Ultimate Mandoline & Microplane Grater Review: Common Problems & Solutions

[merego]

Is anyone having problems with the ultimate mandoline and/or the microplane adjustbale grater? I have been practicing with this and even my director worked with me on it the other night ( how lame am I??). I am afraid to take it to a show and make a fool of myself. The microplane grater works great, it is just hard to open and if you use it over a bowl the cheese tends to fly everywhere ( or is that just me???)
The Ultimate mandoline made a mess of my countertops, I had lemon and lime juice all over the place and me as well as tomato, zuchinni and onions.
I did realize I had it set up wrong, but even after that I still could not get it to work.
HELP..... I have 9 shows over the next 2 months and I am brand new!!!:yuck:

 

[tabnat80]

Practice makes perfect. I still fumble with tools at times. I fumbled with my ultimate mandoline at a show last night trying to cut carrots, i finally grabbed a knife and finished it off. LOL

 

[dianevill]

I have to be honest, and I'm sure I'm missing out on some sales- I don't show the UM at shows, as I'm just not good at demonstrating it. I can use it at home, but it never works for me at shows and I look like a dork (more than what I am!)

 

[lkprescott]

I love the AG and never had a problem with cheese flying... practice practice practice.... folks always oooh and ahhh over watching parmesan get grated... I no longer use the UM in my demo but I do take it, set it up and show folks how the safety blade works. I've found that the blade needs to be snapped firmly into place and sometimes it pops out as I'm using it but it still has more pros than cons, if you ask me. On a funny note, my last show was at a college dorm and there were a couple art majors and I overheard someone discussing using the cheese grater for crayons, that's when I went into my UM & AG spiel and noted that they may want a dedicated set up for crayons and not use it for food. LOL... we got lots of laughs and actually some interest. You just never know.. LOL..

 

[merego]

I find the AG hard to open, I am all of 5 ft 95 lbs so I am not very strong~ LOL I have problems with the cheese flying if it is flat across a bowl, otherwise I think it works great, once I get it open.
I just wanted to make sure it was ok to use a knife or other products instead of the UM to demostrate slicing since I am having such a problem. I have been practicing everyday and am getting frustrated.
Thanks to all for your advice

 

[Evelynt]

The microplane grater needs breaking in time. I was afraid I would break it and would make my son open it. I always grate on my cutting board, so that the guests can see how beautiful the hard cheeses grate.
The mandoline? I finally love it. The safety features and price make it a great product. When slicing citrus I can't promise there won't be a mess. I am a messy cook anyway. I do think there is still a video on the website on how to use it. I have found you do need to slice quickly and consistently with medium pressure. As for tomatoes, I only slice Roma/plum tomatoes on it, otherwise I use my Santoku and I make sure everyone knows I have never had it sharpened.
I hope that helps.

 

[merego]

I have the green color coated tomato knife which I love so I was going to use that and I have the crinkle cutter that I love also. I am making the 3 cheese garden pizza so I can use other tools besdie the UM. I did get the onions sliced ok on it. I did use the roma at the suggestion of my director.
I will keep practicing and plugging along

 

[c00p]

There is an arrow on the AM and I've found that if I have the arrow pointing away from me as I'm opening it, making the force outward instead of inward, that it makes it waaaaayyyy easier to open. Does that make sense at all??
As for the UM, LOVE IT!!! You'll always have juice everywhere when you do citrus, but that's ok. I don't use it too often for citrus anyway. I showed it off last week with 3 whole garlic cloves and showed how thinly you can slice the garlic all at once for sauteeing in certain recipes...got lots of ooohh's and aaahhh's. Like everyone else has said, practice makes it better!

 

[ljeffries]

If you are using the microplane and the cheese if flying, you are going too fast and pressing too hard!! Go slowly and use very little pressure. That thing is so sharp it works with little effort on your part. Same with the UM.

I sell microplanes at every show!! The UM I rarely take anymore, but that is just my fault, not due to the product.

 

[merego]

I did see the arrow on the AG, my husband keeps giving me a lesson on how to open it, I just don't think I have the hand strength, so I am practicing.
Since I am snowed in I am practicing more with the UM today. I guess I was just frustraed since the gals on the DVD training videos made it look so easy and I thought I am going to fail at this and no one is going to book a party from me when I can't even use this product. I think I was going atad fast with the cheese

 

[DebbieJ]

I love the UM. Practice makes perfect. Watch the new Cooking Shows in Action DVD--Teresa Brown gives good tips to one of her guests for using the UM.

 

[ChefLisa]

Recently I had a revelation about the Ultimate Mandoline. When sliding the food holder down across the blade, I apply gentle pressure. When I go back up, I lighten up on the pressure. This has really helped me with it.

Now this line might be in one of the online videos, but I have not seen them yet. I learned it from my Director's Director. The food holder will hold anything the size of a tennis ball or smaller. So now I can share that line with my hosts when I am giving them their shopping list; such as, "Purchase an onion that is the size of a tennis ball or smaller." That makes the description so easy!

Lisa

 

[merego]

We did watch the cooking show in action with Teresa at our cluster meeting.
I haven't rec'd my dvd yet. One of the other DVDs I watched had one gal using it and she made it look so easy.
I just tried another Roma tomato and FAILED AGAIN I am out of tomatoes and can not get out to get more since we are snowed in. I may call my neighbors to see what they have LOL I am fine with the cheese, the veggies just aren't working with me.

 

[chefann]

With the UM, tomatoes must be very firm, and they really only work with the v-shaped blade.I recommend getting a bag of inexpensive potatoes and practicing with them. (Then you can make scalloped or au gratin potatoes out of them. )

 

[merego]

I am using the v-shaped blade and it is not working

 

[chefann]

Ah ha, I am using the v-shaped blade with my tomatoes, maybe that is the problem

That's the blade you should be using with tomatoes. V-shaped for tomatoes and citrus.

 

[merego]

oops, I read your post wrong, I changed my reply, sorry

 

[chefann]

No problem- we've all done it. Tomatoes need to be VERY firm to work well. They actually should be firmer than what I consider truly ripe. This time of year, when tomatoes are hit and miss at the store, isn't a good time to practice with them.

 

[Michelle817]

I love the Microplane glider, and mine is very easy to open. I'll try to describe exactly how I do it, so maybe it'll help you. (This is describing it when it's already open) I hold the rubbery part with my right hand, face up (with the words Microplane and PC facing me). I use my left hand to hold the edges of the part surrounding the metal (the left-side, when you're looking at it). I then put the thumb of my right hand on the dime-sized circle part, near where the product folds in half. Push your thumb away from you, while making the other 4 fingers of your right hand come toward you. That should disengage the latch, and allow you to open or close the grater. When it's closed, put your hands in the same position, and hold the grater vertically (so like an upside-down V). I don't even look at that lock/arrow, because it doesn't seem clear.

Let me know if this doesn't work! If so, I wonder if something's wrong with yours.

 

[merego]

Thanks, I will try it now

 

[merego]

I finally got it to work~ UM and AG Ok everyone, After 3 hours of practicing, I think I have somewhat mastered the UM with all 4 blades and the AG~ woo-hoo~~ I don't feel like as big of an idiot and am feeling more confident!!
Thanks to everyone for your help