I take advantage of my meals processor on a weekly foundation to make every little thing from do-it-yourself hummus to rapidly chopping veggies for salads to making nut butters. I think about it my sous chef within the kitchen! The perfect meals processors make simple work of a wide range of kitchen duties, and understand how vital it’s to decide on one which works persistently and reliably.
Whereas all meals processors provide the identical fundamental operate of chopping and grinding or slicing and shredding, they don’t all carry out the identical. I’ve personally used and liked my Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor for years, however I’ve discovered a number of different worthwhile choices which may work higher in your kitchen To slender down the checklist, I thought-about capability, ease of storage, and sturdiness, in addition to my private expertise from utilizing others up to now.
Beneath are one of the best meals processors that can assist you out within the kitchen.
My Prime Picks:
- What’s in My Kitchen: Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor – $199.50 at Amazon
- My Favourite Mini: Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Meals Processor – $36.71 at Walmart
- Finest Price range: Hamilton Seaside 10-Cup Meals Processor – $44.97 at Amazon
- Finest Fundamental: Ninja Skilled XL Meals Processor – $119 at Walmart
- Finest Giant Capability: Breville Sous Chef 16 Professional – $374.99 at Amazon
- Finest Blender and Meals Processor Combo: Vitamix A3500 SmartPrep Kitchen System – $899.95 at Amazon
Critiques of The Finest Meals Processors
1. What’s in My Kitchen: Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor
The Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor has been a staple in my kitchen for a number of years, and I take advantage of it on a regular basis! Not solely does it make easy sauces and creamy nut butters, nevertheless it’s large enough to accommodate bigger portions and has giant, paddle-style controls that make it simple to make use of. There are solely two settings—on and pulse—so it’s good for learners and no-fuss dwelling cooks. There’s a big feed tube that makes it simple so as to add substances, and it consists of a regular slicing disc, a medium shredding disc, and a chrome steel chopping and mixing blade, so you should use it rather than a mandoline slicer or field grater, too.
The Specs:
- Capability: 14 cups
- Dimensions: 11 x 7.9 x 14.8 inches
- Weight: 16 kilos
- Settings: On, pulse
The Execs:
- Constant outcomes
- Giant feed chute to attenuate prep
- Glossy, stainless-steel design
The Cons:
- No pace settings
- Costly
What Others Are Saying:
The Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor was named one of the best meals processor by Wirecutter, The Spruce Eats, and Bon Appetit. It additionally has greater than 19,000 critiques on Amazon, with a mean score of 4.6 stars.
Purchase the Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor:
2. My Favourite Mini: Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Meals Processor
I like utilizing my Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Meals Processor for smaller duties, like chopping cucumbers to make Tzatziki Sauce. With its 3-cup capability, it’s the perfect measurement for chopping greens or making dressing. It solely has two settings—chop and grind—so it’s fairly easy to make use of. The motor is much less highly effective than the full-size fashions, so this isn’t your best option for making nut butters or reducing via tougher meals, nevertheless it’s nice for fundamental prep and straightforward to retailer.
The Specs:
- Capability: 3 cups
- Dimensions: 5.0 x 7.0 x 9.25 inches
- Weight: 2.5 kilos
- Settings: Chop, grind
The Execs:
- Easy operation
- Simple to retailer
- Price range-friendly worth
The Cons:
What Others Are Saying:
The Cuisinart Mini-Prep Meals Processor was named finest small by Good Housekeeping. It additionally has nearly 30,000 critiques on Amazon with a 4.6-star score.
Purchase the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Meals Processor:
3. Finest Price range: Hamilton Seaside 10-Cup Meals Processor
When you don’t plan to make use of your meals processor day by day like me, you may want a cheaper possibility. This budget-friendly 10-cup meals processor from Hamilton Seaside does the trick for infrequent use. The motor isn’t as highly effective as some others, nevertheless it has a very good capability, plus three settings—two speeds and a pulse mode—that make simple work of most kitchen duties. It features a chopping blade and a slicing/shredding disc, however one function I actually love is the built-in scraper attachment. This repeatedly scapes the edges of the bowl whilst you’re utilizing it, so that you don’t must cease to scrub the edges with a spatula.
Its rounded design does make it a bit bulkier than a few of the different sleeker fashions, however for those who plan to retailer it in a pantry or cupboard as a substitute of in your counter, that shouldn’t be an issue.
The Specs:
- Capability: 10 cups
- Dimensions: 15.47 x 10.25 x 8.43 inches
- Weight: 4.7 kilos
- Settings: Two speeds, pulse
The Execs:
- Various pace settings
- Constructed-in scraper attachment
- Price range-friendly worth
The Cons:
What Others Are Saying:
The Hamilton Seaside 10-Cup Meals Processor has a mean 4.6-star score from greater than 40,000 critiques on Amazon.
Purchase the Hamilton Seaside 10-Cup Meals Processor:
4. Finest Fundamental: Ninja Skilled XL Meals Processor
Ninja makes nice user-friendly kitchen home equipment which might be glorious for learners or anybody who doesn’t need a whole lot of fuss. I like this meals processor as a result of it’s versatile—there are two blades in addition to slicing discs—but it’s simple to make use of. It comes with 4 preset applications (chop, puree, dough, and disk), plus three handbook settings (low, excessive, and pulse). The additional-large feed chute means you’ll be able to drop bigger items of meals in with out chopping an excessive amount of, and the 12-cup measurement can accommodate giant recipes and household meal prep.
- Capability: 12 cups
- Dimensions: 17.5 x 10.7 x 8.7 inches
- Weight: 10.9 kilos
- Settings: 4 preset applications (chop, dough, puree, disc) and three handbook settings (low, excessive, pulse)
The Execs:
The Specs:
- Versatile settings
- Further-large chute for much less prep
- Can accommodate bigger recipes
The Cons:
- Bigger footprint than others
What Others Are Saying:
The Spruce Eats named it one of the best energy and Meals Community named it one of the best worth possibility. The Ninja XL Meals Processor additionally has over 11,400 critiques on Amazon and a 4.7-star score.
Purchase the Ninja Skilled XL Meals Processor:
5. Finest Giant Capability: Breville Sous Chef 16 Professional
In case you have a giant household, for those who meal prep, or for those who frequently entertain, you might need to think about a larger-capacity meals processor that may make a giant portion of do-it-yourself pesto without delay.. Whereas this meals processor is a bit expensive, it has a whole lot of helpful options. For starters, it has a beneficiant 16-cup capability and a particularly highly effective motor that may minimize via just about something you throw at it. There are two feed chutes to get exact cuts for different-sized meals, and it features a variable slicing disc that has 24 settings, from further skinny to eight millimeters thick. It additionally comes with a 2.5-cup mini-processing bowl for smaller jobs, so that you’re getting the equal of two machines in a single.
The Specs:
- Capability: 16 cups
- Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.9 x 17.5 inches
- Weight: 19.7 kilos
- Settings: On and pulse
The Execs:
- Giant capability
- Versatile with two feed chutes and variable slicing
- Comes with a smaller processing bowl
The Cons:
What Others Are Saying:
Wirecutter calls it one of the best improve, Meals Community named it finest general, and Meals and Wine named it finest splurge. The Breville Sous Chef 16 Professional additionally has a mean 4.6-star score from over 2,600 critiques on Amazon.
Purchase the Breville Sous Chef 16 Professional:
6. Finest Blender and Meals Processor Combo: Vitamix A3500 SmartPrep Kitchen System
I really like my Vitamix blender, and for those who want a blender and a meals processor, the Vitamix A3500 SmartPrep Kitchen System is a winner. It’s an funding, however you’re getting the ability and reliability of a Vitamix, and two kitchen home equipment in a single. The set consists of the A3500 sequence base and motor, which is the blender I take advantage of, plus a 12-cup meals processor bowl and a 64-ounce blender jar. You’ll additionally get 4 slicing blades, which is greater than different choices on the checklist, that allow you to make every little thing from small shreds to thick slices.
As a result of the meals processor works from the identical base because the blender, you’ll get all the identical settings, like variable pace management and pulse, so you’ve extra management over consistency. All whereas saving on storage!
The Specs:
- Capability: 12 cups
- Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 17 inches
- Weight: 12 kilos
- Settings: Variable pace management, pulse
The Execs:
- Variable pace management
- Versatile and handy
- Consists of many slicing discs
The Cons:
What Others Are Saying:
The Spruce Eats named the Vitamix Meals Processor Attachment one of the best attachment, and Critical Eats calls it one of the best space-saving meals processor.
Purchase the Vitamix A3500 SmartPrep Kitchen System:
Different Meals Processors to Think about
KitchenAid 7-Cup Meals Processor
KitchenAid makes high-quality small home equipment, and this can be a nice meals processor. It has three-speed choices, and the equipment neatly stack inside for storage, which is a pleasant contact. In the end, it didn’t make the checklist as a result of the 7-cup capability could also be limiting for some, and it’s not fairly a mini meals processor, so it’s not compact sufficient for these on the lookout for a smaller possibility. The KitchenAid 7-Cup Meals Processor is on the market at Amazon for $55.71.
Black + Decker 8-Cup Meals Processor
When you’re solely utilizing your meals processor often, this budget-friendly meals processor may very well be a very good possibility for you. However for those who plan to make use of it frequently, I like to recommend investing somewhat extra in a single that can final you for a very long time. This one additionally tends to present uneven cuts, which is probably not a giant deal, nevertheless it relies upon what you’re utilizing it for. The Black + Decker 8-Cup Meals Processor is on the market at Amazon for $39.99.
GE 12-Cup Meals Processor
This GE 12-Cup Meals Processor has loads going for it. It consists of 4 slicing discs and stackable feeding tubes that allow you to modify the dimensions of the chute. Plus, it has a strong motor and a 12-cup capability that can work for many on a regular basis kitchen duties. It didn’t make my checklist of winners as a result of I’ve extra expertise with the opposite manufacturers and fashions, nevertheless it may very well be a very good possibility for dwelling cooks, particularly at this cheap worth. The GE 12-Cup Meals Processor is on the market at Amazon for $112.95.
Breville Sous Chef 12
A smaller model of the Sous Chef 16 Professional, the Breville Sous Chef 12 is an effective possibility. It has three chute sizes, a variable slicing disc, and a security cease function. Nevertheless, in my view, it doesn’t stand out amongst different fashions on this measurement vary. Plus, it’s pricier than similar-size choices with out a whole lot of further options to justify the upper value. The Breville Sous Chef 12 is on the market at Amazon for $251.10.
Why You Can Belief Me
I’m Gina, the creator and recipe developer behind Skinnytaste, which options my favourite wholesome, family-friendly recipes made with actual meals. I really like discovering methods to make cooking and meal prep simpler, and my Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor is a staple in my kitchen for rushing up my chopping and mixing duties.
In my a few years of recipe creation for Skinnytaste, I’ve used a number of different meals processors, so I do know what to search for and what to keep away from. When narrowing down the choices, I thought-about capability, general measurement, and model popularity. For meals processors that I haven’t tried myself, I relied on critiques from actual customers on Amazon and the outcomes from skilled product testers at main cooking publications.
Every little thing to Know Earlier than Shopping for a Meals Processor
What to Think about Earlier than Shopping for a Meals Processor
Meals processors serve the identical fundamental objective of mixing and chopping, however all of them have options that make them stand out from each other. Listed here are an important issues to think about when deciding which one is finest in your kitchen.
Capability: Meals processors include completely different bowl sizes. You need the bowl to be large enough to deal with all of your wants, however bigger isn’t at all times higher. When you go too huge, it won’t be capable to successfully course of smaller portions of meals because the blade can even be bigger. Most dwelling cooks ought to goal for a capability of round 9 to 14 cups for on a regular basis wants, and I like to make use of a mini 3-cup measurement for smaller duties.
Total measurement: Along with the capability, you’ll need to take into consideration general measurement, particularly for those who’re planning to maintain it in your countertop. Test the size of the meals processor you’re contemplating and be sure you’re snug with the area it takes up.
Settings: All meals processors have fundamental settings—usually on/off and pulse choices—however you might discover some with superior options like a dough-kneading blade. Think about your most typical cooking wants and slender down your decisions that approach. Typically, extra options imply a better value, so for those who don’t want all of the bells and whistles, you’ll be able to skip them in favor of a lower cost tag.
Equipment: Meals processors usually include various varieties of blades and a few even have completely different measurement bowls to accommodate different-size kitchen duties. Take into consideration what equipment you’ll have to make the kitchen equipment simplest for you, and select an possibility that covers these bases.
What’s a Meals Processor?
A meals processor is a flexible kitchen equipment that helps pace up meals prep and might make on a regular basis duties a lot simpler. Relying on the included blades, meals processors can chop, shred, slice, grind, and puree all varieties of meals.
Can You Use a Blender as a Meals Processor?
You need to use a blender rather than a meals processor for some kitchen duties, however you gained’t get the very same outcomes. Blenders are designed to liquefy substances, so that they’re finest for wetter recipes and liquid-based substances. Meals processors can shred and slice dry substances, which a blender can not do, and will also be used to puree. When you solely have a blender, make certain to make use of a pulse operate or manually pulse the machine to keep away from turning your substances into soup.
What Does a Meals Processor Do?
Meals processors chop, shred, slice, and grind various kinds of meals. For instance, they’ll shred carrots or recent cheese or rapidly chop onions. Some meals processors even have attachments that may knead dough, and so they can mix and puree meals, much like a blender.
Can You Grind Espresso Beans in a Meals Processor?
Sure, you’ll be able to grind espresso beans in a meals processor, however you might not get a constant grind such as you would with a devoted espresso grinder. Moreover, meals processors don’t allow you to management the dimensions of the grind, so it may be troublesome to get precisely what you need for a French press versus an computerized drip machine. When you do use a meals processor to grind your espresso beans, be sure you use the heart beat operate and verify on them each 3 to five seconds till you attain your required consequence. Simply observe that the espresso odor might linger.
The Finest Recipes for Meals Processors
Meals processors could be a useful kitchen device for thus many recipes. I take advantage of mine usually to rapidly chop greens, put together dressings and sauces, and make nut butters. Listed here are just a few of my go-to recipes, however you should use this versatile kitchen device for prep too:
Costs have been correct at time of publication.
