Potatoes are one of the best reasons to own a mandoline slicer. Consistent thickness helps potato chips cook more evenly, keeps gratins and scalloped potatoes layered uniformly, and makes it easier to prepare repeated strips for fries or julienne-style recipes.
The best mandoline slicer for potatoes depends on what you make most often. Thin-slice specialists are ideal for chips and gratins, while models with coarse julienne or French-fry blades can turn potatoes into uniform strips without requiring repeated knife cuts.
The six mandolines below cover adjustable V-blades, professional countertop designs, Japanese slicers, compact ceramic models, and safety-focused options for different potato-prep styles.
Best Mandoline Slicers for Potatoes at a Glance
| Mandoline | Potato Cuts | Adjustment | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline | Slices, crinkle, julienne, fries | Adjustable | Best Overall |
| de Buyer Swing Plus | Slices, waffle, 4 mm & 10 mm julienne | 0–10 mm | Best for Fries & Waffle Cuts |
| Super Benriner No. 95 | Thin slices + julienne | Approx. 0.5–8 mm | Best Japanese Pick |
| Kyocera Ceramic Adjustable Mandoline | Thin to thick slices | 0.5–3.0 mm | Best for Chips & Gratins |
| Joseph Joseph Multi-Grip Mandoline Plus | Slices + 2 julienne widths | 5 settings | Best Safety-Focused Pick |
| OXO Precision Handheld Mandoline | Slices + julienne | 5 settings | Best Compact Pick |
1. OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer
The OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline is our best overall choice for potatoes because it can handle several common potato preparations rather than specializing in only thin slices.
The interchangeable blade system includes straight and crinkle slicing blades along with julienne and French-fry blades. That lets one tool move from thin potatoes for gratins to ridged slices and fry-style strips.
A height adjuster controls slice thickness, while the V-shaped blade contacts the potato from two directions. The textured runway is designed to reduce sticking as starchy slices pass across the surface.
The food holder keeps the potato under control while separating your fingers from the blade. Folding feet and a locking mechanism make the unit easier to store once prep is finished.
- Handles flat slices and fry-style cuts.
- Adjustable thickness.
- Crinkle blade adds another potato option.
- Folding design simplifies storage.
- More components to store than a simple slicer.
- Blade changes require careful handling.
2. de Buyer Swing Plus Mandoline
The de Buyer Swing Plus is the most versatile potato-focused option here for cooks who want to move beyond ordinary round slices.
Slice thickness adjusts in 0.5-millimeter increments up to 10 millimeters. That broad range allows the tool to produce thin potato slices as well as considerably thicker pieces.
Two included julienne combs measure 4 and 10 millimeters. The coarse 10-millimeter comb is particularly useful when preparing substantial fry-style potato strips.
The dual cutting blade also produces smooth, wavy, and waffle cuts. A sliding carriage and spring-loaded protective pusher keep the potato controlled while helping separate the user’s hand from the blade.
- Thickness adjustment up to 10 mm.
- 4 mm and 10 mm julienne combs.
- Waffle and wavy potato cuts.
- Sliding carriage with protective pusher.
- Premium price compared with simple handheld slicers.
- Larger countertop and storage footprint.
3. Super Benriner No. 95
The Super Benriner No. 95 is especially useful for potatoes because its 95-millimeter cutting bed is wider than the classic compact Benriner format.
That extra width means many potatoes can pass across the blade with less trimming before slicing. Thickness adjusts continuously from very thin slices to considerably thicker pieces rather than forcing you to choose between a small number of preset positions.
The standard flat blade handles gratins, scalloped potatoes, chips, and roasting slices. Versions supplied with comb blades can also produce narrow and coarse strips.
A non-skid base helps stabilize the body, and the front ledge can rest against the edge of an appropriate bowl or container.
- Wide 95-mm cutting bed.
- Continuously adjustable thickness.
- Japanese stainless-steel blade.
- Compact relative to large professional mandolines.
- Package contents can vary by exact version.
- Manual thickness adjustment is less repeatable than numbered presets.
4. Kyocera Ceramic Adjustable Mandoline Slicer
The Kyocera Ceramic Adjustable Mandoline is particularly well suited to potato recipes where thin, uniform slices matter more than julienne or French-fry capability.
Four thickness positions provide 0.5, 1.3, 2.0, and 3.0-millimeter slices. The thinnest settings work well for chip-style preparation, while the middle settings suit gratins and scalloped potatoes.
Kyocera uses its zirconia ceramic material for the cutting edge rather than conventional steel. The slicer also includes a hand guard and built-in corner notches that allow it to rest over bowls or containers.
The absence of loose julienne blade cartridges also makes this one of the simpler mandolines to set up when your only goal is repeated potato slices.
- Four useful thin-slice settings.
- Excellent range for chips and gratins.
- Hand guard included.
- Dishwasher safe.
- No julienne or French-fry blade.
- Maximum 3-mm thickness limits thick potato cuts.
5. Joseph Joseph Multi-Grip Mandoline Plus
The Joseph Joseph Multi-Grip Mandoline Plus is a good potato option for cooks who place extra emphasis on how the food holder controls the ingredient.
Its precision food grip supports three holding methods: a pinch grip for small pieces, a center grip for round ingredients, and a flat grip for longer pieces.
Round potatoes can therefore remain centered in the holder while moving repeatedly over the blade instead of being held directly in your fingertips.
Three slice thicknesses handle flat potato slices, while two julienne widths expand the tool’s usefulness to strips and fry-style preparation. Non-slip feet and a folding handle add countertop stability.
- Three-position food grip.
- Three flat-slice thicknesses.
- Two julienne widths.
- Non-slip feet and folding handle.
- Hand washing required.
- No waffle or crinkle-cut setting.
6. OXO Precision Handheld Mandoline
The OXO Precision Handheld Mandoline is a strong option for smaller kitchens or occasional potato prep where a full freestanding mandoline would take up unnecessary storage space.
The five settings include julienne, thin, medium, thick, and extra thick. That means the same compact tool can produce thin gratin-style slices and narrow potato strips.
The automatically height-adjusting food holder helps keep the potato controlled as it becomes smaller, while a transparent runway makes it easier to see the slices collecting underneath.
When prep is finished, the adjustment control returns to a zero position that locks the blade for safer storage.
- Five settings in a compact design.
- Built-in julienne function.
- Automatic food holder.
- Easy to store.
- No dedicated coarse French-fry blade.
- Less stable for high-volume prep than a freestanding unit.
How to Choose a Mandoline for Potatoes
Start With the Potato Dish You Make Most Often
Different potato recipes require very different cuts. A slicer optimized for paper-thin chips is not automatically the best tool for thick French fries.
Choose the blade range around your most common preparation method rather than buying the mandoline with the largest number of attachments.
Best Thickness for Potato Chips
Potato chips generally benefit from very thin, consistent slices so moisture leaves each piece at a similar rate during cooking.
Mandolines that reach approximately 0.5 to 1 millimeter are especially useful when very thin slices are the priority.
Best Thickness for Scalloped Potatoes and Gratin
Gratins and scalloped potatoes usually need slices thin enough to cook evenly while still retaining enough structure to form distinct layers.
Adjustable mandolines are useful because you can experiment with the exact thickness that fits your recipe and cooking time.
French Fries Need a Different Blade
Flat slicing alone will not create traditional fry-shaped strips. For that, look for a coarse julienne or dedicated French-fry blade.
A larger 10-millimeter julienne comb produces substantially thicker strips than fine julienne blades designed for salads and garnishes.
If you want both gratin slices and fries from one mandoline, prioritize a model with adjustable straight slicing plus a removable coarse julienne or French-fry blade.
Cutting Width Matters With Potatoes
Small mandolines may require larger potatoes to be trimmed before they can pass comfortably across the cutting bed.
A wider runway allows more of the potato to remain intact, which can be useful when you want broad, attractive slices for gratins or roasting.
Preset vs Continuous Thickness Adjustment
Preset settings are easy to repeat. If a particular setting works well for your gratin recipe, you can return to it quickly the next time.
Continuously adjustable mandolines offer more control between fixed measurements but require more manual judgment.
V-Blades and Straight Blades
V-shaped blades approach round potatoes from two sides, while traditional straight blades cut across a single line.
Both can work well when sharp. Blade condition, potato firmness, and smooth technique influence the final result as much as blade geometry.
As the potato becomes shorter, your hand naturally moves closer to the cutting edge. Switch to the supplied guard or pusher rather than trying to extract one or two extra slices manually.
Starchy Potatoes Can Stick
Potato starch and moisture can increase friction between the ingredient and mandoline runway.
Keep the cutting surface clean during large batches and use controlled, consistent strokes rather than forcing a potato through a blade that has accumulated debris.
Use Consistent Pressure
Pressing much harder on one stroke than another can alter the finished slice, particularly with continuously adjustable mandolines.
Use steady forward movement and let the blade perform the cutting.
Mandoline vs Food Processor for Potatoes
A food processor can slice large quantities quickly, but the available thickness is determined by the installed slicing disc.
A mandoline usually provides more direct control over thickness and lets you visually inspect each potato as it passes across the blade.
Mandoline vs Knife for Potatoes
A sharp chef’s knife can perform virtually every potato-prep task, but repeated thin slices require more time and skill to keep consistent.
The mandoline’s main advantage is repetition: once the setting is fixed, each pass produces a similar slice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Very thin settings are usually preferred for crisp chips. A mandoline capable of slicing around 0.5 to 1 millimeter gives you useful control for thin chip preparation.
Yes, if it includes an appropriate coarse julienne or French-fry blade. Flat slicing-only mandolines cannot produce conventional fry-shaped strips by themselves.
Models with the correct wavy or waffle-cut blade can. The potato must also be rotated between passes according to the manufacturer’s technique to create the intersecting waffle pattern.
Look for a sharp adjustable slicer that can produce repeatable thin slices across the width of the potatoes you normally use.
That depends on the recipe. A mandoline can generally slice potatoes with or without the skin as long as the ingredient is properly washed, trimmed, and compatible with the slicer’s food holder.
Uneven pressure, a loose adjustment mechanism, a dull blade, or tilting the potato during each pass can all change slice thickness. Use the food holder and consistent pressure.
It can be when the supplied guard, pusher, blade lock, and manufacturer instructions are followed. Mandoline blades are extremely sharp, so finger protection should be treated as essential rather than optional.
Final Verdict
The OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer is our best overall choice for potatoes because its adjustable straight slicing, crinkle blade, julienne blade, and French-fry blade cover more potato preparations than a basic slicing-only mandoline.
For cooks who regularly make fries, waffle potatoes, and more advanced cuts, the de Buyer Swing Plus provides a wider adjustment range and both 4-millimeter and 10-millimeter julienne combs. The Super Benriner No. 95 is an excellent Japanese-style alternative for buyers who prioritize precise continuously adjustable slicing.
The Kyocera Ceramic Adjustable Mandoline is particularly well suited to thin chips and gratins, while the Joseph Joseph Multi-Grip Mandoline Plus emphasizes food control and finger protection. For small kitchens, the OXO Precision Handheld Mandoline provides useful potato slicing and julienne capability without the storage footprint of a large countertop unit.