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CNN
17-07-2025
- General
- CNN
The best food processors for fast and easy kitchen prep, tested and reviewed
The best food processors we tested Best food processor: Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor DFP-14BCNY Best budget food processor: Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Food Processor If a recipe is your road map to the destination of a delicious meal, consider the best food processors shortcuts to getting there. Using one can seem like cheating — a motorized hack for chopping veggies, shredding cheese or pureeing dips — but don't feel guilty, because even the best blenders and kitchen knives can stop short of achieving the results you want sometimes. To invest in a food processor is to do yourself a major favor. From a high level, using a food processor should be as simple as inserting your ingredients and turning it on, but my testing of four popular units showed it's not really that easy. Does one pull off a certain task better than another, or are they all worth a spot on your counter? After running them through a series of identical trials and assessing the pros and cons of each design, two food processors cut through the competition. Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor This Cuisinart food processor keeps it simple, but don't confuse basic with bad. It's a kitchen workhorse that can handle a heavy load of shredding, slicing and pureeing over the long haul. Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Food Processor With Bowl Scraper Though it looked and felt cheaper than the other models in our testing pool — because it was — the Hamilton Beach food processor put forth solid results across our slate of recipes. It's a fine choice for those who won't need a food processor often but want one for when they do. I'm a product testing writer who gets his hands on the latest kitchen appliances pretty often, so I've seen some newer bells and whistles that impress me and others that make me wonder who thought this would be a good idea. The Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor goes the opposite direction, sticking to a tried-and-true design that hasn't changed in years, because it doesn't need to. While several of the other food processors I tested had different modes and power settings, the Cuisinart features just two buttons total. One turns it on; the other turns it off or initiates a single pulse. That's it. No worrying about what level is best for what task. Just feed your ingredients through the top, then go. Simplicity in use led to results of sublime quality. I ran four tests for this round of evaluations: chopping vegetables such as celery, shredding cheese, pureeing a fresh salsa and making peanut butter. The Cuisinart won every task except for the peanut butter, where it was runner-up to only my budget pick. I made restaurant-style salsa with each food processor, and the Cuisinart was best at achieving that smooth consistency you expect from your favorite Mexican joint. The celery it chopped was the most uniform of the group. The cheese was the most finely shredded. Both were done the fastest. Seriously, all you need is a few seconds and this thing will complete whatever you need prep-wise. At my house, it gets heavy use making pizza sauce. When I made peanut butter in the Cuisinart Custom, I was amazed at how rapidly it advanced through the stages of the process. The low blade excelled at preventing buildup. The peanuts clumped into a ball, then melted down into a creamy consistency that was mouthwatering. Powered by a 720-watt motor, which isn't as much juice as advertised on other models' spec sheets, the Cuisinart Custom still packed plenty of punch but didn't get as loud as the competition. Sure, its base is heavy at about 17 pounds, but with power and pace at just the right levels this is the kind of machine you park on your counter and never remove because it makes your life that much easier. A 14-cup capacity made the Cuisinart the largest bowl I tested too. That extra size came in handy with larger, messier jobs like salsa. While more compact options could be beneficial to users who plan to lean on their food processor for the convenience of casual and infrequent chopping, at least every part here — the bowl, pusher, blade and two discs — is dishwasher-safe, so you won't have to grind through a heavy-duty hand-wash. I especially liked the included spatula for scraping the sides of the bowl because it was easier to clean and operate than the built-in paddles. There's no storage for the blades you aren't currently using, but options exist on Amazon for less than $30. Though spending more than $300 at full price is no measly investment, Cuisinart backs your purchase with a full five-year warranty on the motor and a limited three-year warranty on the rest of the machine (the warranties on the rest of the food processors I tested ended at one year). And with performance and reliability far and away the best among the units I tested, you'll get your money's worth far longer than that. If yet another $300 appliance isn't what your kitchen needs right now, the Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Food Processor came through with shockingly adequate results across all my tests despite having a cheaper build than the rest of the food processors in the group. It's what I'd buy if I knew my food processor was going to be used sparingly, only being called on for the occasional recipe. The Hamilton Beach made the best peanut butter of the group: smooth, creamy and luxurious. Its flavorful salsa was also beloved by our testing panel, so much so that we ran out of chips with which to eat it. It could have done better shredding cheese, leaving behind a few small chunks above the disc that the feed tube never pushed through, but the results on that test were still better than buying pre-shredded cheese. At 10 cups, the bowl on the Hamilton Beach is smaller than my top pick, but not by much. If anything, that trade-off in capacity is a plus for portability. This unit lends itself more to moving from the counter to the closet and back again. While the Cuisinart felt like a countertop titan, the Hamilton Beach lacks the same might. It's light and borderline flimsy, powered by a 450-watt motor with a plastic dial for switching between two levels. You can look at that as a downside, or you can admit that it makes sense, considering you're getting a fine food processor for just $70. It comes with one blade and one disc, the latter of which is reversible for shredding or slicing. A three-pronged scraper fits over the center column and turns via a simple knob to remove buildup on the sides of the bowl. A food processor is meant to save time and simplify jobs in the kitchen, and the Hamilton Beach does that at a price that can't be beat. It's not a workhorse, but I doubt it'll let you down for those occasions when you do plug it in. To see how each food processor stacked up, I put them through identical tests and assessments, evaluating them according to the following criteria along the way. Performance Salsa: Using identical proportions, I made this Food Network restaurant-style salsa recipe in each food processor, then had a panel of CNN Underscored editors taste test each. We noted flavor and consistency. Chopping veggies: I sent several vegetables, including carrots and celery, through the feed tubes of each processor to see how effectively they chopped them down. Shredding cheese: A proper food processor can save time and effort when shredding cheese, so I put a hunk of cheddar into each unit to compare results. The best food processor produced uniform shreds and didn't leave behind any chunks. Peanut butter: Making peanut butter from scratch is actually quite easy, but using the same ingredients in each processor yielded varying results. I assessed the smoothness of each model's PB. Design and specs Bowl capacity: Being able to fit several ingredients in your food processor's bowl is essential if you want convenience to remain a signature reason you deploy this appliance. I noted any instances during testing in which the bowl of a particular unit seemed too small (salsa overflowing, for example) or too large (bothersome to hold and remove food). Attachments and blades: I compared the included attachments and blades for how effective they were in processing different foods and for how comprehensive they were as an arsenal as a whole. Did it feel as if an extra attachment were missing? Were there so many pieces that deciding on which to use felt like overkill? Feed tube: Every food processor had a chute atop the unit for safely inserting food to be processed. I assessed the design and use of each mechanism, identifying any frustrating snags or safety features that made the feed tube stand out. Power: A strong and reliable motor within a food processor is what makes this kitchen upgrade worth it, so I evaluated the force behind each motor, which was usually measured in watts. It was apparent which machines packed more punch than the competition. Noise: Being too loud is absolutely grounds for disliking an appliance, as the annoyance can limit where and when you can use it, so I kept the noise level in mind as I tracked performance. Overall build: How heavy is the food processor? Does its heft make it hard to move around your counters and cabinets? Does it seem durable? Getting hands-on with all of these products gave me a feel for how they'd hold up over the long haul. Care and maintenance Cleaning: Food processors can get cruddy and crumby, so I appreciated when parts were easily removable and dishwasher-safe. Storage and organization: Did all of the parts fit into the bowl when not in use? Was there a storage option available to purchase or included in the box? A food processor's blades are sharp, so it's important to be able to safely manage them. Value Features: Food processors are fairly simple machines, and because of that, most of my evaluations hinged on their design and performance in the recipes I tested. But any special features that made a tangible difference were weighed as well. Price: How often you use your food processor determines what price point is worthwhile for you. That said, I looked at the range of prices in my testing pool and the performance of each model to ensure any recommendations merited their cost. Warranty: The extent and duration of each food processor's warranty were considered in total value. Use cases will guide your choice If you're reading this, you're probably seriously considering buying a food processor. Why? Your answer will be the biggest contributor to which model will work best for you. For example, are you buying one because you're sick of having to delicately chop every vegetable you need in a recipe? If that's the case, I'm not sure splurging on a top pick is a must for you. But if you're planning on making big batches of soups and dips that could splash around in smaller machines, you're going to want to get something big and powerful like my top pick from Cuisinart. If you're not sure of your answer, that's OK too. Versatility, then, is something you'll need to prioritize. Luckily, all of the food processors I tested can handle more than one job. I'd take a look at each model's section in this guide to see where they shine that aligns most closely with your kitchen needs. How key is capacity? The size of your food processor will open up more possibilities. With the 14-cup Cuisinart in my kitchen, I know I'm prepared the next time I want to make salsa or hummus for a party. But the machine is so big that it can't stay out permanently because my counter space comes at a serious premium. Conversely, if you live alone or rarely prepare food for more than a few people, you can get away with a smaller food processor, so long as it still has the power to do the job. Ninja Professional XL 12-Cup Food Processor Though I preferred the simpler controls on the winning models, this Ninja food processor lets you dial in on exact settings if you want. The included storage container (if it's in stock) is clutch for organization and safety. If you don't want to spend the money for the Cuisinart but feel you need more than what my budget pick from Hamilton Beach offers, the Ninja Professional XL 12-Cup Food Processor can handle most jobs. It didn't lead to the same results as I got with my top pick, but it was a capable machine for a fair price. Notably, its interface and controls are far more robust than the Cuisinart's basic on/off function. Powered by a 1,200-watt motor, the Ninja handled my salsa test with ease, though its batch wasn't a favorite among our taste tests. Feeding celery and cheese through its feed tube was also a smooth experience, as it has three nesting sizes suitable for different foods. Its peanut butter was not bad but also not nearly as smooth as what the Hamilton Beach extracted. I used the high setting for that task and didn't love that it automatically shut off after a minute. I had to reengage it three times to reach my desired consistency. The complications during my PB test were likely the result of Ninja's Auto-iQ programming, designed to turn off once the food is done. Using one of four settings — chop, dough, puree, disc — on high or low is supposed to 'remove guesswork with the touch of a button,' according to the brand. For me, it took several touches of that button. Your experience may vary, and this approach could be desirable for anyone intimidated by the far simpler controls on the winning Cuisinart. The Ninja I tested also came with a smaller 4.5-inch nesting bowl for smaller jobs, plus a lidded storage box for any blades you weren't using. It was a great addition, though it added to an already large footprint and was subject to availability. As of this writing, it was out of stock at Ninja and marked up significantly at Amazon. NutriBullet Ultra Plus+ Compact Kitchen System Shoppers short on counter space might appreciate the 3-in-1 aspect of this food processor that moonlights as a personal blender and a grinder … or is it the other way around? It's not a good sign that I can't tell which is the primary function of the trio. I knew the limitations of the NutriBullet Ultra Plus+ Compact Kitchen System when I considered it for this test, but I included it anyway because I thought the extra features would give it a boost in my rankings. In a way that happened, because its small size and versatility proved to be unique among the group. While it is a mini 2-cup food processor, the box includes the blades and bowls to also be a fully functioning personal blender and coffee/spice grinder. The food processing of the Ultra Plus+ delivered mixed results. Our testing panel actually loved the salsa it produced, though I couldn't fit the entire recipe in the bowl, and the portion that did fit overflowed while the machine was on. It fared OK in chopping celery, leading to mostly uniform sizing, but left a large hunk of cheese unshredded above the disc. It couldn't make peanut butter at all, automatically stalling out with clumps of peanut stuck below the reach of the blade. Most frustrating was the disassembly required for cleaning. The bowl and its handle are two parts that are supposed to come apart (and they must, since food and liquid fit between them), yet it took minutes of struggling to split them up almost every time. These issues were understandable because I expected to sacrifice some top-notch performance to gain the ability to grind coffee or make a smoothie. But as someone who uses a burr grinder every morning at home, this bladed grinder simply didn't cut it. It made a guessing game out of grind size; when I wanted a coarse grind, the results were inconsistent and included a lot of finely ground coffee. This NutriBullet, to borrow an overused term, is a jack-of-all-trades but master of none. It may only have utility for you if you don't need a specific grind size for your coffee or want all three appliances but lack the space to accommodate separate machines. The following questions were answered by the writer of this guide, CNN Underscored associate testing writer Joe Bloss. How is a food processor different from a blender? How is a food processor different from a blender? A food processor grants you far more control over what you put into it, allowing for precise chopping, slicing and shredding of things that would otherwise be turned to goop in a blender. This is because the blades in a blender typically move with more power than a food processor. Though the two can be used interchangeably for some tasks, anything with liquids is often better suited for a blender than a food processor. How do I use a food processor? How do I use a food processor? There are two main methods of using a food processor. One is adding all your ingredients to the bowl and combining them, just as I did with salsa and peanut butter during my testing, or you can use it as a tool to chop, slice and shred ingredients piece by piece through the top feed tube. Before that, make sure the blade is inserted and the lid is properly attached, then turn it on. Engaging the motor can typically be done in pulses or in a steady setting. What size food processor do I need? What size food processor do I need? It all depends on your expected uses. The 14-cup capacity of the bowl on my top pick from Cuisinart was plenty big enough for most, including those prepping meals for a group, while the 2-cup bowl on the NutriBullet was far too small. The 10-cup capacity of my budget pick from Hamilton Beach felt like the appropriate middle ground. CNN Underscored editors thoroughly test nearly all the products we cover and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have an experienced team of writers and editors with several years of testing experience who ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when it makes sense to ensure we are testing each product accurately and speaking about the pros and cons of each item. For this guide, associate testing writer Joe Bloss assembled a group of food processors from leading kitchen appliance brands to see which are truly worth your money. Bloss has years of experience testing products for CNN Underscored, including kitchen mainstays such as slot toasters and French press coffee makers.
The Guardian
15-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Georgina Hayden's recipe for red curry chicken and courgette burgers
I present to you my new favourite summer burger, which has been on our menu at home ever since its arrival in my kitchen. It's one of those recipes where the ease is almost embarrassing. How can something so delicious be so straightforward? The burgers themselves are a simple food processor job; if you don't have one, use chicken mince and make sure you really mix in the curry paste and courgette by hand. The accompaniments are also key: the lime-pickled shallots, the abundance of herbs and the creaminess of the mayo all work so well together. Turn up to a barbecue with a tray of these and I guarantee you'll be dishing out the recipe in no time. Prep 10 min Cook 30 min Makes 4 3 shallots, peeled and finely slicedSea salt and black pepper2 limes500g skinless and boneless chicken thighs1 courgette (about 250g), trimmed and coarsely grated2 tbsp red Thai curry paste 4 burger buns 4 tsp chilli jam 4 tbsp mayonnaise, to serve½ 25g bunch each fresh coriander and mint, leaves picked Put the sliced shallots in a small bowl and season with a good pinch of sea salt. Squeeze over the juice of one and a half limes, toss and set aside to pickle. Roughly chop the chicken thighs and put them in a food processor with the grated courgette and a third of the lime-dressed shallots. Blitz until the chicken is minced, then add the curry paste, season well and blitz again until smooth. Wet your hands and shape the mixture into four even-sized balls (if you are preparing them in advance, cover and store in the fridge. When you're ready to cook, light the barbecue or put a griddle pan on a high heat. Smash the burgers either before you put them on the barbecue/griddle, or directly in the pan/on the grill, then cook for about five minutes on each side, until cooked all the way through. Meanwhile, cut the buns in half horizontally and toast for a minute on the cut side only. When the burgers are ready, baste each one with a teaspoon of chilli jam, so they're sticky and glossy on the outside, then cook for a minute more. Spoon mayonnaise on the cut side of the bottoms of the buns, top with the cooked burgers, then finish with the picked herbs and the remaining lime-dressed shallots. Top with the bun lids and tuck in.
Gizmodo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
Why Buy 6 Appliances When This Ninja Blender Does It All, Feels Practically Free on Prime Day
No one wants to have to fill their kitchen with multiple appliances if they don't have to. That's why it's so easy when you get appliances that can do a variety of things at once. They have a much smaller footprint and they can help you get through the day faster because of it. And if you're ready to take the plunge with one, namely a blender and food processor that you can get a lot done with, now's the time to invest. Head to Amazon to get the Ninja Blender & Food Processor Combo for just $160, down from its usual price of $200. That's a discount of 20%, and it's a limited time Prime deal, which means you're going to have to act fast. See at Amazon This combo Ninja blender and food processor is here to help you make whatever dish you need. It's powered by a 1600‑watt motor, so that means it won't stall even when you assign it tough jobs like ice crushing or dough mixing. You can swap between making smoothies, shredding veggies, slicing cheese, or making dough with just a twist of the lid and blade change. You also get a smoothie‑bowl maker for thick, spoonable blends and a nutrient‑extraction cup for thinner, drinkable smoothies. Plus, the 72‑ounce glass pitcher that comes with it is big enough for serving families, too. You can make a batch big enough that no one has to feel left out. It couldn't be easier to set up and put it to work, either. Just press one of the presets and the machine handles timing and pulsing for you. And cleanup is a breeze thanks to dishwasher‑safe parts, including the pitcher, lids, and blades. It's super simple to break it down and get everything ready to go again for when you need it. And it doesn't even take long to clean if you have to manually clean it. If you've wanted a single tool that handles both chunky prep and silky blends, this Ninja system is what you're looking for and then some. It's under $160 right now, which is a good reason to go ahead and snag yours, too. Whether you're meal‑prepping, entertaining, or just getting more serious about cooking from scratch, this blender/processor combo is everything you need and then some. Just make sure you get it during the parade of Prime Day deals that are coming through at the moment. See at Amazon
Gizmodo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
Breville Paradice 9 Review: This Food Processor Completely Changed How I Cook
2025 I have a confession: while I love cooking, I hate prepping ingredients. I know, knife skills are an important thing for any home chef to possess, and I do work on it. But the truth is I'm slow, my cuts aren't super consistent, and I find it really tedious. In short, food processors are made for people like me, but while I've used them at my mom's and other people's places, I've never owned one myself, largely because I didn't think I could find a place for it in my small kitchen. The Breville Paradice 9 changed all of that, and now I can never go back. See Breville Paradice 9 at Best Buy The Paradice 9 is a high-end, 9-cup food processor, with a price to match, coming in at $400. It boasts a 625-watt motor, and it comes with a range of accessories that all tuck neatly into a caddy that lives inside the main bowl, which keeps things organized and saves drawer space. The whole thing measures 17.5 x 7.7 x 11.8 inches and weighs just over 15 pounds. It's actually the exact same machine as Breville's Sous Chef 9 ($350), with the only difference being that the Paradice comes with a dicing accessory, which is otherwise $80 sold separately. Breville Paradice 9 The Breville Paradice 9 is the kind of kitchen gadget you don't know you need until you use it and can never go back to manually prepping ingredients. See at Best Buy Pros Powerful and sharp for quick, clean cuts Powerful and sharp for quick, clean cuts Dicing kit works very well and saves time Dicing kit works very well and saves time Solidly built and good-looking Solidly built and good-looking Compact size for apartment kitchens Cons More dicing sizes would be nice More dicing sizes would be nice Slicing kit sometimes leaves odds and ends stuck or slices unevenly Slicing kit sometimes leaves odds and ends stuck or slices unevenly Pricey compared to competitors Of course, it has all of the standard food processor attachments, too. There's an ultra-sharp S-blade for mincing, grinding, and pulverizing. It has a grating disc that's coarse on one side and fine on the other. The Paradice 9 has a plastic blade specifically for mixing dough, and it has a sturdy, adjustable slicing disc that allows you to make even slices from translucent 0.3mm up to 5mm thick (there's a storage position so you don't accidentally slice your fingertips off while cleaning it). All of these accessories, as well as the spindle they attach to, are color-coded and lock securely into their own little cubbies inside the clear storage caddy, which keeps everything organized and accessible. When you want to use it, you just pull the caddy out of the bowl, select the attachment you need, and you're off to the races. Of course, there's also the dicing kit. Some impressive engineering went into this thing. It has its own lower-gear spindle, which allows it to generate more torque. Above it sits a disc with a grid of 12mm squares, and a sharp blade locks in on top of that. Basically, the blade is dual-action. It forces the food down into the grid, and then it comes back around to slice it off into little cubes. Once you're done, you use a cleaning tool that quickly presses the last bit of food out of the grid, and you're done. The dicing kit has its own holder, which comes attached to the accessory caddy, but it adds a fair amount of bulk to the Paradice 9 when it's just sitting on your counter, so I opted to separate the dicing kit's caddy and keep it in a drawer, which reduces the footprint, makes it look better, and cuts two inches off its height. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the feed chute. Coming in at 4.7 inches across, it's very wide for a food processor this size. That means you have to do less cutting ahead of time because larger fruits and vegetables are more likely to fit. Just cut an onion in half, take off the paper, and it's good to go. It also has a narrower insert, which will give you more stability if you're feeding in something like carrots or celery. The plunger very cleverly doubles as a measuring cup—a nice bonus. The controls for the processor are very straightforward. There's just a power button, a start/stop button, and a pulse button. The pulse works extremely well, starting up the instant you hit it and stopping quickly as soon as you let go, which gives you a lot of control. It's also worth noting that the Paradice 9 is the little brother to the Paradice 16 ($700), which is an absolute beast of a machine with a 1,450-watt motor, a 16-cup bowl, and two additional grid sizes for dicing. If you're regularly cooking for a large family and you have the space, it might be worth the upgrade, but it requires a lot more counter space and more storage for the accessories (which don't store internally). Living in an apartment with a modestly sized kitchen, though, the Paradice 9 is the perfect size for me, and if I'm making something larger, I can just empty the bowl a little more frequently. The first thing I did was slice an apple. I cut the core out, set the slicing blade first to 0.3mm, and then 3mm, and within seconds, my apples were sliced. Cuts were even and very clean, so there was virtually no juice lost. A bit of apple got stuck on top of the slicer, usually a chunk of peel, which left it unprocessed, and I got the occasional paper-thin slice, which was likely due to my not pushing down firmly enough, but generally it was pretty perfect. I tried the slicing disc again with green and yellow zucchini, set to 4mm. It took less than 60 seconds to process all four squashes, and they were almost all perfect circles. I coated them with some oil and rosemary salt, then placed them in a spiral in a Victoria SignatureSoft cast-iron pan and baked them, and it ended up being one of the most photogenic dishes I've ever cooked. If I'd been trying to do that by hand, they would have been very uneven. This felt like a huge win. The next test was the main reason I wanted to try this thing. I've been making this shaved fennel-apple-dill salad for the last year, and I love it, but it takes forever to make. With the Paradice 9, it took me just a handful of minutes. I ran the fennel hearts and stalks through the slicing disc, nice and thin, then tossed them into my serving bowl. I grated the apples on the coarse side of the disc grater, then added them to the fennel. Afterward, I switched to the S-blade and minced the cilantro, mint, serrano peppers, and dill. Tossed that in with some toasted almond slivers, added some lemon juice and olive oil, and it was done and delicious. I might tweak the thickness of this and that next time, but I was eating the salad for a week, and it took minimal time and effort. See Breville Paradice 9 at Best Buy Next, I tried the Paradice 9 on nut butter. My aunt and uncle had gifted me a two-pound bag of pistachios, which would take me a year to go through, so I decided to sacrifice 8 ounces of them for an experiment (even though they were already salted and roasted, which isn't ideal). I spent an hour shelling them, blanching them to try and get their skins off, and then drying them in the oven. Then I just tossed them into the Paradice 9 with the S-blade and let it rip. It quickly turned the nuts into a consistency of sand, then flour. I added just a teaspoon of avocado oil into the chute, and seconds later, the dry mixture transformed itself into a beautiful, shiny nut butter that was absolutely delicious. I was impressed with how consistent the S-blade is, as I have yet to find a single chunk. For another big test of multiple attachments, I decided to make a veggie soup. I started out with a traditional mirepoix of a couple of carrots, a few stalks of celery, and an onion. I ran them through the dicer one at a time, and the whole mirepoix was done in less than 45 seconds. Not only that, the little cubes were gorgeous—super consistent with very clean edges. It probably would have taken me 15 minutes to do that by hand, and with inferior results. While that got cooking, I used the S-blade to quickly mince a few cloves of garlic, then used the slicing disc set to 5mm to make short work of a few zucchinis. It was the best-tasting (and prettiest) soup I've ever made. I also wanted to try the dough attachment, so I took a stab at making naan. Now, I fully confess, I'm not a bread maker. Despite watching every episode of The Great British Bake Off, I've never tried it myself, so it's entirely possible that some of this was user error, but the Paradice 9 struggled here. It mixed the dry ingredients fine, but once I started adding the liquids, things got a bit gummy. It separated into one huge dough ball and then a bunch of little dough bits, and then the motor just stopped. So I followed America's Test Kitchen's advice and switched to the sharp metal S-blade (they recommend that for all food processors). It helped things come together a bit more, but still, after a bit, the motor locked up and it refused to restart. The dough had mostly come together by this point, but it still tore a bit too easily and didn't stretch as much as I wanted. I fried the naan in a Victoria skillet, though, and it still turned out very tasty. I really wanted to put the dicer through its paces, so for my final test, I went with carnival squash and purple sweet potato. I'd never made carnival squash before, so I didn't know that the skin is pretty tough and not great to eat, but that didn't stop the dicer. It tore right through all of them and made a nice, even hash. I was worried the raw, purple sweet potatoes would be too fibrous, but nope! I just tossed the little cubes with a tablespoon of oil and some herbed salt and put them in the oven—and they were perfect. After each of these tests, I found that cleaning was extremely fast and easy. Usually, I could just use the sprayer in my kitchen sink to knock the bits of food out, put the pieces up to dry, and that was it. That said, almost all of the accessories (except for the dicing set) are dishwasher safe, and they all came through a hot wash unscathed. Of course, I'd be remiss not to mention the 800-pound gorilla of the food-processor world—Cuisinart. Cuisinart makes very high-quality food processors that seem to last forever (I think my mom's is roughly 30 years old and still going strong), and they're a lot cheaper, too. Its most famous workhorse is the Custom Cup 14 ($250), but the closest competitor to the Paradice 9 would be the Custom Cup 10 ($180). It has a similar footprint, and it's less than half the price, though it has a weaker motor, and the dicing kit would be an additional purpose. I've also been told by friends who own Custom Cup 10 that it doesn't dice very well. Still, if you're not going to be using a food processor that much, it might make sense to spend less. So, what's the ultimate verdict here? I absolutely love the Paradice 9. I wish you could get the additional grid sizes for the dicer that come with the Paradice 16, because 12mm is just a little smaller than I'd like for home fries, but that aside, it's great. Dicer attachments for food processors are notoriously lousy, but this one works wonderfully, and the powerful motor made quick work of everything I threw at it. The Paradice 9 also looks good on my counter, doesn't take up too much space (thanks to the caddy system), and has a ton of thoughtful details in there. It's not cheap, but its size and features make the Paradice 9 the best food processor you can get for an apartment-sized kitchen. See Breville Paradice 9 at Best Buy
Forbes
09-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
The 5 Best Food Processors That Slice, Dice And Pulverize With Ease
A food processor is among the most versatile kitchen appliances, capable of puréeing, grating, chopping, slicing and mixing everything from nuts and seeds to tender herbs. A sturdy design and high motor power are essential—but so are well-designed discs and attachments, simple controls and easy-to-clean parts. Out of the very best food processors, the one we recommend first is the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor, a powerful pick with just two intuitive settings. Some of the best food processors come from Cuisinart, Magimix and Breville. Whether you're whipping up homemade hummus or making carrot cake for the first time, the right processor can significantly increase your confidence and efficiency in the kitchen. 'They make trying new foods and dishes much more approachable,' says Jey Kempin, a chef-instructor at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. And even if you don't have ambitious plans, a reliable model can reduce the amount of time you spend on routine chopping tasks: 'It can cut the time used to prep ingredients in half,' Kempin adds. When deciding between models, you want to keep a few factors in mind: the size of your household, the amount of storage space you're willing to spare and the frequency with which you can see yourself using the machine. From a petite, under-$50 option to a professional-grade pick you might find in a restaurant kitchen, here are the best food processors to help you tackle daily prep work and project recipes alike. Amazon Capacity: 14 cups | Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.8 x 15 inches | Motor power: 720 watts | Included pieces: Work bowl, work bowl cover with feeding tube, small feeding tube and pusher, slicing disc, medium shredding disc, chopping/mixing blade Best for: Skip if: Cuisinart has been the gold standard of food processors for over half a century now—and with this machine, it's easy to see why. Powered by a 720-watt motor, this model can effortlessly break down everything from dense nuts and beets to soft cheeses and delicate herbs. 'It grinds tougher foods with no issue,' says Kempin, who recommends this model for home cooks. Its 14-cup capacity is also plenty big for almost all recipes, providing ample space to blitz enough salsa to feed a party, shred zucchini for bread or mix together a standard batch of pastry dough. Beyond its sheer power and size, the Custom's design makes it a dream to use. First, it has just two paddle controls—'on' and 'off/pulse'—the latter of which 'allows for more control over the final product's texture,' says Kempin. We also appreciate its extra-large feed tube, which obviates the need to chop all your ingredients into smaller parts, saving you time in the kitchen. Lastly, this food processor comes with a handful of versatile attachments—and not a ton of extra pieces that will never see the light of day. Alongside the BPA-free work bowl and brushed stainless steel base, it includes a 4-millimeter stainless steel slicing disc, a medium shredding disc and a blade for dough and other mixing tasks, all of which rinse off easily with a little soap and water. Just note that this model is relatively heavy, weighing in at 18 pounds, so it's best stored on lower shelves. Its large capacity also makes it bulky, so this may not be a great pick for smaller or storage-strapped kitchens. Walmart Capacity: 8 cups | Dimensions: 7.6 x 9.6 x 15.2 inches | Power: 350 watts | Included pieces: Work bowl, two reversible shredding and slicing discs (one medium, one fine) Best for: Skip if: If you're seeking a more wallet-friendly option, we also like this model from Cuisinart's Elemental line, which you can often find for less than $100. While the design is a little less premium (the base is made from plastic, for example, and the feed tube isn't quite as wide as the 14-cup above), it's still an absolute powerhouse. While its 8-cup capacity is also still large enough for the average recipe, the machine takes up less storage space than our top pick. While this food processor—which comes with both a fine and medium reversible shredding and slicing discs—can tackle most basic tasks with ease, its chopping and dicing capabilities aren't quite as precise as with higher-end picks. In the two years that I've owned and used this model, though, I haven't once been disappointed by its performance; while I most often reach for it to make roasted tomato salsas and romesco sauce in the summer, I've also used it to pulverize pesto ingredients and vegetables for soup. Additionally, the four controls (low, high, pulse and off) are very straightforward, and the work bowl locks securely into the base. Notably, for those who hate hand-washing the dishes, all the removable parts are dishwasher safe. Amazon Capacity: 12 cups | Dimensions: 8.5 x 7.5 x 17 inches | Power: 1,000 watts | Included pieces: Slicing blade, dough blade, slicing disc, grating disc Best for: Skip if: As the most powerful model on this list, the Breville Sous Chef 12 is made for those who know their way around a kitchen and want a food processor they can really put to work. What really makes it stand out, though, is its design: The largest feed chute is extra wide, measuring 5 inches across, and there are two additional chutes in different sizes for smaller ingredients. It also comes a slicing blade, dough blade, grating disc and variable slicing disc, the last of which has a whopping 24 thickness settings. When you're ready to use the machine, which requires all parts to be securely locked in place, power on the machine and choose between 'start' and 'pulse.' As it blends—even tougher ingredients like nuts and potatoes—its induction motor makes little noise, compared to most other models. And if the motor ever starts to work a little too hard and overheat, the machine has an overload protection system to prevent possible damage. Just keep in mind that the Sous Chef 12 does require a decent amount of storage space. While it has a smaller capacity than the Cuisinart Custom, it's nearly the same size and weighs almost as much (it clocks in at 16 pounds), meaning it's ideal for those who have spacious lower cabinets or shelves to store it. Amazon Capacity: 14 cups | Dimensions: 10 x 8.3 x 16.8 inches | Power: 950 watts | Included pieces: Three bowls (6-, 12- and 14-cup versions), two metal blades, two grating discs (fine and medium), two slicing discs (fine and medium), dough blade, blender attachment, egg whisk, spatula, storage box Best for: Skip if: 'A quality, high-powered food processor can be found in every commercial kitchen, and usually, it is a Robot-Coupe,' says Kempin. After all, the French brand invented the device in the 1970s. While you can buy a commercial-grade Robot-Coupe, for most home cooks, we'd instead recommend this model from the company's consumer line. The model is relatively straightforward to use, despite its suitability for more technical tasks: There are only three buttons, which keep the machine running ("auto"), enable shorter, controlled bursts ("pulse") and power it off. It's more than capable of slicing through large volumes of dense ingredients, thanks to it 950-watt motor that generates little noise as it runs, and beyond that, is paired with tons of discs and accessories that increase its overall versatility and justify the higher price. To start, there are three work bowls (6-cup, 12-cup and 14-cup versions) to pick from, depending on the size of your task. And then, there are the accessories: A handful of relatively standard ones (like two metal metal blades, two grating discs and two slicing discs) plus a few nontraditional ones (such as a dough blade, blender attachment, egg whisk and spatula). If that sounds like a lot to keep track of, it is—but the machine also comes with a handy storage box to keep everything organized and in the same place. Amazon Capacity: 3 cups | Dimensions: 5 x 7 x 9.3 inches | Power: 250 watts | Included pieces: Stainless steel auto-reversing blade, spatula Best for: Skip if: While the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus can't whip up extra-large batches of hummus or pesto, it can still help speed up tedious prep, and packs away into tighter kitchens with ease. Featuring a 3-cup capacity, this compact pick has two simple buttons: 'chop,' which breaks down ingredients into smaller pieces, and 'grind,' which further pulverizes blends into smooth dips and sauces. And though it doesn't come with additional discs, meaning it's not ideal for precise grating or shredding, the stainless steel auto-reversing blade is sharp enough to fly through everything from almonds to onions. Since receiving this food processor as a gift over a year ago, editorial assistant Whitney Bruno has 'started to use this for just about everything,' she wrote in an ode to the Mini-Prep Plus. 'I no longer sweat over the estimated meal prep times on recipe websites and in cookbooks—I know I can count on the Mini-Prep to chop everything from herbs to carrots without wasting anytime.' This model is a favorite of Kempin's, too: 'I have had mine for over 12 years, and it is still going strong,' they say, adding that it comes in handy 'for quick sauces and fast meals at home.' Forbes Vetted's home and kitchen team brings extensive experience testing, researching and reviewing kitchen essentials. We've published countless expert-informed roundups on staples including espresso machines, knife sets and wooden cutting boards. To determine the best food processors for all kinds of home cooks, we compared features from top-rated models and tapped the expertise of a culinary-school instructor. Whether you're thinking of swapping out your lagging food processor for a newer, higher-quality model, or you're investing in your very first one, here are the factors to keep front of mind as you shop. With all kitchen tools, we typically suggest prioritizing models from trusted brands—and that guidance holds true for food processors. For decades, Cuisinart has been a name synonymous with food processors, and the high quality of their models is reflected on this list. Other top-performing models come from Breville, which makes some of our favorite kitchen products (including the best espresso machine and air fryer toaster oven), and Magimix by Robot-Coupe, which invented the first domestic food processor in the 1970s. Food processors come in a range of capacities, from compact 3-cup versions to spacious 16-cup models. Not sure what size makes sense for your household? 'Think about the number of people you will be preparing food for—are you a single person, a family of five or do you host large dinner parties on a regular basis?' advises Kempin. They prefer models with 8- to 10-cup capacities, but frequent entertainers might benefit from a larger pick. 'Also, think about the space that is available in the kitchen,' adds Kempin. The higher the capacity, generally speaking, the more room the model requires. If you have little storage space to spare, consider a miniature model like the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor. While it's limited to smaller jobs due to its petite capacity, it can still blitz everything from nuts to onions with relative ease. Most food processors come with a standard stainless steel blade to blitz ingredients, as well as additional discs for shredding and slicing. While the main blade can handle most tasks, specialized discs can increase the overall versatility of the machine. In particular, Kepmin likes the grating disc: 'Not only is this helpful with cheeses, but you can grate vegetables like cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cucumbers.' Just keep in mind that the discs require extra storage space, so if you don't foresee yourself using most of them, don't splurge on a model that comes with a higher price tag that's partly due to the number of attachments. It's also worth noting that, with some machines, you can purchase additional discs separately. Food processors with 12- to 14-cup capacities typically cost anywhere from $100 to $500. In general, the larger the capacity and the stronger the motor, the higher the price. If you're struggling to determine how much to spend, consider how frequently you plan on using the machine and how much food you typically prepare at once. For example, if you only like to make small batches of almond butter on occasion, you don't need a premium model like the Magimix. But for those who foresee themselves using a food processor for large tasks a regular basis, the upgrade might be worth it.
