In head to head tests with all the leading brands, the best full size food processor is the KitchenAid KFP750 ($175). The KitchenAid food processor features a spacious 12 cup capacity with a 4-cup mini bowl which instantly turns this machine into a mini chopper. There are dual tall feed tubes which work great on both large and narrow food. Reviewers say the powerful motor performs consistently with great results and it's quiet too. Even on larger preparations the motor holds up well and there was no evidence of leaks. You also get 3 slicing discs and a dough blade- plus it comes in 5 different fun colors. With a slightly larger capacity (14-cups) is the Cuisinart DFP-14BCN Food Processor. Gourmet chefs love the big capacity and the new motor has alternate speeds for "perfect dough mixing, and a rounded housing for easy cleaning and handling". The 3 year warranty is much better than the 1 year offered on the KitchenAid above, but consumer tests show the KitchenAid is slightly better. My wife owns the Cuisinart and says it's a "live saver" for big cooking projects and she loves its durability and stainless steel slicing and shredding discs which are easy to clean. We understand that not every household needs a 12 or 14 cup capacity food processor and in reviews we found that the Cuisinart DLC-10S Pro Classic ($90) is a perfect 7 cup model. Users say making cookies and bread dough is no problem with the powerful motor and the stainless steel chopping blade never seems to dull. Again, Cuisinart supplies a 3 year (entire unit) warranty which can't be beat. The Hamilton Beach 70590 Big Mouth 14-Cup Food Processor ($60) is great for processing whole fruits and vegetables. The Hamilton Beach is a great budget food processor that works great but doesn't come with lots of attachments. Another top food processor manufacturer is Bosch appliances, but we found that their less expensive models performed better overall than the more expensive ones. Oster food processors (what I grew up with) are rated good by consumers on almost all aspects except durability. The motors in cheaper models tend to go out too often.
Mini Food Processor:
We heard lots of news on the Magic Bullet mini food processor that is shown on TV infomercials and we looked into the 2 for 1 offer on their website for less than $100. When compared to more respectable brand name products from Cuisinart or KitchenAid it can't compete. The best mini food processor is between the KitchenAid Chef's Chopper KFC3100 and the Bravetti 2-Cup Quad Blade Mini Chopper. Both retail for around $30-$40 and perform all the basic tasks you would want from a food processor. Users of both machines say they run smooth, slice and shred with no problems, and are easy to clean. Black & Decker has a popular food processor called the Quick and Easy Plus for around $35 and it sells well on the Home Shopping Network but customer feedback was less than enthusiastic on sites like Amazon. You can browse the most popular mini food processors on Amazon.com here.
If you are looking for the best food processor that is available on the market today, then the answer likely depends on you. That’s because not everyone needs a food processor for the same things as you, and that’s why there are so many varieties on the market today. What we’ll do here is help you find out what’s important for you, so that you will be able to look for food processors that will suit your needs.
When you are looking for a food processor, make sure that you have an idea of the features and settings that you will need to have. Sometimes, people spend more money than they have to, and they overbuy, because they don’t know what they need. Prices of food processors vary greatly, because there are so many types, styles, functions and capacities. Taking a few minutes to understand what you need now, so that you will be ready to find the right processor for you.
Make sure that you figure out how large or how small the space is where you expect to place your processor. Measure your counter top where you plan to place the processor to be. Also be aware of the size and type of feed tube as you look around on the market. If you planned on using the processor where there will be issues loading the processor easily, you may have to consider another location for the processor, or changing the feed tube, or both, to make it work for you. Consider its weight as well. The larger the processor and heavier it is, the more study and stable it will be. Lids that seal off the feed tube to reduce any spray, are also a great benefit.
Features To Look For
The food processors vary in capacity greatly. Some can hold 3 cups while other can hold and can process up to 20 cups of dry food. Please note that dry food is important, that’s because if you add liquid, it cuts down that amount by almost half, and unless there is a covered lid, it could get pretty messy. If you are going to use it with liquids, plan on getting some excess capacity so that you will have what you need. The average household requires a food processor that can hold approximately 7 cups of dry food, but this may not apply.
There are many other features that you should consider when looking for the best food processor. One important factor that will be excellent to have in a food processor is removable pieces that you can easily take out to wash.
This feature is time saving because you will not have to wash the whole processor, only the pieces that you have used. If the pieces are safe to use in dishwashers, the better the processor is.
A pulse feature is also another thing that is nice to have on a food processor. This feature gives you more control in processing the food and can make you choose what size you need the food to be chopped. The processor must also have a safety feature which requires the lid to be securely placed before it works. This feature is great for avoiding accidents and is especially great for households that have children who might play around with the device.
What Actual Owners Recommend
Several professional and owner reviews say durability and performance problems can be an issue for some inexpensive food processors, so consumers should keep this in mind. Additionally, people strapped for counter or cupboard space may be interested in compact food processors and combo machines; these use a single base unit with blender and processor accessories.
Cooks partial to petite portions or users who routinely find themselves doing small slicing and dicing tasks should also consider mini choppers. There are several mini choppers on the market that have a 3-cup capacity and are ideal for simpler tasks like mincing garlic. Most units have a 3-cup bowl that snaps into a base that houses the motor.
Other food processor pointers:
* Performance is more important than extra features. All food processors can chop, slice, shred and puree foods. Optional attachments like juicers, egg beaters, cream whippers, dough kneaders, french fry cutters and julienne blades are nice extras, but can be purchased later. It's much easier to buy more blades than it is to buy another machine.
* Don't get caught up in the number of speeds. One speed plus pulse is all you need.
* The shape and size of the feed tube will affect how you have to prepare the food for the processor. For example, a long, narrow tube means slicing potatoes lengthwise, while a wide feed tube allows larger chunks of food to enter.
* A 4- to 7-cup capacity is adequate, but a 9- to 12-cup bowl size is even better. Most of the complaints about 4- to 7-cup models at consumer voting sites like Epinions.com resulted from problems caused by too-small bowls. Professional tests often find bowl capacity to be somewhat less than advertised. Also, keep in mind that advertised food processor capacities measure dry ingredients only, and an open-topped tube limits liquid volume to about half of the advertised capacity.
* Heavy food processors are more difficult to haul out of a cupboard, but they're also more stable. Weightier machines are less likely to shake across the counter during big jobs, and they also tend to be quieter. Reviewers agree that major projects like baking bread, making your own pasta or chopping heavy vegetables require a heavy machine.
For more effective processing, cut food into equal-size pieces, use short pulses, scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary and avoid using blade-damaging frozen or hard foods. Using the feed tube can also maximize efficiency. What else can blenders do?
Processors are not always good for blending small quantities, so if you want a small amount of mayonnaise, hollandaise, breadcrumbs, pesto or anything else that needs some quick, brief blending, you will find a blender does a better job.