my $op = '+'; my $add_500_things = arbitrary_operator_maker($op, 500); my @list_500 = (1..500); timethese(10000, { 'add_500_things elements cached' => sub { $add_500_things->(@list_500); }, 'add_500_things elements dispatched' => sub { my $add_500_things = arbitrary_operator_maker($op, 500); $add_500_things->(@list_500); }, 'multi_add 5 elements' => sub { multi_add(@list_500); }, 'reduce' => sub { reduce { $a + $b} @list_500; } }); Benchmark: timing 10000 iterations of add_500_things elements cached, add_500_things elements dispatched, multi_add 5 elements, reduce... add_500_things elements cached: 1 wallclock secs ( 0.72 usr + 0.00 sys = 0.72 CPU) @ 13888.89/s (n=10000) add_500_things elements dispatched: 0 wallclock secs ( 0.74 usr + 0.00 sys = 0.74 CPU) @ 13513.51/s (n=10000) multi_add 5 elements: 0 wallclock secs ( 1.03 usr + 0.00 sys = 1.03 CPU) @ 9708.74/s (n=10000) reduce: 1 wallclock secs ( 1.18 usr + 0.00 sys = 1.18 CPU) @ 8474.58/s (n=10000)