In short: Ritter (the company is called ritterwerk) is a German brand born in Munich in 1905 that makes its slicers in Germany, in Gröbenzell. At Raclette Club, we feature two of its all-metal slicers: the electric, foldable icaro7 and the hand-cranked amano5.
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The brand in a nutshell
In the beginning there was no cheese, just knives to polish. According to ritterwerk, Franz Ritter founded the company in 1905 in a small garage on the edge of Munich and started with knife-cleaning machines, which sold more than a million units until stainless steel arrived. Almost thirty years later came the bread slicers: according to Wikipedia, the hand-cranked B 50 came out in 1932, and the brand’s first electric slicer in 1968.
According to Wikipedia, the company moved in 1982 to Gröbenzell, near Munich, where it still manufactures; ritterwerk says its appliances are designed in Germany and that repairability and spare parts matter to it. Design is a big deal at Ritter: Karl Dittert shaped the brand’s style for almost forty years, in the Bauhaus spirit, and the company has won many awards, from the iF in 1955 to the Red Dot in 2008, according to Wikipedia. Since October 2020, it has belonged to Michael Schüller and his sons.
On video
Video: ritterwerk on YouTube. Official Ritter video of the icaro7, the foldable electric slicer in our table.
Video: ritterwerk on YouTube. Official Ritter video of the amano5, the hand-cranked version.
Video: ritterwerk on YouTube. Official ritterwerk company film (2023), a look at the Gröbenzell company.
The Ritter slicer range at Raclette Club
| Model | Type | Best for | Review | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| icaro7 (ASIN B00ED7A3FI) | Electric and foldable, all metal, 65 W, 17 cm serrated stainless steel blade, slices up to about 14 mm, 10 cm wide when folded | Small kitchens | Read the review | Check the price on Amazon.fr |
| amano5 (ASIN B08T1VX1LZ) | Hand-cranked, no electricity, all metal, 17 cm serrated stainless steel blade, slices up to about 20 mm, bamboo board | Tables that slice as the meal goes on | Read the review | Check the price on Amazon.fr |
What we think
Ritter is the German take on the “slicer for life”: all metal, made in Germany, a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty, and a brand that puts repairs and spare parts forward. Both models adjust well beyond the 3 to 4 mm of a raclette slice, and each has its own idea: the icaro7 folds down to 10 cm wide, the amano5 needs no plug and sits proudly in the middle of the table. You can feel the design heritage: these are appliances you’re happy to leave out when guests arrive.
The catch: these slicers play in the upper league, priced like a beautiful object rather than a gadget. The icaro7 has a modest 65 W motor, limited to 5 minutes of continuous use: enough for a block of raclette, less so for a whole ham. The amano5 weighs 4.3 kg with its board, and its crank turns with the right hand, which won’t please every left-hander. Finally, Ritter says nothing about the dishwasher for these two models.
Which model should you choose?
- For a small kitchen: the icaro7, folded to 10 cm wide, with the thumb guard and food holder stored on it.
- To slice at the table, cord-free: the amano5, with its beech-handled crank and its bamboo board that doubles as a cutting board.
- To compare with another German hand-cranked slicer: the Graef Manuale H9, with its 190 mm blade.
- For the rest of the meal: once the cheese is sliced, dip into our raclette recipes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the warranty on Ritter slicers?
Ritter grants a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty from the date of purchase on its appliances sold in the European Union, with proof of purchase; normal wear, such as blade sharpness, is excluded. It comes on top of the 2-year legal guarantee, which you claim from the seller.
Where can you find Ritter spare parts?
Ritter highlights repairability and spare part availability, and asks to be contacted before any appliance is sent in for warranty repair. For the amano5, a smooth ham blade is even sold as a spare part.
Where can you buy a Ritter slicer?
On ritterwerk’s official online shop and on Amazon.fr, where the icaro7 and the amano5 are sold. Watch out for similar names: the icaro5 is not the icaro7.
