Foldable Bread Slicer: Crank Slicers and Guides That Fold Flat for a Drawer

Counter space is the most common reason not to buy a bread slicer. Brand hand-crank slicers weigh about 5 to 7 lb and stand about 7.5 to 9.8 inches tall; only the Zassenhaus Vintage has a base plate that folds up for storage, per its maker, and its folded size is not stated. That is the gap the foldable models fill – crank slicers that fold for a cabinet and slicing guides whose walls fold down for a drawer. The catch: the number that matters most, the folded size, is missing from every foldable listing we found.

Our pick for a drawer: Akebono PS-955

Our pick: slicing guideAkebono (Wahei Freiz)

Akebono PS-955 guide

A compact Japanese slicing guide with five fixed thicknesses and a crumb tray – you bring your own bread knife.

Why here: It does not fold, but its maker documents a flat 2.7-inch height and 13 oz – the only drawer fit you can check before buying.

Best for: Sandwich and pan loaves up to 7.9 in tall and 5.5 in wide, sliced with your own bread knife.

Strengths

• Five settings: 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 mm (about 0.4 to 1.2 in)
• Light: about 13 oz (374 g), 9.3 × 6.3 × 2.7 in – fits a drawer
• Removable crumb tray, made in Tsubame, Japan

Weaknesses

• No knife included
• Loaf up to about 7.9 in high and 5.5 in wide – too narrow for most round boules
• Hand wash only; plastic parts heat-resistant to 70–120 °C (158–248 °F) per part

Type

Slicing guide for a bread knife

Blade

none – bread knife sold separately

Slice thickness

10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 mm (about 0.4–1.2 in)

Loaf size

up to 7.9 in high × 5.5 in wide (200 × 140 mm)

Size

9.3 × 6.3 × 2.7 in (235 × 159 × 69 mm)

Weight

about 13 oz (374 g)

Price class: Budget

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The Akebono PS-955 is a slicing guide made in Tsubame, Japan. According to Globalkitchen Japan it measures 235 × 159 × 69 mm (9.3 × 6.3 × 2.7 in) and weighs about 374 g (13 oz). It takes loaves up to 7.9 inches tall and 5.5 inches wide and offers five fixed thicknesses from 10 to 30 mm (about 0.4 to 1.2 in). A crumb tray is built in; a bread knife is not included. It is hand-wash only.

Why a non-foldable guide on a foldable page? Because it answers the real question – will it fit my drawer – with numbers. Your drawer needs at least 2.7 inches of inside height and about 9.3 inches of depth – measure it to be sure. The limit: a loaf wider than 5.5 inches, such as a wide round sourdough boule, does not fit.

Which one fits you?

Which slicer fits you?

• If you want a slicer that lives in a drawer and has documented dimensions → Akebono PS-955 guide

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• If you have room on the counter and mostly slice bread → Zassenhaus Classic

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• If you want a hand-crank slicer that folds and accept listing data only

  How crank slicers work

• If you are not sure whether a guide or a crank suits you

  Compare both

Foldable hand-crank slicers

Comparison: Anatole foldable slicer, Foldable crank slicer, 2 blades, Zassenhaus Classic

Comparison	Seller data onlyAnatole foldable slicer	Seller data onlyFoldable crank slicer, 2 blades	Our pick: hand-crank slicerZassenhaus Classic
Type	Foldable hand-crank slicer	Foldable hand-crank slicer	Hand-crank slicer for bread
Blade	–	2 blades, described as German RSG (listing)	Round serrated stainless blade, made in Solingen (diameter not stated)
Slice thickness	–	–	1–18 mm stepless (about 1/25–0.7 in)
Loaf size	–	–	–
Size	–	–	11.8 × 10 × 7.5 in (30 × 25.5 × 19 cm)
Weight	–	–	5.3 lb (2.4 kg)
Carriage & holder	–	–	Beechwood base, no carriage or end-piece holder listed
Best for	Small kitchens that want a crank slicer they can fold away.	Anyone who wants a crank slicer that goes into a cabinet after use.	Households that mostly slice bread and want a brand crank slicer with documented specs and a compact footprint.
Price class	Mid-range	Mid-range	Premium
	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

Anatole foldable slicer. A hand-crank bread slicer marketed for homemade sourdough that folds for storage, per the listing. It sits in the mid-range price class. The listing names no folded dimensions and no slice range.

Foldable crank slicer with two blades. This unbranded model folds and ships with two blades described as "German RSG", per the listing. Folded size and slice range are not stated; mid-range price class.

For comparison, the Zassenhaus Classic, the most compact brand crank slicer with a spec sheet, measures about 11.8 × 10 × 7.5 inches and weighs 5.3 lb. It does not fold, but it is documented. If a foldable crank slicer's folded size matters to you, ask the seller for it before you order, or check the return window. The design itself is explained on the page about the hand-crank bread slicer.

Foldable slicing guides

Comparison: Steel foldable guide, Albert & Grace bamboo guide, Kiss Core slicing guide

Comparison	Seller data onlySteel foldable guide	Seller data onlyAlbert & Grace bamboo guide	Seller data onlyKiss Core slicing guide
Type	Foldable slicing guide for a bread knife	Bamboo slicing guide, folding	Slicing guide for a bread knife
Blade	–	–	–
Slice thickness	–	–	–
Loaf size	–	–	adjustable width (listing)
Size	–	–	–
Weight	–	–	–
Carriage & holder	Stainless guides on a wood frame (listing)	–	Crumb tray, folds flat (listing)
Best for	Buyers who prefer metal guide rails over plastic and want to fold the guide away.	Buyers who want a bamboo guide that folds flatter for storage.	Occasional bakers who already own a good bread knife and want a foldable plastic guide.
Price class	Budget	Budget	Budget
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Steel foldable guide. Stainless steel guide rails on a wooden structure that fold away, per the listing. For buyers who prefer metal rails over plastic. Folded size and thickness steps are not stated; budget class.

Albert & Grace bamboo guide. A bamboo board whose side guides fold down, per the listing, so it stores flatter than a fixed bamboo guide. Adjustable, budget class; thickness steps and loaf limits are not given.

Kiss Core guide. A foldable plastic guide with adjustable width and a crumb tray, per the listing. Budget class. The listing does not state the thickness steps.

All three are seller data only. With any guide, the cut depends on your own bread knife. All guide designs are compared on the bread slicing guide page.

How much space each design needs

Folded sizes are missing, but the documented slicers show the range you are choosing from. These are the dimensions the makers or their retailers state, read on 22 October 2026:

The table makes one thing clear: the step from a guide to a crank slicer is a step from a drawer to a cabinet shelf or the counter. A foldable crank slicer may narrow that gap, but by how much is not documented. If storage decides for you, a guide is the documented answer; if even slices from crusty or tall loaves decide, a crank slicer on the counter is the documented answer, and the foldable crank models sit in between with unknown numbers. The core trade-offs between both designs are explained in guide or hand-crank slicer.

What to check before you buy

1. Folded size. The decisive number. If the listing does not give it, ask the seller or measure after delivery while the return window is open.
2. Drawer or cabinet. Measure the inside height of the drawer, not the front panel, and the depth.
3. Loaf size. Folding does not change the loaf limit. A guide must be wider than your loaf; for tall loaves see bread slicers for bread-machine loaves.
4. Hinges and rails. Check how the hinges and rails can be cleaned and whether the listing allows washing.
5. Knife. Guides need a bread knife; only some, like the Bambüsi, include one.

Common mistakes

• Trusting the word "compact". Without dimensions, it means nothing measurable.
• Folding a guide that is too narrow anyway. A foldable guide that does not take your boule saves space but not the job.
• Assuming foldable means light. A folding crank slicer still has a metal blade and frame; weight is not stated in these listings.

Verdict

If a drawer is the goal, buy the Akebono PS-955: it is not foldable, but it is the only compact slicer whose size, weight and loaf limit are documented. If you want a folding hand-crank slicer, the Anatole and the two-blade model are the options – with the folded size unknown until you ask the seller or unpack it. For counter-top slicing without storage worries, see our comparison of manual bread slicers or start from the overview of manual bread slicers.