A hand-held device for reducing the size of food items, for example by
slicing or grating. The disclosed device has a slicing drum transversally
inserted into an aperture on a lateral wall of a casing. Preferably, both
the drum and its size reducing members, such as blades, are removable.
Ideally, the drum can be inserted in an aperture on either of two
opposing lateral walls so that the device may be easily used by both
right-handed and left-handed people. A slicing compartment is formed by
the casing and the slicing drum. A grip handle extends from the casing
and preferably has an arm cover, which may open to a storage receptacle
intended for storage of additional blades. The slicing drum is engaged
with a crank lever assembly for rotation. A distal wall of the casing is
preferably curved to form a tangential relationship with the slicing drum
to, along with gravitational force, advance a food item to be reduced in
size.