Best French Fry Cutter
Plain, smothered in ketchup, doused in salt and vinegar or dipped into mayonnaise – no matter how they are eaten, French fries are our favorite way to enjoy the humble potato. In fact, the average American eats approximately 30 pounds of French fries a year.
Not many people can resist a stack of hot, fresh-made fries, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. And while you can find this ubiquitous side dish at almost any restaurant or fast-food joint, it’s so much better to make them at home any time you want. With the right French fry cutter, you don’t have to spend too much time or energy cutting potatoes into uniform strips to make your best French fries ever.
This handy kitchen utensil is so convenient; it does all the hard work for you, cutting up a mound of potatoes in minutes so you and your family can be munching on fresh fries in no time.
We feature the five best French fry cutters you can buy online. Read on to find the one to suit your needs.
1. Top Pick: Tiger Chef French Fry Cutter
You and your crew love French fries. Usually you’ll make them as a side dish, but you also like to have them as a snack. Straight cut, shoestring, crinkle cut and wedges – variety is the spice of life, even when it comes to fries. To satisfy the needs of your large family, you’re looking for a versatile French fry cutter that will reduce your prep time and give you lots of variety.
We recommend this French fry cutter from Tiger Chef to make the cutting up of potatoes into perfect fries easy and quick. And with five super sharp blades of different sizes, you have a choice of making thin to very thick fries in minutes. Now everyone at home can have the right-sized fry.
This reliable, heavy-duty all metal cutter is constructed with a cast iron body and stainless steel rod and features four screw holes so you can mount the cutter permanently on the wall. If you prefer, you can also use it on the countertop. The suction cup feet keep it securely in place as you get to work. Just insert the potatoes, pull on the lever and voilà, perfect, uniform fries every time. Comes with a brush for easy clean up.
And did we mention that this French fry cutter is also ideal for making zucchini sticks and sweet potato fries in minutes? Measuring 21.81 inches x 10.71 inches x 9.29 inches and weighing 15 pounds, the suction feet detach so you can easily stow this mighty machine away for a clutter-free kitchen.
Pros:
- Comes with five blades to make different sized fries
- Can be wall mounted or used on the countertop
- Has a cast iron body and stainless steel rod
- Cuts sweet potatoes
Cons:
- More expensive than other models
- Larger and heavier than other models
2. Best for Commercial Use: New Star Commercial Restaurant French Fry Cutter
The New Star commercial-grade French fry cutter is a sturdy, well-built addition to any kitchen – including personal use. New Star’s fry cutter sports a heavy-duty cast iron body with stainless steel features. The latter includes the blade, the blade guard, and the nuts that hold the assembly in place. Since this is a more industrial design disassembly can be a little tedious.
One of the big selling points for the New Star French fry cutter is the suction cup legs. These things are strong, and we don’t say that lightly. They’re designed to give you a strong point of leverage to quickly cut through potatoes, vegetables and the like. On that note, Sous Vide Guy strongly recommends that you press the lever down in one quick, confident motion. If you try to gently press the potato through you’ll likely end up warping the blades. If you’re having trouble try squaring off the ends of your potato. This will give you a good, flat surface to apply pressure to.
Pros
- Heavy-duty cast iron body.
- Stainless steel blades and blade guard.
- Suction cup feet for mounting on either a countertop or wall.
- Good for potatoes up to 6-inches.
- Blades produce ½ inch fries.
Cons
- Lever must be depressed quickly to cut through potatoes, therefore requiring decent grip-strength.
- Can be slightly annoying to clean compared to other models.
3. Best Basic: Progressive International Tower Fry Cutter
Progressive International’s tower fry cutter caught our eye based on its interesting design, and dishwasher safe body. Unlike some other models on this list this fry cutter has no bolts holding things together. As such disassembly is extremely easy, and all of the bits and bobs can be run through the dish washer as well. It also comes equipped with a non-stick base, although you can wrap a damp towel around it for extra security.
Sous Vide Guy also really liked the clear plastic chamber that acts as a way of catching your freshly cut food. Although general build quality is lower than, say, a stainless-steel model we found this unit to be something of a workhorse when you get to know its quirks. For instance, if you don’t prep your potatoes properly then you run the risk of breaking the blades within a single use. With delicate products like these we highly recommend squaring the end of the potato with a knife in order to make pressing it through easier. Another tip is to start slow then push through when you feel the flesh of the potato begin to give.
Pros
- Made of molded plastics.
- Easy-to-clean design with removable blade grid.
- Fries or veggies sticks will be caught in the clear chamber rather than sprayed out onto the counter.
- Dishwasher safe
- Non-skid base
Cons
- Some reports of blades breaking on use.
4. Best Design: Sopito Professional French Fry Cutter
The point of getting a French fry cutter is to make the job of cutting uniformly shaped fries easy and quick. Many different models get the job done well, but if you plan to make a lot of French fries, you want to be using a machine that has been designed for functionality, durability and comfort.
You may want to consider this French fry cutter that is made with a 304 stainless steel, robust restaurant-grade blade, specially engineered for years of use. The ergonomically designed extended handle means that with a single lever action, you can cut through potatoes with ease.
The cutter box on this model measures 5.6 inches x 3.5 inches, large enough to handle most potatoes, including sweet potatoes, without having to cut them in half. How convenient to be able to cut an entire potato into ½-inch strips in one go. A large sucker cup holds the machine firmly to the work surface, so there is no moving during cutting, and the rolling shaft design reduces resistance, making the process smooth and easy.
Measuring 10.23 inches x 5.22 inches x 7.87 inches and weighing only 4.4 pounds, this French fry cutter is lightweight, compact, easy to clean with water, and just may become one of the most-used small kitchen appliances in your house.
Pros:
- Ergonomically designed for comfort and functionality
- Large cutter box fits whole potatoes
- Also cuts sweet potatoes, carrots and other vegetables
- Compact and lightweight
- Affordable
Cons:
- Comes with only one cutting size
5. Best Hand-Held: Crinkle Cutters French Fry Slicer
You love French fries and have no issue cutting up potatoes with a knife to make this delicious snack for you and your kids. It’s not like you do it every day, right? These days, however, you’re looking to make crinkle-cut fries, but don’t want to spend money on a French fry cutting machine.
If you’re looking for a good hand-held knife to make crinkle-cut French fries, then this may be the product for you. This cutter is made of stainless steel, with a comfortable plastic handle, and would make a great addition to your knife set.
No need to haul out a machine or plug one in to make your fries. Perfect for little helpers, this pack of two is great for you and your kids to get the job done. The solid construction and sharp, 7.3-inch x 4.75-inch-wide steel blade cuts easily through potatoes and other vegetables to make a perfect crinkle cut.
This hand-held French fry cutter is easy to use and clean; simply hand wash in warm, soapy water.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- No cumbersome machine
- Easy to clean
- Sharp cutting blade
- Two-pack
Cons:
- Only cuts crinkle cut fries
- Hand-held
6. Best for Versatility: Weston French Fry Cutter
The Weston French fry cutter is an excellent option for those with low grip strength, and all in a sleek white package. Weston’s French fry cutter comes equipped two sizes of blades. The first is a 1/2 of an inch stainless steel blade that is works best at making bigger chunks of potato. Meanwhile, the 3/8 of an inch is best for French fries or warmed sweet potatoes
One of the most interesting features with the Weston fry cutter is its removable blade guard. This allows you to slide a chef’s knife into the unit so that when the fries pop out you can cut them to your desired length immediately. We found this to be a particularly unique, if not wholly necessary, feature. The fact that it’s easy to remove, taking literal seconds,
Pros
- Made of plastic resin.
- Includes 2 sizes of stainless-steel blades (3/8 of an inch and 1/2 of an inch), plus food pushers.
- Ratcheted handle is great for those with low grip strength.
- Includes a removable knife guard for the end of the unit.
- Rubber covered feet to prevent slippages.
- Top-rack dishwasher safe.
Cons
- Some reports of blade breakage within a year of purchase.
Things to look out for:
Consider these things when looking for a French fry cutter so you will choose the one that best suits your needs:
The blade: Potatoes are tough and can be hard to cut, so you should look for a product that is equipped with sharp blades that won’t catch, snap or break. Look for sturdy, stainless steel with sharp, well-honed edges, especially if you want to make sweet potato fries, since sweet potatoes are harder to cut than white potatoes.
Stability: What you don’t want is for your French fry cutter to move around while you’re busy cutting potatoes. Purchase a model that has strong suction cups on the base, legs with a no-slip coating, or one that is wall-mounted.
Ease-of-use: The fry cutter you choose should let you slice through potatoes in one easy motion. Models with a longer handle or lever make the process easier without you having to exert too much force. If you have trouble gripping handles or feel you may not be strong enough, then consider an electric model so you can cut fries with the touch of a switch.
French fry sizes: Some models only come with one cutting blade, which is fine if you only want one thickness of fry. If you want some variety, choose a model that comes with different sized blades, or buy a model that offers interchangeable blades of different sizes that you can purchase separately that are compatible with the machine.
Cost: Like most things, French fry cutters come in a range of prices and there’s bound to be something in your price range. Hand-held and cutting machines made from plastic tend to be less expensive than larger, more durable stainless-steel machines, and electric models are also on the higher end. It’s always best to stay within your budget and not spend more than you can afford.
Ease of Cleaning: When it comes to complex kitchen tools like French fry cutters the number of moving parts is extremely important. Some of the units on this list – those more industrial in nature – require the unfastening of screws, tacks, and washers. Other French fry cutters are entirely plastic and are easy to pull apart by hand. Either way, look for either stainless-steel design or cast-iron design if you’re looking for something built to last. For more general use plastic would be best. Both are easy to clean too!
FAQs
What is the best French fry cutter?
Sous Vide Guy strongly recommends the Tiger Chef French Fry Cutter. This unit comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect, and some that you wouldn’t – like the five sets of blades for instance.
How do you clean a French fry cutter?
To clean a French fry cutter make sure to grab all of the classic cleaning staples; dish soap (or white vinegar), hot water, and cloths for both cleaning and drying. If using your fry cutter for commercial purposes you will also want to sanitize the removable parts in a solution bath. To disassemble a French fry cutter begin by using a screw driver remove the blade guard. This will open up the shredding mechanism and allow you to clean both the now removed blade guard and any hard-to-reach nooks or crannies.
How long should a potato be when using a French fry cutter?
Generally speaking, your French Fry Cutter should be used as a guide for the size of potato. If you’re looking for a hard and fast rule most cutters are built to take a potato that is between 6 and 8 inches long.
What else can you cut with a French fry cutter?
French Fry Cutters work with vegetables that you’d like cut into spears. Examples include sweet potatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, or fresh fruit like apples.
How do you use a French fry slicer?
French fry slicers push your vegetables through a series of sharp blades using a plate at the rear of the unit. By pressing down on the handle, the potato will be pushed through the screen and shredded. If you’re looking for fresh cut fries rather than steakhouse, make sure to peel your potato as would when preparing French fries by hand.