For many delis, commercial kitchens and butcher shops, a slicer is a daily reliance. It handles the heavy lifting of high-volume food processing by ensuring product consistency and service efficiency.
However, choosing the wrong machine, regardless of its quality, can hinder your operation, increase your food wastage and tire your employees. Just because a slicer is from a high-quality brand, does not mean that it is suitable for your specific product or volume of processing.
What Are The Different Types Of Slicers?
There are three main types of slicers: gravity, vertical and flywheel. The primary difference lies in how the blade is positioned and, therefore, how the mechanics work. It’s in their name.
Gravity Slicers
Gravity slicers, such as the Berkel Proline XS25 Gravity Slicer, use gravity in their favour with an angled carriage that feeds your product into the blade. This design makes them very versatile and ideal for a range of products. They can be seen as an ‘all-purpose’ machine for delis and kitchens that require a general, but fast slicer.
This angled design is perfect for switching products throughout the day without needing to adjust the machine, as well as a quick and easy sanitisation.
Although they are a great default slicer, they will work more efficiently with small to medium product volumes, whether that is cooked meats, cheeses or vegetables.
These are usually the most accessible and affordable machines, with the majority our Berkel collection ranging from £1,000-£4,000.
Vertical Slicers
Vertical slicers, on the other hand, move away from an angled carriage to a vertical one. The difference in mechanism is easy to see, such as on the Berkel Domina Salumeria Vertical Slicer. Whereas gravity slicers can rely on the angled carriage to guide the product to the blade, vertical slicers feature clamps or teeth to keep your product stable whilst cutting.
The Berkel Domina Salumeria Vertical Slicer
These machines are much better equipped for high-volume processing or tougher, heavier raw meats. They can also easily withstand continuous use throughout the day whilst remaining extremely precise, so they are perfect if presentation and consistency are vital to your high-volume of product.
However, this added robustness and accuracy does come with a price. Our Berkel collection ranges between £2,500-£4,000, with fewer budget-friendly models available.
Flywheel Slicers
Whilst gravity and vertical slicers are the industry standards, flywheel slicers are an incredible piece of equipment that are renowned for their appearance.
The Berkel Volano B116 Flywheel Slicer
As shown by the Berkel Volano B116 Flywheel Slicer, these slicers are a visual statement which are perfect for front-of-house service or in high-end delis. If watching the product slicing is part of the customer experience, then a flywheel slicer will be a worthy investment. They are not only perfect for high-end businesses through aesthetics, but they also provide an extremely accurate cut so your product quality will match your business image. They are a beautiful way to show your customers how much you value the craft of your products.
Due to this elevated style, these slicers are top of the range in price as well. Our Berkel range, starts at £7,000 and up to £20,000, which for many businesses is out of budget. But if you’re aspiring to elevate your brand, in aesthetics and food quality, then this may be an investment worth making.
How To Make The Right Decision?
There are two main things that will determine which slicer you will benefit the most from: your product type and volume.
If you are processing raw, tough meat, then a vertical slicer will not only retain the integrity of your product, but will be much easier to sanitise and manage raw meat residue. However, if you’re working with easier products like cheese and cooked meats, then purchasing a simple gravity slicer that is versatile, fast and easy to use will be the best option. Whilst many businesses will overlook flywheel slicers as a flashy machine, it is a great marketing asset that will still produce well-crafted products.
These machines make an incredible difference to the ease and efficiency of service, so investing in one that will serve you well for many years is worth it. Even through the reduced waste, increased efficiency and elevated product presentation, these machines often pay for themselves. Even our budget-range of Berkel models may seem like a lot of money, but they will provide you with the results that you need to elevate your business.
You can browse our entire Berkel slicer range here to help you decide which slicer is perfect for you and your business.
If you are still unsure of which slicer to invest in, head over to our servicing and support page where our experts can provide you with advice and assistance.
