Having tried any number of wimpy french fry cutters, I finally bit the bullet (premium pricing) and ordered this one.
It is the bomb.
When I opened the box, I was stunned at the durability promised by the quality of the components. The cast iron parts (lever arm, feet and frame) are covered with a nice soft green finish so thick that I can't tell whether it's a really good powder coating or baked enamel. Most important, the cutter heads and their heavy metal frames are strong enough to cut yams with no sign of flexing that might otherwise threaten a broken frame. However, yams may mush up before they will pass through the cutter. I wound up with one yam that yielded only two-inch-long shoestrings, even when I used a series of full-body presses on the armature in trying to force the yam through. Better to use a mandoline and/or a chef's knife for yam fries, I've concluded.
But never fear: potatoes work fine in the Weston, particularly if you've left Russet spuds in a cool dark place for a month or two before cutting. That way, some of their starch will convert into sugars that will make your fries tastier and crisper.
Cutter heads are a snap to change, using three hand turned wing-nuts. The pusher head can be replaced by undoing two large and relatively accessible Phillips-head screws. Another great feature is the availability of important optional accessories, like different size cutter heads and huge suction cups that attach to all four feet for a great grip on granite counter tops. These suckers are even made of a green rubber that matches the color of the frame.
Nobody's perfect, nor is this product. The suction cup feet are attached by poking protruding bolts through the feet of the cutter and screwing on their locknuts. Trouble is, the bolts I got were too short to rise above the holes in the feet. I solved that one by shaving an eighth of an inch disk off of the top of each suction cup using a paring knife, to make the bolt protrude far enough for the nut to "grab."
Other problems were a bit more vexing. The two screws that held the pusher plate to my machine were tightened to the point where the thick lockwashers behind them had totally flattened out. These folks must have gorillas working on their assembly line. It took a brace and bit to loosen the screws to the point where I could remove them and replace the pusher head. Also, proper assembly of the unit called for the use of a couple of wrenches to properly tighten the bolts holding the armature in place.
Big deal. This product is a joy to use, really does work splendidly with spuds up to six inches long, is easy to operate and clean up when done. If you can afford it, accept no substitutes.
Without going into too many of the boring details...I suddenly found myself researching and shopping for the best French fry cutter that I could afford. Sort of an impulse buy. I bought this machine as a luxury item. From now on, as long as I have a couple of russet potatoes in the house, I can make French fries that rival those of the best fast food restaurants. And here's a kick...One large fries at a world famous fast food place in my area currently costs $1.29 + tax. Also currently in my area I can purchase an entire 10# bag of russet potatoes (russet potatoes are the ones most commonly used for French fries) for $1.39. After all is said and done a 10# bag of potatoes around the equivalent of 20 large fries. You do the math. This baby will cut up 10# of potatoes in less than 5 minutes. I should mention that there is a secret to making those perfect fast food fries. You have to rinse and soak your cut potatoes in ice water and then double fry them to get that perfect texture and taste. Do a search on the web for double fried French fry recipes for more detail. I usually do an entire bag of potatoes at once and freeze the excess on cookie sheets after the first two minute fry. After they are frozen I place them in zip lock bags for easy cooking later on. And of course you can reduce the sodium and season them any way you want or not at all. I have always thought that the fast food fries were way too salty. I could go on and on, like carrot sticks, diced potatoes, diced onions, sweet potato fries, zucchini strips for battering and deep frying, etc, etc... This machine is well built, Saves a huge amount of time and will last a lifetime.
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We have owned several of the lesser quality and lesser cost cutters from Wal_Mart, Target, Outdoor World, etc.... They all worked well for a while but this thing is a brute. All I can say is, BUY IT, you will not be disastifed in any way.
The feet are metal and slide around on the ceramic counter tops. I added some small squares of neopreme to the feet to keep it from scratching the counter tops and to help hold it in place while using it, but other than that very small fault, it is great.
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Ok this is the deal. This is a china made french fry press cutter. Its marketed by
a bunch of companies. I like the machine after I fixed,repaired,modified the unit.
Many people have problems bending blades ect... I know why. These are the typical
china made item . good design,but poorly made , however, it could be greater if
they held the tolerances tight. and had quality control. So, how do you fix it?
Well the problem is that the push plate does not line up with the blades. consequently, when you actuate the lever, the push plate will bend the blades.
In order for this thing to work, you must remove the aluminum push plate and
file the little teeth with a file so the push plate will not hit the blades.
Not a huge deal but you you need a vice to hold the plate as you file the teeth.
I also installed a couple of rubber gromlets on the guide rods so that the push
plate will not completely penetrate the blade assembly .Once modified, it works
like a charm. A note about filing the teeth... you want to taper the teeth and make
them pointer. Not sharp but a more radical taper .
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This is a great product if you must slice a large number of potatoes for French fries. However, pushing potatoes through the cutting blades does take a large amount of strength in spite of the long handle.
The feet are metal. This means that I cannot use it directly on my tile counter top. I would have preferred that they included rubber feet.
The cutter blades are very difficult to clean. The little bits of potato and the starches delight in hiding in the nooks and crannies. A bit of time with a good stiff brush is in order. The cleanup time dictates that one must need to slice a number of potatoes in order to break even.
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This is a well finished, high quality set. Each piece is well formed and well balanced. Obviously the knife handle is different: if you're used to holding your knife between your thumb and index finger, that will no longer work. Instead you have to hold the knife in the palm of your hand with your last three fingers curled underneath, your thumb to the side, and your index finger on top pushing down. In this position it is extremely comfortable.
