Fullstar offers a complete package of products in one purchase. The
Fullstar Mandoline Slicer includes a push block cutter, with a large collection bin, and a mandoline accessory with a handguard, as well as an adjustable spiralizer. This lets you do just about anything from cut your French fries, to making curly fries, slicing up your own zucchini noodles, or just dice up an onion for some pico de gallo.

The plastic components are all BPA-free, and the heavy-duty, razor-sharp cutting blades are made from stainless steel. The collection bin is large, however, it doesn’t fully seal. So, if you want to bring a salad with you to work or on a picnic, you’ll have to put it in a separate Tupperware container.

The trade-off here is that it has a removable tray. It is handy for times when you want to work in large batches, or you simply need to switch from one type of vegetable to another without having to open the top.

The spiralizer included in the purchase is also very handy as it lets you cut attractive vegetable noodle strands, and on its largest setting, you could even make some small curly fries.

Chop Wizard was one of the first vegetable choppers to rise to popularity. It’s long-term staying power is none-the-less a testament to its overall quality and simplicity. There are only two stainless steel cutting blade assemblies. One for chopping and the other for dicing. All the components are dishwasher safe, though you should put them on the top shelf.

It uses a hinged push plate to manually drive the fruit or vegetables through the blade assembly. The durable plastic container underneath also has volumetric measuring lines. This lets you know just how much of your chopped or diced material you have for a specific recipe. Though you make need to jostle it at little to get chopped pieces to level out.

For some people, a traditional mandoline slicer seems a little bit dangerous. This is because many of them have awkward handguards that tempt people into using them improperly. To answer this very real concern Dash designed their DSM100GBAQ04 Mandoline
for safety while adding functionality and versatility.

It uses a special type of push block that is designed to securely holds the food, without letting your fingers get anywhere near the razor-sharp, stainless steel cutting blades. By engineering it to stand up gravity helps feed the food being sliced with minimal risk of it shifting. This also makes it easier to control the force being applied.

When you aren’t using it the Dash DSM100GBAQ04 can collapse down small enough to fit in most kitchen drawers. So, it’s also a great space saver!

How We Picked

Vegetable choppers originally started as very simple devices that you could slap, slam, or slide to break vegetables down into convenient pieces. Chances are good if you watched a little late-night TV you probably saw a few on infomercials. They’re especially handy devices for people who want to break down onions, peppers, and other common vegetables without having to put their fingers near a knife blade.

Of course, their early, and impressive popularity inspired a wide spectrum of manufacturers to try their hand at offering models in stores as well as online. Some are very much a manual version of an electric food processor, while others simply replicate what you could do with a knife and impressive manual dexterity.

While reviewing this diverse field, we tried to look for units that had features that helped them stand out a little from their nearest competitors. This starts with the way the manual force is applied.

Pull Cord Vegetable Choppers

A pull cord vegetable chopper is arguably as close to a traditional food process as you can get without actually plugging a device into an electric socket. This type of device usually has a recoil cord that’s a little bit reminiscent of the pull cord on your lawnmower, only smaller.

When you pull on it, the internal blades on the cylinder spin, which drives the cutting blades through the food being cut. The more time you pull the more the food is broken down. With some of these vegetable choppers, the blade itself is enough to essentially mix the food. Though some have mixing attachments, which is handy if you want to make sauces like pico de gallo or guacamole where the vegetables might be different textures.

With these, we looked for quality materials and engineering principles to keep the moving parts from breaking down or jamming. We also tried to keep an eye out for a model that just used blades as well as one with a mixer or other accessories.

Push Plate Vegetable Choppers

They sometimes seem a little simplistic, as all you do is push down on a hinged lid or plate that drives the vegetable through your preferred blade assembly. As you can imagine there’s a little bit of extra elbow grease necessary to cut very hard vegetables. Still, if you are willing to put in the extra effort, a deeper unit might allow you to make fresh-cut French fries.

With these, we tried looking for blade assemblies that were robust enough to handle firm vegetables. Just in case you wanted to cut fresh French fries. Ones with multiple blade assemblies and accessories tended to rise on our list.

Mandolines and Slicers

Mandoline slicers and other horizontal blade slicers can be a little trick, at least when it comes to safety. To keep your fingers safe from a potentially severe cut, you should always use the protective handguard. Of course, the biggest complaint with most mandoline-type slicers is that the handguard is usually a little awkward, which tempts people to take risks with their soft fingers.

With these units, we tried to look for crucial safety features, as well as a thoughtful handguard that encourages proper use. Along the way, we also tried to prioritize units that had some versatile options built-in.

Push Handle Vegetable Choppers

Chances are you’ve seen one of two of these units on late-night television where you slap or slap on a push handle. The more times you press the plunger the finer it chops the food. With these, you’re typically working with small amounts like cloves of garlic or half of an onion. You usually put them on a cutting board rather than depositing the chopped vegetables in a receptacle container.

With these push-handle choppers, a lot of force is delivered to the blade edges and other internal components. While reviewing these, we looked for manufacturers with a reputation for quality materials and engineering, or that backed their product with a confident warranty.

Container Size and Characteristics

A lot of vegetable choppers come with some type of container or receptacle. Right off the bat, you might think that these containers are simple. Yet there are a lot of interesting twists in this diverse field.

Size and volume capacity are important. You want the container to hold what you need to cut, slice, or process in a single session. Some containers have special features built into them like a pull out drawer or a divider. There are some that seal tightly, which lets you transport what you cut for a picnic or those times when you want to bring a salad with you to work. A few even do their best to keep you from crying when you cut onions.

Chef’n VeggiChop Arugula Model

Specs:

• Dual rotating blades
• Pull cord operated
• 3.8 cup storage bin
• Dishwasher safe

The Chef’n “Arugula Model” of the VeggieChop is essentially a manual food processor. It has two stainless steel blades that are securely connected to a central rotating column, which is founded into the lid.

To rotate the blades you simply pull back on a pull cord with a built-in recoil. The more you pulse the blades the finer it chops the food inside. One pull might be all you need to process walnuts into small pieces.

On the other end of the spectrum, you could add ingredients in small loads for four or five pulls to blend up some homemade guacamole. While it is primarily used for vegetables you can potentially use it to cut soft, boneless meats.

The collection bowl will hold up to 3.8 cups of processed food. The components are rated to be dishwasher safe. However, the manufacturer recommends putting them on the top rack. This is balanced by the fact that it’s pretty hard to hand clean. Especially the very sharp dual cutting blades.

What We Liked

The dual stainless steel blades and the ability to process vegetables as well as soft meats to the consistency adds to this vegetable chopper’s overall versatility. The fact that you can clean it in the dishwasher is also very handy.

Overall

This is a very versatile, high-value vegetable cutter that lets you process a wide range of nuts, fruits, vegetables, and even boneless cuts of meat. Just make sure you have a dishwasher to properly clean the Chef’n VeggiChop Arugula.

ONSON Food Chopper And Vegetable Slicer

Specs:

• Manual press chopper
• Multiple accessories included in the purchase
• Comes with a peeler
• Includes a safety glove
• Cleaning tools included
• Made from BPA-free plastics
• Stainless steel cutting blades

A manual chopper and slicer like the ONSON Food Chopper And Vegetable Slicer will require a little more active force from you, the user. The trade-off here is that there aren’t any complicated internal structures of pull cords that could fail. So long as you are using it responsibly the hinges on the cutting push plate will hold up for a long time.

This particular model comes with 8 accessory cutting dies. You can use it as a slicer, fry cutter, julienne, coarse & fine grater, and even a lemon or orange juicer. There are even a vegetable peeler and special cleaning tools included in the purchase.

The collection container is large enough to accommodate a typical salad. The lid also seals tightly, which means you can take it with you for a salad lunch at the office. When not in use you can store the accessories and cutting plates inside, so you know you’ll have them the next time you want to use it.

The bottom of the collection container has small rubber strips to help hold it in place. So, if you have a wet countertop, or you plan on cutting something hard, you might want to put down a tea towel or a rubber mat first. Just to buy yourself a little extra traction.

What We Liked

The multiple accessories make this an incredibly versatile vegetable cutter, and the large collection bin with a sealable lid means you have the storage space to hold as much as you want. The cleaning tools included in the purchase are also a nice touch.

Overall

This is a great push-plate and a manual vegetable chopper that lets you do just about anything you want. Though the accessories can be a little bit fiddly to remove and install.

DASH DSM100GBAQ04 Safe Slice Mandoline

Specs:

• Mandoline slicer
• Designed for safety
• Accessories for 30 different cuts
• Adjustable thickness
• 1-year manufacturer warranty
• Stainless steel blades

Mandoline slicers have a somewhat earned reputation for delivering a nasty cut or two. This is due to many of them having awkward handguards that discourage you from using them as intended. Dash tackles this challenge with gusto, by specifically designing their DSM100GBAQ04 Mandoline for safety, without sacrificing functionality.

It has a special type of push block that securely holds the food, without letting your fingers go anywhere near the stainless steel cutting blades. This mandoline is also designed to stand up which means gravity helps feed the food being cut with less risk of it shifting like you sometimes run into with a horizontal sliding vegetable cutter. It also makes it easier to control the force being applied.

Still, you shouldn’t let the vertical orientation lure you into thinking that this mandoline taking up a lot of space. When you want to store it, the Dash DSM100GBAQ04 can collapse down small enough to fit in most kitchen drawers.

What We Liked

This mandoline was specifically designed for safety and ease of use. You can pull it out of a drawer, and expand it in a matter of seconds. Then the push block and other engineering cues help keep your fingers away from stainless steel cutting blades.

Overall

If you love the versatility of a mandoline, and you don’t necessarily need a storage container, then the Dash DSM100GBAQ04 is one of the best and safest vegetable cutters on the market today.

The Fullstar Mandoline Slicer Spiralizer And Vegetable Slicer

Specs:

• Package of accessories
• 5 interchangeable blades
• Manual push plate
• Stainless steel blades
• BPA-free plastic
• Spiralizer included in the purchase
• Large collection bin

This is a package suite by Fullstar that includes a push block cutter, mandoline accessory, and an adjustable spiralizer. All these features and components mean you can do just about anything from cut your French fries, make your curly fries, slice zucchini noodles, or just plain dice onions or other aromatic vegetables.

All the plastic components are BPA-free. The cutting blades are made from stout stainless steel and are razor sharp. The collection bin itself is large, but there isn’t a sealable lid for it. This means you can’t necessarily do something like process a salad and take it with you for lunch.

Though it does include a removable tray, which is handy for times when you want to work in large batches, or you simply need to switch from one type of vegetable to the next without having to open the top.

When you attach the mandoline slicer accessory, there’s also a small handguard. It’s also worth noting that the rubber feet are a little on the small side. So, you might want to put down a tea towel or a rubber mat to hold it in place. Especially if the countertop you are using it a little wet.

The spiralizer is handy in that it lets you cut attractive vegetable noodle strands, and on its largest setting, you could even make some small curly fries. If the potato you are working with is excessively hard, you could microwave it for 30 to 60 seconds to soften it.

What We Liked

The sheer number of accessories and adjustment features is staggering. It helps boost your culinary creativity, when you think about all the different things you can do.
The removable tray in the large collection bin is also convenient. You can work in batches, or switch between different types of vegetables, without having to open the top or mess with the cutting blades.

Overall

If you want an all-inclusive vegetable cutter at a sweet price point, this package from Fullstar is definitely worth the money. Just don’t overestimate the stability of the small rubber feet.

Brieftons Manual Hand Held Vegetable Chopper

Specs:

• Dual stainless steel blades
• Manual pull cord
• Mixer attachment
• 4-cup container
• BPA-free plastic
• Anti-skid base

This four cup vegetable chopper from Brieftons is a step up from their very popular 2-cup version. It uses a retracting pull cord to power two internal stainless steel blades.

The more pulls you give it the more it processes the food. If you want to break down almonds into slices and pieces, you might only need one or two pulls. If you wanted an almond meal, you might want to try five or six pulls. This same methodology plays out with other things like slicing onions, mincing garlic, and dicing peppers.

One way that this manual vegetable chopper separates itself from many of its closest competitors is that it comes with an internal mixer attachment. It allows you to mix in your own ingredients for making things like guacamole or pico de gallo.

The bottom of the 4-cup receptacle has a robust anti-skid treatment. This is important in a unit like this as it gives you the traction you need to let the pull cord do its work.

What We Liked

The mixing attachment is a nice touch that you don’t always see in the competitors. It spares you having to chop your vegetables and then stir them together with a spoon, which can sometimes be inconsistent for things like guacamole.

Overall

If you are looking for a compact vegetable chopper with a pull cord that won’t slip around the countertop on you then this unit by Brieftons might just be the best value for the money.

Zalik Vegetable Chopper Pro Mandoline Slicer, Dicer, Cutter & Grater

Specs:

• 430 stainless steel blades
• 11 accessories
• Reinforced plastic
• Dishwasher safe

The Zalik Vegetable Chopper Pro was designed to be very versatile. It comes with 11 accessory inserts which let you processed vegetables and even soft meats in just about any way you can imagine. It even includes a small mandoline blade for slicing.

All the metal components are made from 430 stainless steel. The plastic components are reinforced to handle the necessary force to cut through things like sweet potatoes, firm onions, and russets. There are small rubber feet underneath to help anchor it on the countertop. Still, you might want to put down a rubber mat or a tea towel for extra traction.

The container is large, which lets you process a high volume of vegetables without having to worry about opening it up. Unfortunately, there isn’t a fully sealable lid for doing things like making a salad with you to work.

What We Liked

The 11 different cutting blades make the Zalik Vegetable Chopper Pro one of the most versatile options on the market.

Overall

For the money, you can enjoy the versatility of the Zalik Vegetable Chopper Pro. Just double-check that you have the traction you need on the countertop when working with hard foods. If you want to make a salad or a chopped condiment like pico de gallo with you, then you might want to also invest in some inexpensive Tupperware.

The Original Vidalia Chop Wizard

Specs:

• Chopper and dicer blades
• Manual press operation
• Stainless steel blades
• Container has measurements
• Dishwasher safe

The Chop Wizard was one of the first vegetable chopper devices to rise to popularity on late-night infomercials. To this day it remains a popular option for people who don’t want to play around with knives just to chop an onion or dice an apple.

You could argue that it’s a little bit on the basic side. There are just two blade assemblies, one for chopping and one for dicing. You then manually move the hinge-mounted push plate to drive the fruit or vegetables through the stainless steel blades.

The container underneath holds two cups of food. There’s even a measurement scale on the side to read it you simply turn the Chop Wizard sideways. If you’ve been working with hard, rough-cut vegetables like bell peppers, you might want to give it a gentle shake to let everything settle accurately.

What We Liked

The dishwasher safe materials and the measurements on the side of the container make the Chop Wizard very convenient. For what it’s worth the way the push plate closes down also spares you a lot of the tearing up that typically comes with chopping onions.

Overall

The Chop Wizard doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles. Still, it has a tried and true reputation as being a very affordable way to spare you having to fiddle around with traditional kitchen knives.

Cuisinart CTG-00-SCHP Stainless Steel Chopper

Specs:

• Stainless steel blades
• Press handle operation
• Dishwasher safe
• Limited lifetime warranty

Cuisinart is one of the strongest names in the home kitchen appliance industry. So, it’s no surprise that they also offer a well-designed manual vegetable chopper like the CTG-00-SCHP.

It borrows the engineering concept from other advertised brands that let you slap or press down on the handle. The force is then directed down into the vegetables below, which are chopped by the stainless steel blades.

The more you press the lever the finer it chops, dices, or minces the vegetables. The cutting chamber underneath is arguable small. It’s meant more for garlic, small onions and nuts like almonds or walnuts. Ideally, you want to use it over top of a wood or food-grade plastic cutting board.

Cuisinart backs this vegetable chopper with a limited lifetime warranty. It’s also dishwasher safe, so cleanup is easy.

What We Liked

The limited lifetime warranty speaks to Cuisinart’s dedication to quality materials and engineering.

Overall

If you just need to quickly process a small volume of vegetables, fruits, or nuts, then there’s a lot of quality and value in the Cuisinart CTG-00-SCHP.

Buyers Guide

Some people can saw through vegetables like a celebrity chef on a cooking show. Yet there are those of us who simply don’t have that gene, or simply don’t want to play around with an ungainly chef’s knife. Not to mention there are some recipes and salads that just take up too much of your precious time to chop all the vegetables.

Fortunately, there is a wide range of vegetable choppers and kitchen devices that rise to answer these needs. Some are innovative and well designed, while others look like they just fell out of an infomercial.

Weeding through this thick field of options can feel daunting. More than one person has simply pulled the trigger on a cheap device only to be let down a week or two later with a nasty case of buyer’s remorse.

When shopping for the best vegetable chopper for your needs there are a few basic features and characteristics to be mindful of.

Material Quality

Right off the bat, you want to only consider vegetable choppers that are made from “Food Grade” materials. BPA free plastics, commercial-grade stainless steel, and ideally materials that have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration should always be on your radar.

These materials also tend to last longer than their slightly less expensive counterparts. Which is particularly handy for making sure you are getting a full return on your investment and then some.

Ease Of Use

The last thing you want to do is fiddle around with hard to change blade assemblies or safety features that just get in the way. Sometimes it can be hard to tell from just looking at a few pictures on an online retailer’s site. Still, there are sometimes special cues you can tap into, like “Quick Disassembly” or “Push-Button Release.”

Safety

Safety features tend to dovetail into ease of use. Ideally, the best vegetable choppers are going to put something between your hand and the actual cutting blades. Beyond that you also want to keep an eye out for other features like non-skid feet, suction cup mounts or other things that will ensure the vegetable chopper stays where you want it to. Especially if you plan on cutting a lot of hard vegetables.

Ease To Clean

With some vegetable cutters, there can be a lot of small corners and crevices. Especially in multi-blade units or cutting dies that mince or finely chop vegetables. The last thing you want is for there to be some residual material leftover that can turn into a breeding grounds for bacteria when it’s not being used.

Ideally, the best vegetable chopper should come apart easily and most of the parts should be rated as dishwasher safe. This gives you the confidence to know that it’s always properly clean before putting it away in the cupboard.

The Size Of The Collection Container

A lot of vegetable choppers deposit the processed vegetable pieces in some time of container or collection bowl. It might help to take a minute to think about how you are more likely to use your vegetable chopper. If you want to be able to quickly assemble a garden salad, then you might want to prioritize a unit with a large collection bowl. One with a sealing lid would also be helpful for times when you might want to toss the salad before plating and dressing it.

Even if you don’t want a connected collection container, or you are planning on using the vegetable chopper for processing small batches of vegetables, you might still want to lean toward one that can secure over a mixing bowl.

Accessory Blades

Chopping, mincing, dicing, and julienne are all special terms that relate to the final size and shape of the vegetable being cut. Many of the best vegetable choppers have multiple blades for these different functions. A few even give you the ability to cut fancy or visually interesting shapes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I Cut Seeds And Nuts?

A: With some vegetable choppers, you can cut soft nuts like walnuts, almonds, and even peanuts. This tends to be the case with rotary blade choppers and push handle vegetable choppers. When it comes to vegetable choppers with push plates the idea of pressing nuts through the blade assembly becomes a little bit more of a concern.

Especially if you are trying to cut firm-fleshed nuts like Brazil nuts. You might be able to get away with it a handful of times, but chances are each time you try to cut firm nuts you risk dulling or denting the blades. In some cases, you might even end up damaging the mounting points that hold the blades in place.

You run into a similar problem with hard seeds like chia seeds or coffee. With these, the pressure of trying to process it can chip or ding the blades. So, it is best to turn to something like an electric coffee or spice grinder.

Q: How Often Should I Clean My Vegetable Chopper?

A: Just like how you wouldn’t put a dirty knife back in the butcher block, you shouldn’t put away a vegetable chopper when dirty. If you are working with similar vegetables you might not need to clean the blade assembly when switching from one to the next. An example would be cutting onions, celery, and carrots for vegetable soup.

If you are going to make a dramatic change and you are worried about the flavor of onions from one batch transferring to the apple you need to chop for your child’s snack, you can always rinse the blades under warm water. Most blades are made from stainless steel which does a good job of releasing material when rinsed.

Q: Can I Put A Dishwasher Safe Vegetable Chopper On The Lower Rack?

A: Most vegetable choppers that are rated to be dishwasher safe still require you to put it on the upper rack. This is to keep the heat of the drying cycle from deforming any of the plastic components. It also helps to keep the relatively lightweight device from moving around under the typically higher force of the lower spray bars. The last thing you want is an accidental ding in a blade from a nearby fork.

Q: Can I Sharpen Dull Cutting Blades?

A: The thinness of the blades and the nature of stainless steel make it pretty difficult if not impossible to sharpen a vegetable chopper or mandoline blade. Even if you use a fine-toothed mill file rod, chances are you will leave jagged edges that could potentially leave tiny metallic shards in the food you cut. It’s best to take good care of your blades and wash them after every use.

Q: Do I Need Special Hand Protection?

A: Well-designed vegetable choppers are engineered to keep your hands out of the way of any sharp cutting surface. Though mandolines are especially risky. Especially those with minimal or awkward feeling handguards.

If you are worried about safety, you could always invest in a protective glove. Not only do they help when using a mandoline, but you can use them for other tasks like filleting fish or cutting a roast. A lot of professional restaurants will give these to “The New Guy” when they prep vegetables. You can check these gloves ChefsGrade, ARCLIBER Cut Resistant Gloves and TONSUN Stainless Steel Mesh Metal Wire Gloves.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a lot of options in the vegetable cutter marketplace. Asking yourself a few key questions in advance will help you narrow down the list to find the best vegetable chopper for you.

If you are just looking for a way to make quick work of onions and the occasional apple, then a relatively basic push-plate model with two or three cutting dies will likely get you by. If you love salads and want to make them quickly then you might want to prioritize one that has a large container. You can then load the lettuce in it, then chop onions, peppers, carrots, and cabbage into it. One with a sealable lid is also handy for tossing the salad afterward and taking it with you.

Now if you want to be a little more creative you could look for a vegetable chopper with French fry cutting assemblies, and other special die types. This lets you make all sizes of fries, vegetable noodles, spiralized cuts for curly fries, and more.

A mandoline vegetable slicer isn’t so much geared to chop as a slice. Yet some high-quality models have adjustable thicknesses which very much replicate chopping. A few can even be set up to do things like making waffle-cut French fries of zucchini noodles.

However you intend to use it, chances are good that the best vegetable chopper for you is somewhere on this list.

Product Boxes: Last updated on 2020-08-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Versatility adds to the value of most modern-day kitchen devices. So, Tiger Chef includes multiple dies and blade assemblies in the original purchase of this
”[amazon. It comes with stainless steel ½-inch ¼-inch, 3/8-inch fry cutter, and vegetable cutter blades as well as 6 and 8 wedge blade assemblies.

It has a very durable cast iron frame for a long lifespan and the ability to handle even the hardest potatoes. For mounting options, this French fry cutter comes with four detachable suction cup feet, or it can be permanently mounted at a professional restaurant prep station counter.

This is a “Mandoline” which is technically a type of manual food processor designed to help slice vegetables of all kinds with consistency, and speed.
This unit by Lekoch is very versatile and has four adjustment settings as well as a variety of attachments. Not only does it cut potatoes into French fries, but it can also help process just about any type of salad fare.

Amongst the accessory features is a waffle fry cutter, as well as settings to make stick-shaped French fries. To make the waffle fries you simply slice a potato to your preferred thickness. Then set up the waffle accessory and pass the slice of potato through. Then turn it 90-degrees and run it through again.

The
Nemco Spiral Fry Potato Cutter 55050AN is a heavy-duty “Spiralizer” made from heavy-duty cast aluminum instead of plastic. This means it’s robust enough to handle the A-typical forces involved in making curly fries from fresh russet potatoes. The Nemco spiralizer also comes with a mounting foot with a knob that tightens the bolt.

The rotating push block has spikes that sink firmly into the potato. It’s arguably easier to work with if you simply clean the potato, but don’t peel it. Once it’s firmly set in place you can carefully spin the crank handle, which will screw down while applying continuous pressure as the potato is spiral cut.

How We Picked

Fresh cut French fries are a real treat, and surprisingly easy to pull off at home, in a food truck, or a professional restaurant. Not to mention they can be a real money saver for a family that’s trying to stretch the food budget.

These days a lot of French fry cutters are also engineered to handle other fruits and vegetables. This puts things like zucchini sticks and rutabaga wedges on the menu right next to a plate of steak frites.

Throughout the review process, we tried to look for versatile units. Right off the bat, this included things like additional cutting dies and blade assemblies. These let you make things like quarter-inch shoestring fries, half-inch standard cut, or even wedges and steak fries. We also tried to keep an eye out for units that let you be a little more creative to make things like waffle-cut fries and even a high-quality spiralizer for curly fries.

Durability was also another critical priority in the units we reviewed. There are a lot of plastic French fry cutters that carry little warranty or no warranty coverage at all, that simply breakdown. Sometimes within just the first few uses.

For the most part, we tried to stick to heavy-duty materials like cast iron, stainless steel, or cast aluminum. If a unit had some plastic components, they need to be well-engineered and lived up to food-grade standards.

Safety and mounting features were also something we made sure to keep on the radar. Things like suction cup feet or permanent mounting options are important. When you are working with a firm potato or another type of hard vegetable, the amount of force applied by a lever or crank mechanism might surprise you.

Making sure that the French fry cutter had a reasonable way to stay in place without you having to physically resist the pressure applied by one arm with the other arm was something we were mindful of throughout the process.

New Star Food Service 42313 Commercial Restaurant French Fry Cutter with Suction Feet

Specs:

• Heavy-duty cast-iron frame
• Stainless steel components
• Anchors to counter with four suction feet
• Optional permanent mounting hardware on a wall or countertop
• Cuts potatoes up to 6″ long
• Half-inch French fry blades
• Makes French fries, sweet potato fries, zucchini sticks, and other favorites
• Optional die accessories in 6 and 8 wedges

With its durable cast-iron construction and stainless steel cutting blades, the New Star Food Service 42313 Commercial Restaurant French Fry Cutter was designed to make easy work of even the firmest potatoes. This also means it’s got the wear with all to cut other vegetables like zucchini, rutabagas and of course, sweet potatoes.

This particular package comes setup to cut standard quarter-inch French fries. Though the New Star Food Service does also offer additional die types for times when you might want thicker fries. This includes a 3/8th inch, as well as 6-wedges and 8-wedges.

These larger settings are handy for working with other vegetables like sweet potatoes, zucchini, and rutabaga. Though they are also nice for those times when you might want steak fries or other thick-cut vegetables.

The New Star Food Service 42313 French fry cutter relies on a stout cast iron lever to drive the potatoes through with force. The suction cup feet are intended to hold it securely in place on most flat countertops, like the stainless steel workstations you find in most professional kitchens.

If you happen to have a more porous countertop like butcher block you might need to lightly wet the feet first to ensure a tight hold. It’s also worth noting that the New Star Food Service 42313 can just as easily be mounted or permanently bolted in place.

What We Liked

The robust materials and engineering are certainly nice. You don’t have to worry about this French fry cutter standing up to even the hardest of potatoes. The length of the handle also makes it easy to get a superior mechanical advantage.

It’s also worth noting that the push block and blade assembly easily come apart. This makes the New Star Food Service 42313 easy to clean. It’s especially convenient if you plan to permanently mount this French fry cutter in place.

Overall

If you are looking for a heavy-duty French fry cutter that is easy to use and maintain, with the robust engineering to last for years, then the New Star Food Service 42313 might just be the best French fry cutter for your kitchen.

Tiger Chef Heavy Duty Commercial Grade French Fry Cutter

Specs:

• Cast iron frame and heavy-duty construction
• Stainless steel cutting blades
• Multiple dies and blade assemblies included
• Suction cup feet or permanent wall mount
• Long handle and robust push plate
• 100% satisfaction guarantee

Tiger Chef recognizes that greater versatility often translates into greater value with kitchen devices. So, they made sure to include multiple dies and blade assemblies with this commercial-grade French fry cutter. It includes ½-inch ¼-inch, 3/8-inch fry cutter, and vegetable cutter blades as well as 6 and 8 wedge blade assemblies. All are made from stainless steel.

If you wanted shoestring potatoes or carrot match sticks, you could use the ¼-inch die. For more standard French-fries you could turn to the ½ or 3/8-inch fry cutting dies. You could even use the 6 or 8 wedge blade assemblies to cut things like tomatoes and zucchini for a crudité platter.

The heavy-duty, cast iron frame has the durability to last for years, if not decades. It also comes with four detachable suction cup feet to help hold it in place on a counter. Though in a professional kitchen you could also permanently mount it on a wall or a prep station counter.

What We Liked

The fact that five different blade assemblies are included in the initial purchase and backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee is certainly a feather in Tiger Chef’s cap. It allows you to make fresh-cut French fries any way you want. It also makes it very easy to quickly breakdown other vegetables. They even include a helpful guide.

Overall

If you want everything you need for a high-quality professional-grade fry cutter for home or professional use the Tiger Chef Heavy Duty Commercial Grade French Fry Cutter deserves to be on your radar!

Meshist Commercial Potato Cutter

Specs:

• Extended handle
• Stainless steel tube construction
• Stainless steel blades
• Two interchangeable blade assemblies
• Designed to handle multiple vegetable types

The Meshist commercial potato cutter is arguably more suited to a home kitchen than it is a professional setting. Though a commercial kitchen that occasionally needs to breakdown vegetables and fresh-cut French fries, this unit could still be very much in play.

It has an extra-long handle which gives you superior mechanical leverage. The downward force that is also generated helps to hold this French fry cutter in place. However, there aren’t any technical anchor hardware of suction feet. You might want to put down a non-skid mat like a little added insurance to hold it in place.

The majority of the body is made from tubular stainless steel. It also comes with a pair of blade dies for cutting half-inch as well as 3/8-inch French fries.

The ease of access and sharpness of the stainless steel blades also makes it easy to process other hard vegetables like rutabaga and zucchini, as well as softer vegetables like onions.

What We Liked

The copious use of stainless steel construction gives this French fry cutter visual appeal, as well as a long lifespan. The extended handle also gives you a superior mechanical advantage. The low price tag is also attractive.

Overall

If you are looking for a lot of value for the dollar, and you are willing to improvise a little to secure it in place, the Meshist French fry cutter might be the best choice for your home kitchen.

ROVSUN Patented Commercial French Fry Cutter with Rudder Stock Lever

Specs:

• Vertical French fry cutter
• Crank operation for easy application of force
• Stable base with suction cups
• Food grade 304 stainless steel construction
• Three-blade sizes included

The ROVSUN Commercial French Fry Cutter incorporates a vertical design with a special type of “Rudder Stock Lever.” Not only does this patented engineering concept make it easy to cut through even the hardest potatoes, but it can also be dialed in to gently process softer vegetables like onions and some tomatoes.

The body is made largely from 304 food grade or “Commercial Grade” stainless steel. The base is exceptionally sturdy and also includes suction cup feet.

The ROVSUN Commercial French Fry Cutter comes with three different cutting blades. This means you can put in the ¼-inch stainless steel blade assembly for shoestring fries or change over to the ½-inch blades to process rutabagas and make zucchini sticks. If you want robust fries without the flatness of classic “Steak Fries” you can quickly install the 3/8-inch cutting blades.

What We Liked

The rudder stock lever lets you apply superior force when you need to cut through tough vegetables. Yet it also has the finesse to gently process softer vegetables like onions. The base was engineered to be very stable, which is necessary for effectively applying vertical force. The additional suction cups also take that stability to the next level.

Overall

If you want to spare yourself the elbow grease that comes with a mechanical lever, or you simply want the kind of finesse you need to carefully breakdown softer vegetables, the ROVSUN Commercial French Fry Cutter deserves o be high on your list.

Tuntrol Commercial French Fry Cutter And Vegetable Dicer

Specs:

• Push handle lever
• 4-legged base
• Rubber feet
• Protective gloves included
• 440 stainless steel and aluminum construction
• Water washable

This French fry cutter by Tuntrol employs a vertical pressure handle that makes the most out of your physical force as well as the mechanical advantage of the lever.

It’s worth noting that this is an updated model. It is made largely from aluminum alloys and 440 stainless steel, which makes it lightweight as well as safe to wash with water.

The Tuntrol French Fry Cutter comes with a ¼-inch and 3/8-inch cutting blades. They are both made from very sharp stainless steel. To this point, Tuntrol includes a pair of safety gloves in the purchase.

Just keep in mind that they are meant to reduce the risk of an accidental cut or pinch where you might fail to get your hand completely out of the way. You could still suffer a significant injury if your hand remains in the cutting area while actively pressing.

What We Liked

The engineering principles of the vertical lever certainly give you a lot of mechanical advantage when working with hard vegetables. It also lets you apply a little more finesse for times when you want to work with softer vegetables. With a practiced hand, you might even be able to break down a beefsteak tomato with this French fry cutter.

Overall

You need to practice a little extra care to safely operate this French fry cutter. Not only in terms of the pressing action of the lever but also with the base which is only rubber feet without suction cups.

Assuming you’ve accounted for these things, and the countertop or work station is dry, then you can process a high volume of French fries and other vegetables with this cutter by Tuntrol.

GOFLAME 8541971856 French Fry Cutter

Specs:

• Stainless steel construction
• Four blade assemblies included
• Manual press handle operation
• Sturdy base without suction cups

The GOFLAMNE 8541971856 French Fry Cutter is made from corrosion-resistant, food-grade 304 stainless steel. This means you can easily wipe it down or wash it with water, without having to worry about rust and corrosion issues.

The base is technically meant to be mounted onto a workstation, table, or vertical surface. Though there are accessory suction cup feet available. Regardless, you need to be mindful of how you mount it, as this French fry cutter does have a manual push handle, which applies force directly to the body of the cutter.

This GOFLAME French fry cutter comes with three square blades which at 1/4, 1/2, and 3/8-inches. Each set is easy to remove and secure quickly to let you make whatever type of French fries you want. It also includes a fourth blade for processing firm-flesh fruits like apples and pears.

The blades are sturdy enough to handle even hard russet potatoes and other firm vegetables. Though the push-lever handle and the way the push plate contacts the blades, it probably isn’t the best for processing soft vegetables like onions and tomatoes.

What We Liked

The three vegetable blades and the fruit blade assembly make this GOFLAME French fry cutter very versatile. Especially when you consider the friendly price point. When mounted properly, its also rock-solid, which helps process fries, vegetables, and fruits efficiently.

Overall

If you are looking for a sturdy French fry cutter with four versatile cutting plates include, and you are willing to put in a little extra elbow grease, then the GOFLAMNE 8541971856 French Fry Cutter might be the best option for your kitchen.

Lekoch Stainless Steel Mandoline Slicer

Specs:

• Mandolin Slicer
• Fry and waffle fry blades
• Multiple size settings
• ABS heavy-duty food-grade plastic frame
• Stainless steel blade
• Handguard
• Non-skid handle and feet

Technically this is a type of food slicer known as a Mandoline, which is a type of manual food processor designed to make quick work of mid to firm vegetables. They’re a great way to get uniform slices of cucumber, onions, and other salad fares. This particular Mandoline by Lekoch is very versatile. It has four adjustment settings and a variety of attachments.

Among these attachments is a waffle fry cutter specifically for potatoes. You simply set it up. Pass your preferred thickness of potato slice through it. Then turn the slice 90-degrees and run it through again. The result is the kind of “Waffle-Cut” French fry that kids love, and adults love to put toppings on like cheese and chopped scallions.

With thoughtful planning, you can also adjust the blade thick enough to cut traditional stick-style French fries. Though it will require multiple passes and proper use of the included handguard.

Mandolines do have a little bit of a reputation for being dangerous. If you don’t respect the razor-sharp stainless steel blade or you don’t use the hand guard properly, it can indeed give you a cut that could send you on a trip to the emergency room. Though this is true of a lot of sharp kitchen devices.

With proper use, you can create a lot of interesting foods including stick-cut fries, waffle fries, and just about any fruit or vegetable that needs slicing. The nonstick feet also help hold it firmly in place, so you don’t end up fighting yourself too much with each pass.

What We Liked

It’s hard to look past the versatility of a well-designed Mandoline slicer like the Lekoch. The fact that they put a lot of thought into safety features like the non-skid feet and the handguard.

Overall

This is a great fit for a family that enjoys things like salads and sliced fruit, yet also occasionally enjoys the comfort food feel of homemade waffle-cut French fries.

Nemco Spiral Fry Potato Cutter 55050AN

Specs:

• Spiralizer for curly fries
• Aluminum construction
• Manual crank
• Adjustable mounting foot

As the name implies, “Spiralizers” are designed to make spiral cuts of potatoes, apples, and other consistently hard starchy foods. If you make a quick internet search, chances are you will find a staggering number of spiralizers for sale at shockingly low prices. Most of them are plastic or reinforced with weak metal alloys that fail quickly. Even those that manage to make it to the end of their warranty usually start to dull quickly.

Nemco designed this spiralizer to be strong enough to handle the A-typical forces applied to the device. This is thanks in large part to heavy-duty cast aluminum construction and thoughtful engineering. It also includes a mounting foot with a knob to tighten the bolt. If you don’t want to permanently install it in your home kitchen, you might want to consider connecting it to a wooden cutting board.

To use a spiralizer like this, you need to marry the spikes or the rotating push plate to the back of a potato. This is easier if you don’t peel the potato first. Simply wash it to get any dust or dirt off and give it a few minutes to dry. It’s arguably easier with a firm, cold potato. If you need to work in a large batch, it can help to position the end of the spiral cutting blade over a large pot of warm, salted water.

What We Liked

The heavy-duty aluminum construction is the thing that sets this Nemco spiralizer apart from many of the cheap, plastic competition.

Overall

If you love curly fries and hate buyer’s remorse, then the Nemco Spiral Fry Potato Cutter 55050AN deserves your strong consideration.

Buyers Guide

The seemingly humble French fry has grown to become a beloved institution in countries around the world. You can find them at every type of restaurant, from fast food drive-thru a, to greasy spoon diners, steakhouses, and even high-end gastropubs. French fries are even stocked in grocery store freezers in towering cold cases that empty every week.

This begs the question, can you transform humble potatoes into delicious crispy French fries from the comfort of your home kitchen?
The answer is “Yes.” You can indeed make some very tasty French fries that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. You just need to tackle a couple of basic challenges first.

Right off the bat, you have to get your hands on the right potatoes. This usually means russet potatoes, which have just the right kind of starch content and structure. Though you can arguably get by with Yukon gold potatoes or even Kannebecker. Red or waxy potatoes don’t tend to do well for French fries and play better in quarters or other dishes.

Once you have the starchy potato of your choice sorted out, you can then turn your attention to the next critical part of the equation, the French fry cutter. Now you could sit down, meticulously peel each potato, and then attempt to cut them into a traditional French fry shape, but trust me, this is an unnecessary cause of extreme hand cramps.

Not to mention that unless you have some sort of classic culinary training, you will be hard-pressed to cut your little potato wedges into relatively even pieces.

With a quality French fry cutter, you can transform a lot of potatoes into a basic French fry shape in just a few minutes. This also gives you relatively uniform fries, which means your entire batch of fries will get to perfectly golden brown around the same time. If you are trying to hand-cut your French fries you will end up with some that are overdone and dark brown, mixed in with pale under-done fries and a handful that are perfectly golden brown.

When you consider just how affordable a French fry cutter is, you can spare yourself the headache of trying to sort out fries one by one as they fry, bake, or air fry.

Now, you might be surprised to hear that for something that does such a seemingly simple job, there are some interesting engineering and material cues to keep in mind.

The Type And Size Or The Blades

Some French fry cutters stick you with one static shape and can’t be adjusted. These usually range around a quarter-inch thick, which is what a lot of people would consider an “Average” French fry. Though if you want to get creative from time to time, or you just want to have an evening with some steak fries, then you might want to look for a French fry cutter with adjustable blades.

There are even some that let you get creative with different types of fries. You might even be able to use them for other vegetables like rutabaga, sweet potatoes, and zucchini.

Die And Size Accessories

Several French Fry cutter manufacturers offer units with accessories and die. You simply remove the original die for the quarter, three-eighths, or half-inch sticks, and secure a new one. This allows you to get creative with shapes as well as opening the door for cutting sticks, fries, or wedges with other vegetables.

Durability And Blade Strength

Chances are you’ve noticed that some potatoes are harder than others. Depending on where they were grown, how they were stored, how long they were stored, and the time of year, you could be dealing with a very firm russet potato that takes a lot of force or a softer one that might be a little tricky to get it to cut straight. In times like this, the last thing you want is to have flimsy cutting blades that bend, twist or deform when you pass the potato through.

While you’re at it, take a moment or two to look at the fry cutter’s other components, like the frame and the mounting. Something you can firmly clamp down on a countertop or lock into a mounting bracket lets you concentrate the force of cutting the potato on the potato itself without necessarily having to fight yourself with your other hand.

If possible, you want to prioritize a metal frame and components over plastic. Especially if you are going to be making fresh-cut French fries. Though there are some heavy-duty plastic devices out there that might be available at a budget price point that could appear on your radar if you are only going to occasionally cut fresh French fries.

Ease To Clean

Ideally, you want a French fry cutter without a lot of moving parts or one that comes apart easily. In a perfect world, the best French fry cutter would also be dishwasher safe. This also spares you from accidentally injuring yourself trying to clean a sharp blade.

Mounting Method

While a potato might seem like a relatively simple thing it can take a fair amount of force to simultaneous divide one into a dozen or so fresh-cut French fries. Especially when you are dealing with a hard potato fresh out of cold storage. The last thing you want is to be pushing with one hand and resisting with the other hand.

There are a few different ways that a French fry cutting might be mounted. In some professional kitchens, you will see them anchored directly onto walls or other prep stations. Chances are you probably don’t need something this structurally sturdy hanging out in your kitchen on a daily basis.

Instead, a French fry cutter with some type of suction cup feet, or a pair of sturdy screw-down clamps might be all the security you need to safely breakdown a handful of potatoes into a big batch of fries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is There Anything I Can Do To Make It Easier To Work With Really Hard Russet Potatoes?

A: There are sometimes when a russet potato is surprisingly hard. Not only can this add a lot of elbow grease to the equation, but with some French fry cutters, it can potentially deform the blades! In a pinch, you can soften a rock-hard russet by giving it a 30-seconds in the microwave to release some of the internal trapped steam.

Just don’t poke holes in it with a fork like you would a microwaved baked potato. If you still want it a little softer, you can wait a minute or two before giving it another 30-seconds in the microwave. If you give it a full 60-seconds right off the bat, as it could produce too much steam causing a rupture in the potato.

Q: How Do I Keep Fresh Cut Fries From Browning When Cutting A Large Batch?

A: Oxidation is a naturally occurring chemical process that happens with a lot of high starch foods like apples and russet potatoes, which turns them irrevocably brown. As the name implies is requires the presence of oxygen to affect the surface. Once it does the fries will still be edible, but perhaps not as visually appealing.

If you’re cutting a large batch of fresh French fries the easy way around this is to cut them directly into a pot or warm salty water. This will prevent oxygen from interacting with the surface of the fries. The salt and warm water together will also help to draw out some of the natural starch from within the fries. Giving them a few hours to soak in warm salty water before they hit the fryer will give you a better chance of frites with a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior.

This is something that a lot of high-end gastropubs and restaurants do. It also lets you prepare your fries will in advance of cooking to keep you from getting “In The Weeds” when you cook lunch of supper. You can even put the saltwater-soaked fries in the refrigerator for up to a day without worrying about them breaking down.

Q: Can I Bake Fresh Cut French Fries?

A: French fries sometimes get a bad reputation for being fatty foods due to their association with deep frying. These days oven-baked French fries and air baked French fries are increasingly popular as a low-oil method of cooking potato products of all kinds.

To do this you first need to preheat your oven or air fryer to 400 to 450 degrees. Once it’s ready, you can take your fresh-cut French fries, and lightly toss them with oil. If you don’t want to get your hands greasy, you might want to try a reloadable oil sprayer. Evo Oil Sprayer Bottle or Besmon Olive Oil Sprayer allow you to gently mist foods and pans with your choices of heart-healthy oils like olive oil or sunflower oil.

Once you have a little oil on the fresh-cut French fries, you can then lightly salt them. This is a very important step, as the oil will help the salt to adhere to the fries. If you wait until after they are baked, the salt will simply slide off and sit on the pan or plate.

Conclusion

Finding the best French fry cutter for you can depend on several factors. Right off the bat, quality materials and durability matter. So, prioritizing things like cast iron, stainless steel, or food-grade plastic will go a long way toward making sure that you see a true return on your investment.

While you’re at it, you might want to also keep your eye out for versatile units that come with multiple cutting blades or other special attachments. Especially if you want to use it to process other types of vegetables.

Safety and ease of use are also things that need to be on your radar. Take a moment to think about where you will most often use the French fry cutter. If you’re just going to use it occasionally to make the kids some French fries, then a unit with suction cup feet might be all you need.

If you are going to be using the French fry cutter in a professional kitchen or to process potatoes and other vegetables regularly, you might want to look for one that has the option to be permanently mounted to a prep station.

If you want something a little more creative than simple stick-cut French fries, you might want to look for a specialized unit. With the correct attachments, a mandoline can be used to make high-quality waffle fries, while also helping you to process a wide range of other vegetables.

On the other end of the spectrum, a heavy-duty spiralizer might be just the thing for a family or a popup restaurant that loves to have curly fries on the menu.

Product Boxes: Last updated on 2020-08-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

A lot of portable ice makers produce opaque “Bullet” ice which tends to melt relatively quickly. There are some pros and cons to this from an engineering standpoint. However, clear ice tends to be harder and colder, which means it lasts longer in the collection bin as well as in the glass.

The Sentern Portable Countertop Clear Ice Maker is specifically designed to produce hard, clear ice cubes. Then they also heavily insulated the collection bin to help keep the ice frozen for longer. A single cycle takes around 15-minutes, which is a little longer than some of the competitors, but the ice lasts longer.

The Sentern Portable Countertop Clear Ice Maker has a large 2.2-liter water reservoir and was designed for quieter operation. The stainless steel exterior and the digital control center also means it looks good on a kitchen counter.

The
LITBOOS IML-001 Portable Ice Maker was engineered for easy portability and fast operation. It only weighs 22-pounds and also has a relatively small countertop presence. This makes it a great choice for RV travelers, and tailgaters where space is at a premium, but still, need ice on demand.

It has a 1.7-liter water reservoir, which is significant given its compact size. This portable ice maker can generate 9 cubes of bullet ice in roughly 7 to 9 minutes. It has an internal ice bin that will hold up to 1.5 pounds of ice cubes at a time which is about 75 to 80 bullet ice cubes. It’s rated to produce up to 26-pounds of ice in a single 24-hour span.

It has a sleek stainless steel and black plastic exterior. The plastic components are BPA-free and certified to meet ETL standards. The control panel includes indicator lights and there is even an automatic shutoff feature.

The
GE Opal Ice Maker is one of the larger and more sophisticated portable ice makers on the market. This particular unit weighs in at 47-pounds. So, it’s probably not the ideal choice for a tailgate party. Still, it’s compact design means it can live on your kitchen counter or in an RV. It’s especially attractive for a home kitchen with a refrigerator that doesn’t have an ice maker in the door.

It’s can produce up to 3-pounds of ice per cycle, and a single full cycle takes just under 20-minutes. The ice bin can also hold up to 3-pounds of ice at a time, which is usually enough to supply your average family at home or on an RV adventure. It’s also worth noting that the GE Opal is rated to produce up to 24-pounds of ice per day.

This portable ice maker also comes with Bluetooth connectivity and the GE Profile app. It allows you to do other things, while still keeping tabs on it. Which can be handy if you’re entertaining outside, while It works in the kitchen.

How We Picked

Portable ice makers are a somewhat new appliance that makes the most out of modern-day materials and engineering. Right off the bat, they appeal to campers and RV travelers who have access to electricity but don’t want to get tied up making daily ice runs. Though portable ice makers can appeal to so many other niches. This includes homes with outdoor kitchens, pop-up restaurants, food trucks, and people who want ice on demand, but their current refrigerator doesn’t have a water line.

We tried to keep these various interests in mind during the review process. Of course, the best portable ice maker for each niche can be influenced by several factors.

Total Ice Production Per Day

RV travelers, campers, and other outdoor enthusiasts tend to lean toward portable ice makers that can support their coolers without having to take time out of their day to make a run to the ice store. This also means they prioritize units that can produce more than 20-pounds of ice per day. Not only does this kind of capacity save you time, but it also helps pay for itself, by saving you the cost of daily bags of ice.

Cubes Per Batch

Factoring in the amount of ice you need at any one given time can also be a factor depending on how you want to use the portable ice maker. If you are looking for a unit that can provide ice on demand for you and another person in your man cave cocktail station, then you might want more total cubes per cycle.

Cube Type And Size

Most portable ice makers create “Bullet Ice” which tends to be opaque and has a propensity for melting faster than cube ice. From an engineering standpoint, bullet ice lends toward rapid freezing and melting. It’s arguable “Soft” to the point where you might even be able to chew it. Bullet ice’s somewhat faster melting rate also helps the unit to recycle the ice back into the reservoir for another batch. In that light, it uses water efficiently.

Clear ice tends to be much harder and it takes longer to start melting. The tradeoff here is that it usually takes longer for clear ice to fully freeze. So, you’re going to have more time in a cycle. It’s particularly nice if you want your portable ice maker to support your RV or campsite cooler. With these units, we also tried to look for portable ice makers that had superior insulation in the sidewalls of the ice collection chamber. That way you can make a big batch and trust that you’re not going to lose much if any to melting.

Cube size is also a factor in freezing and melting rates. Some portable ice makers have features that let you select the size of the cubes. The smaller the cube the fast it tends to freeze, but it can also mean the ice will melt faster. Especially with bullet ice.

Size And Weight

As the name implies a “Portable Ice Machine” needs to be portable, at least to some degree. While you don’t need to install direct water or drain lines, you also probably don’t want to lug a monster ice machine with you. Especially if you want it for tailgating or camping.

Throughout the reviewing process, we tried to keep an eye out for a wide spectrum of sizes and weights. Ideally, if you’re going to be on the move a lot with a portable ice machine, you want it to weigh less than 25 pounds empty. When you also add in the water and ice it could be a real back-breaking experience.

Of course, some portable ice makers aren’t going to be moved around a lot. A few just live on a kitchen counter to make up for a refrigerator without an ice maker in the door, or an RV kitchen. These can be a little larger or smaller depending on what your needs are. Ideally, it’s still a situation where you should measure twice before buying.

GE Profile Opal Countertop Nugget Ice Maker

Specs:

• 3-pounds of ice per cycle
• 24-pounds per day
• Produces ice in under 20-minutes
• Bluetooth connectivity
• GE Profile Opal app
• 1-year manufacturer’s warranty
• 15. 5 x 14.25 x 17. 2-inches
• Unit weighs 47-pounds

The GE Opal Ice Maker is one of the largest and arguably one of the most sophisticated units in this market niche. Weighing in at 47-pounds, it’s not the sort of thing you are going to take with you on a tent camping trip or to a tailgate party. Yet it is still compact enough to have a deserving place on your counter, in your RV, or as part of a protected outdoor kitchen space.

It’s rated to produce 3-pounds of ice per cycle, which is typically enough to keep drinks cold and refreshing for around six to seven people. One full cycle takes just under 20-minutes, which is a little bit longer, but the trade-off is the high capacity per cycle.

The GE Opal is rated to produce up to 24-pounds of ice per day, and the collection bin holds up to 3-pounds at a time. It also comes with a side tank, ice bin, ice scoop, and a drip tray.

One other area where the opal stands apart is the Bluetooth connectivity and the GE Profile app. This lets you be away from the portable ice maker, while still knowing is status and what it’s doing. It’s especially handy if you happen to be entertaining outside, while It’s working away in the RV or home kitchen.

What We Liked

If you need a portable ice maker for entertaining indoors and out, but you don’t want to be tied to it at the hip, then you are sure to love the Bluetooth connectivity and the GE Profile app. The ability to produce three pounds of ice per batch and 24-pounds in a single day also means it has the performance to support your RV’s cooler without having to take a trip to the store.

Overall

This is one of the more sophisticated ice makers on the market, with the special features and overall capacity performance to be the best portable ice maker for a home, outdoor kitchen, or an RV. If you love glamping, but you don’t want to push the freezing performance of an absorption freezer, then this portable ice machine deserves to be near the top of your list.

Crownful CF-IM01 Ice Maker Machine for Countertop

Specs:

• 9 ice cubes in under 10 minutes
• Ice bucket holds up to 80 ice cubes
• 14.6 x 14.2 x 10.7-inches
• Weighs 17.6-pounds
• 18-month warranty

The Crownful CF-IM01 Portable Ice Maker was designed to be highly portable, yet it can also be right at home on your kitchen counter. It has a 9-cube capacity per cycle and freezes water in 8 to 10 minutes. However, the ice bin can hold up to 80-cubes.

This makes it a nice compact option to supply ice for two or three people. Trying to use it to fully support a campsite cooler might be a little bit of a stretch in hot conditions.

If you do want to fill the bin for easy on-demand ice, in the great outdoors, you might want to place it in a cool or shady spot.

The fact that the Crownful CF-IM01 Ice Maker only weighs a little over 17-pounds when empty, which makes it easy to take with you just about anywhere with electricity.

What We Liked

The fast rate of freezing is impressive. If you only have two or three people needing fresh ice for their beverages, the Crownful CF-IM01 will be able to put out ice faster than you need it. As long as the surroundings aren’t hot, you’ll have plenty of room in the 80-cube ice bin.

Overall

Considering the very friendly price point and the fact that it’s covered by a robust 18-month warranty, this lightweight portable ice machine is one of the best budget units on the market. Just be mindful of the temperature on hot days.

COSTWAY Ice Maker for Countertop

Specs:

• 9 cubes in 7 to 15 minutes
• Up to 33-pounds of ice in 24-hours
• Variable cube sizes
• Reservoir indicator light
• 10 X 16 X 17-inches
• 24-pounds
• Made from ABS food-grade plastic
• Stainless steel
• Self-cleaning feature

The Costway portable ice maker was designed to be just as comfortable on your kitchen countertop as it is at a tailgating party or on an RV adventure. It weighs in at 24-pounds and has a very small footprint. Costway was also thoughtful with material selection using only food-grade ABS plastics and sleek stainless steel.

Thoughtful engineering was also put into the overall functionality and ease of use. This portable ice maker has a reservoir indicator light that lets you know at a glance if the reservoir needs to be refilled or if the ice bin is full.

There’s also a self-cleaning mode that helps descale the internal plumbing. Though you do need to use a special cleaning solution, mixed with water.

This Costway portable ice maker can make large of small cubes with the press of a button and can produce up to 9 cubes in 7 to 15 minutes. The smaller cubes tend to have a shorter freezing time than the large ones. It has been tested to produce up to 33-pounds of ice in 24 hours. Which means it’s more than capable of supporting a large cooler on a summer camping trip, without having to break camp for an “Ice Run” to the store.

What We Liked

The indicator light, and cube selection, as well as the self-cleaning feature all, make this portable ice maker very easy to use. The fact that it can produce up to 33-pounds of ice in a given day is also impressive, and not a lot of the competition can say the same.

Overall

The Costway portable ice maker is a nice machine with the functionality and ease of use that you want, with a price tag that won’t hurt your budget. It’s small enough and light enough that you can take it with you when you want ice service on demand, yet it can still live comfortably on even a small kitchen counter.

Vremi VRM010636N Countertop Ice Maker

Specs:

• Makes ice in under 10 minutes
• 9 cubes per cycle
• 8-gram ice cubes
• 26-pounder per day
• Large 2.2-liter water reservoir
• 9. 5 x 12 x 13. 5-inches

Vremi is an international company that has been growing throughout the consumer appliance market. Their VRM010636N portable ice maker was designed to quickly produce small batches of ice in less than 10-minutes.

Yet it still does have a 2.2-liter water reservoir, and only makes nine, 8-gram ice cubes in a single cycle. This essentially means that you can fill the reservoir at the start of the day and let it run without having to constantly reload it with more freshwater.

Just keep in mind that the ice storage bin can only hold around 1.8 pounds of ice at a time. So, if you are going to use the Vremi VRM010636N Countertop Ice Maker to support a cooler, you won’t want to stray too far.

Portability is also a strength for the Vremi VRM010636N Countertop Ice Maker. It only weighs in at 20-pounds, which makes it easy to take with you camping or on an RV adventure. It’s 9. 5 x 12 x 13. 5-inch footprint also saves counter space, which makes it easy to use year-round at home or in your man cave bar.

What We Liked

The 2.2-liter water reservoir lets you load it up once and not have to worry about reloading it for hours. The fact that it can also produce up to 9-cubes in less than 10-minutes, with its small footprint also makes it a great option for on-demand ice in a home bar.

Overall

If you need on-demand ice in your man cave, downstairs bar, or small kitchen, yet you still want a unit that you can take with you on a special outing, the Vremi VRM010636N Countertop Ice Maker needs to be near the top of your list

Northair Portable Automatic Stainless Steel Ice Maker

Specs:

• Up to 12 cubes in under 12 minutes
• 3 cube sizes
• 48-pounds of ice in 24 hours
• 2.65-pound ice storage bin
• Engineered for quiet operation
• LED display with intuitive controls
• 15 x 17.1 x1 7.0-inches
• Weighs 38-pounds when empty
• 1-year warranty

One look at the technical specs and it’s easy to see that this portable ice maker by Northair was made to support people with high ice needs. The fact that it can produce up to 48-pounds of ice in 24-hours gives it the ability to support one large cooler or two small ones. Yet the unit itself weighs in at 38-pounds, which makes it better suited for RV’s, campers, and cabins where you want to keep ice around the firepit area. Though it certainly has a place at an outdoor kitchen or even a food truck.

The LED control panel allows you to select three different ice cube sizes. The smaller the cube, the faster it freezes. Meaning on the smallest setting you could have a dozen cubes in around 8-minutes. On the largest cube setting, you could have 12 cubes in under 12-minutes.

The storage bin can hold up to 2.65-pounds of ice. If you like the reservoir can also be connected to a 5-gallon water cooler, which makes it very convenient.

This Northair portable ice cube maker was specifically designed to be quieter than most of it’s nearest competitors. They also support it with a 1-year warranty program.

What We Liked

The high capacity of ice in a single day speaks to the Northair portable ice maker’s ability to support you on a camping trip, or simply let you have ice on demand. The quiet operation and the LED display allowing you to choose three different cube sizes also means you can set up ice to your specific needs. Whether it’s filling a cooler, or simply ice for a refreshing smoothie.

Overall

Families and food services that need a serious bulk of ice on demand should have the Northair portable ice maker near the top of the list. It can produce a high volume of ice in a short amount of time. This makes it a great option for supporting a campsite cooler, a popup restaurant, food truck, or a lavish outdoor kitchen.

Sentern Portable Countertop Clear Ice Maker Stainless Steel Ice Making Machine

Specs:

• Produces a batch of ice in under 15 minutes
• 11.2 x 14.4 x 13.8-inches
• 2.2-liter water tank
• Easy-to-use digital control panel
• Superior insulation
• Attractive clear ice cubes
• 1-year warranty

One of the common complaints you get with the ice produced by some portable ice makers is that they tend to make cloudy ice, which melts quickly. With some units, this is by design as they recycle any unused ice back into the reservoir as it melts.

This Sentern Portable Countertop Ice Maker was designed to create much harder clear ice cubes. The ice bin is then heavily insulated to help keep that ice frozen. A single cycle takes only 15-minutes, to provide you with cubes that will arguably last longer in your glass or your cooler than the bullet ice produced by their competitors. The 2.2-liter water reservoir also lets it keep producing ice without you having to hover nearby to refill it.

It’s also worth noting that the Sentern Portable Countertop Ice Maker was designed with an impressive stainless steel exterior that will look impressive in just about any kitchen. It also has a very easy to use digital control center.

What We Liked

Right off the bat, you have to like the fact that this portable ice maker produces clear, hard ice. This type of ice cube is intended to last longer and arguably looks nicer in a glass than cloudy bullet ice. The gleaming stainless steel exterior also makes it visually attractive on your counter. You also have to like that Sentern backs this portable ice maker with a one-year warranty.

Overall

If you need clear, hard ice to support a day-pack or picnic cooler, or you want an attractive ice maker for your kitchen counter, then this portable ice maker by Sentern needs to be high on your list.

LITBOOS IML-001 Portable Ice Maker

Specs:

• Makes 9 ice cubes in under 9 minutes
• Ice bin holds 1.5 pounds of ice at a time
• Weighs 22-pounds
• 1.7-liter reservoir
• 9.5 x 13 x 14.1-inches
• Certified with ETL; The BPA-free

The LITBOOS IML-001 Portable Ice Maker was designed to be quick, convenient, and easily portable. To that end, it only weighs 22-pounds and has a very small footprint on a countertop. This moves it right up the list for RV travelers and tailgaters where space is at a premium, but still, need ice on demand.

This portable ice maker has a 1.7-liter water reservoir, which is substantial for its size. It can produce 9 cubes of bullet ice in 7 to 9 minutes, which is pretty fast. The internal ice bin will also hold 1.5 pounds of ice cubes at a time. This translates into around 75 to 80 bullet ice cubes. The LITBOOS IML-001 Portable Ice Maker is rated to produce up to 26-pounds of ice in a single 24-hour span.

The exterior is made from stainless steel and black plastic. The control panel includes indicator lights and there is even an automatic shutoff feature. The plastic components are BPA-free and certified to meet ETL standards.

What We Liked

The 1.7-liter water reservoir and the 1.5-pound ice bin are impressively large for a small, lightweight portable ice maker. You also have to like the fact that it can make 9 cubes of bullet ice in under 9 minutes, and up to 26-pounds of ice in a single day.

Overall

If you need a lightweight portable ice maker that won’t take a big bite out of your checking account, then the LITBOOS IML-001 Portable Ice Maker deserves a good hard look. It was specifically designed to be portable and take up a minimal amount of countertop space. Yet you can still get an impressive 26-pounds of bullet ice from it per day.

Buyers Guide

Portable ice makers were invented to provide ice on demand. While they tend to be more popular for RV travelers, tailgaters, campers, and outdoorsmen. Though they certainly have found a niche for themselves with people who want an ice supply close at hand without having to run back into the house when they are sitting around the backyard fire pit or grilling at their outdoor kitchen.

They work very much like a traditional freezer ice maker. A small water pump taps into a reservoir or water, which delivers it to the freezing system. A built-in compressor and a fan then work to rapidly freeze the water in the ice cube tray, which is then released when it’s ready for use. If you don’t use it a reasonable amount of time, the system will gradually melt the ice and return it to the reservoir to keep it at the ready.

A lot of portable ice makers generate what’s called “Bullet Ice” which is cylindrical. Though there are a few models that generate impurity-free clear cubed ice as you might find in a restaurant.

The thing that drives the increasing popularity of portable ice makers is that they can often produce a modest amount of ice in a mere matter of minutes. When you contrast this to the traditional ice tray that might be sitting in your kitchen freezer which could potentially take hours to provide you with a dozen or so cubes.

Finding the best portable ice maker for you calls for evaluating a few key factors. You can then filter them into the ways you are most likely to use the ice cube maker.

Size and Overall Portability

Most portable ice makers are compact enough to fit comfortably on a countertop while also being large enough to hold a reasonable volume of ice. They are typically around 15-inches high and around 12 to 14-inches wide. Though some manufacturers make larger and smaller units. Particularly those that might be tailored for RVs and outdoor kitchens.

If you need to manually transport your portable ice maker, then you might also want to factor in weight. Ultimately, you want to be able to take it with you camping or tailgating without feeling like lugging the portable ice maker around is a chore.

Freezing Speed

The faster a particular model can produce ice, the more people it can support. This might also be a factor if you are camping away from convenience services and you want to keep producing ice for your campsite’s cooler.

There can be a little variance in ice production speed, but on average most portable ice makers can make a reasonable batch of bullet ice in around 7 to 15 minutes. As you can imagine, the smaller units tend to be able to produce a batch of ice in a shorter period of time.

So, if you just need to be able to offer ice for drinks around the backyard firepit a small model with a fast production time might be a better choice. If you need to fill up a day-pack cooler at the campground without having to make a daily ice run to town, then you might want to target a larger unit that might take 15-minutes per batch.

Smaller units also tend to make colder ice and are insulated a little more, which reduces the chances of the ice melting and being recycled.

Production Capacity

With some portable ice makers, you might see their performance stated in “Pounds of Ice Per Day.” This is only a minor factor if you are going to be using it for tailgating. However, if you want to use it for supporting your coolers at a remote campsite then a pounds-per-day capacity rating might be an important barometer.

Location Of The Drain Plug

Even though you don’t need a dedicated drain line to run your portable ice maker, you will still need to drain excess water in the system from time to time. Anytime you turn it off or get ready to put it away, you want to drain all the water out of the system. Any water that’s left in the lines or the reservoir could eventually start to get moldy. A drain plug at the bottom is usually much easier to use.

Filter

Anytime you are using a portable ice maker outside there’s a risk of things like pollen, dust and the occasional stray hair can sometimes sneak into your reservoir. Some type of mesh filter will help catch these contaminants to prevent them from getting into your ice.

Cube Size

Some portable ice makers give you different options for cube size. This isn’t a make-it or break-it feature, but it might be something to consider if you want to use your portable ice maker for craft beverages and cocktails.

A Timer

There are even a few portable ice makers that come with a timer. It might be handy if you are making ice while preparing a meal or refreshing everyone’s drink, and you use it as a reminder. It could also be a handy feature if you are planning to serve a multi-course meal at a pop-up restaurant and you need the ice on demand at a specific time. Again, just like cube-size, it’s not a critical feature, but a timer might come in handy depending on how you plan to use it.

A Self-Cleaning Feature

Just like any other type of foodservice appliance the best portable ice makers need some basic care and cleaning. The term “Self-Cleaning” is a little bit of a misnomer, as you still need to add a specially formulated cleaning solution and set things up. Still, having a button feature to help handle the internal process is handy for descaling, but not a major feature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does A Portable Ice Maker Need Its Own Water Line?

A: Technically portable ice makers don’t need a dedicated water line running to them. Instead, you fill a small reservoir and the internal components handle the rest. So while you don’t need a dedicated line, it helps to have water on hand near the portable ice maker, so you are keeping it supplied as needed.

The portable ice maker also doesn’t need any sort of drain line. The ice cubes it produces tend to melt relatively quickly, and the system automatically returns it to the reservoir. In a certain light, this helps with water use efficiency.

Q: Does A Portable Ice Maker Use AC Or DC Electricity?

A: Most portable ice makers run on the same standard 120 Volt AC electricity available in a standard electric socket. Even if you are boondoggling in an RV or otherwise of the traditional electric grid, all you need is a portable generator with an AC socket.

Q: Is A Portable Ice Maker Hard To Maintain?

A: For the most part, portable ice makers are relatively easy to maintain. Though they do have a slightly higher risk of developing a mold problem when they aren’t properly cleaned. To answer this issue many manufacturers offer some type of ice machine cleaner solution. You simply mix it with a little water, then pour it into the reservoir and run a standard ice making cycle until all of the mixtures have been turned into cubes. Discard the cleaner cubes and wash your ice scoop. Check these Impresa Products Ice Machine Cleaner, Essential Values Ice Machine Cleaner, Affresh W11179302 Ice Machine Cleaner.

Q: Will A Hot Day Affect How A Portable Ice Maker’s Performance?

A: Just like how a hot summer day will impact a basic cooler, the surrounding air temperature and things like direct sunlight can have a modest impact on how fast a portable ice maker can produce ice. To hedge your bets when using it outside, try to keep it in the shade on a hot, sunny day.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a lot of interesting portable ice maker options. Taking the time to think about how you are most likely to use it, will help you to quickly dial in the best unit for you.

If you want a portable ice maker that will support your campsite cooler, and you’re willing to let it run overnight or when you’re out for the day, you might want to lean toward a unit that produces clear ice cubes. These harder cubes tend to be very cold and hard, which means they melt slower.

On the other end of the spectrum, let’s say that you wanted a portable ice maker for your kitchen to compensate for a refrigerator that doesn’t have a water line in the door. Then you might want to look for a unit that produces bullet ice, which will melt and absorb heat energy from the surrounding water to cool it.

While you’re at it, also think about weight and size. If you want a compact unit for the kitchen or RV, you might want to play around with a measuring tape before pulling the trigger on a specific portable ice maker. If you want to use it for tent camping, tailgating, or an occasional night around the backyard fire pit, then you might also want to prioritize one that weighs less than 25-pounds.

Whatever your specific interests might be chances are the best portable ice maker for you is somewhere on this list.

Product Boxes: Last updated on 2020-08-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API