus can be used for any hard cheese, chocolate, garlic and ginger plus a few other things I haven't thought of yet.
For sliced potatoes I have a few different mandoline style slicers.
You could get really good with a knife and not need a slicer.

Here is a link that might be useful: slicer~something like this

I'd go with the microplane for PR, less than $15 unless you got to W-S.

I also second the cuisinart for slices. Again, use your BR&B coupon or look for the Amazon sales (that aren't what they used to be....) If you get down to Rockville, try one of the big Asian supermarkets and look for a no-name mandoline. You may lose the rest of your fingers but ...we have to pay SOME price in cooking. ;-) Maureen

Linda C: I have several different blades for the Cuisinart that makes short work of slicing anything that will fit thru' the chute. And I also have grating blades for different sizes of grating. I do use microplanes for fine grating and zesting.

Microplace for the cheese. I think they also now make a slicer, but I'm not positive on that.

I prefer a slaw cutter to the food processor for slicing potatoes... Easier clean up, no electricity and you don't have to cut up the potatoes first... You can even leave the skins on... I've never figured out how to use the guard that comes with it but if you hold the last couple of inches of the potato with only the palm of your hand you won't cut or kick yourself, promise.

Rita
P. S. The most I've ever paid for a new one was $5 and two other ones came with it... Years ago I picked up one for 25 cents at a second hand store and that one lasted about 10 years... Probably would have lasted longer if I hadn't left it outside in the rain... lol

Here is a link that might be useful: Bluffton Slaw Cutter

I would go with the microplane also. (or you can pick up a wood rasp at the hardware store which is what microplanes started out as) Just be sure to actually look at the blade. There are different ones for different jobs. There are cheese and chocolate graters, citrus zesters which make a longer cut, etc. For thin slices I use a mandolin. We still use our Swiss Moha brand that we purchased years ago. We saw it on the Frugal Gourmet that tells you how old it is! But it still makes fast work of potatoes, carrots,etc. It is small in size 12"x3", we keep it in it's original box in the knife drawer. NancyLouise

As others have said, you can't beat a microplane for grating. Get one of the microplanes with interchangeable graters. I have a mandoline but very seldom use it. The food processor works great for slicing , but not if you want really thin slices. I've been using a little cheap slicer for probably 20 years and finally replaced it with one made by Kuhn Rikon. Slices thin enough to make my own potato chips.

I use a variety of microplanes (different sizes of holes) for grating hard cheese such as Parmigiano Reggiano, whole nutmeg, citrus zest, fresh ginger, chocolate, etc.

I used to use one of those little cheese graters that had different size cones that you placed in them, stick the small amount of cheese in the hopper and clamp it down by gripping the handle, and cranked the arm to grate the cheese on the rotating cone attached to the arm. They can be used for nuts and chocolate as well. I used a Zyliss Deluxe Cheese Grater set. OXO has a Rotary Cheese Grater (reminds me of the baby food grinder I used with the kids.

When it comes to slicing potatoes thin, I use a mandoline. I dehydrate (seemingly) "tons" of apple and potato slices in the fall, and for consistant thickness that I determine by adjusting the blade, I use the mandoline. I also slice zucchini and dehydrate it for a "healthy" substitute for potato chips.

-Grainlady

Well, to say I'm not somewhat confused whold be an understatement. If not for the pictures I would have been lost on some of the things said, but I do know what some of you ment.
For right now the Cusinart thing is out, I just can't keep buying things with no place to put them. It's not the money at all but the SPACE, It's coming to a close if I don't quit!

However, ritaotay had a link to something that I understand and is "Flat". I had a old square one that worked on the slicing as well as it did on your fingers and threw it out, MISTAKE!
The new ones they have at the Linens and things store "Flex" (read that cheap) and are absolutely worthless. You have to force the cut and that is a very big NO with anything that cuts!
If ritaotay is reading this I would really be interested if these slicers are sturdy and stiff when you use them?

I don't cook for a family or need any high capacity methods. The microplane sounds great for the cheeze grating.

The mandolin sounds great for slicing as long as it is capable of slicing a potato as an example in thicknesses from paper thin to about 1/4 inch. Can I do the latter (mandolin) with a flat type mandolin? If so, and you have a link I would really appreciate it, or a brand name or whatever I can track down. But it is going to have to be an adjustable model by whatever method.
Change

This is what I have. I use the V blade and the adjustable the most. Funny I've never used the julienne..and only use the grate blade if I have it out and something calls for grating. I keep it stored with the grate blade in it and the rest tucked into the "contraption".

Here is a link that might be useful: Pampered Chef Slicer

Yep, it's all metal and the side edges are rolled for added strength... The two things that most people don't like about it are that it rusts if you don't wash and dry it right after use and that it's not adjustable...

Personally I wouldn't be without one, makes great Cole slaw and slices potatoes and carrots almost paper thin, in a hot minute... Works great on salad cucumbers but the big seeds on regular cucumbers cause a problem... I haven't tried it on other veggies but I would guess it work... Oh and I never use the grater part of it, too hard to clean and too much of a chance you'll grate you fingers.. lol

The secret to safe slicing is how you hold the slicer and your veggie... For carrots and cabbage I lay the slicer on top of a 4 or 12 cup glass measuring cup but, I guess, you can use any pot or pan with a flat rim, I hold the slicer handle, FIRMLY, with one hand, the veggie in the other and push the veggie away from me... You have to quarter your cabbage, unless it's a really small head, start out by holding a cut side towards your body with the core facing up or slightly away from you, then you have to adjust the angle so you don't grate the core too... You want to keep the rounded side towards the blades... And if you quit before you shred the core you won't hit your fingers... lol

For carrots it all depends on how you want them sliced, a light quick stroke will give you thinner slices, more pressure equals a little thicker slice, hold the carrot straight up and you'll have circles, slant it and you'll have strips... I always start with the small end and quit when I'm an inch from the end...

I slice potatoes into the small side of the sink, into water, the slicer is on a slant, handle on the edge of the sink, other end against the back of the sink ( I put a folded paper towel under it )... Place one end if a potato in the palm of your hand and cup all four fingers and your thumb around the sides, so it doesn't move around, as you push away from your body you're pressing down with the heal of your hand and just keeping the potato steady with your fingers.... As you pull it back let your fingers do most of the work... After a few strokes you start inching your fingers up the potato when you pull back... When you get to the last inch or two slow down and just push with the heal of your hand and pull back with your finger tips... For the last few strokes only use the heal of your flattened hand, keep your fingers out of the way... lol

Rita

DH just bought me a microplane for $24.50 They are so hard to find up here! The woman said they're a fast seller. It says you can use it for citrus fruit, ginger, and Parmesan cheese. Can't wait to use it! The darn thing is sharper than I thought it would be too.

Beanthere dunthat is right - Microplane has (accordong to their website) a "new" adjustable slicer with a protective guard for your fingers. It's $39.95 and it's flat. I may have to make a purchase!!

Thanks Coleen, I'm on my way there now, LOL!