The very best meals processor is a meals processor you’ll really need to use. Sure, these home equipment can do all of the dicing, chopping, mincing, kneading and puréeing that you really want them to do, however they will additionally take up a ton of cupboard space, be considerably tedious to function, and be fairly fiddly to scrub. After we got down to discover our favourite meals processor, we needed one which, along with performing the required jobs very effectively, was, to be blunt, not annoying.

The very best meals processors

• The very best meals processor general: Breville Sous Chef 12, $300 $240 at Amazon → Learn extra
• The very best finances meals processor: Hamilton Seashore Large Mouth Duo, $65 $60 at Amazon → Learn extra

As a result of, whether or not your cupboards can comfortably maintain one or not, a meals processor is a vital kitchen equipment for residence cooks. It may well do plenty of issues a stand mixer or blender can after which some. It is going to function a grinder, a grater, a slicer, and can readily help you in making soups, pestos, salsas, nut butters, pizza dough, or pie crusts.

We’ve been testing and retesting meals processors for years, evaluating them on their efficiency in our take a look at kitchen and in our personal houses. Beneath you’ll discover extra on our prime picks, together with a brilliant low cost finances selection, in addition to particulars on meals processors that didn’t chop or cube as effectively.

New on this replace: For this most up-to-date spherical of testing, we added two extra meals processors to our lineup, the Cuisinart Professional Customized 11 and the brand new Breville Paradice 9. You will discover our opinions of them down beneath within the “Different Meals Processors We Examined” part.

The very best meals processor general: Breville Sous Chef 12 Meals Processor

What we love: Out of all of the meals processors we’ve examined, Breville’s has remained our favourite for the previous few years. It’s highly effective, it’s constant, and above all, it’s extraordinarily well-designed. All of the elements lock into place with ease—a pleasant distinction to fussier Cuisinart lids and work bowls. Positive, Cuisinart processors have their loyalists, and we gained’t deny that they’re nice home equipment as effectively, however evaluating the machines facet by facet it’s instantly obvious that the Breville is simply simpler to function.

The 12-cup capability is the precise dimension for almost all of duties you may want it to deal with. The work bowl is designed like a big measuring cup, with volumetric measurements on the edges of the bowl. As a result of the spindle that rotates the blades isn’t connected on to the bottom—as is the case with many Cuisinart fashions, there’s no gap in the midst of the work bowl. This implies you’ll be able to fill it with substances whereas indifferent from the bottom, which is sweet, particularly if you wish to keep away from spilling substances on {the electrical} elements of the machine.

The Sous Chef additionally has one of many widest feed tubes of the machines we’ve examined, which is useful for cumbersome substances like massive carrots or potatoes. Nonetheless, typically you don’t want that massive of a gap, which is why the pusher has a nesting doll design of smaller openings to assist maintain substances in place and decrease potential splash again.

The phrase workhorse will get thrown round so much in on-line opinions of meals processors, but it surely actually does apply right here. The Breville is highly effective, with a 1000-watt motor, and does an excellent job circulating substances as it really works, offering a constant tough chop. It excelled at every take a look at we put it via. It made exceptionally creamy hummus, grated a block of cheddar, diced onions, and combined pie crust with perfection. The chrome steel chopping blade is exceptionally sharp, and the slicing disc has adjustable width settings that offer you the identical versatility as a high-end mandoline. It’s additionally one of many quietest machines we examined.

Breville provides an intensive vary of meals processor attachments, however the fundamentals embody a slicing blade, a dough blade, a slicing disc, and a grating disc. We wouldn’t spring for the extra accoutrements except you’ve already built-in the meals processor into your cooking routine. The good factor about Breville is that lots of the model’s machines embody storage vessels for the attachments, which is healthier than having them float round in your kitchen junk drawer.

All in all, we’ve but to come across a meals processor as thoughtfully designed because the Breville Sous Chef, and we expect it’s a high quality kitchen instrument effectively well worth the premium worth.

What we’d go away: It’s heavy, at round 16 kilos. That weight is useful to maintain the machine grounded, but it surely nonetheless makes it a bit little bit of a bear to maneuver if saved in a really excessive or very low cupboard. Additionally, the elements are usually not dishwasher-safe. Fortunately, it’s straightforward sufficient to scrub, although.

Try our full overview of the Breville Sous Chef right here.

The very best finances meals processor: Hamilton Seashore Large Mouth Duo Plus 12-Cup Meals Processor

What we love: At practically 1 / 4 of the value of our winner, the Hamilton Seashore Large Mouth Meals Processor is a superb deal. It didn’t carry out in addition to the Sous, however was nonetheless passable throughout all of our exams. It’s comparatively mild, counting on suction cup ft as an alternative of bulk to anchor itself to the countertop. It has a 12-cup bowl and a beneficiant feed chute, true to its identify. Efficiency-wise, the one marked distinction between the Hamilton Seashore and the Breville got here after we have been puréeing issues. The Large Mouth couldn’t obtain the identical silky clean outcomes as our winner, however just about every part else in contrast effectively with dearer fashions. This processor has shortcomings, however for lower than $100, it could actually’t be beat.

What we’d go away: The machine wobbles barely, particularly when it’s working one thing moist and heavy, so it’s not a good suggestion to stroll away from the meals processor whereas it’s operating, simply in case. It’s additionally on the louder facet and has a restricted variety of attachments in comparison with extra premium manufacturers.

How we examined and selected one of the best meals processors

We put every machine via 4 totally different exams to guage totally different features of their efficiency. We blitzed an onion with the usual chopping blade to see how shut the outcomes have been to a cube, conserving an eye fixed out for consistency. We then grated a block of cheddar cheese utilizing the grating disc, observing how the machine shredded cheese and paying attention to how a lot was left over. After that we made pie crust, using the dough blade if offered, after which ready a batch of hummus as effectively to guage how clean every machine was able to puréeing substances. We mixed these observations with long-term testing notes from members of our crew, who stay and work with totally different fashions frequently.

We additionally checked out different design options. As a result of meals processors can doubtlessly be harmful (quick spinning blade and all that), they sometimes include a number of safeguards to forestall any accidents, like a remaining locked within the off place except the lid is secured accurately. It is a good factor, however typically these security mechanisms could make a machine extra cumbersome to make use of. Merely put, the simpler items clicked and locked into place, the higher. As for attachments, we have been extra excited by sensible attachments that we might really need to use slightly than a humiliation of redundant kitchen instruments that might take up much more cupboard space (no one wants an everyday meals processor blade and a serrated blade, for example). Additional factors went to home equipment that provided methods to retailer the accompanying attachments.

Do you want a meals processor and a blender?

We’ve obtained unhealthy information for the kitchen equipment assortment condensers on the market: Relying on what you’re cooking up at residence, the reply might be sure. Whereas the 2 have some overlap within the space of, say, puréeing veggies, there are plenty of duties a meals processor can accomplish {that a} blender merely can not. That’s as a result of, with the precise attachments, a meals processor can successfully be a grater, chopper, or dough mixer—all issues even the fanciest Vitamix blender can’t do. However there are additionally duties which might be greatest executed in a blender, therefore the necessity for each: Usually, something involving plenty of liquid getting whizzed till clean goes to be higher suited to a blender. Attempt to make a smoothie or scorching soup within the bowl of a meals processor and it’ll doubtless leak out the edges or escape from the lid, except you are taking care to course of it in a number of batches.

Others meals processors we examined

Breville Paradice 9

The Paradice is Breville’s next-generation meals processor; nevertheless, its efficiency is fairly indistinguishable from the Sous. Probably the most defining distinction between the Paradice and the older Sous mannequin is the modular attachment caddy, which you’ll be able to affix on to the remainder of the machine when not in use. It additionally comes with a meals cubing attachment, which is fascinating, however a bit tough to get working. It’s not essentially the most vital meals processor perform, both. The Paradice additionally has Breville+ integration, however the variety of appropriate recipes on the time of testing is simply too small for that to actually be a promoting level in our e-book. We nonetheless favor the Sous, as a result of it’s extra reasonably priced and performs very equally, but when the attachment caddy is price the additional hundred bucks to you, than you may as effectively go for it.

Cuisinart Core Customized 13-Cup Meals Processor

For many individuals, a Cuisinart meals processor is the meals processor. In any case, they have been the model that first launched the equipment to American markets in 1973. Make no mistake, Cuisinarts excel at what they do. The Core Customized is an up to date design of the model’s authentic equipment that’s appropriate with elements that may convert it right into a juicer, a blender, and a mini meals processor. For a majority of the duties we put it via, it did a stellar job. The one hiccup got here after we have been chopping onions. This machine had some points with massive chunks of onion getting caught underneath the blade, and by the point we dislodged them and obtained again to pulsing the machine, the onions had gone effectively previous a tough chop and right into a tremendous mince. For puréeing, shredding, and mincing, these machines are unbelievable, however the outcomes may be hit and miss with a tough chop. Additionally, the elements of a Cuisinart don’t lock into place fairly as simply as they do with the Breville and infrequently require a little bit of fidgeting and adjusting every time you employ it. Some individuals, having used Cuisinarts for years, are used to it, and so in case you don’t see that as a giant deal, we perceive. Nonetheless, when evaluating it facet by facet with different meals processors, we might see room for enchancment.

Cuisinart Professional Customized 11-Cup Meals Processor

Cuisinart’s naming conventions for its line of meals processors generally is a bit complicated. This mannequin isn’t extra “professional” than the usual 14-Cup Cuisinart Customized—it’s smaller and has a much less highly effective motor, so we aren’t actually certain why they selected to name it that. Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless an excellent midsize meals processor. The distinguishing function is the compact chopping/kneading cowl accent, which is totally different from the everyday feed chute. It has a easy gap within the prime that makes it straightforward to constantly add in substances, excellent for making doughs and pie crusts. Whereas we have been placing this mannequin via the paces in our take a look at kitchen, a visiting meals stylist handed by and raved about how a lot she loves the chopping/kneading cowl. Do with that info what you’ll. Total, it has the identical barely fussy construct as different Cuisinarts, which is why we don’t think about it a winner, however it’s nonetheless a high-quality equipment that can final you a very long time.

Cuisinart Customized 14-Cup Meals Processor

That is the trendy model of the unique Cuisinart meals processor, and its design has held up effectively through the years. It’s nonetheless a completely workable, high-quality meals processor, but it surely was merely bested by the Breville, which was quieter, provided higher versatility, and was a lot simpler to arrange.

Cuisinart 9-Cup Steady Feed Meals Processor

This gadget is suited to one main job, which is to course of massive portions of substances with out stopping. It ejects processed substances out via the facet slightly than letting them pile up within the bowl. If you end up chopping a number of veggies or shredding a number of cheese, and wish one thing to do it quick and with out stopping, you may respect the design of a steady feed processor. Nevertheless it’s not versatile. It’s smaller than all the opposite good meals processors we examined, and it wasn’t in a position to finely purée issues like hummus or pesto.

Breville Sous Chef Professional 16-Cup Meals Processor

That is the bigger model of our profitable choose. It has a bigger cup capability and an prolonged array of attachments (together with a bowl to make it a mini chopper, as a result of there are many instances when 16 cups is greater than you want), all neatly organized in a caddy. Its weight (26 lb.) and common dimension made it a formidable machine, which is why we most popular the marginally smaller mannequin. However hey, in case you’re in search of one thing greater, that is nonetheless a superb selection.

Ninja Skilled Plus 9-Cup Meals Processor

At lower than $150 on the time of writing, this Ninja is an reasonably priced selection in comparison with others on the listing, and it has novel design with an extra blade connected to the spindle. You may assume this could make for extra environment friendly chopping, however we discovered it to be simply the alternative. The blades left massive chunks of unsliced onion and items of cheese.

Magimix by Robotic Coupe 16-Cup Meals Processor

The Robotic Coupe has a status for being the model of selection for skilled kitchens, however we have been delay by the Magimix in our testing. It was loud and violent whereas working, and it leaked flour into the bottom whereas we have been processing pie dough. The Magimix additionally got here with an intensive array of attachments with out something to prepare them with, which might be a headache for anyone with a small kitchen with restricted cupboard space.

KitchenAid 13-Cup Precise Slice Meals Processor

We appreciated the modular storage design for this mannequin’s attachments, however discovered the bottom to be excessively cumbersome. Inconsistent outcomes throughout our exams sealed the deal on this one.

GE 12 Cup Meals Processor

This machine fell brief in most of our exams. We needed to pre-chop a number of the substances as a way to match them into the bowl in any respect, and the shredding discs match poorly into the machine. It was unable to ship a tremendous purée within the hummus take a look at, leaving us with grainy outcomes after 5 minutes of constant processing.