After nearly slicing a couple of fingers off with a mandolin, I much prefer a sharp knife to do the trick. But then again, not everyone is as clumsy as I am.

nawww - you're not clumsy - those things are dangerous. The only thing I can suggest for anyone who insists on using a mandolin for slicing - invest in one of those plastic cheapo bar soap holders that has all those little "thingies" sticking up all over (so the soap doesn't get mushy) and use that as a guard so that you don't slice off any body parts!

I have a cheap plastic slicer that has a gizmo that you hold the veggies in place with - and it has those little thiniges that stick up for holding on to foods - or I wouldn't have any fingers left! Slicers are not really very safe!

Oh noes! :^___^: Didn't your mandolin come with a food holder thingy? They should make it illegal to sell mandolins without a food holder...thingy free.

Oh, and don't worry medako, I'm probably clumsier than you are :^__^: I sliced myself well with a mandolin when I was way younger, too, so that taught me the importance of those (what are they officially called anyway?!) food holder thingies very early on when using a mandolin.

My mom has this hand slicer she got from FingerHut years and years ago. I think it was actually a free gift or something. It is my favorite ever. I haven't been able to find one like it. Can anyone point me in a direction of a good slicer?

I have a mandoline now and I love it. I made sweet potato chips with it and they were so easy.