Cuisinart Food Processor 14
Each recipe was repeated twice in each machine using the same ingredients in the same amounts across all brands. Here’s how it all shook out and my recommendation for the three best food processors available, which we update periodically. The Cuisinart FP-13DGM Elemental 13 Cup Food Processor and Dicing Kit didn’t chop cuisinart soup maker as evenly as our picks. Our testers were impressed with the dicing kit, which chopped firm vegetables like potatoes and carrots into even cubes. However, since this was the only task this model excelled at, we don’t think it’s best for most people. The motor on the Elemental was noisy, and the base is very lightweight.
There’s a reversible shredding disc option and an externally adjustable slicing disc that corresponds with a slider on the front of the base, so you can get really specific slice sizes. Black-against-brushed-stainless food processor with a motor so powerful it can knead bread dough—this versatile tool is perfect for making Indian spice paste. Includes medium slicing disc, shredding disc, chopping/mixing/kneading blade, small and large pushers, spatula and detachable disc stem. Breville clearly put a lot of thought into other design elements as well. The Sous Chef is the only model we tested that had an LCD timer , and this model also has retractable cord storage. We didn’t try the machine’s french fry disk, julienne disk, or emulsifying disk attachments, but we did use the handy cleaning brush, which did a great job of getting trapped bits out of the slicing disk.
The obvious drawback to all of these attachments is that they take up a lot of space, and they may not get much use (how often do you make fries, for example?). We appreciate that Breville provides a storage case for the attachments, but the box takes up almost as much cupboard space as the machine itself. In terms of pure performance, the Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro was hands down the best food processor we tested. It offers extra power; a larger, 16-cup blending bowl; and nicer features compared with the Cuisinart Custom 14. And it performed well in every test, especially excelling at slicing.
We also grade ease of use, looking at how helpful the owner’s manual is, how easy the blades, chute, and lid are to assemble, the ease of use of controls, the variety of setting offer, and cleanability. The same can be said about the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor . Between these two appliances, 90% of my laborious kitchen needs are covered. Either way though, at $200, the Cuisinart Custom won’t break the bank.
We also measure noise, because while all models are noisy, some are much more grating than others. If the food processor comes with slicing attachments, we test the slicing blade using mushrooms and celery, and the shredding blade with cheddar. Most recipes involving food processors specify mixing or chopping at either a high or low speed and for that reason, you’ll want a processor with at least two speeds and a powerful motor. There are some food processors with just one speed, but that’s extremely limiting when it comes to having control over your meals so look for a food processor with at least some range of speeds. Hummus in this model was a smooth, well-blended consistency with even flavor. This KitchenAid model does have an automatic shut-off to prevent motor burnout, but that heat still made me nervous.
The Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, for example, can only hold about three cups of liquid before springing a leak. For smoothies, thin soups and cocktails, stick with a high-speed blender or hand blender and spare yourself the cleanup. A Cuisinart food processor is one handy appliance that can do the work of your chef’s knife, mortar and pestle, blender, stand mixer and even your own dough-kneading hands. “Just tried this out to make salsa and it’s absolutely amazing,” one five-star shopper shares.
And we made a firmer, more stable mayonnaise in the Cuisinart than in any other full-size model we tested. Some feed tubes were too wide, such as that on the Magimix by Robot-Coupe 14-Cup Food Processor , which caused carrots to fall sideways and cut unevenly. The cuisinart pots and pans set narrow feed tube insert on the Cuisinart Custom 14 kept carrots upright while shredding. Depending on your needs, you might choose one over the other, or you might want both. We have a guide to the best countertop blenders if you’re interested in getting one.
Generally, if you’re making soup, you should let the ingredients cool before blending. BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links. When you bring it home, remove all the pieces from the box and wash them using the cleaning instructions. Blenders, with their height and pitcher-shaped design, are made to hold a large amount of liquid.
Michael Sullivan is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter and has covered food processors since 2016. He’s spent dozens of hours shredding cheese, chopping vegetables, mixing doughs, and whipping up mayonnaise for this guide. This guide builds on work by Wirecutter deputy editor Christine Cyr Clisset. Using the attachment tube, you can mount the shredding or slicing disk to the food processor’s motor. Without the attachment tube in place, the Cuisinart Custom’s safety features kick in and the machine won’t turn on. Most food processors are capable of making smoothies, but the process is a little different than if you were to use a blender.
My top food processor pick, the Braun FP3020 has 15 individual speeds on one dial. That’s much more than most people will ever need, but the option to really zero into a specific speed adds the option for precision. In addition to the three recommended above, we tested four other food processors in the $100 to $200 range.