ritter manus 3: The German Hand-Crank Universal Slicer for Bread and Cold Cuts

Verdict in short

The manus 3 is the manual universal slicer for kitchens that want a carriage and thicker slices than the Graef H9 allows. ritterwerk documents a range up to about 20 mm, a carriage with about 20 cm of travel and German manufacture with a GS mark. The trade-offs: 3.3 kg (7.3 lb) and a footprint of 36.5 × 33.5 cm, the end-piece holder listed as an accessory, and the premium price class. How it fits among the other carriage slicers is on the manual food slicer page.

ritter

ritter manus 3

German hand-crank universal slicer with a stainless carriage and slices up to about 20 mm.

Why here: The carriage slicer with the widest documented range in our comparison – up to about 20 mm – made in Germany with a GS mark.

Best for: Anyone who wants a carriage slicer with a wider thickness range than the Graef H9.

Strengths

• Slices up to about 20 mm (0.8 in), carriage travel about 20 cm (7.9 in)
• Removable stainless carriage, steel feet plus four silicone suction feet
• TÜV Rheinland GS mark, Made in Germany according to ritterwerk

Weaknesses

• Heaviest manual slicer here at 7.3 lb (3.3 kg)
• End-piece holder sold separately as an accessory
• Premium price class

Type

Hand-crank food slicer with carriage

Blade

6.7 in (17 cm) serrated

Slice thickness

up to about 20 mm (0.8 in), stepless

Size

14.4 × 13.2 × 9.8 in (36.5 × 33.5 × 25 cm)

Weight

7.3 lb (3.3 kg)

Carriage & holder

Stainless carriage; end-piece holder as accessory

Price class: Premium

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Who it suits – and who not

Buy it if you slice bread and cold cuts, want slices up to about 0.8 inch and have a permanent spot on the counter.

Skip it if you only slice bread and space is tight – the Zassenhaus Classic is smaller – or if you want the end-piece holder guaranteed in the box, as with the Graef H9.

Technical data

Source: ritterwerk product page and operating instructions, read 22 October 2026. ritterwerk states no maximum loaf height.

Comparison: ritter manus 3, Graef H9, Zassenhaus Classic

Comparison	ritter manus 3	Our pick: bread, cheese & cured meatGraef H9	Our pick: hand-crank slicerZassenhaus Classic
Type	Hand-crank food slicer with carriage	Hand-crank food slicer with carriage	Hand-crank slicer for bread
Blade	6.7 in (17 cm) serrated	7.5 in (190 mm) serrated stainless steel	Round serrated stainless blade, made in Solingen (diameter not stated)
Slice thickness	up to about 20 mm (0.8 in), stepless	0–15 mm stepless (up to 0.6 in)	1–18 mm stepless (about 1/25–0.7 in)
Loaf size	–	–	–
Size	14.4 × 13.2 × 9.8 in (36.5 × 33.5 × 25 cm)	14.8 × 14.4 × 9.6 in (375 × 365 × 245 mm)	11.8 × 10 × 7.5 in (30 × 25.5 × 19 cm)
Weight	7.3 lb (3.3 kg)	6.2 lb (2.8 kg)	5.3 lb (2.4 kg)
Carriage & holder	Stainless carriage; end-piece holder as accessory	Stainless carriage with thumb guard, end-piece holder included	Beechwood base, no carriage or end-piece holder listed
Best for	Anyone who wants a carriage slicer with a wider thickness range than the Graef H9.	Kitchens that slice bread and also firm cheese or cured sausage without electricity.	Households that mostly slice bread and want a brand crank slicer with documented specs and a compact footprint.
Price class	Premium	Premium	Premium
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In daily use

Setting up. Place the slicer on a flat, even surface and press it down so the suction feet hold. The manual asks you to start only once it is securely set up, never on hot surfaces or near an open flame.

Slicing. Set the thickness with the knob, put the food on the carriage and press it lightly against the stop plate with the left-over holder. Turn the crank clockwise with your right hand and even pressure, and place the food against the blade once it is moving. The food guide bracket stays horizontal for long, hard foods such as a large loaf; for short, thin, soft slices such as sausage, the manual suggests turning it up. On the manus 3, a plate under the slicer catches the slices.

The rule that matters. The manual says the slicer must not be used without the carriage or a left-over holder unless the size and shape of the food rule them out, and asks you to protect your hands by always using the carriage. After each use, turn the knob to 0: that position covers the blade. There is no motor and no cord, so the risks are mechanical; the broader picture is on is a bread slicer safe.

Cleaning. After each use, wipe the housing and all removed parts, blade included, with a damp cloth. From time to time, take off the holder, carriage and blade – the blade catch opens with a coin – and wash the parts in warm soapy water, not in the dishwasher. Clean behind the blade with a dry cloth or brush, keep the suction feet free of grease and crumbs, dry everything and grease the blade's gear wheel with a little ritter maintenance grease or Vaseline. The carriage rails get the same grease occasionally.

Spare parts, accessories and warranty

ritterwerk lists the manus 3 parts by item number: serrated blade (107121), a smooth blade for ham and cold cuts (107119), stainless carriage (107110), end-piece holder (107606), crank grip, guide bracket, blade screw and disc, rubber foot and a printed manual. The manual names the smooth blade as a special accessory for sliced meat, sausage and ham. It gives a two-year manufacturer warranty for devices sold within the European Union; how that applies to a purchase in the US is not stated, so keep the seller's return terms in mind. More on worn blades is on bread slicer replacement blades.

What we could not check

We do not test slicers, and we found no independent lab test of the manus 3. ritterwerk gives no maximum loaf height, so measure tall loaves against the slicer before relying on it. Our method is on how we compare.

Alternatives

• Graef H9 – also made in Germany with a carriage and thumb guard, end-piece holder in the box, but slices only up to 15 mm.
• Zassenhaus Classic – for bread only, much smaller, stepless 1–18 mm, no carriage.

All three side by side, with the origin question, are on the German bread slicer page; every model we compare is in our comparison of manual bread slicers. The manus 3 is available as ritter manus 3 on Amazon^*.