The Chef'sChoice Electric Food Slicer, Model 609, is a household appliance designed for slicing various foods such as meat, cheese, bread, vegetables, and fruits. It is engineered for ease of use and consistent performance, incorporating EdgeCraft's Advanced Power-Cooling® technology to ensure continuous operation without interruption, even during extended slicing tasks.
Function Description:
The primary function of the Chef'sChoice Model 609 is to uniformly slice food items to desired thicknesses. It features a powerful motor that drives a sharp stainless steel blade, allowing users to achieve wafer-thin slices or thicker cuts. The slicer is equipped with a food carriage and a food pusher to safely hold and guide food against the blade, ensuring even slices and protecting the user's hands. A thickness control knob allows for precise adjustment of slice thickness, from 0 up to a maximum setting. The appliance is designed for domestic use, making it suitable for preparing ingredients for meals, canning, dehydrating, or simply slicing deli items at home.
Important Technical Specifications:
- Power: The slicer operates on 120V AC power and is equipped with a two-pronged polarized plug for safety. It is designed to be plugged into a 120V two-prong polarized AC outlet.
- Fuse: A protective fuse is integrated to prevent motor overheating. The fuse is a Slo-Blo type, rated at 1.25A and 250V. Spare fuses are provided, and replacements are available from specific manufacturers (Hollyland 51S, Schurter FST, Bussman GDCS505).
- Blade: The slicer features a removable stainless steel blade for easy cleaning and maintenance.
- Motor: The motor is designed with Advanced Power-Cooling® to maintain optimal operating temperature, allowing for continuous slicing without overheating.
- Safety Features: Includes a thumb guard plate on the food carriage that locks in place to cover the blade's cutting edge when not in use, preventing accidental contact. The carriage also has "Lock/Remove" and "Slice" positions for secure storage and operation.
- Cord Storage: An integrated cord storage compartment helps manage excess power cord, keeping the countertop tidy and reducing tripping hazards.
Usage Features:
- On/Off Power Switch: Located for convenient operation.
- Thickness Control Knob (7): Allows users to precisely adjust slice thickness from 0 (blade guard position) to the desired setting.
- Food Carriage (4) and Food Pusher (3): The food carriage holds the food item, and the food pusher is used to guide the food against the blade and thickness guide plate, ensuring safety and consistent slicing. The food pusher also features a thumb guard plate (4a) for added protection.
- Carriage "Lock/Remove" Control (10): This control has three positions:
- Lock: Secures the food carriage in a forward position, covering the blade for safety when the slicer is not in use or being stored/moved.
- Slice: Releases the carriage for normal slicing operation.
- Remove: Allows the food carriage to be detached from its track for thorough cleaning.
- Slice Deflector (9): A detachable component that ensures slices are smoothly deflected onto a tray placed beneath the blade.
- Cord Storage Compartment (13): Located at the base, it allows excess power cord to be pushed in, keeping the workspace neat.
- Rubber Feet (6): Provide stability and prevent the slicer from sliding on the countertop during operation.
- Preparation for Slicing: Before slicing, the slicer should be placed on a clean, dry, smooth surface. The carriage should be unlocked from the "Lock" position to "Slice," and the thickness control knob set to the desired thickness. A food tray or platter should be placed under the blade to collect slices.
- Slicing Technique: Food should be placed in the corner of the carriage. The food pusher must always be used to guide food against the thickness guide plate, moving the carriage back and forth steadily. Applying excessive pressure on the thickness guide plate is not recommended for best results.
- Food Recommendations:
- For wafer-thin meat slices, chill meat thoroughly before slicing.
- Boneless meats and seedless fruits are recommended.
- Foods with uneven textures (e.g., fish, steaks) can be partially frozen for easier slicing.
- Useful for quickly slicing cucumbers and onions for pickles, apples for pies, and vegetables for freezing or dehydrating.
- Effective for slicing homemade or bakery bread.
Maintenance Features:
- Easy Disassembly for Cleaning: Key parts that come into contact with food can be removed for thorough cleaning.
- Food Carriage: Can be removed by setting the thickness control knob to 0 and sliding the carriage control button to "Remove." The carriage guide should be cleaned and lightly lubricated with acid-free light household oil.
- Stainless Steel Blade (12): Removed by inserting a coin into the slot of the blade fastening screw (11) and turning it clockwise until the screw is fully removed. The blade should be handled carefully, avoiding contact with its sharp edge. After cleaning with antibacterial soap and a brush, the blade support posts and drive gear (shown in Figure 8) should be lubricated with Vaseline before reinstallation. The blade fastening screw is tightened counterclockwise.
- Thickness Guide Plate (2): Can be removed for cleaning after the blade has been removed. Turn the thickness control knob counterclockwise past "0" to the "PLATE RELEASE" position, then pull the plate off. The two steel rods should be lightly lubricated with Vaseline before reattaching.
- Slice Deflector (9): Detachable for cleaning. It should be removed after the blade and thickness control plate, and reinstalled before them.
- Cleaning Instructions:
- Always unplug the slicer before cleaning.
- Wash removable parts with a soft cloth or sponge and mild soap or spray cleaner. Rinse and dry.
- Never use steel wool or scouring powder.
- DO NOT IMMERSE THE SLICER IN WATER.
- DO NOT WASH ANY PART OF THE SLICER IN A DISHWASHER.
- Rubber feet can be cleaned with grease-removing cleaner, mild detergent, or alcohol.
- Fuse Replacement: If the motor overheats and the fuse fails, the old fuse can be replaced. The slicer must be unplugged, the power switch in OFF position, thickness plate at "0," and food carriage locked. Turn the slicer over to access the fuse holder, unscrew it, replace the fuse, and reinsert.
Warranty and Service:
The Chef'sChoice Model 609 comes with a one-year limited warranty covering defective material and workmanship for household use. For service, the appliance should be returned to EdgeCraft Corporation, postage prepaid, with proof of purchase and a description of the problem. No user-serviceable parts are inside the main unit, except for the fuse.