Progressive’s PL8 Professional Mandoline Offers Superb Slicing, Even Cubing

Not only does this mandoline come with a two-part guard to keep you safe from harm, but it also stays sharp for years and years on end. I bought mine in 2014, and in 2022 I passed it along to my sous chef in favor of a similar model that can create cube shapes instead of waffle cuts, as that was a feature I knew I’d use more often. It had been used regularly for that duration of time, and still had years of life left in it.

The mandoline offers a combination of four thicknesses for slicing along with several options for grating size and thickness, allowing for high customization of the exact size and shape you produce. As far as the guards go, you’ll want to employ them as soon as an item gets short enough to fit into them. 

I have a 14-cup capacity Cuisinart that has grating and slicing blade attachments, but despite the fast speed of that machine, I typically find myself opting for my mandoline instead. That’s because I care about presentation, and if you want perfect slices and even grating, a food processor just won’t grant you the same level of achievement. 

For my private chef client, I regularly make raw slaws out of hardy vegetables, such as fennel, broccoli stems, carrots, and jicama. The PL8 allows me to change the grate size so that each mouthful will be just right based on the texture and firmness of the individual veggie.

When I want to make chips, gratin, or even a meat carpaccio, it ensures the thinnest possible slices with even edges and a consistency that would require impeccable concentration with a knife. And I like it more than any spiralizer for making vegetable noodles, as the mandoline makes it easier to create consistent noodle lengths, as well as works more expediently and makes it simple to avoid areas, such as the center, seedy part of zucchini. 

Once you become accustomed to using a mandoline, you’ll be surprised at how often you turn to it instead of a knife. Features of the PL8, such as cubing, won’t just save you time: They will also relieve a home cook of the stress of attempting to create fully symmetrical shapes for everything from soups to salads. Once you grow comfortable using it, you may find yourself less intimidated by dishes that require ingredients to be cut into painstaking shapes and sizes. 

Mandolines have been around since the 1700s, and they haven’t changed all that much in these last few centuries. The PL8 combines the basics of a classic slicer with modern features for various additional cuts and shapes, melding classical French cooking technique with current trends, like waffle fries. It will save you time, it will make your meals look professionally cooked, and it’s a breeze to clean. Just–and trust me on this one–always use the guard when your food is less than several inches long, and always opt to have a little food leftover rather than get your hands too close to it.

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Ariane Resnick is a special diet chef, certified nutritionist, and bestselling author. She has more than 20 years experience in the food and writing spaces and believes in a joy-filled approach to health and wellness.