The Chef'sChoice 615A is the slicer we'd buy for jerky, roasts and deli meat at home. It's cast aluminum and stainless, its blade, carriage and pusher come off for cleaning, and its 120-watt motor handles dense meat. It ships with a serrated blade only, and it can't slice paper-thin prosciutto.
Key specs
| Chef'sChoice 615A | |
|---|---|
| Price | $189.99 list |
| Blade | 7 in serrated stainless |
| Motor | 120 W |
| Slice thickness | Deli-thin to about ¾ in |
| Weight | About 10 lb |
| Warranty | 1 year (limited) |
| Notable | Tilted carriage; blade, carriage and pusher come off for cleaning |
How it slices
A 7-inch stainless serrated blade and a 120-watt motor. Thickness runs from deli-thin to about ¾ inch (Chef'sChoice's pages say both ¾ inch and "approximately one inch"). The food carriage is tilted so food falls toward the blade.
Smoked BBQ Source found the motor handled tough meats and the removable parts made cleaning easier, but it struggled with ribbon-thin cuts, and a smooth blade is sold separately.
Cleaning
The blade, food carriage, pusher, deflector and thickness plate all come off. Unplug it first and wear a cut-resistant glove. See how to clean a meat slicer.
Price and warranty
$189.99 list. One-year limited warranty. It weighs about 10 lb.
Slicing for jerky
Most people buy a home slicer for jerky. Partly freeze the meat so it slices cleanly, cut it no thicker than ¼ inch, and heat it to 160°F as USDA advises. See how to slice meat for jerky here and how to make jerky in a dehydrator on The Dehydrator Report.
This review is based on Chef'sChoice's published specifications and on independent tests where they exist; we name whose test each finding comes from. We haven't run our own timed tests on this model yet and will add hands-on notes when we do.
Questions
Serrated or smooth blade?
Serrated is better for crusty bread and roasts; smooth gives cleaner deli meat and cheese. See serrated vs smooth blades.
Is it safe?
It has a carriage lock and a food pusher. Always use the pusher and keep fingers clear of the blade.
