Prepworks Adjust-A-Slice Mandoline Is a Cut Above

We purchased the Prepworks Adjust-A-Slice Mandoline so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

If you’re in the process of building your kitchen inventory or just looking for additional ways to make cooking easier, make sure a mandoline is on your list of pending purchases. The nifty device allows you to create ultra-thin, consistent slices with ease—something that comes particularly in handy when slicing up a red onion for salad or Yukon Gold spuds for simple au gratin potatoes. Of course, with so many mandolines on the market, some fall short of expectations. This in mind, we tried out a few different options including the Prepworks Adjust-A-Slice Mandoline. Keep reading to see how it held up in our home. 

Design: Light with no frills

We loved the design of the Prepworks Mandoline, mostly because of how compact and lightweight it was. If you have limited kitchen space or are just a casual chef in search of a basic mandoline, we definitely recommend this option. It can be stored in a drawer or on the side of a cabinet, easily accessible for when your salad calls for julienned carrots. 

The device offers three thickness settings (thin, medium, and thick) and two slicing options: straight or julienne. These settings proved sufficient enough to handle our weekly cooking routine. If you’re looking to create paper-thin slices, waffle-cut fries, or simply want more options on the thickness spectrum, there are more expensive mandoline iterations that offer a bounty of blade settings.

Additionally, it’s important to note that the Prepworks mandoline doesn’t have a stand. You either have to hold it in one hand or balance it over a bowl to collect your slices. We didn’t have a problem with this, but if you’re slicing a lot of produce for meal prep or have a big family to feed, you might want something a little more stable. 

Performance: Sharp and effective

The Prepworks Adjust-A-Slice pleasantly surprised us when it came to ease of use and precision. In fact, the blade seemed just as sharp and effective as the pricier options we tested, and we were able to slice through denser produce without any struggle.

In order to administer a proper test, we set to work prepping creamy scalloped potatoes which called for thin potato slices and julienned onions. We tested a few different slice widths before finding that the second setting created perfectly thin slices. Yukon Golds slid over the mandoline so easily; we were shocked with how quickly the device sliced an entire potato. Next, we switched the dial from “slice” to “julienne” and cut up our onions with ease, achieving a neat pile that required no knife work.

To be sure the mandoline performed as admirably with other types of produce, we also tried carrots, radishes, and sweet potatoes—each which proved just as simple. 

One thing to keep in mind while slicing: you have to move at a certain speed for the mandoline to work seamlessly. If your hand is moving the produce too slowly, it won’t gather enough momentum to make it through the blade with minimal effort and you’ll end up with jagged slices.

Protection Holder: Not all it’s sliced up to be

Okay, let’s cut to the chase—Prepworks’ food holder doesn’t work well. Not for carrots, not for onions, not for potatoes, and not for radishes. There may be some elusive, square-shaped fruit or veggie out there for which it would excel, but we didn’t find it nor did we test it. 

The holder features several short, plastic prongs which are meant to secure the produce being sliced so your fingers don’t have to go anywhere near the blade. The problem, however, is that the prongs don’t sufficiently grasp the produce. Each vegetable we tried wobbled around and inhibited us from moving at the speed necessary for the mandoline to effectively work.

Our first solution was to simply use our hand, but that caused us to stop slicing quite early to avoid accidents, leaving a large chunk of the produce unsliced. Next, we decided to use the borrow the food holder from our OXO Grips Chef’s Mandoline Slicer, which worked like a charm. We also noticed that some online commenters suggested investing in cut-resistant kitchen gloves which run for roughly $10. 

Ease of Cleaning: Super simple

Because the mandoline is so light and made primarily of plastic, it was extremely easy to clean. Nothing needed to be removed, no crevices needed to be scrubbed, it simply called for a straight-forward rinse and a little bit of soap and sponge action. 

Price: Extremely affordable

If you have budgetary constraints or simply won’t be using your mandoline enough to justify a hefty price tag, then we urge you to consider the Prepworks Adjust-A-Slice. For less than $25, the easy-to-use tool makes slicing produce a cinch. 

Competition: The absolute best for its price

Even when we break out of the under-$25 price bracket, the Prepworks Mandoline is a standout performer. Compared to mandolines that broached the $80 price range, the Prepworks blade sliced and diced with the best of them. When we compared the Prepworks Mandoline to OXO’s $80 version, we couldn’t find any decipherable difference in blade performance or slicing ability. Yes, it has a lot more blade settings, a stand, and a useable food holder, but it also comes at a staggeringly more expensive cost. If you just need to slice an occasional potato or onion, the Prepworks will prove reliable.