Best Budget Mandoline Slicer for Home Cooks

The best budget mandoline slicer for most home cooks is the Gramercy Mandoline Slicer, because its 12 thickness settings and 1.9 lb stainless frame cover the widest range in this set from one tool. If counter space or drawer depth is the real constraint, the OXO Good Grips Handheld weighs 5.64 oz and folds flat at 0.5 in thick, which is why it takes the budget pick.

A mandoline is not the tool most cooks reach for first, and that is the misconception this guide unpicks. Buyers compare blade counts and price tiers. What actually decides the purchase is thickness range, how the food holder works, and whether the thing will still be in your drawer a year from now. The word "budget" in the search bar is worth flagging early: Amazon's results here mix entry-tier and premium picks, so I've labelled each one's position in the set rather than promising every product is cheap.

Best budget mandoline slicer at a glance

How the shortlist was cut

I lined up every mandoline in the input and compared the published specifications side by side: thickness range, weight, footprint, and what safety kit ships with the tool. Anything I could not confirm from the listing did not go into the argument.

Three things drove the ranking:

1. Thickness range, because a mandoline that only cuts one thickness is a peeler with ambition.
2. Weight and dimensions, because storage is the reason mandolines end up in the garage.
3. What is included in the box, because a bare blade without a food holder is a hospital trip waiting to happen.

Popularity told a useful side story. The OXO Good Grips Handheld is the one buyers of this set choose most often, and the OXO Precision Handheld is the slowest seller of the five. Those figures don't decide the winner, but they mattered for the budget pick, where the safest bet is the tool that has been in kitchens the longest.

Everything on the list is a mandoline in the strict sense: a fixed body, a fixed blade, and an adjustable thickness. No spiralisers, no julienne peelers, no rotary graters.

The spec that actually decides a mandoline

Most guides in this category compare blade count. That is not what decides it. The number of thickness settings a mandoline can hit, and the range from thinnest to thickest, matters far more than whether it ships with five plates or three.

Here's the trick with mandolines. A paper-thin cut for gratin sits around 1 to 1.5 mm. A crisp fry needs 6 to 8 mm. A slaw wants somewhere near 2 mm. If a mandoline covers 1 to 8 mm with fine steps in between, it does every job a home cook throws at it. If it stops at 4 mm, half your recipes are out of reach.

That's why the Benriner's 0.5 to 10 mm dial and the SupMaKin's 0.1 to 8 mm range are so telling: both listings claim continuous adjustment across the working range a home cook actually needs. The Gramercy claims 12 settings, which is not the same as a continuous dial, but 12 discrete steps still cover more ground than the fixed 1, 2.5 and 4 mm of the OXO Good Grips.

The cutoff is 4 mm. Below it, the OXO handhelds are fine. Above it, you need a countertop mandoline with a dial.

1. Gramercy Mandoline Slicer — Best overall

The Gramercy is the widest-range mandoline in this set, and the only one that pairs a rotating blade cylinder with a full safety kit in the box.

Best for: cooks who want one tool that goes from paper-thin garnish to thick fry Skip it if: your drawer is shallow and you slice once a week

The differentiator here is coverage. Gramercy says the mandoline offers 12 slice settings via a built-in thickness dial and a rotating blade cylinder, and that is more discrete options than any other pick in this set. The body measures 3.15 x 16.5 x 6.69 in and weighs 1.9 lb, which is the second-heaviest tool here and the longest. That length is what buys you the stability the brand describes as a "substantial stainless steel frame".

The box, according to the listing, includes cut-resistant gloves, a removable blade guard and a cleaning brush. That's the fullest safety kit in the set. Gramercy also says the tool is top-rack dishwasher safe and that the blade is 4CR15 stainless. It sits in the more expensive half of this comparison, which is the honest trade-off: the OXO Good Grips is far cheaper and far lighter, but you give up eight or nine thickness settings and the gloves to save the money.

Pros:

• 12 claimed thickness settings, the widest here
• Rotating blade cylinder switches cutting styles
• Cut-resistant gloves and guard included
• 4CR15 stainless steel frame and blade
• Top-rack dishwasher safe per the listing

Cons:

• 16.5 in long, awkward for shallow drawers
• Premium price position in this set
• Only two sellers list it
• Blade sharpness fades and no replacement is stated

2. OXO Good Grips Handheld Mandoline — Best budget pick

The OXO Good Grips is the lightest, thinnest and cheapest pick in the set, and it is the one buyers of this group choose most often.

Best for: small kitchens and quick, one-handed prep over a bowl Skip it if: you want more than three fixed thickness steps

This is the mandoline for a kitchen that does not have room for a mandoline. It weighs 5.64 oz — under a third of the Gramercy — and its 0.5 in thickness slides flat into a utensil drawer. Dimensions are 11.5 x 3.75 x 0.5 in. OXO says it hooks over a bowl or a plate, which is how the tool earns its counter-free reputation.

Thickness is where you pay for the size. OXO lists three fixed steps: 1 mm, 2.5 mm and 4 mm. That covers gratin, slaw and salad, and it does not cover fries. There is no dial. What you gain instead is the OXO warranty language: the listing says an unsatisfied buyer can return the product for replacement or refund, which no other pick here matches.

In practice, this is the pick for the cook who wants a mandoline for the two or three jobs a knife does slowly, not the cook who wants to replace their knife. It sells faster than any other tool in this set, and it is the cheapest of the five.

Pros:

• Cheapest in this set
• 5.64 oz, by far the lightest
• 0.5 in thick, fits a utensil drawer
• OXO satisfaction guarantee per the listing
• Sells faster than the rest of this set

Cons:

• Only three fixed thickness steps
• Maximum 4 mm, no fry-cut option
• No cut-resistant gloves included
• Handheld design limits high-volume work

3. OXO Good Grips Precision Handheld — Best upgrade

The Precision is OXO's answer to buyers who like the handheld form but want a proper food holder and more thickness options.

Best for: cooks who want a handheld with a real food holder Skip it if: you slice cabbage or melon regularly

The Precision keeps the handheld shape at 14.7 x 4.49 x 2.77 in and 0.51 lb, so it slots into the same drawer real estate as the Good Grips. What OXO adds is five cutting options — julienne, thin, medium, thick and extra thick — and a height-adjustable food holder that stores under the body. The listing calls this "automatic" pressure on the food, which is the feature the cheaper OXO handheld does not have.

A transparent runway lets you see the ingredient as it passes the blade, which matters more than it sounds when you are working through a bag of potatoes. OXO says the tool is dishwasher safe.

The trade-off is set position. This is the slowest seller of the five in the input, and it sits in the mid-price band, above both entry-tier picks. If the Good Grips does what you need, the Precision is money spent on features you may not use. If you actually want julienne without buying a second tool, the maths flips.

Pros:

• Five claimed cutting options including julienne
• Height-adjustable food holder stores under body
• Transparent runway improves visibility
• 0.51 lb, easy one-handed use
• Dishwasher safe per the listing

Cons:

• Slowest seller of the five in this set
• Handheld width limits large produce
• Mid-price for a handheld tool
• No warranty terms stated on the listing

4. Benriner Jumbo Mandoline — Best premium

The Benriner Jumbo is the only mandoline in this set built for wide produce, with a 5 in slicing surface and a continuous 0.5 to 10 mm dial.

Best for: cooks who prep wide produce like cabbage and melon Skip it if: you want built-in julienne without a blade change

Two numbers do the talking here. The listing states a 5 in wide slicing surface, and a thickness dial that runs from 0.5 to 10 mm. That is the widest working range of any pick in this set, and the widest runway. It is the specification you want if you shred cabbage for slaw by the head, or slice melon for a party plate.

The body measures 2 x 12.2 x 4.7 in and weighs 1.32 lb, so it stows more easily than the Gramercy. Benriner describes a handcrafted Japanese stainless steel blade and a BPA-free plastic body, plus a safety guard that hooks over bowls. The listing says the tool disassembles for cleaning and is top-rack dishwasher safe.

What you don't get is julienne without swapping to accessory blades. This is the most expensive pick in this set, and the argument for paying it is width, not versatility. If your prep is mostly potatoes and carrots, the Gramercy does more from the same drawer.

Pros:

• 5 in slicing surface, widest here
• 0.5 to 10 mm continuous dial
• Japanese stainless steel blade per the listing
• Hooks over a bowl for direct collection
• Disassembles for dishwasher cleaning

Cons:

• The most expensive pick in this set
• No julienne without blade accessories
• Plastic body vs. all-stainless competitors
• Warranty not stated on the listing

5. SupMaKin Safe Mandoline — Best minimal setup

The SupMaKin is the only pick here with a 2-year manufacturer warranty stated on the listing, and its built-in blade design keeps fingers away from the edge by construction.

Best for: cooks who want a covered blade and one push-handle motion Skip it if: you need slices thicker than 8 mm

SupMaKin's angle is safety through design rather than safety through gloves. The listing describes a built-in blade you never touch, and a push handle that moves the produce over the edge. Thickness is adjustable from 0.1 to 8 mm, which is a wider range than either OXO handheld and close to the Benriner's ceiling.

The tool measures 13 x 5 x 6 in and weighs 1.5 lb. The listing calls out a foldable, compact design and dishwasher-safe cleanup, plus a 3 in port size that fits potatoes, carrots and cucumbers. That port size is a real limit: cabbage heads and large melons won't feed cleanly.

The 2-year manufacturer warranty is the standout non-spec feature. Neither the Gramercy, the Precision nor the Benriner state a warranty term on their listings, and the OXO Good Grips relies on a satisfaction guarantee rather than a fixed period. If a stated warranty matters to you, this is the pick that has one on paper. It sits in the entry price band, second-cheapest here.

Pros:

• Built-in blade, no direct blade contact
• 0.1 to 8 mm continuous thickness dial
• 2-year manufacturer warranty stated
• Second-cheapest in this set
• Foldable body, dishwasher-safe cleanup

Cons:

• 3 in port limits wide produce
• Slowest-selling countertop pick in this set
• Less established brand than OXO or Benriner
• Fewer thickness "presets" than the Gramercy's 12

Handheld or countertop: which one fits your kitchen?

The first fork in the road is form factor, and it decides more than most buyers think. A handheld mandoline like either OXO sits over a bowl, weighs a few ounces, and hides in a drawer. A countertop mandoline like the Gramercy, Benriner or SupMaKin sits on the counter, weighs over a pound, and needs cupboard space.

The rough rule I'd use:

• If you slice for two people, two or three times a week, and your kitchen already has a drawer problem, the handheld form wins. The OXO Good Grips at 5.64 oz and 0.5 in thick is the extreme example.
• If you slice for a family, batch-prep for the week, or want fry-thickness cuts, a countertop mandoline is the honest answer. The Gramercy's 1.9 lb frame and the Benriner's 1.32 lb body both give you the stability the handhelds cannot.

There's a middle case. Cooks who like the handheld shape but want a food holder and more settings should look at the OXO Precision, whose 0.51 lb body and five claimed cutting options bridge the two categories.

What safety kit really matters?

Every mandoline is a knife you can't hold. What varies is how each design tries to keep your fingers off the edge.

Three approaches show up in this set:

• Food holder plus separate gloves. The Gramercy ships with cut-resistant gloves, a removable blade guard and a cleaning brush per its listing. That is the belt-and-braces approach and the most complete kit in this set.
• Integrated food holder. The OXO Precision has an automatic, height-adjustable food holder that stores under the body. The Benriner has a safety guard that also hooks over bowls. Both keep the hand attached to a handle rather than the produce.
• Enclosed blade. The SupMaKin listing describes a built-in blade you don't touch, with a push-handle motion. That is the safest by construction, at the cost of a 3 in port.

Skip this one if the blade guard looks like an afterthought. In practice, a mandoline you're scared to use is a mandoline that stays in the cupboard. Most shoppers miss that safety kit is not a bonus, it's the difference between a tool you reach for and a tool you inherit.

What more money buys in this set

The five picks span the entry, mid and premium price bands. Here's what climbing that ladder actually gets you, from the specifications alone.

At the entry level, the OXO Good Grips gives you a light, drawer-thin body and three fixed thickness steps. The SupMaKin, also entry-tier, trades some size for a continuous 0.1 to 8 mm dial and a 2-year warranty.

Mid-tier gets you the OXO Precision, which keeps the handheld form but adds a proper food holder, a transparent runway and five cutting options including julienne.

At the premium end, the Gramercy and the Benriner take different routes. Gramercy spends the money on a stainless steel frame, a rotating blade cylinder, 12 claimed thickness settings and a full safety kit in the box. Benriner spends it on width: a 5 in slicing surface, a 0.5 to 10 mm dial and a handcrafted Japanese stainless steel blade. Neither is strictly better. They're built for different produce.

The verdict

The Gramercy Mandoline Slicer is the best budget mandoline slicer for most cooks, because its 12 claimed thickness settings, 1.9 lb stainless frame and cut-resistant gloves cover the widest range of jobs from a single tool. It is not the cheapest pick here, and the search term "budget" is worth reading honestly: this comparison mixes entry and premium price positions, and the Gramercy sits toward the premium end. What it buys you is one tool that does the work of two.

Two conditions flip the recommendation. If drawer space is the real constraint and you slice occasionally, the OXO Good Grips at 5.64 oz and 0.5 in thick is the sane pick, and it is the cheapest of the five. If you regularly slice wide produce like cabbage or melon, the Benriner Jumbo's 5 in runway and 0.5 to 10 mm dial are what you want, and no other pick in this set matches that width.

The cutoff is fry-thickness. If you need slices above 4 mm, skip both OXO handhelds. If you don't, the OXO Good Grips is the honest answer for a small kitchen.

FAQ

What thickness range should a mandoline cover?

A thickness range from about 1 mm to 8 mm covers most home cooking: gratin at the thin end, fries at the thick end, and slaw in the middle. The Benriner's 0.5 to 10 mm dial and the SupMaKin's 0.1 to 8 mm range both clear that bar. The OXO Good Grips stops at 4 mm, which handles slaw and salad but not fry cuts.

Is a mandoline slicer worth it for a small kitchen?

A mandoline slicer is worth it in a small kitchen only if it stores flat. The OXO Good Grips at 11.5 x 3.75 x 0.5 in and 5.64 oz disappears into a utensil drawer, which is why it wins the budget slot. The countertop picks in this set — Gramercy, Benriner and SupMaKin — need cupboard or shelf space, and the Gramercy at 16.5 in long is the longest.

How does the OXO Good Grips compare to the Gramercy?

The OXO Good Grips compares to the Gramercy on two axes and loses one. The OXO is the cheapest pick here, weighs 5.64 oz and slides flat into a drawer. The Gramercy weighs 1.9 lb, claims 12 thickness settings against OXO's three, and ships with cut-resistant gloves and a guard. Choose the OXO for storage, the Gramercy for range.

Are handheld mandoline slicers safe to use?

Handheld mandoline slicers are safe to use when the food holder is engaged and the produce never touches the blade with a bare hand. The OXO Precision's automatic, height-adjustable holder is the strongest safety design among the handhelds here. The OXO Good Grips relies on a large non-slip handle and stable foot, per the listing, without the same integrated holder mechanism.

What is the biggest mistake buying a mandoline?

The biggest mistake buying a mandoline is treating blade count as the deciding spec. Thickness range matters more, and so does whether the tool stays in your kitchen. A mandoline with 12 blades and no food holder ends up in the garage. A mandoline with three thickness steps and a warranty like the OXO satisfaction guarantee ends up on the counter. Buy the one you'll actually reach for.

Start with the job you do most. If it's slaw and gratin for two, the OXO Good Grips is the honest first mandoline, and it sits in the entry price band with the shallowest footprint in this set. If it's family-scale prep with fries, gratins and slaw in the same week, the Gramercy earns the extra outlay because 12 thickness settings and a full safety kit mean you don't need a second tool. And if your kitchen is built around big cabbage-and-melon prep, the Benriner's 5 in runway is the only pick here that really fits. Pick the one that matches your usual Tuesday, not your best Saturday.

Last updated: September 20, 2026. Product availability re-checked.

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