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A food processor is the ultimate kitchen appliance. All of the hard work that goes into preparing meals like chopping, slicing, grating, and also mixing can be done in a matter of seconds. So if you have had enough of preparing your culinary delights by hand and would like to have some extra time to enjoy your food with family and friends, instead of slaving in the kitchen, then invest in a food processor.
Food processors are very versatile machines. Besides being able to handle all types of food preparation like dough kneading, slicing, grating, grinding, chopping, and pulverizing, they can even take care of smaller jobs like blending dips or sauces into a smooth consistency.
The 6 Best Food Processors
- Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Food Processor
- Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor
- Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor
- Braun FP3020 12 Cup Food Processor
- LINKChef Mini Food Chopper (Our Top Pick)
- Ninja Blender and Food Processor System
Our Top Pick for the Best Food Processor
Our top pick for the best food processor is the LINKChef Mini Food Chopper.
Do not be fooled by its diminutive size or even the 250-watt engine. LINKChef has lots of power. It can perform most food preparation tasks like chopping, blending, pureeing, and shredding, and its strong stainless steel 4 bi-level sharp blades make cooking so easy. It is the perfect choice for one or two people. Its compact size will not take up a lot of room in your kitchen.
In addition to giving you a top-notch food processing performance, the LINKChef Chopper isn’t expensive, which makes it one of the most affordable food processors on the market.
Food Processor Plus a Blender: A Two-in-One Kitchen System
Although a blender can be purchased as a separate item, some food processors come with ablender attached. So you can have two machines in one. You can have fresh juices and smoothies on demand as well as being able to prepare a meal or dessert.
However, having a two-in-one food processor has some disadvantages. If the food processor has a blender attached, the mixing bowl might be smaller, and the machine may be heavier and also bulkier. So you will have to clear a lot of space on your countertop for the unit.
In a world that offers you a large range of electronic kitchen appliances, there are so many food processors out there. However, in order to find your perfect match, there areseven specifications to consider before you make your final choice.
How to Choose a Food Processor
1. Power
When it comes to choosing the right food processor for your lifestyle, it is all about power. These days most food processors have powerful motors, evenmini food processorsthat have 250-watt motors can perform very well at processing small amounts of ingredients. However, they can overheat if you use them to process a lot of heavy-duty food quantities.
A food processor that has a smaller engine is ideal for one or two people. However, if you have a large family and the food processor is going to be your main kitchen appliance for food preparation, then choose a processor with a super-powerful engine like theBraun FP3020 that has a 600-watt motor that can deliver a peak power of 900 watts.
Or theBreville BFP800XLSous Chef Food Processor that has an amazingly powerful 1200 engine, which can handle tough cooking tasks in seconds.
2. Bowl Capacity
Food processors can vary in their mixing bowl size or capacity. There are mini food processors that have afour-five cup capacity,which is a good fit for one or two people. If you have a family of four, a processor that has a bowl capacity ofeight-10 cupsis ideal.
If you cook large meals, have a larger family, or host a lot of dinner parties, then you may want to choose a food processor that has a larger bowl size, which can hold from12 to 14 cups.
3. Blades, Discs, and Attachments
A good quality food processor should give you multiple blades that can perform different functions. Like an S-blade for chopping, or other discs or attachments that can be used for grinding, pureeing, and also for mixing bread dough. There are processors that give you only two blades or discs. However, they can still perform a variety of functions like reversible slicing, chopping, and shredding.
If you want a machine that can do almost any kind of food preparation task except clean the dishes, choose a processor that gives you a lot of blades or attachments like theBreville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor, which gives you eight different blades and discs that can perform 24 different slicing actions. The best blades are those that are made out of stainless steel.
They are durable and also super sharp. They also give you the best performance and are especially ideal for heavy-duty food preparation.
4. Size of the Feed Chute
The size of the feed chute is also important. Food processors are designed to make food preparation easier, especially when it comes to chopping large, dense vegetables like carrots and potatoes and apples. However, if the feed chute is too narrow, the food may not be easily fed into the chute, which means you have to pre-cut the vegetables or fruit.
Some food processors have extra-wide feed chutes, like theHamilton Beach 70730Food Processor that can fit a 2lbs block of cheese.
5. Functions
Besides providing you with various blades, discs, and attachments, having a variety of functions gives you more control over the machine’s processing ability. Some food processors have quitesimple functions, like a low and high speed and a pulse button for short bursts of power, which is ideal for those cooks who just want to use the machine for simple food preparation tasks.
If you want a processor that allows you to prepare a wide range of dishes, then a processor like theCuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processorwhich has seven different functions, allows you to complete all your culinary creations.
6. Warranties
Product warranties are an important part of purchasing any kind of appliance as they cover the appliance in case it turns up on your doorstep damaged. Or if it breaks down one week after the purchase date. Even though the product may come from a high-quality manufacturer, there is still the possibility, however slight, that you could receive a faulty item.
The standard warranty for most home appliances like a food processor is one year. However, the manufacturer may also offer anextended warrantyjust for the motor.
Some manufacturers may give you a very generousthree-year warrantybut it may have limitations. So it is a good idea to read the warranty information before you buy the food processor, so you know what the warranty covers and what it does not cover.
7. Dishwasher-safe
Most food processors allow you to wash the bowl and attachments in the dishwasher which can save you time, but it is best to check the small print. Some manufacturers state that it is best to hand wash sensitive components like the blades or disc in warm, soapy water, but take care as they are razor sharp.
3 HandyTipsfor Using your Food Processor
- Before you use the food processor, read the instruction booklet or manual. Not all food processors perform all functions, and some models have particular limitations. Some processors may not be able to mix bread dough or they may not be ideal for heavy-duty food preparation. Reading the manual can save you from damaging the blade or bowl, having the motor overheat, all of which can give you overall nasty experience.
- To keep your food processor in great condition, always clean the bowl, blades, and also exterior of the machine after every use. Leaving the machine with grease and ingredients on the attachments can prevent the machine from performing at its best.
- To stop food from sticking to the blade or attachment, like when you are kneading dough, spray a small amount of non-stick cooking oil onto the edge of the blade.
6 Best Food Processors – Reviews
1. Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Food Processor
ThisHamilton Beach 10-Cup Food Processoris a very good choice. It can easily process small and larger food items from garlic to pieces of chicken. It has a strong 450-watt motor and a 10-cup capacity and it is also very fast. So whether you are chopping, grating, or pureeing, all the hard work of food preparation can be done in a few seconds.
You do not have to waste time pre-cutting large vegetables or cheese as the processor has a large feeding chute that can fit a 2lbs block of cheese.
There are two blades, an S-blade that allows you to chop, mix, and purée ingredients into sauces and soups. Also, it gives very good results when chopping almonds and other nuts. The reversible slicing/shredding disc takes all the hard work out of cutting vegetables. Both blades are labeled so you do not have to try to remember which is the right blade to use.
The food processor has two speeds: low and high speed, and a pulse button, and a large BPA-free plastic mixing bowl, while the lid and blades are very easy to clean and they are dishwasher safe.
One of the highlights of the Hamilton Beach processor is the built-in scraper attachment that scrapes the sides of the bowl while you mix or blend so that you do not have to remove the lid to move the food from the side of the bowl. If you prefer not to use it, the scraper can be removed.
Hamilton Beach has designed a compact food processor, so it is a great space-saving option for your kitchen’s countertop. Its powerful performance will have you cooking all of your favorite dishes quickly.
Pros
- Good quality
- Great price
- 10-cup capacity
- Powerful
- Easy to use
- Compact
- Large feed chute
- Built-in scraper attachment
- Large mixing bowl
- Two blades
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- Not ideal for heavy-duty processing
- Cannot knead bread dough
2. Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor
Cuisinart has been making high-quality kitchen appliances since 1973 and their dedication to the art of great cooking is encapsulated in this powerful food processor that delivers a superior food processing performance. If you have a large family or love to host dinner parties, theCuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processoris the perfect choice for you.
The processor has a 14-cup capacity and also a powerful 720-watt motor that will help you prepare all of your favorite dishes in just a few seconds. You will wonder how you ever cooked without it. Whether you are preparing a pizza, chopping up vegetables for a soup, or whipping up a scrumptious dessert, the Cuisinart processor can shred, chop, slice, and puree even the densest and thickest of food items effortlessly and efficiently.
The Cuisinart has seven food preparation functions to choose from and an extra-large feed chute that can fit bulky food items like carrots, apples, and oranges so that you do not have to waste precious preparation time. The durable three discs (for slicing, chopping, and also shredding) are made from stainless steel blades. They are very sharp and slice, chop or shred the smallest of food items like garlic as well as mixing heavy bread dough.
The large ABS, BPA-free plastic work bowl gives you plenty of room to prepare a wide range of dishes. You can clean the bowl and blades in the dishwasher. The Cuisinart food processor also comes with a spatula, a recipe guide that will extend your gastronomical range, and the processor is covered by a very generous three-year limited warranty.
Pros
- Very good value for money
- Very good quality
- Super powerful 720-watt motor
- Multi-functional
- Extra-large feed chute
- Three stainless steel blades
- Seven food preparation functions
- 14-cup work bowl
- Single-touch operation
- Dishwasher-safe
- Three-year limited warranty
Cons
- Have to purchase dough blade separately
- Plastic lid is not very strong
3. Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor
TheBreville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processoris one of the most expensive processors on the market. However, with an incredibly powerful 1,200-watt motor, sturdy construction, and an ability to process almost any kind of food super fast, it is worth the extra dollars. Breville has designed this processor with a host of features that will make cooking your favorite meals so easy. The processor is sturdy with a die-cast metal base and silicone seals to reduce leakage when processing liquids.
There is an extra-large BPA-free plastic 16 cup bowl for dry ingredients and it can hold 12 cups of liquid. You have a set of eight different blades and discs to choose from: a variable slicing disc that can be set to 24 different slicing sizes, so you can customize it according to your cooking needs.
There is a Julienne disc, a French Fry cutting disc, a whisking disc, and a reversible shredding disc, a micro-serrated universal S-blade, a dough blade for kneading, and combining ingredients, and also a mini blade for use with the extra mini-bowl.
One of the most time-consuming aspects of food preparation is having to chop food items by hand, but the Breville Sous Chef has a 5.5” Super Wide Feed Chute, which eliminates the fuss of having to pre-cut your vegetables and fruit. Breville also includes a small food pusher or spatula that helps to process smaller ingredients. It also doubles as a measuring cup for ingredients, and the large food pusher can be used for pushing bulky food items down the feed chute.
The processor is very easy to use with a simple function center: an LCD Display with a Count-Up & Count-Down Timer and also an on/off pulse function button to give you more control over your food preparation.
The Breville Sous Chef has the ability to process food within seconds and delivers an overall high consistency level of blending and grinding for most food types. But you need to keep in mind that as the Breville has a very powerful motor, it does have a tendency to over-process small ingredients, like cheese.
Breville offers this processor in shiny stainless steel, black sesame, brushed silver, and cranberry red, so you will be able to find a color that will fit your kitchen’s décor. For extra safety, the non-skid rubber feet make sure that the processor will sit securely on the counter-top. Also, note that the stainless steel finish is slightly cheaper and the black sesame and cranberry red is more expensive.
There is also a very handy storage box so that you can keep all the blades and attachments in one place for easy access. To maintain the quality of the bowls, blades, and discs, it is recommended that you hand-wash the blades and discs.
The Breville food processor’s motor is covered by a 25-year guarantee, but there is only a one-year limited warranty on other parts.
Pros
- Very powerful
- Sturdy and durable
- Heavy-duty
- Superfast
- Extra-wide feed chute
- Performs well on all types of foods
- Very quiet
- Large amount of attachments
- Two bowls
- All blades and discs included, no extras to buy
- Replacements parts are affordable
- Very good customer service
Cos
- Expensive
- Heavy and bulky
- Can over process food
- Metal tips on blades can get very warm
- Limited dishwasher ability
- One-year limited warranty
4. Braun FP3020 12 Cup Food Processor
Cooking will become an absolute delight with this ultra-quiet yet powerfulBraun FP3020 12 Cup Food Processorthat has been intuitively designed by Braun. Its multi-functional design features a wide feed chute, seven different attachment blades that allow you to chop, slice, knead, whip, whisk and also shred all types of food.
It also has a juicer attachment, so you can make all of your favorite juices and maybe even learn some new healthy recipes.
The processor has a dual control system with 15 different speed settings that can be preset to match your cooking needs. Large 12-cup capacity for dry ingredients and nine cup capacity for liquids means that this food processor is a great choice for a large family or for cooking connoisseurs who want more control of their recipes. It is also dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
As the Braun food processor is made in Europe from German engineering you are guaranteed a high quality, powerful processing performance from the strong 600-watt motor that can deliver up to 900-watts of peak power, but still being an energy-efficient machine.
The processor will not leak, so you do not have to worry about any leaking fluids on the countertop. The strong slicing blades can grind and slice the food very well to a fine texture. If you love fresh juices, the juicing attachment performs a great job of extracting juices from fruits and vegetables.
For your operator safety, the processing bowl locks securely onto the motor base, and the processor will not start until the lid is properly closed, while there is a handy storage hook at the back of the unit to safely store the cord when you are not using the machine. You do not have to worry about which is the right attachment to use for a particular type of food preparation as each blade is stamped with A, B, C, or D markings.
The food processor is very easy to clean, and all the attachments, except the base, are dishwasher-safe. If you want to hand-wash the cutting attachments, take care as the blades are very sharp. Besides its high-quality design and powerful performance, the Braun food processor is very quiet, which is a great bonus!
The downside of the Braun processor is that it is quite bulky. So if you have a small kitchen, you will have to clear a sizable space for it. The coarse slicer insert B blade 12 & the French Fry system is not included so you have to buy them separately.
Braun also offers you a bonus mini work bowl, which is perfect for processing small amounts of sauces or nuts.
Pros
- Very good value for money
- High-quality German engineering
- Powerful
- Ultra-quiet
- Multi-functional
- 15 speeds
- Seven attachments
- Easy to use
- Extra citrus juicer
Cons
- Dough attachment does not work very well
- One year warranty
5. LINKChef Mini Food Chopper
It might be small, but the powerful LINKChef Mini Food Chopper is designed to chop, blend, puree, mince, and also shred a variety of ingredients quickly. This super-mini food processor is a great choice for singles or for couples who want to simplify their food preparation and cooking.
With 250-watts of power and stay-sharp 4-bi-level blades that are made from strong food-grade stainless steel, the processor delivers an excellent performance.
Whether you are making dips or sauces for a dinner party, making your own meatballs, or preparing baby food, the LINKChef processor features an ergonomic one-touch operation, which makes it very easy to use. All it takes is just one press of a button and the processing whiz jumps into action and it can process your food in seconds.
The 1.2-liter bowl is made from unbreakable polished stainless-steel and it has a 500ml food capacity. There is also a BPA-free transparent plastic lid and an anti-slip rubber mat that fits underneath the bowl. Cleaning up is so simple as the bowl, lid, and bi-level blade attachment can be placed in your dishwasher. If you prefer to hand-wash the blades, please take care as they are super sharp.
A great space saver, the LINKChef food processor has a compact design and can easily fit on your kitchen bench-top. LINKChef offers a three-year warranty, and they have excellent customer service. The processor also comes with a manual.
Pros
- Ideal for one or two people
- Great price
- Excellent food processor
- Lots of power
- Great quality
- Can perform a wide range of functions
- Super sharp blades
- Compact
- Very easy to use and clean
Cons
- Not ideal for heavy-duty food preparation
- Motor can get very hot quickly
6. Ninja Blender and Food Processor System
Do you want to be a superhero in the kitchen? Then look no further than the Ninja Blender and Food Processor System. A food processor and blender in one. You can prepare all of your favorite meals, fresh healthy juices, and smoothies, as well as trying out some new recipes.
The Ninja food processor has plenty of power with a 1200-watt engine, which makes it the ideal kitchen appliance for medium to heavy-duty food preparation. This two-in-one kitchen system has powerful chopping blades that deliver outstanding chopping, slicing, and also grating results.
With Total Crushing technology and Pro-Extractor blades, you can pulverize ice and frozen fruit, or liquefy fruits or vegetables into a smooth consistency into the XL 72-ounces blender pitcher in seconds! If you want to take your smoothie or juice with you while you are out jogging, in the car, or to the gym, there are two 24-ounces cups that have their own lids.
The 40-ounces BPA-free plastic bowl and dough tool allow you to whip up dough or batter for fresh homemade bread or pies. There is a well-sized feed chute that can accommodate most food items and the lid stops any splashing of liquids or ingredients.
The Ninja food processor has good stability but it is quite bulky. So you will need a substantial amount of space in your kitchen.
As the Ninja is a very powerful food processor, it is loud. However, this is overshadowed by its high processing ability.
Pros
- Two-in-one kitchen system
- Powerful and fast food processor
- Very good blending ability
- Can crush ice in seconds
- Makes dough and batter
- Extra sharp blades
- Two 24-ounces cups and lids
Cons
- Expensive
- Bulky
- Very loud
Our Top Pick for the Best Food Processor
Our top pick for the best food processor is the LINKChef Mini Food Chopper.
Do not be fooled by its diminutive size or even the 250-watt engine. LINKChef has lots of power. It can perform most food preparation tasks like chopping, blending, pureeing, and shredding, and its strong stainless steel 4 bi-level sharp blades make cooking so easy. It is the perfect choice for one or two people. Its compact size will not take up a lot of room in your kitchen.
In addition to giving you a top-notch food processing performance, the LINKChef Chopper isn’t expensive, which makes it one of the most affordable food processors on the market.
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