The Best Chopping Gadgets
If you chop 'til you drop in the kitchen, "The Early Show" has some great timesaving new gadgets for you.
Allie Lewis Clapp, food director of Real Simple magazine, and the Real Simple magazine staff tested more than 200 products that slice and dice. She shared the magazine's favorites on the broadcast:
Progressive Fruit & Vegetable Chopper
The Progressive Fruit and Vegetable Chopper is a great way to cut your food preparation time in half. With this unique product you can cut, slice, dice and chop your fruits and vegetables with ease. This 7-piece chopping set includes the measuring container, pusher lid, 3 blade options with side blades, cleaning tool, recipe book and storage box. $25, Amazon.com.
Oxo Good Grips Hand-Held Mandoline
The OXO Good Grips Hand-Held Mandoline makes slicing a simple swipe down the runway. It features a window that shows slices accumulating below and a food holder that protects hands and covers the blade when not in use. The soft feet can hook over a bowl for added convenience. The OXO Good Grips Mandoline has a soft knob to easily adjust the slices for three thicknesses. It's ideal for cucumber salads, apple tarts and potato gratins. $20, Oxo.com
De Buyer Mandoline
If you've ever considered purchasing an authentic French mandoline, this model offers the perfect introduction. It slices ingredients with lightning-fast precision, then folds up for compact storage. Two reversible stainless-steel blades and a thickness adjuster simplify creating waffle, straight and julienne cuts. A pusher with a hand guard ensures safe, comfortable operation. Made of sturdy stainless steel and a polymer composite, the mandoline is dishwasher safe. $100, Williams-Sonoma.com
Vacu Vin Pineapple Slicer
The ingenious Pineapple Slicer will peel, core and slice a fresh pineapple in just 30 seconds. It works like a corkscrew, removing the flesh in perfectly formed rings leaving the core in the shell. One turn, one slice, or the whole pineapple in one go. The shell remains intact for use as a dessert or drinks bowl. No mess - no fuss! Fresh, juicy, perfect pineapple rings in less time than it takes to open a can! $15, SurlaTable.com.
Chef'n VeggiChop
Chop vegetables by hand in no time and with no knife using the VeggiChop, another innovative product by Chef'n. The VeggiChop uses three stainless steel blades to chop herbs and vegetables evenly with the pull of a drawstring. The non-skid rubber base assures the VeggiChop stays in place while the blades spin and slice. The handle folds down for convenient storage. Clear plastic bowl is easy to clean. Chop onions, tomatoes and peppers for hand-made, home-made salsa all at the same time in the Chef'n VeggiChop. $30, ChefsResource.com.
The Pampered Chef Julienne Peeler
Create julienne strips with perfect texture, size and consistency for salad or stir-fry. Remove eyes and stems, too. The stainless steel blade includes a protective storage cover. Dishwasher-safe. $9.50, PamperedChef.com.