The Clever Cutter 2-in-1 Knife & Cutting Board, one of those As Seen On TV products that claims to make your life easier or better if you buy it. You know, one of those products you see advertised late at night, maybe in the early morning hours when you can’t fall back to sleep, and you think, “I NEED one of those!”

WHAT IS THE CLEVER CUTTER?

The Clever Cutter operates like a pair of scissors, with a knife on one side and a “cutting board” on the other, that claims to chop and slice your favorite foods in seconds without the messy cleanup. Since the bulk of what I cook at home are vegetables, I do a lot of chopping and cutting with a knife and cutting board, and thought this might actually be easier on my arthritic hands.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

You slide the food in between the blade and cutting board and then squeeze the handle firmly to chop. Because you don’t need a cutting board you simply place a bowl or pot underneath to catch the cut food. Types of foods they advertise that are easily cut with the Clever Cutter include apples, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, carrots, cheese, salami, potatoes, onions, bread, cooked chicken, cooked steak, and more.

OTHER FEATURES –

The blades are stainless steel with a plastic “cutting board” and there is a built-in locking safety hinge for easy storage. You squeeze the handle, push the safety lock hinge up, and it closes like a pair of scissor and stays closed till your next use. The Clever Cutter can be cleaned by hand or in the dishwasher. It also features an ergonomic grip that is supposedly easy on hands.

REVIEWS –

I actually went online and read reviews for this before deciding to spend the money and trying it out myself. On an Amazon Reviewer Poll I saw that 50% gave it 5 stars, 15% gave it 4 stars, 11% gave it 3 stars, 8% gave it 2 stars, and 16% gave it 1 star. So half thought it was an excellent product and I chose to buy it.

The unfavorable reviews were mostly about the blade becoming dull or the hinge breaking. Some thought it required more hand strength than a knife. And one review I had to laugh at complained that it wouldn’t cut through frozen chicken breasts.

MY RESULTS –

I bought my Clever Cutter at Bed Bath & Beyond for $14.99. I tried it on carrots, celery, green onions, apples, cooked chicken, cheddar cheese and cucumbers and it worked great. Now I couldn’t work it as quickly as they do on the commercial but it was a lot faster than when I use a knife and cutting board. I have arthritis and it gets particularly bad in my right hand, which is of course, the hand I use the most and I personally didn’t think it took a great deal of hand strength.

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/clever-cutter-reg-2-in-1-knife-and-cutting-board/1046633811?showRatings=true

I found it particularly useful making salads since I could just hold the vegetables over each bowl as I sliced and I’ve used it several times when making stir-fried vegetables. For smaller items like fresh garlic you do need to use tongs or a fork to hold it while cutting so your fingers stay clear of the blade but it was easy to do.

The one thing I found it didn’t work well with was brie because the cheese was just too soft and gunked up on the blade. And if I was chopping a really large amount of vegetables, the repetitive motion might become too much for my hand and arm but for quick meals I found it easy and faster than using a knife and cutting board.

I’ve used the Clever Cutter for about a month now and continue to think it works great for my needs. I think $14.99 is a fair price, it doesn’t take up much room, it’s so easy to clean, and I would buy it again. So far the blade is staying sharp but I do wash it by hand instead of putting it in the dishwasher.

You can find it at most stores that sell “As Seen On TV Products” or buy it from the ASOTV site. (I personally prefer buying the products from actual stores where I can easily return an item and not pay shipping and handling fees.)

http://www.asseenontv.com/

If you’ve tried the Clever Cutter 2-in-1 Knife & Cutting Board, we’d love to hear your results.