Paul Mann, co-owner of Service Engineering Co., located in Asheville, N.C., says service agents generally do not deal with choppers as this equipment doesn’t tend to break easily. “We recommend the units be taken apart and cleaned daily with soap and water,” he says. “The most common problem is broken blades, which we can replace.”
Manufacturers also recommend the following when it comes to maintaining and caring for a food chopper:
- Minimize the use of alkaline cleansers to clean the machine. Such cleansers may cause pitting, which could eventually impair cleaning and necessitate replacement of the machine.
- Take the unit completely apart for cleaning with soap and water or a mild detergent.
- Immediately after cleaning, reassemble the chopper.
- To prolong the sharpness of the blades, use a fine honing stone on both the flat and beveled sides of the blade, but do not file it. It’s important to maintain the original sharpening angles. Blades also can be sent to the manufacturer in most cases for restoration.
- Lubricate moving parts with mineral oil, not cooking oil, which will become sticky.
