# anyone know if this chopping gadget actually works? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 4, 2010, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-if-this-chopping-gadget-actually-works/541901 "2010-06-04T09:22:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-if-this-chopping-gadget-actually-works/541901/21 "2010-06-04T16:56:27Z")
I’m with **Teacake**. Go out and buy yourself a really nice knife. With a lovely grip, perfect weight, that feels wonderful to handle and is a pleasure to use. A quality knife will hold an edge for a good long while, is easy to resharpen, a snap to clean and will last you a lifetime. You’ll never be tempted by choppers again. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-if-this-chopping-gadget-actually-works/541901/22 "2010-06-04T17:07:02Z")
Somebody gave me one of those (or a similar model) a few years ago. I threw it out after one use. If I have to cut up the vegetables to put them into the gadget in the first place, then keep rearranging them so the stupid thing will actually cut them, it’s pointless. I can mince up an onion with a sharp knife in half a minute. If you really want a cutting gadget, buy yourself a decent [mandoline](http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/175-9589032-5141758?asin=B0002IBJO6&ci_src=15781033&ci_sku=B0002IBJO6&AFID=Performics_Google%20Product%20Listing%20Ads&LNM=Primary&ref=tgt_adv_XASD0001). Not only will they slice paper-thin, but you can make french fries and julienne. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-if-this-chopping-gadget-actually-works/541901/23 "2010-06-04T17:21:00Z")
Yep. A good, sharp knife is the only way to go. I have a chopper and it doesn’t work very well at all. It just mooshes tomatoes, onions leave a lot of skin, and celery doesn’t cut cleanly. Mainly because the blades aren’t very sharp. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-if-this-chopping-gadget-actually-works/541901/24 "2010-06-04T21:34:39Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I have that exact model. It’s good - but it’s a bitch to clean. Really? We have one, and it’s easy. Screw off the clear plastic guard. Pull off the white plastic piece that slides over the blade. All 3 pieces go into the dishwasher. I like ours. It’s not good for things sticky stuff, for fruit or veggies with a thick skin. It’s great for chopping nuts, onions, carrots. Like I said, I like it, but it’s not a got to have!! item. Do you microwave a lot of veggies? Take a look at [http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod\_details.tpc?prodId=251&catId=8&parentCatId=8&outletSubCat=&viewAllOutlet=](http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=251&catId=8&parentCatId=8&outletSubCat=&viewAllOutlet=) Or I love love love this [measuring cup](http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=211&catId=123&parentCatId=123&outletSubCat=&viewAllOutlet=) ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-if-this-chopping-gadget-actually-works/541901/25 "2010-06-06T03:47:20Z")
> [@trapezoidal\_jellyfish](#): > > I have a gift certificate to Pampered Chef and I thought I might get one of [these](http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=240&catId=90&parentCatId=90&outletSubCat=&viewAllOutlet=). I eat a lot of salads and stir-fries, so chopping is a large part of my total kitchen labor. Has anyone tried this sort of thing? Does it actually chop things reliably, or does it just smush them? I have one. The biggest drawback is that it only chops a small amount at one time - say a few garlic cloves. The thing I use it for the most, believe it or not, is ginger - recipes call for grated ginger and by the time you dig out the grater, and scrape all the bits of ginger root from between the teeth of the damn thing, you’ve wasted better than half of it. I just peel the bit of ginger and pound it a few times with the plunger. It doesn’t give a tidy dice (the times I’ve tried it with, say, onion) but then who cares what the chopped onion looks like. Mostly for something like an onion, either I want enough that the plunger is going to take forever; generally I figure in the time it would take to use it and clean it, I could have done 4 times as many onions. And I’m doing other food on the cutting board too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-if-this-chopping-gadget-actually-works/541901.md?page=1)