Manual chopper

Why choose a manual chopper instead of an electric one?

A manual chopper has no motor, electronic board, or thermal safety. It therefore has nothing that can break down.

It makes no motor noise, which makes all the difference when preparing a meal while a child is sleeping. It works anywhere, without an outlet, including on trips or camping. And it comes apart, so it cleans quickly, without a motor block to keep away from water.

Its limit is fair: beyond a certain volume, the effort becomes real. Our comparison manual or electric chopper details where this tipping point lies.

What are the different types of manual choppers?

Several mechanisms coexist in this collection, and they are not used for the same purpose.

The pull-cord model is the fastest to take out and put away. The crank one gives the best control, since you decide the number of turns and therefore the fineness: on the 520 ml crank chopper, 5 to 20 turns are enough depending on the desired texture. The vertical press is suitable for medium to large quantities at once, and the twist chopper is enough for one or two cloves of garlic, like the other garlic tools.

To know which mechanism to take depending on the food, see our guide cord, crank or twist: which type to choose.

Is a manual chopper really effective?

For small and medium quantities, yes, and often faster than we imagine.

The gap widens from about 500 g of firm ingredients processed at once. That's where the effort becomes noticeable and the electric one regains the advantage.

Above all, choose a capacity adapted to your portions, from the 200 ml format for a clove of garlic to the 1.5 L bowl for several onions, and stainless steel blades, present on most models.

How to clean a manual chopper?

It's its main advantage in daily life: there is no motor block to protect from water. The bowls of the pull-cord choppers come apart for quick cleaning, and several sheets, like those of the 520 and 900 ml crank choppers, recommend hand washing: it's the safest reflex for the entire range. Rinse just after use and dry completely before storing.

Manual mixer: chop and mix without an outlet

A manual mixer is often called a hand-operated bowl chopper: by turning the crank or pulling the cord, you make stainless steel blades spin in a closed bowl. It chops more or less finely depending on the number of turns and mixes what is in the bowl, but it does not reduce to liquid like a blender. Our article chopper or mixer details the difference.

Chop meat without electricity

For small portions, the red manual chopper with a transparent bowl also chops meat, for a stuffing or meatballs. For raw meat in quantity, you need a crank chopper that pushes the meat towards a grid: the size 8 cast iron model with sausage kit, or the 3-in-1 aluminum alloy choppers, which chop, stuff sausages and form biscuits.

They have their own range: the manual meat chopper, in cast iron or aluminum.

Frequently asked questions about the manual chopper

What is the best manual chopper?

The one that corresponds to what you chop most often. For garlic and herbs, a compact pull-cord chopper or a twist chopper. For onions and vegetables for the family, a 900 ml to 1 liter pull-cord chopper or the 1.5 L vertical press. For nuts and spices, a metal crank chopper. For meat, a manual meat chopper with a table clamp.

Hand chopper or mechanical chopper: what difference?

None: hand chopper, mechanical chopper and manual chopper refer to the same type of device, operated by your hand rather than by a motor.

Which manual chopper for vegetables?

The 500 ml to 1 liter pull-cord choppers and the 1.5 L vertical press cover onions, garlic and peppers. The 3-in-1 rotary drum chopper also grates cheese and nuts. Our collection vegetable chopper brings together all the dedicated models, including the multifunctional vegetable cutters.

Is there a manual grinder for the kitchen?

Yes. The 500 g cast iron manual grain chopper grinds grains, beans, coffee and nuts, with an adjustable grind and a C-shaped table clamp. For nutmeg, salt or pepper, the 40 x 43 mm metal crank choppers fit in a drawer.