All In One Food Processors
A shredding test calls for a nice big block of parmesan, one of the hardest cheeses. This tests the grating disc performance as well as the usability of the mouth’s width and the food processor’s food pusher. Narrowed down to these key kitchen task functions, I chose hummus, pico de gallo, almond butter and shredding parmesan for the test kitchen tasks. Those recipes offer cuisinart pots and pans set a mix of blending, chopping, shredding and pureeing to give me a feel for the performance of each model. It slices whole fruits and vegetables, cooked meat, semi-frozen raw meat and loaves of bread. The Breville Sous Chef 12 BFP660SIL food processor did well in our tests, but it didn’t outperform the Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro or our top pick, the Cuisinart Custom 14.
It wasn’t able to chop as evenly as the Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro or the Cuisinart Custom 14. The machine also seized up while preparing pizza dough and was noisier than other models we tested. Some full-size models come with an extra, smaller bowl that essentially acts as a mini food processor, but in most cases, we found that a dedicated mini processor did a better job. Mini food processors have bowls ranging in capacity from about 1½ cups to 6 cups, but we focused on those with a capacity of about three cups. Models smaller than that are too limited, and if you think you need one that’s larger than three cups, you’re probably better off with a full-size model. Using a food processor is like having your own personal sous chef — owning one will save you from having to do tons of tedious and tiring prep work.
This compact model is a smart pick for little kitchens, dorm rooms, or those who tend to make small portions. The pushers are a clear, transparent plastic that still feel durable in your hand. Each circular disk is made of plastic except for the sharp metal slicers and knives. This has small and large pushers and a large feed tube, so your carrots and celery for soup can stand upright, but you can still process larger foods without cutting them into small pieces.
Oster Pro also offers a more basic package featuring a 6-cup blender and 3-cup food chopper, featuring a stainless steel S-blade and 16 speeds from pulse to puree. No electricity is needed for this model, as it works with the simple pull of a handle. The two blades spin in opposite directions, so they’ll spend their time chopping rather than moving food in a circle, while stationary arms at the top and bottom send food into the blades. A few pulls will give you chunky nuts or salsa, while more pulls can give you a smooth puree.
The Food Chopper is covered by a one-year warranty, which is standard for appliances in this price range, and you can get the base in a wide range of colors. We read a few reviews by people who disliked how the Cuisinart Custom 14’s lid locks with the feed tube in the back rather than in the front . However, we think it’s actually easier to see the ingredients in the bowl when the feed tube is positioned in the back of the lid.
If you’ve ever struggled to fit a blade over a pile of flour in a processor bowl, you’ll appreciate this design feature. Most full-size processors come with a wide feed tube that’s fitted with a food presser, which has a narrower feed tube in the center. The larger tube should be big enough to easily fit a block of cheese or a potato, so you don’t have to spend time cutting food into pieces that are small enough to fit. But the smaller tube needs to be narrow enough to keep carrots and other thin items upright during slicing.
If you plan to take this route, don’t add all the ingredients at once because they probably won’t blend evenly and may even erupt from the spout. Next, add your choice of liquid and sweetener, like honey or agave, if you want. You may need to scrape the bottom to mix further and make sure everything is getting blended as well as possible. Just be careful of messes here, as your processor likely won’t have a an actual pour spout. A very large food processor won’t do a great job at chopping small amounts, and emptying a small food processor repeatedly can get annoying. Some food processors solve the problem by including bowls of several sizes.
I had to trim down my wedge of parmesan quite a bit to fit in the chute. However, you do get thoughtful extras like a disc with two shredding size options and suction cups on the bottom of the processors to help it stay steady on your countertop. We tested multiple Cuisinart models and this one wins for its balance of performance, value and features.
Both cookbook authors we spoke with essentially said these add-ons were a waste of money, so we didn’t test any. The Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro is more powerful than the Cuisinart Custom 14, so it’s the machine you’ll want when you’re cooking for large groups or if you process food several times a week. Its 1,200-watt motor and smart design save you time in use and cleaning. In fact, despite the 16-cup Sous Chef’s many accessories, it was one of the easiest models to clean. That said, if you only use a food processor occasionally, the Breville’s high cost probably outweighs its benefits.
Then insert the post in the center of the food processor, being careful to hold the disc by the sides, as the blade is sharp. When a job calls for 6 cups of shredded carrots, the last thing you want to do is pull out a sharp chef’s knife. Instead of tediously slicing and dicing, simply reach for a powerful food processor cuisinart soup maker to complete an otherwise timely job. Most mini food processors from Cuisinart provide only one blade for chopping/mixing and grinding, as there are no needs for switching blades between said processes. Shredding cheese was a bit tricky since the mouth of this processor’s food chute is small compared to other models.