I take advantage of my meals processor on a weekly foundation to make all the things from do-it-yourself hummus to shortly chopping veggies for salads to making nut butters. I take into account it my sous chef within the kitchen! One of the best meals processors make simple work of a wide range of kitchen duties, and understand how essential it’s to decide on one which works constantly and reliably.
Whereas all meals processors provide the identical primary perform 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 that may work higher in your kitchen To slender down the listing, I thought-about capability, ease of storage, and sturdiness, in addition to my private expertise from utilizing others previously.
Beneath are one of the best meals processors that will help 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
- Greatest Price range: Hamilton Seashore 10-Cup Meals Processor – $44.97 at Amazon
- Greatest Primary: Ninja Skilled XL Meals Processor – $119 at Walmart
- Greatest Massive Capability: Breville Sous Chef 16 Professional – $374.99 at Amazon
- Greatest Blender and Meals Processor Combo: Vitamix A3500 SmartPrep Kitchen System – $899.95 at Amazon
Evaluations of The Greatest 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 clean 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 freshmen and no-fuss dwelling cooks. There’s a big feed tube that makes it simple so as to add elements, and it contains a normal slicing disc, a medium shredding disc, and a chrome steel chopping and mixing blade, so you should utilize 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 Professionals:
- Constant outcomes
- Massive feed chute to attenuate prep
- Smooth, stainless-steel design
The Cons:
- No velocity 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 evaluations on Amazon, with a median 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 best measurement for chopping greens or making dressing. It solely has two settings—chop and grind—so it’s fairly simple to make use of. The motor is much less highly effective than the full-size fashions, so this isn’t the only option for making nut butters or slicing by means of tougher meals, nevertheless it’s nice for primary 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 Professionals:
- 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 virtually 30,000 evaluations on Amazon with a 4.6-star score.
Purchase the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Meals Processor:
3. Greatest Price range: Hamilton Seashore 10-Cup Meals Processor
If you happen to don’t plan to make use of your meals processor every day like me, you may want a inexpensive possibility. This budget-friendly 10-cup meals processor from Hamilton Seashore does the trick for infrequent use. The motor isn’t as highly effective as some others, nevertheless it has an excellent 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 characteristic 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 wash the edges with a spatula.
Its rounded design does make it a bit bulkier than a number of the different sleeker fashions, however in case you 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 Professionals:
- Various velocity settings
- Constructed-in scraper attachment
- Price range-friendly worth
The Cons:
What Others Are Saying:
The Hamilton Seashore 10-Cup Meals Processor has a median 4.6-star score from greater than 40,000 evaluations on Amazon.
Purchase the Hamilton Seashore 10-Cup Meals Processor:
4. Greatest Primary: Ninja Skilled XL Meals Processor
Ninja makes nice user-friendly kitchen home equipment which might be glorious for freshmen or anybody who doesn’t need a variety 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 guide settings (low, excessive, and pulse). The additional-large feed chute means you may 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 guide settings (low, excessive, pulse)
The Professionals:
The Specs:
- Versatile settings
- Additional-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 evaluations on Amazon and a 4.7-star score.
Purchase the Ninja Skilled XL Meals Processor:
5. Greatest Massive Capability: Breville Sous Chef 16 Professional
In case you have an enormous household, in case you meal prep, or in case you often entertain, you could wish to take into account a larger-capacity meals processor that may make an enormous portion of do-it-yourself pesto directly.. Whereas this meals processor is a bit dear, it has a variety of helpful options. For starters, it has a beneficiant 16-cup capability and an especially highly effective motor that may reduce by means of 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 additional 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 Professionals:
- Massive 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 total, and Meals and Wine named it finest splurge. The Breville Sous Chef 16 Professional additionally has a median 4.6-star score from over 2,600 evaluations on Amazon.
Purchase the Breville Sous Chef 16 Professional:
6. Greatest Blender and Meals Processor Combo: Vitamix A3500 SmartPrep Kitchen System
I really like my Vitamix blender, and in case you 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 contains the A3500 collection 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 listing, that allow you to make all the things 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 velocity management and pulse, so you might have 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 velocity management, pulse
The Professionals:
- Variable velocity 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 Contemplate
KitchenAid 7-Cup Meals Processor
KitchenAid makes high-quality small home equipment, and it is 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 listing 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 in search of a smaller possibility. The KitchenAid 7-Cup Meals Processor is offered at Amazon for $55.71.
Black + Decker 8-Cup Meals Processor
If you happen to’re solely utilizing your meals processor often, this budget-friendly meals processor may very well be an excellent possibility for you. However in case you plan to make use of it often, I like to recommend investing somewhat extra in a single that can final you for a very long time. This one additionally tends to offer uneven cuts, which might not be an enormous deal, nevertheless it relies upon what you’re utilizing it for. The Black + Decker 8-Cup Meals Processor is offered at Amazon for $39.99.
GE 12-Cup Meals Processor
This GE 12-Cup Meals Processor has rather a lot going for it. It contains 4 slicing discs and stackable feeding tubes that allow you to alter the scale 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 listing of winners as a result of I’ve extra expertise with the opposite manufacturers and fashions, nevertheless it may very well be an excellent possibility for dwelling cooks, particularly at this affordable worth. The GE 12-Cup Meals Processor is offered 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 efficient possibility. It has three chute sizes, a variable slicing disc, and a security cease characteristic. Nevertheless, for my part, it doesn’t stand out amongst different fashions on this measurement vary. Plus, it’s pricier than similar-size choices with out a variety of additional options to justify the upper value. The Breville Sous Chef 12 is offered 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, total measurement, and model repute. For meals processors that I haven’t tried myself, I relied on evaluations from actual customers on Amazon and the outcomes from skilled product testers at main cooking publications.
Every thing to Know Earlier than Shopping for a Meals Processor
What to Contemplate Earlier than Shopping for a Meals Processor
Meals processors serve the identical primary function of mixing and chopping, however all of them have options that make them stand out from each other. Listed here are a very powerful issues to think about when deciding which one is finest in your kitchen.
Capability: Meals processors include totally different bowl sizes. You need the bowl to be large enough to deal with all of your wants, however bigger isn’t all the time higher. If you happen to go too large, it may not be capable of successfully course of smaller portions of meals for the reason that blade may 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.
General measurement: Along with the capability, you’ll wish to take into consideration total measurement, particularly in case you’re planning to maintain it in your countertop. Examine the scale of the meals processor you’re contemplating and be sure to’re comfy with the area it takes up.
Settings: All meals processors have primary settings—usually on/off and pulse choices—however you could discover some with superior options like a dough-kneading blade. Contemplate your commonest cooking wants and slender down your selections that method. Usually, extra options imply a better value, so in case you don’t want all of the bells and whistles, you may skip them in favor of a lower cost tag.
Equipment: Meals processors usually include various forms of blades and a few even have totally different measurement bowls to accommodate different-size kitchen duties. Take into consideration what equipment you’ll have to make the kitchen equipment only 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 velocity up meals prep and may make on a regular basis duties a lot simpler. Relying on the included blades, meals processors can chop, shred, slice, grind, and puree all forms of meals.
Can You Use a Blender as a Meals Processor?
You should utilize a blender rather than a meals processor for some kitchen duties, however you received’t get the very same outcomes. Blenders are designed to liquefy elements, in order that they’re finest for wetter recipes and liquid-based elements. Meals processors can shred and slice dry elements, which a blender can not do, and will also be used to puree. If you happen to solely have a blender, ensure to make use of a pulse perform or manually pulse the machine to keep away from turning your elements 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 shortly 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 may grind espresso beans in a meals processor, however you could not get a constant grind such as you would with a devoted espresso grinder. Moreover, meals processors don’t allow you to management the scale of the grind, so it may be troublesome to get precisely what you need for a French press versus an automated drip machine. If you happen to do use a meals processor to grind your espresso beans, be sure to use the heartbeat perform and verify on them each 3 to five seconds till you attain your required outcome. Simply notice that the espresso scent could linger.
The Greatest Recipes for Meals Processors
Meals processors generally is a useful kitchen software for therefore many recipes. I take advantage of mine typically to shortly chop greens, put together dressings and sauces, and make nut butters. Listed here are a couple of of my go-to recipes, however you should utilize this versatile kitchen software for prep too:
Costs have been correct at time of publication.