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farrell93x t1_j8obqud wrote

Invest in a good knife, no plastic Amazon chopper will be BIFL. Especially at a $30 price point. Although, I don't think you would ever find a "veggie chopper" that is BIFL. Not worth your money.

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glockster19m t1_j8ohpv3 wrote

I will say that my mother has had the same slap chop style veggie chopper for two and a half decades at this point

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blahblahblahresearch t1_j8y00ji wrote

Yeah I’m typically team “good knife” but I admit my parents slapchop is older than me and still functions. I prefer a knife but I use their slapchop thingy every Thanksgiving

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ShinXalus t1_j8ot93g wrote

Came here to say this.
Investing in a good knife and simply working on the skill would be the best "BIFL" route.

The only exception I can think of would be someone who is unable to use a knife properly due to one handicap or another.

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monsterosity t1_j8qg4xi wrote

You are right. I've had one of these and eventually the hinge snaps as it's made of plastic.

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lounes_my_dude t1_j8w7jnj wrote

I agree that a knife is superior, but maybe OP has dexterity issues with their hands.

I have hand paralysis, and I have been looking for a high quality vegetable chopper.

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[deleted] t1_j8wazvh wrote

[deleted]

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lounes_my_dude t1_j8wcdav wrote

Commenting on a Reddit thread isn’t imposing my disability on other people. Yikes.

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curry_boi_swag t1_j8qf37o wrote

Knife recommendation?

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Blake198624601 t1_j8tvanc wrote

I’ve had my global knives since 2012. Excellent bifl product. And elegant to boot

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cronx42 t1_j8viins wrote

I second the Global knives. Also their minosharp sharpeners. Just make sure the angle matches the angle of your knives because Global makes western and Japanese angle blades. The combo is fantastic.

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One_Posh_Possum t1_j8spdt5 wrote

Tojiro dp knives are pretty amazing for the price point. They’re frequently rated in the top three on serious eats reviews, often number one. If they’re out of your price range, Dalstrong knives are solid, and fairly cheap

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satriales856 t1_j8tdr7v wrote

Dexter Russel knives are made well, affordable, easy to sharpen, and are sanitary. Just don’t use a pull-through sharpener. Use a rod.

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cronx42 t1_j8vibub wrote

I have a couple of Global knives along with their minosharp sharpening system, and they've been laser sharp since I got them four or five years ago. It's an incredible combo.

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BadNeighbor3 t1_j8xeqca wrote

>Cuisinart 14 Cup Food Processor

I have Shun. Top notch. Most Japanese knives are high quality. With knives, the more they cost, the better they are (typically)

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Junish40 t1_j8xhx17 wrote

The best BIFL purchase in this area is a sharpening steel. Very low effort to keep any knife sharp.

Ok, there’s various price points for knives and some hold their edge better than others but every knife needs regular sharpening.

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cracktop2727 t1_j8oi2ng wrote

doubling down here - yes get a good knife and learn to cut like a cook. faster, easier, more BIFL than one of these cheap choppers.

also, ngl these are kinda embarrassing. every person whose made me a meal where they've prepped food with this has turned out like shit. put the $30 towards a cooking class

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Other_Size7260 t1_j8ojzdy wrote

You judge a free meal because a veggie was chopped by a chopper gadget?

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JoBibow t1_j8qnk8c wrote

I mean they're clearly trying to make the relation between the type of people that seek it not the efficacy of the gadget........

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Other_Size7260 t1_j9gfovq wrote

An I’m clearly trying to point out that that’s what rude brats do

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figuresys t1_j8qteh7 wrote

You know they use cutting gadgets to slice shit in Michelin restaurants too, right? Maybe the people who cooked for you just weren't good cooks?

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ShrimpFriedMyRice t1_j8od1i0 wrote

Those will never be BIFL because there's no practical way to sharpen the blades.

They'll cut good for a little while, then they'll just mush the food through wire mesh essentially.

Get a good knife and learn how to use it properly. You'll cut just as fast as one of those and it's more versatile.

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katiecrusades t1_j8pw0a7 wrote

I've never thought about this, but it makes sense.

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ShrimpFriedMyRice t1_j8qwjgx wrote

The majority of kitchen tools that seem like life hacks fall into this category.

Very rarely is there a tool that does the job better than a knife or your hands.

Except for a garlic press. Garlic presses are the shit and I never want to chop garlic again.

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[deleted] t1_j8x5tl7 wrote

microplane! so much easier to clean and can be used for zesting too.

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MalagrugrousPatroon t1_j8oh4rg wrote

A mandoline like the Benriner Super Slicer might be a better option, since it can do ultra thin slices as well as strips, but get a cut proof glove. Or get a Cuisinart 14 Cup Food Processor which is far more versatile and definitely a buy for life. You can chop veggies in a flash, mix dough, or grind meat.

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Zorgsmom t1_j8sfwmv wrote

Yes, love our processor. I haven't chopped onions in years.

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thestonkinator t1_j8odb2m wrote

As someone who's been a professional cook for 10 years, they dont make these BIFL.

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thestonkinator t1_j8odg7k wrote

If you absolutely must, your best bet would be the standup metal frame ones with a rubber mallet on two rods that you slam down.

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space_fenyx OP t1_j8oddp5 wrote

This is what I feared.....

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thestonkinator t1_j8oe119 wrote

Something like this would be your best bet for truly BIFL but it is crazy expensive and as others have said, basically impossible to sharpen eventually.

https://www.hubert.ca/product/88419?gclid=Cj0KCQiAorKfBhC0ARIsAHDzslsRVZ8Y5r0l3ItgzatOINVzL0PI4uaFMlqA7qgiUvTWLzas6MA2K7IaAs4fEALw_wcB

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Rushin_Russian81 t1_j8oht46 wrote

holy cow, i had one of these at a restaurant i worked at and had now idea how expensive they were!

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vignoniana t1_j8oaqgi wrote

I know you didn't ask opinion, but just wanna say: It looks cool and sounds cool - in theory. But when you need to measure carrots to fit the cutter and cut onion in 2-4 pieces to get in fit there... It just don't make sense. I had one. It could be great for making big batches of food for parties, but then the container will be too small and fill up fast, since the veggies won't spread nicely, they will just get into one end of the container.

So to use it, I needed to cut the veggie to fit the blade area, then often cut it more since half onion was too big, then shake the container to be able to fit more and then empty the container (if you fill it as full as on the pictures, new veggies won't cut as smoothly) and then repeat. So it just was easier to cut whole thing with knife and push the veggies into another container.

And it takes lot of space! If you want multiple containers to it, they won't go top of each other. So IMO, it's not worth the hassle and the amount of space it takes from your precious kitchen cabinets.

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holdholdhold t1_j8p4xju wrote

I got one of these and it’s like you said. The cutting area is small, so you have to pull out a knife and cutting board anyway to cut stuff down to fit. At that point, just keep chopping. And I remember to took some force to use it. It’s not a smooth motion. I think we used it once and gave it away.

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Hawkmek t1_j8qc8rd wrote

Mine worked well enough. But like everyone is saying the blades dull and more force is required and then mine had one of the metal blades just break off from the plastic. Chucked it in the garbage after that. Glass container is nice though.

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jigilous t1_j8opjrb wrote

Exactly! You already have to get the knife out to cut the veg to fit, so I never saw the point of involving extra steps and machinery to the process

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caliform t1_j8sy1a8 wrote

There's a good reason you don't see these in commercial kitchens.

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shooketh_not_stireth t1_j8ofc8v wrote

The BIFL version of this is a commercial tool like this, or you could just use a knife, which is easier to clean and sharpen.

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delbin t1_j8okt79 wrote

This person has the right answer. The plastic ones give no leverage and aren't very strong. The commercial ones are easier to use and will last much longer. You will need replacement blades, though.

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[deleted] t1_j8orxs7 wrote

[deleted]

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odelik t1_j8p5dwh wrote

I'd use a nakiri over an usaba for general vegetable use, especially you want to tackle any root veggies as an usaba is thin enough and it's single sided blade is meant for precision work or delicate veggies. Due to the nature of an usaba using it on desne veggies can result in its blade dulling quicker than expected.

Two great Japanese vegetable knives but one is meant for more general purposes vs delicate work.

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GreatAims t1_j8s4ivi wrote

A quality end grain cutting board from The Boardsmith is definitely BIFL!

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Internal_Ad_255 t1_j8oes1x wrote

They're GREAT, but VERY cheaply made, and basically an inexpensive, throw-away consumption item...

Completely the opposite of BIFL...

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kannakoolaid t1_j8of81k wrote

go to restaurant supply stores, they usually have stainless steel ones for around $50-60. im going on 5 years with mine.

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sumguysr t1_j8olvdg wrote

Get a Cuisinart food processor.

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Business_Truck_320 t1_j8ool7h wrote

I have the Mueller version in the center. I did my research and chose this model on a few factors. I love soup so having this has saved time prepping veggies. You still have to cut them but onions, potatoes, peppers are no issues. Be aware of carrots however, you need to basically half and quarter the carrots without risk of bending the blades. I've broke on other model, I guess I'll never learn.

It had a larger cutting area, most were 8 x 8, this was 9 x 9.

Larger bowl but it is not as thick as I hoped. I also handwash this so it doesn't crack. Not sure how it would fare in dishwasher.

I bought it because I was tired of killing (3) the Vidalia Onion Chopper. I was always bending the blades with carrots. I HATE prepping them. And I seemed to have always cracked the plastic bases.

Price was also $10 more then Onion Chopper when I bought this in 2019, (now the Onion Chopper is just as much) but you got a few more accessories then just two blades.

I tend to only use the chopping blades. Only issue I noticed is I think I bent the fine square chopper. Used it last week and I could feel the blades move when I washed it. So I'll probably have to replace.

I thought I'd use the other accessories but I have a shredder and mandoline slicer that do a much better job.

I'd suggest if you really eat many vegetables and hate prepping. I make soup at least once a month if not more. I personally think this saves me so much time prepping so I will buy another model when I break this one.

If you only prep once in a great while then get a good set of knives like others have suggested.

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biglacunaire t1_j8ogx97 wrote

All these kitchen super specialized gadgets, especially at a consumer level, are not BIFL.

Personally, I think these gadgets are just a big waste of time and money. Good luck cleaning that or sharpening those blades. Nothing a good knife can't do.

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odelik t1_j8on4bu wrote

A sharp chef's knife (Victorinix is well rated, affordable, and easy to sharpen). If you want to be able to work horse through tubers a sharp nakiri (Japanese style vegetable knife) or a Cai Dao (Chinese style vegetable cleaver) or even a western style cleaver would do worlds of wonder over any vegetable slicer.

An BIFL alternative to a knife is a mandolin with changeable blades. However, these require far more safety precautions than a knife and it's reccomened to wear a slice proof kitchen glove (a multi-use consumable item).

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Academic-Knowledge-3 t1_j8prjup wrote

I hate to do this but...https://www.tiktok.com/@tegareacts/video/6859432259561311493?lang=en

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rampantoctopus t1_j8toaon wrote

Just a thought about all the people recommending knives… I kinda feel that by definition, great knives aren’t BIFL. Great knives are made from soft steel that require constant sharpening, eg Global knives— love em, but if you use them and sharpen them every day (or two) they won’t last more than a couple years. There are plenty of durable knives that may be discussed as BIFL, but I haven’t used a “durable” knife that I’d want to be my main knife for life.

All that said, the $40-$50 Victorinox Fibrox chefs knives are great durable knives you can abuse without regret. Maybe not BIFL but so utilitarian and good for their value, they seem worthy of mention.

Also, if considering a mandolin, please consider a Miu. A lot of mandolins have ill conceived methods of attaching the horizontal blades that can impede the outfeed (area under the blade) which is really dumb. I’d steer people away from mandolins for safety reasons, but they’re great tools. Just dangerous… And often ill conceived.

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Awkwardturtle13 t1_j9baf0v wrote

Definitely not buy it for life but I got the mueller one for my registry 2 weeks ago and I have several of their products and their customer service is amazing which is why I chose them. They replaced my coffee grinders immediately free of charge when they had minor issues.

Like others said a good knife will be more BIFL but sometimes chopping up onions with a knife is annoying lol

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HauntedButtCheeks t1_j8oh7ap wrote

Choppers are absolutely not BIFL. I have one of these because it's cheap enough to try out, I kind of regret the purchase.

The chopper is ok, but the ONLY benefit is a faster prep time, & the ability to cut waffle fries since I have no professional chef training. My partner cut himself accidentally setting up the blades so take from that what you will. When it gets dull it will go in the trash.

I think buying good quality knives and spending the time to learn and practice knife skills is the only BIFL solution.

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flatearthmom t1_j8onm86 wrote

Chefs knife and sharpening steel.

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Willowisp_ t1_j8op8ie wrote

Trust me, my family used one of those things and they suck! Like other people mentioned you don't have sharp blades after a while. If you have more solid vegetables like carrots it's way too easy that the carrots get stuck and bend the blades. after that you can try to pull it out or cut the stupid green plastic at the top and search for little plasticparts between your vegetables. A friend of mine bought one of those cheap around christmas and what should i tell: same problems.
Buy some good knives

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ellenor2000 t1_j8p0vri wrote

You'd need to build one yourself (i.e. it can't be done). They're disposable.

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holdholdhold t1_j8p5lm3 wrote

I’d suggest a good knife and cutting board TBH. The size/area you put the food in is so small, you would have to cut the veggies or whatever anyway. At that point just spend the extra 10 seconds and cut the rest with the knife.

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humansaysno t1_j8pdbq2 wrote

Feemster famous veggie slicer

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tictacbergerac t1_j8pumjw wrote

Look for an Ulu. It's a knife shape that allows you to rock the blade back and forth while cutting. The style has been around for centuries, perhaps even longer

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groovy604 t1_j8q2v3z wrote

The last thing people need is a niche kitchen device that's gonna break anyways in a few years. None of these will ever be bill.

Get them a decent chef knife, or something like that

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hitguy55 t1_j8qctdd wrote

Dexter nakiri?

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SgtFrownyBiscuits t1_j8qgm61 wrote

Just wanted to say that while I would generally agree that a good knife is the better choice for most people, not everyone is able to use or properly hold a knife. I've seen videos of folks who make recipe videos using tools like this to help overcome physical disabilities. Elderly people can benefit as well due to conditions like arthritis or just a concern about using a sharp knife. We've all got an image in our minds of who the average BIFL poster is but we should take a few moments to consider the circumstances of people who may not be exactly like ourselves.

Hope you have a wonderful wedding!

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ashtonlaszlo t1_j8qi86q wrote

If you want a dicer, get a restaurant-grade one. A restaurant supply store is a good place to start. You’ll have to buy replacement parts for it every once in a while, mostly blades. But the thing itself will last forever.

If you’re using it at home, you could pass one of these down to your grandkids.

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/vollrath-15000-redco-instacut-3-5-1-4-fruit-and-vegetable-dicer-tabletop-mount/92215000.html

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bhasmasura t1_j8qx8ed wrote

I once bought these sort of a chopper. Found it quite a pain to clean afterwards and used it probably less than 10 times.

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ckn t1_j8qxoww wrote

i've bought this exact one, and i'm gonna say it is not a BIFL product.

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LitHypeSadJoy t1_j8rwcq6 wrote

I loved mine. Used it for years exclusively for chopping onions because I hate chopping onions with all the crying and cutting my finger off. I just threw mine out after 5 years and got a food processing type chopper that I will use instead now.

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Rookmon t1_j8s18yw wrote

Most of these sellers are just reselling cheap products they find on Alibaba for a tenth of the listed price.

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caliform t1_j8sxym8 wrote

I can't believe people buy this kind of stuff.

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Bearcarnikki t1_j8uaaz4 wrote

These are crap to start with. Food processor. Knife.

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bicep123 t1_j8ubalz wrote

Blades get dull. Then the plastic lid cracked at the fulcrum point of the veg trying to push it through dull blades. Into the bin. Lasted less than 6 months.

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pussyfirkytoodle t1_j8urv8x wrote

I’ve had my chop wizard for over ten years but the blades are definitely dulling. I’ve used it a lot though. This will not be bifl though.

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attila_the_cat t1_j8wz87o wrote

A lot of people are saying BIFL doesn’t exist. I disagree. My mom got a French fries chopper at a restaurant supply store 10++ years ago and it is a beast. She got one that mounts to a wall because you can really put your muscle behind it and process anything. She can make a gallon of pico de gallo in like 10 mins.

Similar: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/14241/french-fry-cutters.html

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IndigoBlu70116 t1_j92v06p wrote

I love mine. I have the one with different grates and slicing options. Works very well.

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[deleted] t1_j8ouccs wrote

It’s called a knife lol

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Kmeg3 t1_j8x6mb8 wrote

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