Having a quality food processor in your kitchen makes preparing food easy. The versatility of these appliances means you can prepare anything from chunky salsa or chunky hummus to creamy mashed potatoes or dough for bread.
So which food processor is perfect for you? Our guide provides all the information you need to find the right one for you, plus our recommendations! Read below for the top 10 best food processors and which tasks each model excels at.
Food processor attachments for pasta, salsa, purees, and nut butter vary, but the basic model usually has a bowl, a blade, and a mixing shaft. Some models have smaller bowls that can be removed from the mixing shaft. Some models come with an attachment for making desserts, like cookies and cakes.
Food processors are a powerful and convenient, all-in-one alternative to other kitchen appliances.
When shopping for a food processor, there are a few essential factors to keep in mind.
– Power: How many watts does a food processor use?
– Speed: How fast does a food processor run?
– Control: How many speeds does a food processor have?
– Blades: The number of blades available can vary depending on the model.
– Capacity: Note: Some food processors have additional attachments that can increase the bowl’s size.
– Blades: The blades on a food processor are essential.
– BPA-free: If you want to get a BPA-free food processor, look for ones with a plastic bowl. These models will not contain BPA, which is a known endocrine-disrupting chemical.
– Attachments: The accessories that come with a food processor can also affect its price.
– Dishwasher-safe: Some food processors are dishwasher-safe, while others must be hand-washed.
– BPA-free: If you want to get a BPA-free food processor, look for ones with a plastic bowl. These models will not contain BPA, which is a known endocrine-disrupting chemical. You will want to think about many things when shopping for a food processor. One of the most important things to consider is how large the processor is. You will want to purchase a food processor that is the right size for your kitchen.
There are several different sizes of food processors. One size is called a small food processor. As the name suggests, this is a small processor just right for small families. Another size is a larger processor. This processor is the same size as a large food processor, but it is larger because it is made for larger families.
The third size that you can purchase is a midsize food processor. This processor is the same size as a medium food processor and is a midsize processor because it is made to fit the needs of midsize families. You can consider the brand, size, number of attachments, weight, capacity, and price. Of course, look carefully for scratches, dents, and flaws on the product. If the product is used, check the components (a blade, grating disc, pusher plate, guard, etc.).
Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap Food Processor and Vegetable Chopper, BPA Free, Stainless Steel Blades, 12 Cup Bowl, 2-Speed 450 Watt Motor, Black (70725A)
The Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap Food Processor and Vegetable Chopper is a no-frills machine that does exactly what it’s supposed to: quickly chop, slice and shred foods for soups, salads, salsas, dips, and more. The simple design includes a prepping bowl, a lid, a pair of S-blades, and a reversible slicer disc. A built-in guide tells you which blade to use and which button to press. The device is solidly built, but it includes two visible screws that don’t line up correctly, so you’ll want to use a screwdriver to tighten the lid after assembling it. The motor has plenty of power, and the two speeds plus pulse control are handy for everything from mincing onions and chopping herbs to transforming veggies into salsas, soups, and sauces. It’s also handy for making smoothies, and the large feed chute makes it easy to add whole fruits and vegetables for chopping. This processor is dishwasher safe, but the plastic lid has poor seals, so it’s best to wash it by hand.
Cuisinart FP-8SVP1 Elemental 8 Cup Food Processor, Silver
The Cuisinart FP-8SVP1 is our top pick for small food processors, and it comes with a ton of extra features you rarely see on models in this price range. We love this food processor most because of its reversible shredding and slicing discs, which can quickly turn a hunk o meat into a mangled mess. But it also performs well for general chopping, slicing, and mixing tasks. It’s powerful enough to handle most things, and it comes with helpful safety features, including a locking lid. The reversible shredding and slicing discs are also great for working with cheeses, especially since the integrated feed tube lets you add ingredients during processing, which keeps everything in place. The stainless steel blades are sharp enough to handle most vegetable and fruit tasks, but you may need to switch to a different blade for more demanding jobs, like whole nuts. The feed tube also works well for pureeing food, and the included spatula makes cleanup easy. You can also remove the slicing disc and use it for chopping up onions or hard cheeses. The downside: It’s a bit on the loud side, but it’s also reasonably compact so that it won’t take up much space on your counter. It also comes with a one-year warranty, which may not be long enough for some consumers.
Hamilton Beach Food Processor & Vegetable Chopper for Slicing, Shredding, Mincing, and Puree, 10 Cups – Bowl Scraper, Stainless Steel
This Hamilton Beach food processor has features found in far more expensive models. It has a powerful motor, 450 watts of power, and a sizeable 10-cup capacity. The reversible stainless steel disc allows you to chop or slice foods, while the stainless steel s-blade chops and mixes. The s-blade comes with a lid you can use to puree ingredients, and it has a blade guard. The included spatula helps scrape food from the blade. The bowl has a built-in agitator that helps keep ingredients close to the blade for consistent results. The 10-cup bowl has an extra-large feed chute, so you can fit whole blocks of cheese or other large foods in without removing the bowl. The only drawback is the cost, which is more than you might expect for a 10-cup food processor.
Ninja BN601 Professional Plus Food Processor, 1000 Peak Watts, 4 Functions for Chopping, Slicing, Purees & Dough with 9-Cup Processor Bowl, 3 Blades, Food Chute & Pusher, Silver
We’ve tested hundreds of food processors over the years, and this is one of the more powerful models we’ve ever tested. This Ninja has a 1000-watt motor, more than 100 watts more potent than our former top pick, the Cuisinart DLC-9FP. The motor delivers plenty of power throughout all the processing stages, and while the motor is more powerful than a typical food processor, it is relatively quiet. The included dough blade does a great job of mixing dough, and it’s also powerful enough to mix and knead bread dough at the highest speed. The bowl s 9-cup capacity is large, and the large feed tube does an excellent job of consistently pushing ingredients into the bowl. The 3-preset programs (chop, mix, shred) give you a precise range of speeds, and the buttons are sizable, so you can quickly adjust the mixing speed without looking at the LCD touchscreen. The bowl and blade assembly are easy to remove and clean. The stainless steel blade is very sharp, so it’s best to use when chopping food, but the plastic blade is not. The bowl is not dishwasher-safe, so hand-washing is recommended. The display is clear, and there are 20 different recipes in the included booklet, so it’s a handy resource.
Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor Custom, Brushed Stainless.
The Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor can handle nearly any task you throw at it, including chopping nuts, mixing dough, and mincing garlic. (It’s also powerful enough to finely mince tomatoes or carrots, though we’d never use it.) The 14-cup capacity is excellent for large families or easy entertaining, and the large feed tube makes quick work of mixing ingredients or whipping up a batch of batter. The 630-watt motor handled everything we threw at it, and the included discs and blade made quick work of prep work. This machine was quieter than our previous pick, the Cuisinart CPT-14S, and the blade is also more durable. However, the 14-Cup Food Processor has one serious drawback: The plastic bowl lid fits too loosely, causing ingredients to spill out when the bowl is turned off. The lid also has an annoying indention, making it difficult to hold securely.
Hamilton Beach Food Processor & Vegetable Chopper for Slicing, Shredding, Mincing, and Puree, 10 Cups – Bowl Scraper, Stainless Steel
We like the Hamilton Beach 10-cup food processor because it does excellent chopping and pureeing. The motor is powerful enough to process whole foods, and the large feed chute and S-blade make cutting food easy. It’s also powerful enough to make quick work of large batches of food. The included bowl scraper attachment is excellent for scraping the sides when the food gets past the blade. This food processor is large, and the 10-cup bowl takes up most of the counter and is quite heavy, so it’s best left in the kitchen.
KitchenAid KFC3516IC 3.5 Cup Food Chopper, Ice
The KitchenAid KFC3516IC Food Chopper was our pick for the easiest to clean and best-performing chopper we tested. It performs all the essential functions well, but its most significant selling point is its small size, which makes it ideal for small apartments, dorm rooms, or anywhere else where space is at a premium. The chopper comes with two blades, the larger one for making dressings and the smaller one for chopping up ingredients for soups or smooth sauces. It also comes with a lid with a built-in drizzle basin, so you can easily incorporate liquid ingredients as you chop. The chopper’s speed and pulse settings are convenient, and its metal construction is durable. It’s also dishwasher safe, which saves time when preparing multiple recipes. The chopper is quiet and easy to use, and its stainless steel blades are sharp. One user noted that the chopper sometimes gets stuck, but this could be due to user error, not faulty construction.
Cuisinart FP-8GMP1 Elemental 8-Cup Food Processor, Gunmetal
The Cuisinart Elemental 8-cup food processor is a worthy successor to the previous model, the FP-7GP, one of our favorites for several years. The new model has a giant 8-cup bowl, an updated motor, and new accessories. The motor is the same 350-watt unit as the previous model, with a higher maximum of 6,000 rpm, so it’s easily powerful enough for any task. The reversible slicing and shredding discs are great, but, unlike the previous model, the 8-cup bowl has measurement markings, which we found helpful for making consistent batches of pizza dough. The rubberized controls are easy to grip and use, and the feed tube is convenient, especially for cooks who add ingredients while processing. We were disappointed that this model doesn’t include a dough blade, which the previous version had, but Cuisinart said it would soon add one to the line. The chopping blade is reasonably sharp, but Cuisinart said it stocks replacement blades through Cuisinart.com. The downsides: Like the previous model, the Elemental doesn’t have electronic speed control, so you can’t adjust the speed on the fly. The chopping blade is metal, not plastic, as in the previous version, and the blade itself is much thicker than the previous version’s, which may make it a little harder to chop hard vegetables. Cuisinart also said the blades are dishwasher-safe, but we found the manual didn’t say so.
Hamilton Beach 3-Cup Mini Food Processor & Vegetable Chopper, 350 Watts, for Dicing, Mincing, and Puree, Black (72850)
The Hamilton Beach 3-Cup Mini Food Processor and Vegetable Chopper are one of the most potent and versatile choppers we tested. With three blades, we were able to dice, slice and grate with ease, and the motor was powerful enough to puree vegetables too thoroughly. The bowl is tall enough for large ingredients, and the lid has a large opening that makes it easy to drop ingredients straight into the bowl. The detachable blades are dishwasher safe, and the bowl components can be washed by hand. This chopper has a powerful motor, good texture, and a sturdy, quality design. It’s powerful but not so loud that you can’t use it in a noisy kitchen, and it’s not too heavy or bulky for storing in a drawer. The cord is long enough to plug it in without a reach extender quickly.