The Ultimate Mandoline: Trying to Love It, But Not Quite There Yet

[cwinter474]

I have tried to like the Ultimate Mandoline, I really have. But I don't! you have to find just the right size carrot, tomatoe, potatoe or cucumber to work the darn thing. I liked the old one, except when I sliced the heck out of my thumb on it twice. But at least I used it, now mine is still in the box unless someone asks to see it.

Am I missing something here? Help me to like this product, I guess what I need is someone to give me a one on one lesson with the darn thing.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

There used to be a video lesson on it on CC - is it still there?Okay - I just went and checked, and it's still there. Go to the Online Training Center, and then click on Products. It's the last one on the page.
It's very good - I think it might help!

 

[cwinter474]

Thanks Becky! You are now my go to consultant!

 

[lockhartkitchen]

We had a Mandoline "clinic" at our cluster meeting one time. Everyone brought their mandoline and we had stations with different types of vegetables, etc. It was a lot of fun, and it took the uneasiness out of using it. I now use it all the time.

 

[PamperedchefDaly]

I have tried to like the Ultimate Mandoline, I really have. But I don't! you have to find just the right size carrot, tomatoe, potatoe or cucumber to work the darn thing. I liked the old one, except when I sliced the heck out of my thumb on it twice. But at least I used it, now mine is still in the box unless someone asks to see it.

Am I missing something here? Help me to like this product, I guess what I need is someone to give me a one on one lesson with the darn thing.

I'm with you. I strongly dislike the mandoline. It doesn't julienne, won't slice pepperoni, and I can do just as good a job thin slicing onions and potatoes with our knives. In fact, I bought one in October 2007 when a friend was doing a demo. I ended up returning it a few months later when I learned about the PC return policy. A month or so after that I signed up as a consultant (under the friend who sold me the mandoline), and was totally unthrilled to find the mandoline in the new consultant kit! I don't like it, don't use it, don't sell it. :grumpy: Unless someone asks.

 

[esavvymom]

I used to like mine- didn't use it enough....but now I'm scared to death of it after my run in with it that resulted in an ER visit. (My stupid mistake). I used it for the first time last night to slice some cucumbers very thin. My tomatoes were too soft, it just turned them into juice..so I had to do those by hand. I'm just very nervous these days with anything sharp near my fingers! They just keep getting shorter and shorter

 

[JennLizFran]

Really? I love my Mandoline! I use it all the time, and I tell everyone I know how great it is! I made home made au gratin potatos the other day and it only took me about 10 minutes with my Mandoline!

 

[raebates]

This discussion brings to mind a couple of tool segments on America's Test Kitchen. Since the people who do all of the food stuff are chefs, they couldn't really see the need for a food chopper. After all, it's easier to quickly dice an onion with a knife than to get out a food chopper. Then, someone had the bright idea of checking with people who work outside the kitchen. They LOVED the food chopper. (A Zyliss very similar to ours won their top choice.) They had very similar results with mandolines.My theory is that if you're great at slicing things (especially slicing them evenly), you'll probably not choose the UM. Since I'm really lousy at that, I love it. I make The Furry Guy's favorite Old Rotten Potatoes* much more frequently since I got my UM. I suggest, when asked, that people not use it for tomatoes. If they're firm enough to slice well on the UM they're not ripe enough to eat. In all honesty, I don't know that I've ever used it to attempt to julienne anything. I can't remember the last time I needed to julienne anything. *To normal people that's Au Gratin Potatoes.

 

[Jinkies]

I'm ok with the mandolin but I personally don't like the food chopper... at all. However, I will and do sell it lying through my pearly whites!

 

[pcchefjane]

I'm ok with the mandolin but I personally don't like the food chopper... at all. However, I will and do sell it lying through my pearly whites!

What have you done with the Food Chopper? I use it to make chicken salad, chop pickles, deli meats to add to soups and/or salads... My 3 yo grandson thinks it is so cool! I sold 3 at one show with only 5 buying guests, they were so impressed with it!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I'm ok with the mandolin but I personally don't like the food chopper... at all. However, I will and do sell it lying through my pearly whites!

Don't do that. People will know. If you don't like something and someone asks about it just ask "who has this?" - many will have the chopper - and ask what they like about it. Or say something like "A lot of people really like this for chopping onions, chicken, vegies - everything." - no lie there.

 

[esavvymom]

I think sometimes the reason we don't like a product, is often times the same reason a customer won't like it- we don't know what to DO with it. As consultants, we may think of it, but I can tell you, that in the last year- I've learned so much about the uses of some PC products - products that I've had for nearly 10 years!! Maybe take a personal challenge to find every recipe/use for the product you dislike or hate, and just try to use it as much as possible. If you've done that and still hate it...ok. But maybe it's just about finding out it's possibilities and it's benefits/value.

 

[jross93]

I think sometimes the reason we don't like a product, is often times the same reason a customer won't like it- we don't know what to DO with it. As consultants, we may think of it, but I can tell you, that in the last year- I've learned so much about the uses of some PC products - products that I've had for nearly 10 years!!

Maybe take a personal challenge to find every recipe/use for the product you dislike or hate, and just try to use it as much as possible. If you've done that and still hate it...ok. But maybe it's just about finding out it's possibilities and it's benefits/value.

GREAT advice!!!

Jen

 

[PamperedchefDaly]

Yes, that is great advice. Maybe I should learn to love the mandolin. I can't sell anything I don't love. After all, it is a $59 product

 

[cwinter474]

There used to be a video lesson on it on CC - is it still there?




Okay - I just went and checked, and it's still there. Go to the Online Training Center, and then click on Products. It's the last one on the page.
It's very good - I think it might help!

I watched the video, I do feel some better about it, and I do think I will get mine out and watch it again.

Thanks Becky!

 

[babywings76]

I'm ok with the mandolin but I personally don't like the food chopper... at all. However, I will and do sell it lying through my pearly whites!

What have you done with the Food Chopper? I use it to make chicken salad, chop pickles, deli meats to add to soups and/or salads... My 3 yo grandson thinks it is so cool! I sold 3 at one show with only 5 buying guests, they were so impressed with it!

Don't do that. People will know. If you don't like something and someone asks about it just ask "who has this?" - many will have the chopper - and ask what they like about it. Or say something like "A lot of people really like this for chopping onions, chicken, vegies - everything." - no lie there.

I agree w/ Beth. No need to lie. Just say what it is typically used for.

The FC was one of the first PC items I ever bought. At first, I didn't like how it chopped my onions, they weren't uniformly chopped and I didn't like it. But... can I tell you how happy I was the day I went to a PC show after owning the FC for 2 years and discovered that you can chop in the cap! I had no idea, and that made me get mine out of storage and start using it again. Now I use it a lot, and in fact was excited to get a second one (the one that came in the kit.)

I keep one dedicated to chopping peanuts. We run into so many recipes in our house that call for chopped nuts, and this way I don't have to wash it all the time to only bring it out for nuts yet again. The other one I use for chopping up chicken. I have a lot of recipes that call for cooked, shredded chicken. Can I tell you what a pain it is to stand there and shred cooked chicken? It takes forever. I find that using the food chopper, it saves me so much time, and saves my back too! I rinse it off right away when I'm done though, so that it cleans more easily later.

On the UM, at first I thought it was annoying having to use foods so small to fit the food holder thing. But, the more I forced myself to get it out and try it, the more I got comfortable with it. I love using it for au gratin or scalloped potatoes and also for making the 3 Cheese Garden Pizza. I need to play with it more though, cause I still don't use it a ton at home. But I just try to remember to buy veggies that are about the size of the palm of my hand, then they tend to be a good fit.

 

[JDooley]

I hated my UM when I first got it... but my husband uses it at least 3 or 4 times a week and now i love it. there are about 5 things we use more than 2x a week
UM
Food Chopper
DCB
12in skillet
Micro steamer
Knives

 

[zmom58]

I listened to a conference 2008 mp3 download from consultants corner "Be a Master Seller" with Ferial Yan (I know i misspelled her first name). She said to use it in your kitchen every night for a week, really get to know it and you will love it. This is an awesome recording to listen to. There is also one by David Meenan, 2008 "Be a Master Seller." It's good too.
Deb

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

I listened to a conference 2008 mp3 download from consultants corner "Be a Master Seller" with Ferial Yan (I know i misspelled her first name). She said to use it in your kitchen every night for a week, really get to know it and you will love it. This is an awesome recording to listen to. There is also one by David Meenan, 2008 "Be a Master Seller." It's good too.
Deb

Yes these are great recordings. Save them to your computer ASAP before they replace them with the 2009 conference recordings.

 

[Ann F]

LOVE my mandolin, especially for tomatoes! LOL
I always buy the Roma tomatoes; they slice beautifully and fit perfectly.

 

[babywings76]

I listened to a conference 2008 mp3 download from consultants corner "Be a Master Seller" with Ferial Yan (I know i misspelled her first name). She said to use it in your kitchen every night for a week, really get to know it and you will love it. This is an awesome recording to listen to. There is also one by David Meenan, 2008 "Be a Master Seller." It's good too.
Deb

Where exactly can I find this? Did they already replace 2008 with 2009? Am I too late to download this one you mention?ETA: the ones I find are from Leadership '09