Runner bean slicer. Do you use one?

[Saunders]

I had never seen or heard of these until I met my husbands family, now I always use one. No-one else I know apart from my ma-in-law uses or has seen or heard of them either. They’re little hand held things with a few parallel blades that you insert the bean into and pull through.
Mine looks like this

 

[iona]

Why would you want to fuck up your beans by cutting them like that?

 

[Elpenor]

I don’t think I’ve ever cooked runner beans. My dad used to grow them latterly when my folks lived in their old house

 

[kalidarkone]

Sliced runner beans makes me think of hospital meals or school dinners.

 

[The39thStep]

Love runner beans. They are a bit difficult to grow here in South Portugal as the flowers don't set well in the heat and they are thirsty plants. My mum had a runner bean slicer but it was round with a handle and you pushed the bean into the spinning blades.

 

[Guineveretoo]

I have a runner bean slicer, but it doesn't look like that. I only use it if the beans are a bit old and stringy.

Mine looks like this one.

Kitchen Craft Runner Bean Slicer, White

Buy Kitchen Craft Runner Bean Slicer, White from our View All Kitchen Utensils range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.

www.johnlewis.com

 

[gosub]

I am always amazed by the amount of gadgets that can sold to clog up a kitchen. Never taken more than 10 minutes to deal with runner beans with a decent knife and that was a lit of runner beans

 

[Epona]

I just cut the stalk end off and then pull the stringy bit down the side off (or cut a small sliver from the side with a knife if the pod is older and tougher and the stringy bit won't come off easily) and then slice it with a knife.

If I had a gadget for everything I wouldn't have room to store any actual food

 

[gosub]

I just cut the stalk end off and then pull the stringy bit down the side off (or cut a small sliver from the side with a knife if the pod is older and tougher and the stringy bit won't come off easily) and then slice it with a knife.

If I had a gadget for everything I wouldn't have room to store any actual food

Same as. Though finding the string less breand they have in the supermarket a bit of a boon

 

[Epona]

I love runner beans, I had a lot of luck last summer on the veg reduced to clear shelf - excellent accompaniment for fish or roast chicken or cooked in a spicy and garlicky tomato sauce (om nom nom!)

 

[Saunders]

Why would you want to fuck up your beans by cutting them like that?

It really doesn’t fuck them up at all, and is especially useful towards the end of the season when they’re really long or a bit fibrous; I love runner beans and love them even more since I don’t have to slice them by hand.

 

[Saunders]

I have a runner bean slicer, but it doesn't look like that. I only use it if the beans are a bit old and stringy.

Mine looks like this one.

Kitchen Craft Runner Bean Slicer, White

Buy Kitchen Craft Runner Bean Slicer, White from our View All Kitchen Utensils range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.

www.johnlewis.com

One of those was what ma, granny and aunt in law all had, and I used to have, but I prefer using the type I have now. I think I’m so used to using it that I see runner beans as being something that i served spaghetti’ed

 

[moose]

Yes, I have a Krisk

 

[seeformiles]

If I had a gadget for everything I wouldn't have room to store any actual food

Most of mine double up E.g. I don’t need a steamer - just use a saucepan, colander and pan lid (works for veg, rice, bau buns, etc.).
Mrs SFM’s ex-boss was a sucker for gadgets. She was really pleased about her “Soup Maker” to which Mrs SFM remarked “You mean a saucepan and a hand blender?”
Best single use gadget I bought recently was a boiled egg shell cracker - removes a perfect dome of shell every time and it makes a very pleasant chime in the process.

 

[The39thStep]

Most of mine double up E.g. I don’t need a steamer - just use a saucepan, colander and pan lid (works for veg, rice, bau buns, etc.).
Mrs SFM’s ex-boss was a sucker for gadgets. She was really pleased about her “Soup Maker” to which Mrs SFM remarked “You mean a saucepan and a hand blender?”
Best single use gadget I bought recently was a boiled egg shell cracker - removes a perfect dome of shell every time and it makes a very pleasant chime in the process.

Post up a photo/details of the egg shell cracker please

 

[wtfftw]

Urban loves a good boiled egg device.

 

[wtfftw]

Yes, I have a Krisk

Same.

 

[seeformiles]

Post up a photo/details of the egg shell cracker please

You place it over the top of the boiled egg then pull back the knob on the top and release:

 

[StoneRoad]

I love runner beans. Raw or cooked.
I'll trim the strings off if they're a bit older than optimum, and slice them diagonally "against the grain" using a small but very sharp knife. I was taught that method by my Great Aunt [who was "in service" as a cook-housekeeper] and to cook only for a few minutes, to the tender side of al dente ...

 

[High Voltage]

Yes, I have a Krisk

Ditto

A delight to use

I do have to hand select "straight" beans, so supermarket pre-package beans are a no-no for me

 

[High Voltage]

You place it over the top of the boiled egg then pull back the knob on the top and release:
View attachment 379779

Video of use now please

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I'm convinced things like these must be bought by people with kitchen knives that aren't sharp enough.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

I have a runner bean slicer, but it doesn't look like that. I only use it if the beans are a bit old and stringy.

Mine looks like this one.

Kitchen Craft Runner Bean Slicer, White

Buy Kitchen Craft Runner Bean Slicer, White from our View All Kitchen Utensils range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.

www.johnlewis.com

I always heard these referred to as runner bean stringers, when it actually meant de-stringer I suppose. I've never knowingly had one as they feel too middle class a device for me to posess. Same with the egg cracker (back of a spoon?) and the egg topper (knife & thumb?).

I thought the whole and only point of this activity was to take as much of the stringy bits out, rather than chopping them up.
Surely it'd be easier to just use a knife and chop 20 at a time y'know, like normals do

 

[Fez909]

Urban loves a good boiled egg device.

Black Halo recommended an Eggs Perfect in 2014. I was skeptical, but it was £1.25 so went for it. Absolutely the best £1.25 I've ever spent. Mine broke recently and I've not had a boiled egg since. I guess that's the downside - I've lost confidence in my non-gadget egg-boiling ability.

I'm going to buy another right now, actually. Wonder what inflation has done to the price in the 9 years since

 

[moose]

they feel too middle class a device for me to posess

Oh puleeeeeese!

 

[Saunders]

I'm convinced things like these must be bought by people with kitchen knives that aren't sharp enough.

I always heard these referred to as runner bean stringers, when it actually meant de-stringer I suppose. I've never knowingly had one as they feel too middle class a device for me to posess. Same with the egg cracker (back of a spoon?) and the egg topper (knife & thumb?).

I thought the whole and only point of this activity was to take as much of the stringy bits out, rather than chopping them up.
Surely it'd be easier to just use a knife and chop 20 at a time y'know, like normals do

Yes that’s fine if you’re chopping them across the grain into short lengths, but the slicer thingy gives you long strands of bean spaghetti

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Urban loves a good boiled egg device.

I've got one of these - it's brilliant.

 

[seeformiles]

Video of use now please

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Not had quails eggs for ages - will have to buy some. Got some duck eggs in at the moment so will be having these at some point this week.

 

[JimW]

Quails' eggs are really common here, don't think I ever even saw one back home.