If you
are tired of hand preparing all of your foods, slicing and chopping
vegetables, grinding up seeds and nuts, hand shredding and grating
cheeses, or mixing dough, then you’ve likely considered a food
processor. With these machines, you can save yourselves many hours of
cooking time and worry in the kitchen.
What better way to enhance your cooking experience than with a quality food processor? But if you aren’t sure which food processor to buy, the options on the market can be quite daunting.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the top 5 food processors currently on the market.
And with this handy guide, you will better be able to determine which
food processor is the best and right fit for you. While you have many
options to choose from, we’ve narrowed it down for you to help find that
perfect machine to aid your cooking!
Table of Contents [hide]
- How Do We Rate Food Processors?
- 1. Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor
- 2. Braun K650 Multiquick
- 3. KitchenAid KFP1333OB 13-Cup Food Processor with ExactSlice
- 4. Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor
- 5. BLACK+DECKER FP6010 Performance Dicing Food Processor
- What about the Cheapies?
- 1. Hamilton Beach 70740 8-Cup Food Processor
- 2. Ninja Express Chop (NJ110GR)
- 3. BLACK+DECKER FP1600B 8-Cup Food Processor
- Other Considerations
How Do We Rate Food Processors?
So, when
it comes to determining which is the best food processors on the market
in 2017, how do we go about it? In measuring the best food processors
we use a set of five criteria.
- We look at the overall features offered by the manufacturer relative to how expensive the machine is.
- We survey and review customer ratings on a variety of platforms in order to determine the greatest customer experience.
- We consider to what degree consumers report problems with their machines relative to the severity of those problems.
- We consider how durable the machines are and to what degree the manufacturer’s warranties provide for the longevity of the machine.
- We consider any value-added bonuses offered by the manufacturer relative to other bonuses from other producers.
1. Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor
With an MSRP of $199, the Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor is by far the best processor on the market for the price. Both #3 and #4 on our list will cost you significantly more, but cannot compete with the overall performance of this model.
Cuisinart is an established company known for its quality products and
this model demonstrates why they have such a tremendous reputation. For
reputation among users, performance, and price, the DFP-14BCNY outshines
all its competitors on the market today.
At the
heart of this model is a powerful 720-watt motor. That’s powerful enough
to cut through even the densest and thickest of foods. There should be
no doubt that this motor can handle even the toughest foods that you
might put in it. This motor is a little over half the power of the #4 Breville model on our list (which is the most powerful we reviewed).
However, even though the Breville is much more powerful, you will
hardly notice the difference. Both machines tear through food with ease.
Cuisinart
has also equipped this model with an extra large feed tube. This is
large enough to fit many whole foods like apples and oranges and bunches
of longer foods like celery without any trouble whatsoever. It is nice
to know that you will not have to do much prep work chopping up food in
order to just use the food processor. All the food processors on
our list are capable of handling large foods, so you can be sure
whichever model you’re looking at, you will be able to process whole
foods.
The capacity of the bowl is also large enough at 14 cups to handle larger sizes of foods at one given time. The only model larger than this is the 16 cup bowl that comes with the #4 Breville model.
There is no need to piece meal out your food preparation. With a large
feed tube and the large bowl you’ll be able to handle everything at
once.
The DFP-14BCNY Comes with 3 separate discs for three separate purposes. You get a slicing disc, a chopping blade, and a shredding disc.
This will allow you to prepare all the different varieties of foods you
want. there is no need to use a different machine, you have the right
tool for almost any food preparation tasks. The blades are stainless
steel so there’s no need to worry about resting. And all the parts are
completely dishwasher safe. This makes it much easier to clean up and keep the machine in good working order. Other
models, like the #2 Braun on our list will come with more blade / disc
options, but the 3 combined blades of the Cuisinart are more than
sufficient for most uses.
The model comes with 7 separate food preparation functions that all work at The Simple Touch of a button. These control options are far greater than the simpler “on / off” function of the #4 Breville model on our list. It also comes with the recipe guides to give you ideas and greater options on how to use the Cuisinart efficiently.
Cuisinart also offers an impressive three-year warranty that covers any manufacturer errors. Most other models on our list, like the #2 Braun and the #3 KitchenAid only come with 1-year warranties.
Cuisinart has an excellent reputation for service to their machines and
will back up their warranty with excellent customer service. Though no
company is perfect, Cuisinart has an excellent reputation for handling
customer complaints.
If you are looking for the absolute best food processor for the money, the Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY is our recommendation.
2. Braun K650 Multiquick
With the same $199 MSRP as our number one pick, number two on our list is the Braun K650. This means that price-wise, both #1 and #2 on our list cost the same. This model comes packed with more accessories than the Cuisinart model that topped our list. These extra accessories give you more options a wider variety of food prep activities. It can process more foods faster because of this versatility. But this added versatility can also be a downside, which is why the Cuisinart beat it out for the first spot.
The Braun, while it will give you more options, can also be more cumbersome in the kitchen. For this reason, #4 Breville and #5 Black & Decker on our list come with handy storage containers, unlike the #2 Braun. Finding a place to store all the additional accessories is somewhat of a disadvantage for this model. Furthermore, it only comes with a 600-watt motor, which means it won’t pack quite the same punch as the Cuisinart.
However, the selection of blades provided with the Braun will allow you
to grind down hard foods fast, or slowly churn and shred cheeses
without any difficulty.
Where this model really stands out is the variable speed dial supplied. In contrast, the #1 Cuisinart only has predetermined speeds according to its settings.
With this dial you can manually control the rotation of the blades
anywhere from 300 RPM to 2000 RPM. This can be somewhat difficult if you
are attempting to chop foods, however, most people will find the added
control a great benefit for customizing your food preparation.
The K650 Comes with a slightly smaller bowl than the Cuisinart model.
However, the 9 cup capacity should be more than sufficient for most
situations. While you will get more food into the Cuisinart model, the
Braun should more than handle most applications. In contrast, the #3 KitchenAid model comes with a 13-Cup bowl, much closer to the #1 Cuisinart.
Another
reason that the Cuisinart beat out the Braun for our top selection, is
that the Braun can be somewhat difficult to clean.
If you are processing soft foods like cheeses, these tend to stick to
the blade and get stuck under the rim, which can be difficult to get
clean. For this reason, you may expect to spend additional time (up to
15 minutes), just cleaning the Braun after use. This will, of course,
vary depending on the food and conditions at any given time. The
components are dishwashers safe, so that may help eliminate some of the
extra clean-up time.
Braun provides a 1-year limited warranty with this model, also not quite as impressive as the Cuisinart, but with few customer issues, this should more than cover any problems you might have.
The
Braun K650 is for that person wanting more options than the Cuisinart
model, and who doesn’t mind dealing with the extra clean-up and
organizing accessories.
3. KitchenAid KFP1333OB 13-Cup Food Processor with ExactSlice
With an MSRP of $229.99, the KitchenAid 13-Cup “ExactSlice” blend comes in #3 on our list. This makes it only about $20 more than the #1 and #2 models on our list. This machine fits nicely in between the previous two with a cup size: almost as big as the Cuisinart, but with a motor of only 360 watts. This makes the KitchenAid ideal for larger jobs when you do not need the extra power of the Braun or Cuisinart.
Like
the Cuisinart, the KitchenAid comes with three different blade options
for a variety of applications, but also comes with 2 discs for soft-food
processing. So, the KitchenAid in many ways will give you the added variety of the Braun, but just without the same power.
As with
the Braun model, the KitchenAid will require some additional work to
clean in order to get all the foods out of the crevices and blades /
discs. However, both models give you the same issues, whereas the Cuisinart is relatively easy to clean. In
consumer tests, results showed that the KitchenAid handled tasks like
chopping and shredding with great ease. However, it tended to have some
difficulty with foods like nuts. Because of the large capacity bowl,
these kinds of foods were found to merely bounce around rather than get
processed.
For
these reasons, the KitchenAid is the best model for the those mainly
wanting to process soft foods rather than grind down hard foods. You
will find with the different blades you will easily process cheeses,
potatoes, and onions without any difficulty. It comes with an extra-wide
food chute so that you will easily accommodate whole foods.
You
should also note that this model is a bit louder than the other models
on our list. With a rating around 95 dB, you will not want to use this
processor while other are trying to sleep! All the other models on our list are no more loud than regular kitchen appliances like blenders.
One great feature of the KitchenAid that you do not get with our first two processors is color options!
You can have the KitchenAid in anything from standard black to blue,
green, red and more (depending on availability, of course).
Like the Braun model, the KitchenAid only comes with a 1-year limited warranty,
but KitchenAid has an excellent reputation and track record when
dealing with customer complaints. Unlike other models, the KitchenAid
also comes with an accessory case to keep everything neatly organized.
If you
are looking for a little more stylish color out of your food processor
and want a good variety of options for softer foods, the KitchenAid is a
great choice.
4. Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor
The Breville BFP800XL is the most expensive processor
on our list with an MSRP of $399.95. However, for the extra cost, you
also get the most powerful motor on our list. This Breville model comes
with a 1,200-watt motor which is strong enough to cut through even the densest of foods.
And with a 16 cup bowl, it is also the largest capacity processor on the list. The closest size down from this is the #1, 14 cup Cuisinart model on our list. So, if you absolutely need the largest bowl possible, the Breville is what you’re looking for.
It comes with 8 different blades and disc to cover almost any food application you might want. This is 5 more blades than our #1 Cuisinart model. Special
discs are supplied for cutting french fries, kneading dough, and
whisking. This gives you a lot of options when it comes to the kinds of
foods you can prepare with this single machine. Breville also supplies a
storage box to keep all these parts in.
This model comes in 3 different colors (stainless steel, black, and red) and is made from a die-cast mold for extra durability. This is nowhere near as many options as the #3 KitchenAid, but it does give you more options. The bowls, blades, and discs are all dishwasher safe for easy clean up.
A simple “on/off” pulse function
will allow you plenty of control over your food preparation and with
the powerful motor it can easily reduce most foods to their smallest
forms in a matter of seconds. In tests, the Breville BFP800XL was able
to perfectly slice mushrooms and grind almonds much faster and with a
greater consistency than other models.
However,
with this powerful motor, there is at least one downside: it does have a
tendency to mash very soft foods (like cheese) rather than shredding
them. This means that it is twice as powerful as the #1 Cuisinart model. You
will be able to get the consistency out of soft foods, but it will
require a bit more control on your part. With a little practice, you are
able to get the kind of results you desire.
Like
our previous 2 models, the Breville only comes with a 1-year limited
warranty, though the motor comes with a 25-year warranty.
This ensures that if the heart of the machine should happen to break or
be found defective, you know you have it covered. Breville is known for
their higher-end, quality products, so you will not find many customer
complaints.
If you
are willing to invest a bit more money for a quality food processor,
this model is an excellent choice. With all the accessories provided, a
powerful motor, and a little practice, this can be a great addition to
your kitchen.
5. BLACK+DECKER FP6010 Performance Dicing Food Processor
For
the last food processor on our list “simplest is sweetest.” With an
MSRP of $149, you can often find this model for less than $100. This means that this model is half the price of the #1 Cuisinart. But just because it is less expensive, doesn’t mean you’ll sacrifice quality and performance.
The FP6010 comes with an 800-watt motor and two different sized bowls (11 cup and 4 cup) to fit your application. No other model on our list gives you the options for two different bowl sizes. Black
& Decker also supplies this model with 3 different blades and discs
for different processes like the other models. They’ve also included a
handy storage device to keep everything in and organize it all
conveniently.
Another
nice feature of this model is that Black & Decker gives you the
option of digital or analog controls, whichever you prefer. All
the other models on our list are either digital or come with a pulse
function. Black & Decker is the only model that gives you this
option. If you want to simply
press a button and go, the digital selections make it easy. But if you
want greater control over the processor, then you can choose the analog
option and customize the process.
With all these great features, it seems that this model should be higher on the list! However, testing has shown that this model is the least consistent of the Top 5.
The model chops and cuts fairly reliably for many foods, but often will
leave chunks unprocessed. In addition, it does not produce consistent
grading results for soft foods like cheese. These materials often get
into the stuck in the blades, also making it somewhat more difficult to
clean.
Like
several other models on our list, the Black & Decker comes with an
extra-wide food chute in order to accommodate whole foods like tomatoes
and onions. So, there is no need to break down the food before you put
it through the processor.
It is also not the easiest of the Top 5 models to assemble and disassemble.
This should be taken into account given that you will have to do this
each time you use the food processor. With a little practice you
shouldn’t have too much trouble, but depending on the kind of food
you’re working with, clean up can take over 10 minutes.
This model does come with a 2-year limited warranty, so this gives you more security than the 3 previous models on our list. This makes the warranty longer than both the #2 Bruan model and the #3 KitchenAid model. And
Black & Decker has been around for a long time with a proven track
record of customer support. All the component parts are fully
dishwasher-safe, so there is no need to worry about damage.
So, if you are looking for a simple, inexpensive, yet powerful food processor, the Black & Decker FP6010 is a great option.
What about the Cheapies?
OK, so
you want a food processor, but either not will or able to spend more
than $50. Are there any decent options for you? Of course! Here are our
Top 3 inexepensive models to consider:
1. Hamilton Beach 70740 8-Cup Food Processor
The
Hamilton Beach 70740 model is the best, inexpensive food processor on
the market. It’s MSRP is only $26.99, so you won’t have to break the
bank to try out this machine.
It comes
with 2 speed controls in addition to a pulse function. Like the more
expensive models, it also comes with stainless steel blades that will
slice, shred or chop. It also has a strong enough motor (450 watts) to
handle dense foods. This means that it is as strong as some more expensive models.
It will not produce the consistency as our Top 5 models, but it might
be a good option for those who do not need excellent performance.
All parts are dishwasher safe and it comes with a 1-year limited warranty. This is all comparable with several of the Top 5 models. So, if you just want a food processor for some quick food prep, this is a great option.
2. Ninja Express Chop (NJ110GR)
The Ninja Express Chop is designed for small applications. It only has a 3 cup bowl, which makes it the smallest container on either list. However, with an MSRP of $41.99, it is not the least expensive (though you can often find it for much less).
The motor is top-mounted and only 200 watts. This means that the Ninja is the weakest of the motors. So, it will not handle very dense food well, and with the small cup, you can only do small applications at one time.
However,
the Ninja makes our list for its great convenience. It is small and
compact, so it works great when you need just some quick food prep. This
means it is perfect for some zests, herbs, spices, or garlic.
It comes
with a standard 1-year limited warranty and the bowl is completely
dishwasher safe and BPA free. So, if you are just looking for a quick
machine to handle your small jobs, the Ninja is a great option.
3. BLACK+DECKER FP1600B 8-Cup Food Processor
Number 3 on our inexpensive list is another Black & Decker model, the FP1600B. With an MSRP of $29.95 it is less expensive than the #2 Ninja model and the same as #1 Hamilton Beach.
It also has the same capacity (8 cup) and power (450 watt) as the Hamilton Beach model.
So, what distinguishes this model is that it does not perform quite as
well overall. The numerous parts are not able to be stored in the bowl,
so you will have to make extra provisions for storage.
It does
come with some safety-lock features that other models do not have. So,
if you are at all worried about safety, you might consider the Black
& Decker. In contrast with the Hamilton Beach model which only has a 1-year warranty, the Black & Decker comes with a 2-year warranty. This gives you some extended time for security in case anything should happen to your machine.
Other Considerations
With
these Top 5 food processors of 2017 (and the Top 3 least expensive
models), you should be able to find a model that fits your needs. The Cuisinart (#1) is by far the best-performing machine for the money.
You will
find many higher priced food processors on the market that cannot
compete with the Cuisinart’s overall results. For the same price-point, the Braun (#2) will give you a few more options, but with a smaller bowl and motor.
If you
really want power and options, then the KitchenAid is a great
option–especially for those who will be working with very dense foods. If you do not mind the higher price-point and want top quality materials, then the Breville (#4) is the way to go!
But if,
at the end of the day, you just want a simple food processor for not a
lot of money, then the Black & Decker model (#5) will satisfy. Whatever your food processor needs, these top 5 model will give you what you’re looking for to cut down on that cooking time!
