Ultimate Mandoline...do You Like It, I Hate It

[nancycookspc]

HELP-

I HATE the UM

I avoid it at all costs when possible. I LOVED the Ultimate slice n grate
Sold the pants off of that thing.

I have 2 new consultants that are struggling w/ it as well. I told them it is not my favorite product.

I HATE the food holder- my onions are always too large. And nothing else really fits in there.

IF you like it PLEASE tell me why and how you sell it and use it.

 

[wadesgirl]

Love it! The new safety features are great. But I do agree this is either a product you love or hate. If you hate it you just have to get used to using it. We have done at least 2 trainings in our cluster on it and finally got a fellow director to like it.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I LOVE it! I sell it by using it at shows. I show them how to fit their veggies in and remind them to start with a FLAT cutting surface on the food. I tell them if they are doing a recipe that calls for pepper or onion rings or whole slices of tomatoes they should buy smaller ones (my hosts usually get large veggies for some reason). Put the food in and then place the holder over it pushing slightly to engage. If you push the food into the prongs it seems harder to handle.

The biggest thing I share is that the food holder is a food HOLDER, not a food PUSHER. People have problems with it when they put too much pressure on the holder. Let the UM to the work. You're just there to slide the holder back and forth. I just trained a host that hated hers and now she loves it.

 

[babywings76]

It definitely takes practice. You have to try to only buy things about the size of the palm of your hand, so that they will fit in the food holder. You can't use soft tomatoes because they will turn to mush. The other thing to do is to watch the training demo video on CC.

 

[esavvymom]

I think the food slider is MUCH better than the old version- that thing was always going all over (which was partly why I thought it so dangerous). And I don't think it's size is that much different. (I threw my old one out- and only kept the cheese grater blade and the base- the rest I pitched so I wasn't tempted to kill myself with it! I use it for grating soap for my laundry detergent)You do have to practice using it. I even ended up at the ER because of it (I stuck my finger in a bad place while demoing it!)- and I still really do like it. More so now, since I"m not scare to touch it again. I do not use the food holder when I grate cheese though- I use that more like a box-grater. Otherwise, it works great! And I've even sold one at full-price since I started using it at shows again and let the person try it out!

 

[DebbieJ]

Love it!you have to cut most things to fit, but the safety features are WELL worth it.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Love IT! But I hated the old one, and never used it at shows.

I've been using it recently at all of my shows to slice potatoes for the Chowder - I've sold several full price by doing that.

Most everything I do fits in it, except for really large onions. It's great for tomatoes, lemons, limes, potatoes, carrots, cucumber, zucchini, summer squash, etc....

 

[mandy412]

That's the first PC product I ever bought and I love it! My first real show is next week and I plan to pimp that baby out!

 

[PamperedchefDaly]

I hate it. Plain and simple.

 

[babywings76]

My affection for it depends on what I might need it for. If I am doing a lot of slicing (onions and potatoes especially), I will bring out the UM. It keeps the slices uniform and it goes quick. Sometimes I think the UM is a bit big and cumbersome. By the time I get it out of my cupboard and get everything all ready, I could've been done already w/ just a knife. Different products are made because there are all different kinds of cooks.

 

[kcmckay]

I think it's definitely one of those love/hate things! I LOVE mine! However, never used the old one, got the UM in my kit 2 years ago! I use it almost all my shows! I've even demoed it without something for the recipe! One show I was using it to slice onions for Rush Hour Chicken Fajitas and the host got a cucumber out so they could see the crinkle cut blade because I talked about it.

One of the guests that was at 2 other shows from same group of people talked about it at most recent one and said how much she wanted it! She won't buy it though because she doesn't want to pay full price and she won't host a show! Because no one will come even though I had an October Show that November show was booked off of, then a December show that was booked off of that one. And there were plenty of repeat guests! But some people are convinced that no one will come to their parties and you can't win! I usually sell at least one! My last show the hosts definitely wanted it! They got it for free and were extatic! I told them they'd be wowed! But I was talking about DCB in the microwave. They were wowed by the onions on the UM! Go figure!

I know just before I signed my cluster had a meeting for training on how to use it and those clustermates became more comfortable with it. I've always liked it.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Another selling point is that ours is very reasonably priced and has more blades than most out there on the market. WS has them starting at $90 without the extra blades - at least the last time I looked.

Like someone said, different products for different people. Those that want this tool love ours.

 

[schel]

When it comes to anything but tomatos, love it. If it comes to tomatos... HATE IT!!!

 

[PCJenni]

hate it, never use it or show it. I would rather show and sell my knives, food chopper, salad choppers etc

 

[Rosechef]

I use it at home for cucumber salad and slicing a lot of tomatoes for big parties.

I used it at a show for the first time this past weekend. I sold three of them.

 

[DEBBI]

Does any know if the blades from the old one are still available. I have a customer that asked

 

[LilChefBeth]

I love my ultimate mandoline! I am a new consultant, (Just signed end of Dec). I used one when I paid a visit to the culinary school I was planning on attending, and they didnt have a food holder so it was very scary slicing potatoes on it. I love this one, except I can never seem to do well grating cheese. And I have yet to find an onion that fits in it. But I make do. I have had 3 shows so far and I have sold 2. The more you practice with it, the easier it is to use.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Does any know if the blades from the old one are still available. I have a customer that asked

No, they aren't.

 

[Melissa78]

Wow I never knew anyone didn't like it! I use it at EVERY SINGLE show. I have never missed a party without it. I have sold several at full price and even more often, I get bookings. My February is packed (10 + 2 book parties) for the first time and they ALL want the UM and the SS Bowls. I do wish the food holder was different shape or held bigger items but I make do. From June to Dec I sold 18 of them. I guess I'm in the "love it" category.

 

[cathyskitchen]

I love mine, but have had 2 people who just don't "get it". I tried to teach a recruit how to use it, and I really think she just had too rough of a grip on it. I have to go teach another long-term customer/frequent host this week b/c she's super frustrated with hers, and I have a feeling it's the same problem. You just have to get a rhythm with it and not "force" it. Once you get it going, it's awesome!!

 

[WLMcCoy]

It works great, but it's just all too much to take apart & clean for me. I love simple & convenient. I don't feel the UM is either of these..