Home Line 250, Red

After seeing a freed-standing Berkel in an Air France lounge this past weekend, I did a little research and we decided to try this mid-range [for home use] unit. Why did we wait so long to get a slicer? This was waiting for us when we arrived home [Amazon's delivery capabilities are truly amazing]. Solid, but not ridiculously heavy. My partner [female] is easily able to lift and move it around the kitchen, though its size and weight lend an aura of permanence to it location. The good news is that it is easy to move and clean up. The machine is securely packaged, and arrives fully assembled, and it is fairly attractive. You wouldn't buy it just as decorative sculpture, but it's good looking in the kitchen. It will take all of 5 minutes to unpack it and set it up on your counter. When you consider the various models from which to choose, pay attention to the size/weight dimensions. We specifically chose the 250 Home Line for how it would fit our countertops. From a duty and durability perspective, I suspect any of the machines would do. The instructions do not get an A+ for organization, but they are short enough so that reading them through thoroughly is not difficult. And make sure to read them. After wiping the machine down and preparing a tritip, we got ready for our first slice. Before placing the meat in the product holder, we took off the blade cover to inspect the blade and wipe it clean also. Don't get me wrong; everything appeared pristine, with no hint of residual oils or grime. We powered the machine up and turned it on. It is much quieter than i expected. It is unnoticeable during ordinary conversation. After all the anticipation, actual slicing is pretty anticlimactic. it's a meat slicer, right? The action is smooth, thickness adjustment is very fine, from almost paper thin slices to hefty slabs of meat. Slices fall onto the stainless base behind the cutting platform. It's easy to clean up. Not much more to say. it works flawlessly. I do have one nit: removal of the blade requires a specific tool—the extractor—that one orders separately. Perhaps I missed this in the description. I don't mind paying for it; I just don't like learning after purchase that I need it. Also, blade-resistant gloves are a must when handling the blade. Seems to me Amazon ought to have one of their well-known "typically bought together" packages for these machines. Still, a superb device. Highly recommended.

I hardly post a review on items I purchase on Amazon.com, but like always there’s an expectation and today is that day. After spending a month in Italy with family the most used kitchen appliance in their kitchen was the Berkel Food Slicer. Once home in the US, I needed to get one for myself and purchased Berkel Homeslicer 250 - Red. I ordered it with my prime membership so I received it within 2 days at my door. Unboxing it was an experience of its own, the machine and all in superb conditions. Once unboxed I plugged it and started slicing some prosciutto, just amazing cuts, thin sliced as thin as you want. I’ve had it for over a week not only do you get perfectly sliced cold cuts but the uplift it give my kitchen counter top with that stunning red ferrari color, size and design. Couldn’t be happier with my purchase looking forward to getting the manual version called Volano in the near future. Learn more about it on their webpage, also feel free to call their customer service.

Choose the next model up, Redline. Turns out by the time you buy the blade sharpener and the blade extractor for the home line, you might as well have purchased the next model up which is easier to clean and better overall. :) I've owned both, I kept the redline and returned the homelike. In the homeline model you MUST remove the blade for cleaning, and the motor and band that drives it is exposed behind the blade in a metal cavity (which you can not clean) - which it seems to me can get food stuffs in it. The area behind the blade is just not a joy to clean in anyway. On the pluside, this slicer's blade extractor makes it reasonable and quick and safe to remove the blade, even if cleaning this area isn't ideal. Other than that, was a lovely, quiet, quality machine. I was so impressed with the brand and this homeline machine, I decided to upgrade to next level, redline, even though it was a hug cash outlay compared to every other meat slicer out there (and so far the redline was worth every penny - if its easy to clean you use it more).

UPDATE Berkel made things right by sending me a brand-new slicer. Apparently the one I had gotten "new" from a different third-party seller was used and broken. This new one is excellent. I took bread from my bread maker straight to the slicer, and got cleanly cut slices. I am looking forward to trying out other foods, but fresh bread was my main concern. Very happy I stuck with Berkel! ORIGINAL This item arrived with a jammed thickness adjuster. I could not get it past about 1.5. I did a video chat with a Berkel representative who told me to package it up and they would replace it. Then he told me they couldn't do that, so I need to return through Amazon. Amazon will only do a return if I drop it at a UPS store. This item is ridiculously heavy. In addition, we are being very strict about going out in the pandemic as I am high-risk (cancer survivor with other co-morbidities). This experience is ridiculously frustrating.

I know Berkel very well from my retail time. We only used Berkel. So I was very curious (and to be honest a bit sceptic) how this 'home' type of machine would do. Well.... Berkel did their job. This is an awesome machine. I bought some Spanish Iberico ham and Chorizo to cut and it felt like I was cutting the meat on a professional machine. The machine is build in an edge which automatically pushes the meat lightly to the knife. That was not on the older machines but is a nice improvement. Anyway. More than worth the money. Main points: -Very solid and silent motor -high grade steel professional blade -Cuts 'newspaper-thin' -Easy to use -Easy to clean -No installation required. -Very responsive and client focussed after sales dept.

Snabb leverans

Perfect size, silent, light and sturdy. The most perfect home slicer.

There were evident marks of use, a long black hair stuck on the front plate and 2 screws that I had no idea where they belonged PLUS no instructions...IDK!