After chopping, blending, and shredding with the Ninja Foodi Power Blender Ultimate System for three weeks, it has become a must-have in my kitchen routine.

It is a strong competitor against standalone blenders, food processors, and mixers, instead combining all those functions into one very strong product. After purchasing this product, your counter space will thank you.

Kitchen gadgets that promise to do it all often have home chefs, including me, rolling their eyes when we realize another product will fail to actually blend ice in seconds, slide potatoes with pro-chef-like precision, and deliver on other promises. However, this best blender-food processor combo delivers in terms of speed, versatility, and power. Just watch your fingers!

Product Specifications: Ninja Foodi Power Blender Ultimate System

Design and First Impressions

Prepare a good amount of space and time to get to know each other ahead of unboxing your Foodi. This is because there are quite a few pieces to unwrap and explore, each with a different function, directions in a pamphlet, stickers with tips and tricks on them, and a corresponding recipe book. However, these useful accessories aren’t just extras that will (or should) gather dust in the pantry.

Instead, with some time and experimenting, you can see just how each could be most useful to you with your current cooking needs. Included you will find:

• The motor/base
• A blender and processor pitcher with a pour spout
• An XL smoothie maker bowl with storage lid
• Crushing and chopping blade
• Slicing and shredding blade
• Grating disc
• Disc spindle
• Dough blade assembly
• Hybrid edge blades assembly
• The recipe guide

Upon unboxing, I was excited about the size of the pitcher, which I immediately knew would come in handy making smoothies for my family of seven all at once, not two at a time with other blenders.

I also immediately appreciated some safety features meant to keep the blender on the base, and the top on the blender – extra turns, clicks, and buttons made sure that you really meant to remove it, and that it wasn’t an accident. In addition, strong suction keeps the base in place regardless of what happens up top.

The packaging itself was a mix of plastic protectors and recyclable materials, and all items came well-protected and securely situated in the box.

Blending Performance

Testing a blender doesn’t just involve whipping up a quick smoothie and judging its consistency, especially when it’s a blender/processor combo. Instead, I followed a thorough process that involved multiple cooking tests, outlined below, to test some of its various functions.

I made smoothies, crushed ice, chopped potatoes, and whipped up my first almond butter. Each had its own learning curve to decide which accessories were best and to test different functions’ performance. Throughout, I explored the 'Auto IQ programs,' which allow presets for smoothies, spreads, chopping, and others, but also tried the variable speed and blending/processing time in the manual setting too. I didn’t find any issues with the Auto-IQ settings being inaccurate, but generally found it easier to control the settings myself manually.

Users should note that while this is a high-performing machine, it’s not a quiet one. At over 90 decibels during the blending process, it is not considered a quiet blender. However, it’s on for such a short time as it does its job efficiently that it bothers everyone less than quieter options that take longer.

Overall, the product is high-performance and a joy to use.

The Processor Test

The first test was to chop potatoes, using the food processor and food chute, a hole in the top that allows you to send vegetables and other foods down the 'chute' into the main processor. From there, if a food gets stuck, you can use a helpful tool to shove the rest down to the bottom toward the blades.

The processing function is the fastest and most impressive way of cutting a vegetable I’d seen, and much more efficient than competing products I’ve tested in the past. A single potato was completely sliced and ready to make chips, hash browns, or a casserole side dish in a matter of seconds.

The slices were consistent, no food was stuck in the process, and the only errors were from the operator’s learning curve (such as trying to fit too big a potato through the chute).

The Ice Test

Next, I explored whether I’d be able to tell my kids that we officially have a slushie machine, based on its ability to crush ice as well as our local snow cone shop.

This blender had turned around 20 ice cubes into slushie-ready mix in under five seconds. In this moment, I realized how much I’d been unknowingly suffering with my own blender, shaking and reshaking it to give it a boost between blending sessions as it fought with ice cubes.

If you make a daily smoothie or smoothie bowl, this product is a must-have simply for its mastery of ice crushing.

The Nut Butter Test

Finally, I attempted to make almond butter, by blending almonds and oil, at the suggestion of the recipe book. The book is well-labeled with the appropriate settings to help you understand how to set up your machine to create that exact recipe.

Though I should have used a bit more oil, and ended up with more of an almond butter sprinkle topping than butter consistency, the machine did its job, again in seconds.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Sometimes, it can be difficult to get all the blended or processed food out of the deep pitcher, so have a long spatula on hand to reach all the corners. But the components easily come apart for washing, so that shouldn’t be an issue.

One trick I came to appreciate was putting some water into the blender and continuing to blend after my cooking was done, just for a few seconds, to prevent stuck-on food and drink from becoming too stuck. This made washing much easier afterward.

The entire product is dishwasher safe, which I appreciate as a busy mom of five who has two dishwashers running nearly all the time. With such a wide pitcher, the dishwasher does a great job of getting the larger components clean as well. I was a bit more careful putting blades and other sharp objects in the dishwasher, though, just in case little hands would help unload later.

That brings us to The Accident. While attempting to clean up and store this product, I cut two fingers on a blade. I didn’t drop it or do anything out of the ordinary, other than try to pick it up. So, when I say the blades are super sharp, I mean sharp enough that you shouldn’t touch any of them at all. That can affect storage and cleaning processes, but also likely the reason it’s such an efficient and high-performing product. Keep Band-Aids (available at Walmart) on hand if you are clumsy, and when storing the product, put it up high or otherwise wrap up the parts to protect others from the blades.

Luckily, the product fits under my standard height counter tops, though I wouldn’t be able to really cook much with it under there, so I have to pull it in and out to cook. But this gives options for storage – the whole thing doesn’t have to go back in the cupboard each time.

How Does the The Ninja Foodi Power Blender Ultimate System Compare?

As a longtime kitchen product tester, I have found this product to be exceptionally better than all other blenders I’ve tried through the years. In addition, it has equal-to-or-advanced food-processing functions and performance.

Competitors include Ninja’s own alternative option, the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System, which Homes and Gardens editors also loved and ranked as a top blender/processor. Others included the Nutribullet Triple Prep Blender System, noted for best savings, in addition to the Nutribullet’s Ultra Plus Kitchen System, which comes in at a more affordable price of just under $100 for those on a budget. Finally, the Braun MultiQuick 9 competes with the Ninja Foodi as the most versatile option, and also might be more space-saving for those with less counter space.

For those trying to decide which product is best, first match your needs up with the chef’s guide to blenders, food processors, and juicers.

On Ninja’s website, users rank this product as a 4.1, with close to 200 ratings. 119 of those ratings were five stars, with just 21 as one star. Performance was the top-ranking feature among those reviews, with quality being the lowest. One loyal Ninja fan says, compared to her older product, this one is much bigger with more options. She also noted that she liked the 'pour top' function, in which a small spout opens to let your smoothie pour into your favorite to-go cup without mess or issue.

Amazon customers reflect my satisfaction with the product, with over 4,000 ratings resulting in a 4.5 out of 5 stars. According to Amazon, customers overall note the solid performance, especially for smoothie and dough mixing, with strong motor power and quick blending times. However, there are some durability concerns, with some reporting it lasts for years, while others are concerned about cracking in the plastic pitcher. Customers overall considered it worth the price.

Should You Buy The The Ninja Foodi Power Blender Ultimate System?

Yes, you should buy this product. If you are looking for reliability, consistency, top performance, and don’t mind a little noise to achieve the perfect ice consistency, this is for you.

This product would suit busy cooks who want to chop vegetables quickly and have no use for slow or inefficient motors. Those who frequently make smoothies will appreciate the extra minutes they get back every day, not fighting with a blender, and people who want their products to be versatile and customizable will like the extra options, features, settings, and accessories.

How We Test Blenders

Over the years, we've refined our process for how we test blenders.

The first step is market research. We keep in touch with the industry to make sure that we're always first to hear about a new launch, and will almost always call it in to test to try and be among the first to assess how well it performs. Every blender must be tested for a prolonged period (two weeks or more) to check for any issues and assess the product's longevity, and where possible, we aim to keep blenders in-house to test them on a long-term basis, updating our reviews as the months and years pass to see if our favorite is still ahead of the crowd.

Smoothies are the most basic thing a blender can do. They're pretty much why blenders were invented, so if we've got a model that can't handle these you won't find it anywhere near our rankings of the best.

We then see if a blender can crush ice. Ice is useful for two reasons. One is as a straightforward test of sheer power. Weak blenders won't be able to crush it, or will do half a job. A powerful, premium blender should be able to mist ice cubes into fine white powder. If a blender can't manage this, then it can't earn a perfect score.

A blender will score extra points in our tests if it operates quietly. We monitor the decibel levels on every test. We also clean every blender by hand to see how easy this is, and if it feels safe.

You can find out more details on our How We Test Blenders page.

What Else to Shop

Add six products that help with the featured item, e.g. cleaning tools, extra accessories ti make the most of it.

All prices correct at time of publication.

sign off pointing to another helpful and related article.

Love the latest product news and helpful shopping advice? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.

What makes a Mother’s Day dinner truly stand out? Effortless hosting that looks impressive on the table but keeps the kitchen calm and collected. After all, the goal is to celebrate Mom, not recruit her as an extra pair of hands.

The secret is choosing appliances that work with you, not against you. Enter the best blender–food processor combos, such as the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System. Think of it as the ultimate sous-chef for busy hosts.

If you’re planning a Mother’s Day menu and want it to feel special without turning your kitchen into a high-stress zone, here’s exactly how to make the most of it.

One of the biggest drains on time and energy when hosting is meal prep. Chopping, mixing, slicing, and dicing can take an age, and once guests start arriving, the last place you want to be stuck is in the kitchen. This is where having one of the best food processors saves the day. They can chop vegetables evenly in seconds or mix dough for desserts at the touch of a button, cutting prep time dramatically and freeing your time up.

What sets the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System apart, however, is that it combines the best blender, too, meaning it can handle everything from crushed ice for cocktails to up to four generous bowls of silky soup for starters.

Compact but powerful, it means less gadget clutter, far less prep chaos, and more time spent around the table with Mom instead of rushing around the kitchen.

Reviewed for us by our appliance expert Millie Fender, the system proved to be the most powerful of the bunch, with dishwasher-safe attachments making cleaning a kitchen after dinner just as easy, and a countdown timer for you to keep an exact eye on all of your prep.

The Auto-IQ feature offers five presets for smoothies, frozen drinks, nutrient extractions, chopped mixtures, and dough, taking the guesswork out of timings and programme settings so the appliance acts like your sous-chef, accepting delegated tasks with ease.

It really is a game-changing investment for busy hosts and passionate home cooks. And with $50 off, there has rarely been a better time to invest.

What Else to Shop

From compact appliances perfect for smaller kitchens to the table-top essentials that make a meal feel truly special, I have rounded up six pieces to help you ace your Mother's Day hosting.

All prices correct at time of publication.

With dinner arranged, consider some chic Mother's Day gifts for moms with great taste.

Love the latest product news and helpful shopping advice? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.

Having a kitchen that's short on storage and countertop space tests your patience daily – trust me, I know. That is where having multi-functional appliances makes such a difference.

One of the best space savers is the Nutribullet Ultra Plus+ Compact Kitchen System, from Amazon, which combines two appliances (a blender and food processor) that are essentials to most home cooks, to save you space.

We tested it and ranked it one of our best blender-food processor combos, and it's $65 off right now, making it a great deal for your wallet as well as an improvement to your kitchen setup.

Free up Space on Kitchen Counters and in Cabinets with This Combo Appliance

The Nutribullet Ultra Plus+ system tackles three appliances in one, acting as a personal blender, one of the best food processors, and a coffee grinder, all using one base, saving a third ofthe space in small kitchen storage as having each appliance individually. I don't know about you, but this sounds like the perfect balm for my tiny kitchen woes.

Just because it is a Jack of all trades doesn't mean it is a master of none. When our expert appliance reviewer, Tobey Grumet Segal, tested the Nutribullet Ultra Plus+, she found that the 'two blending cups, a mini-sized food processor bowl, a grinder cup, and four different blades to swap out all do a proper amount of blending and prep work, yet won’t eat up a ton of space.'

When blending, just 30 seconds on a low-volume cycle reduced berries, yogurt, and water into a seamless, creamy smoothie. When adding ice, powdered protein, and frozen berries for the next test, two cycles quickly reduced it all to a perfectly satisfying consistency.

The food processor was just as impressive, although the compact size does mean you may have to chop larger items (such as whole onions) into rough chunks first to get them in. We think this is a fair trade-off for the convenience of organizing a kitchen.

The spice and coffee grinder were also satisfying. Again, one 30-second round created a perfectly fine powder.

If the convenience of its compact size and multi-functional heads wasn't enough, the system is also super simple to clean, being one of the things you can wash in a dishwasher (except the electric base, which only requires wiping with a nearly dry cloth).

It's perfect for small-space living, smaller households, and the average everyday home cook who doesn't need all the fancy gadgets and gizmos to put together a weeknight dinner.

And for $65 off for the whole Nutribullet Ultra Plus+ System at Amazon right now, it's a no-brainer.

What to Shop

After investing, brush up on how to clean a blender to keep your appliance in top condition for longer, and make sure your food tastes fantastic every time.

I’m a city girl. Which means I’ve been living in an apartment for most of my life. And though the size of my kitchen may have changed, from a tiny studio in Hell’s Kitchen to my current three-bedroom Brooklyn abode, my counter space is sadly still limited. Nutribullet has always had folks like me in mind with its savvy, space-saving best blenders, and its newest device claims to adds a new set of tools, extra power and better blade quality – all with a more contemporary interface.

The Nutribullet Ultra Plus combines the company’s signature personal blending with a food processor and spice/coffee grinder, all of which simply fit onto the Ultra Motor Base. And though a combo system isn’t new for the company (we love its Triple Prep System for its full-sized blender, jug blender and food processor bowl), it does shrink all these components to a compact size. Here you’ll get two blending cups, a mini-sized food processor bowl, a grinder cup and four different blades to swap out. All of which do a proper amount of blending and prep work, yet won’t eat up a ton of space.

To see if this convenient, yet pint-sized system contends with the best blender food-processor combos, I spent a week blending, dicing, processing and grinding. Does it live up to the power of larger appliances? Nope. But it does hit a sweet spot for smaller households. And boy, does it do a lot with a little.

Product Specifications

Design & first impressions

For a compact system, the Nutribullet Ultra Plus has a lot of moving parts. In addition to the motor base, I unboxed three different-sized cups, a food processing bowl, and multiple tops and blades. All of which I spread out on my counter to take stock while I read the set-up instructions.

The base is small enough to leave out full-time and light enough to move around, and instead of typical non-slip pads, it comes with small suction cups on its underside to keep it in place during use. After finding a home for the base and plugging it in, I also clocked the two glowing touch controls: one to start a 30-second automated cycle and one to freestyle or use to pulse.

My very next thought was, 'Where am I going to store all this?' You may want to clear out a shelf in your pantry or kitchen cabinets before you make the purchase.

Blending Performance

Our team has already reviewed the original Nutribullet Ultra and awarded it five stars for its powerful blending and ice-crushing performance. I tested the same ingredients in the new Nutribullet Ultra Plus to see if anything had changed.

Test 1: Berry smoothie

My first blending attempt consisted of strawberries, blueberries, some fat free Greek yogurt and about half a cup of water. And now I know why they call it a smoothie. Just one, 30-second, low-volume cycle and I was rewarded with a tasty, creamy shake with an easy-to-drink consistency.

Test 2: Frozen protein shake

Next, I tried a trickier protein and frozen fruit smoothie, with a scoop of protein powder, a banana and a large handful of ice. I used the double-walled blending cup to help control the temperature and hit the solid circle for the preset cycle. The first time I tried this recipe, I learned my lesson about throwing the ice in last. The blade tried its best to cram through with a sonic screech and a smell that reminded me of burnt hair on a curling iron. 30 seconds was not going to do the trick here so I waited about 5 minutes and tried again.

This time it plowed through the semi-crushed ice and went to work nicely on the fruit and powder to push out a well-blended, chilled protein shake. The second time I used this same recipe, I put the ice in first and shook everything up before I blended. This helped a ton, and though I still had to use two cycles, at least it didn’t smell, or sound like someone was throwing rocks at a tin roof. Oh, and those suction cups definitely came in handy here.

Food processing performance

The Nutribullet Ultra Plus goes beyond blending, promising to chop, slice, and even grind coffee beans and spices. I tested every attachment to see how well it delivers.

Test 1: Chopped onions

Anyone who cooks consistently has dealt with the existential chore of chopping onions. So why not get this little gadget to do the dirty work? The 2-cup food processor bowl is the perfect size to chop a full onion and I put it to work with glee.

Once the bowl was locked onto the base, I slid on the chopping blade, threw in my hastily cut up onion, and locked on the lid. I decided to hold the dashed circle to process manually and it took about 55 seconds to get my desired fine chop.

No, you’re not going to get perfectly consistent onions like you do when you chop by hand, but if you’re using them in sauces, soups or stews, this is a fabulous time saver. I kept a tablespoon for the pasta sauce I was working on and put the rest in Tupperware to store in the fridge.

Test 2: Sliced carrots

Next up, slicing carrots. Though I don’t do it nearly as often as my chopped onions, the idea of simply sliced root vegetables was certainly appealing. This function also requires the processor bowl, though instead of the chopping blade, I slid on the well-labeled slice/shred disc with the slice side facing up and twisted on the lid.

I used two different carrots, each sliced in half. The first I put into the feed tube vertically for perfectly round slices and the next I fed in on an angle for longer ovals, using the preset cycle for both. This, I readily admit, was fun. It also provides gorgeously cut slices you’d be proud to toss into a salad or to roast up for the holidays.

Test 3: Grated Parmesan

The temperature in New York is finally dropping, which means I can start whipping up creamy risottos and pots of minestrone soup. And nothing says comfort food like freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

For this, I chopped up a chunk, dropped the pieces into the cup, twisted the lid back on, and locked it onto the base. Again, I used the 30-second control to start, and the noise it made now sounded like boulders being tossed on a tin roof rather than rocks. Boy, this was loud. Unfortunately, one cycle was not nearly enough to grate the hard cheese so I started another one.

Once this was done I peeked inside and was surprised to find my cheese in an odd state. Not only were there still larger pebbles left inside, but it was hot to the touch. Not completely melted but definitely glopped together. I still used it for my risotto, and it did the trick, but it was not the fluffy Parmesan I was expecting.

Test 4: Ground Spices

The next, and final, test was grinding spices. I love making Indian food, but I hate using the pre-made spice mixes you find in supermarkets. I threw equal amounts of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and cardamom pods with a pinch of salt into the metal container, and pressed go.

One 30-second round was enough to yield a mound of aromatic, beautifully ground spices. I used a few tablespoons to season some chicken breasts, then put the rest in a sealed container for next time.

The grinding function on the Nutribullet Ultra Plus can handle coffee beans, if you're looking for an appliance that can eliminate the need to buy the best coffee grinder.

What is it like to use?

I enjoyed using the Nutribullet Ultra Plus. As a whole, it’s an intuitive, simple-to-use system with a straightforward instruction manual. Everything clicks simply onto the base, and the preset and touch controls are easy to turn on and off.

As mentioned, I especially appreciated those suction cups on its feet because it kept it securely in place when it was churning through the ice and hard cheese. I think this was an especially clever design feature. Like most inexpensive blenders, it needs a little help with drier or thicker loads, and you will have to reposition your contents between blends so all the ingredients reach the blade – but it’s certainly not a deal breaker. Prep was simple enough, though you do have to pre-cut many of your ingredients to fit into the smaller cups and bowls.

My biggest problem was the sheer number of attachments, and that is two-fold. Firstly, finding somewhere to place it all, including extremely sharp pieces like the freestanding chopping blade, was not easy. The entire point is its compact size, yet it has 14 pieces in total. I asked the rep if the company offered any type of storage unit, but she said that at this time, nothing is available. My second issue was figuring out which attachment went with each cup or bowl. At one point, I was sure I had broken it because I could not thread a lid onto the cup for my smoothie. It turned out I was using the grinder blade instead of the rapid extractor blade.

All in all, none of this is a deal breaker. Once you get used to each component and you find a safe area to store it all, it’s a breeze to use. And it gets (most of) your jobs done with ease.

Cleaning & maintenance

Not much to see here when it comes to cleaning. Other than the base, all the attachments are dishwasher safe, and I took advantage of that most of the time. However, you can just as easily run the covers under hot water and add a little dish soap for good riddance. I never had to scrub to knock off food from the blades.

Who would it suit?

The Nutribullet Ultra Plus is perfect for my fellow apartment dwellers or those with smaller kitchens. The base sits nicely on any counter, and it’s light enough to move anywhere you want to do your blending or processing. And because it offers multiple functions, it allows you to combine a handful of appliances into one. For just over $200, I’d say it’s worth it.

With its compact attachments, I’d also suggest this for smaller households of one or two people. My smoothies were perfect for just me, but if I had to make them for my two teen sons, I’d be doing a lot more work. If you’re cooking for a larger family, you may want to go up to a full-sized food processor or blender.

Final verdict: Should you buy the Nutribullet Ultra Plus?

Looking for a way to combine a bunch of appliances into one? The Nutribullet Ultra Plus does the trick. The base is easy to leave on your counter for every day use and swapping out the multiple attachments is simple once you figure out how to wed each component the the correct blade covers. I also appreciated the lids for the blender cups so I can top off my smoothies and bring them with me on the road.

Of course, the irony of buying this for its compact size does come to fruition when you start looking for a place to store it all. So before you make the purchase, I’d suggest going through your kitchen and picking out a secure spot. Once that’s taken care of, this is a quick and painless way to blend, chop, slice and grind with ease.

How we test blender/food processor combos

When evaluating the best blender-food processor combos, we treat each function – blending, processing, and additional attachments – as if they were standalone appliances. That means rigorous, real-world testing to ensure that you’re getting a product that performs exceptionally in both categories.

You can read all the juicy testing details on how we test blenders and how we test food processors, where we break down the criteria and explain more from behind the scenes.

Learning to be the home cook requires learning from the best. Yotam Ottolenghi is undeniably the best. The British chef, restauranteur and food writer is one of the most well-known cooks in the world for his delicious range of fresh and delicious food.

Luckily, Homes & Gardens got to speak with him and learn all of his essential home cooking tools, as part of his collaboration with Serax. Aside from the dishes from his beautiful Feast Collection, Ottolenghi stocks his kitchen with surprisingly simple kitchen appliances and tools.

When asked the best kitchen appliances he swears by, the chef told H&G exclusively: 'First, a really good knife—sharp and versatile, it’s essential. Then, a microplane; it’s perfect for grating zest, cheese, garlic, or spices to add a finishing touch to dishes. Lastly, a quality food processor—it makes preparing spreads, sauces, and doughs so much easier and faster.' Of his favorite tools, here are H&G Editors' tried and tested favorite versions of each.

1. A Good Knife

A good knife can make or break your cooking experience. From chopping to grinding, it's an essential tool that makes cheffing up something delicious much more seamless or fun and will be used in even the simplest recipes. These three are our editors' picks for the best kitchen knives.

2. A Microplane

Similar to a grater, a microplane will grind cheese, herbs, and zests with a finer grain. It's one of the most affordable ways to upgrade your home cooking, plus easy to use if you're new to complex food prep.

3. A Quality Food Processor

A food processor is essential when it comes to grinding food with precision. Though a blender will suffice for some tasks, it has nowhere near the versatility of our favorite processors on the market. The following are some of the best food processors of 2024, as tried and tested by our experts.

When it comes to upgrading your kitchen tools, it's okay to start small. Rather than buying everything all at once, begin with something accessibly priced and easy to use, like a microplane. Once you've started, it's easier to build from there.

With advice from Yotam Ottolenghi and the experts at Homes & Gardens, you can't go wrong.

Cuisinart and KitchenAid dominate the home appliance market. They make some of the best food processors and most convenient food choppers that you can buy. It's brilliant to have choice and range, but how do you know which is better?

The Cuisinart vs KitchenAid food processor debate is hotly contested. Some people put KitchenAid at the top of their buying guides for the best food processors, prizing the iconic name, brand, and color scheme. Others opt for Cuisinart, choosing the simple, lightweight, and durable build quality.

I'll talk through the pros and cons of both KitchenAid and Cuisinart's food processors so you can decide which is best for you and your kitchen needs.

Is the Cuisinart food processor any good?

Cuisinart are well-known for making some of the best food processors on the market. Theirs come in all shapes and sizes. You can buy a mini one for small tasks, such as dips and sauces, or a professional 14-cup model that's up to the toughest of tasks.

Cuisinart's smallest offering is their 3-cup mini food chopper. This simple model comes with two functions: chop and grind. The chopping uses the sharp side of the blade to slice through ingredients. The grinding function reverses the blade, using the more blunt side to grind up spices and nuts as needed.

In the middle of the range, the Cuisinart 9-cup food processor offers simple functions. It has a low speed, high speed, and pulse setting. It comes with two reversible shredding and slicing disc, both for fine and medium textures. The universal S blade can mix, chop, and make dough too.

At the top end of the range is the Cuisinart 14-cup food processor. Even though the Core Custom 10-Cup food processor sits at the top of our buying guide for the best food processors, the 14-cup is perfect for bigger, tricker tasks. Aside from its immense, 14-cup capacity, the Cuisinart boasts some impressive power and an extra-large feed tube, which doesn't require any preparation. It comes with a slicing disc, shredding disc, chopping and mixing blade, as well as a disc stem and spatula.

Cuisinart's food processors have something to offer every kind of kitchen, but the three below are our favorites.

Is the KitchenAid food processor any good?

KitchenAid makes some of the most iconic, all-American appliances on the market. They're best known for their stand mixers, but they do also make some of the best food processors, food choppers, and blenders on the market.

If you're thinking about investing in a KitchenAid food processor, you have a few options:

The first is either an eleven or nine-cup food processor. This is exactly what you would expect from a food processor. It comes with S blades, grating and slicing discs, and more. It's durable, simple, and powerful. I can't really fault them.

The second option is a food chopper. If you asked any of our expert testers for a list of kitchen essentials, the food chopper is guaranteed a spot. It's a lot like a food processor, except this doesn't grate or slice. It makes good dips and purees, but, as you move onto doughs and tricker tasks, it isn't quite as good. One of the reasons we love this is that it's completely cordless, so you can use it anywhere in the kitchen, or even outside next to the grill.

The final KitchenAid food processor option is an attachment for your food processor. It might sound like they've gone mad, but this is actually very space and cost-effective if you already own (and love) one of their stand mixers. All you have to do is slot it onto the end of your stand mixer head and it will work away, powering through a range of food processor tasks.

Head to head: Cuisinart vs KitchenAid

Alternatives to both KitchenAid and Cuisinart

If you want some other options to KitchenAid and Cuisinart, these are some of our other tried-and-tested food processors.

FAQs

Is Cuisinart or KitchenAid a better brand?

Cuisinart and KitchenAid are both American brands that offer top-quality appliances. It's hard to say which is a better brand, because they have different offerings. Cuisinart's simple models are lightweight and straightforward to use. KitchenAid's tend to have more color and style options as well as more durable materials.

What are the best brands for food processors?

KitchenAid and Cuisinart are certainly two of the best brands for food processors. However, they're not the only people that make good food processors. Ninja, Nutribullet, Magic Bullet, and Vitamix all make some of the best food processors on the market.

Do I need a food chopper or a food processor?

We've gone deep into the details of the differences between food choppers and food processors in another article. Essentially, KitchenAid and Cuisinart's food choppers are good for light tasks, such as making dips and sauces. Their food processors are bigger, more versatile, more powerful, and more durable too.

Sometimes, you don't need a full-sized food processor with an excessive amount of accessories and attachments. If all you need is a simple appliance that can make quick dips and smooth nut butters in small quantities, look no further than the Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus Food Processor.

In the last year and a half of food processor testing, I've seen some of the best food processors on the market. Whilst they certainly have a place in big homes that need lots of capacity, I'm a big proponent of the 'less is more' principle.

I tested the tiny Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus Food Processor on chopping onions, making hummus, and blending peanut butter. It's more powerful than an immersion blender and just as capable as a full-sized food processor, just shrunk down by two-thirds. I love it.

Specifications

Who would it suit?

Mini appliances such as this are perfect for compact kitchens. If you're a single-person household or just a couple who doesn't need to make thirteen cups worth of hummus every time you blend some chickpeas, this is perfect.

The Cuisinart is small and boxy, so it would be easy to slot into a cupboard with other appliances stacked around it. Equally, this is petite enough for you to keep it on your countertop full-time. It wouldn't demand a lot of space and certainly wouldn't be an eyesore, which will be a weight off the shoulders if you're living in an urban apartment, like me.

The only people I wouldn't recommend this for are those who need a lot of capacity or those who want lots of food processor accessories. This comes with an S blade only, so it won't be grating or slicing, unless you invest in them separately.

Unboxing

I love unboxing small appliances like this because it's all so easy. The compact box has lots of useful suggestions for how to use your food processor. Then, most of the packaging is recyclable, save for a few soft plastic bags, which you could still recycle if you were smart about it.

Whilst Cuisinart doesn't send any slicing or dicing discs, you do get a super sharp, double-sided S blade, which covers all the food processing basics. They also throw in a small scraper, so you can scoop any extras from the edges of your bowl. I thought that was a nice touch.

What is it like to use?

The Cuisinart is as simple as it looks. The bowl has to click into place in a very specific position, but that's the case with lots of food processors. It also doesn't take long for your muscle memory to just know where to put the bowl.

The control buttons are 'chop' and 'grind'. The grind setting uses the blades in reverse so that you get the blunt side of the blade gently crushing herbs and spices. It's a clever extra. As is the lid, which has two holes and a well. If you're making dressings, mayonnaise, or anything that requires you to add a little liquid to your mix, this is a really thoughtful feature.

You need to constantly hold the buttons down for the food processor to work, which does mean you have to hang around whilst it's running. However, it also means that yours will never over-blend and you'll also get complete control over how your dips and nut butters end up.

Test 1: chopping

The first task I gave the Cuisinart was chopping an onion. I peeled and quartered a large red onion, put it in the work bowl and held down 'chop'. In just 18 seconds, I had achieved what you can see in the picture above. 

I wanted this for a chunky salsa, so I didn't go too fine with any of the ingredients. This was the perfect texture and almost all of the pieces were consistent in shape too. You can see one part of the onion escaped chopping, but I think that's probably because the blender was overfilled. It's a great start nonetheless.

Test 2: dips

The next test I run for all of our food processors (and blenders) is on hummus. You don't get a lot of liquid with the chickpeas, so it can be hard to achieve a really silky smooth dip. 

I was surprised at just how much hummus I made in the Cuisinart. I tipped a can of chickpeas, a tablespoon of tahini, a squeeze of lemon, a teaspoon of cumin, and a pinch of salt into the work bowl. I switched between chopping and grinding, because I wasn't sure quite what a hummus would require. It did the trick though. My hummus was chunky and still had some texture, but all the ingredients were well incorporated and blended into a delicious dip.

Test 3: nut butters

If you buy nut butters from the store, you can stop. Even though the Cuisinart is tiny, it took just two minutes to make a smooth peanut butter that would rival anything you can buy in the shops.

I bought a bag of roasted, salted peanuts and poured them into the work bowl. Then, I held down the grind button in 30 second intervals, leaving the food processor to cool for fifteen seconds between sprints. I didn't think the Cuisinart needed this, but people say that food processors can overheat, so it's good practice to run yours in stages, especially if you want yours to last for a long time.

I watched my peanuts get chopped (they'd make a nice topping for a salad), then ground (useful for baking), and then, they gradually came together in a ball, which got looser and looser, until it looked like the perfect nut butter. Although it looks grainy in the pictures, I didn't think it tasted grainy at all. I loved it and used that tiny Cuisinart spatula to scoop out every last spoonful.

Cleaning, storage, and maintenance

All of the Cuisinart parts are dishwasher safe. So, if it sounds like I loved testing this (I did) you can bet that I loved the clean up even more. We have one of those small, dishwasher drawers at home, so I was quite apprehensive about being able to get it into the drawer alongside my daily dishes. However, it squeezed in without a problem. 

If you want to, you can clean the Cuisinart by hand too. I have lots of tips and tricks for how to clean a food processor, but if you want the summary: put some warm water in with a few drops of dish soap and pulse the food processor. It will effectively clean itself, just make sure you rinse it before you dry yours up.

Storage wise, this is small enough to keep on the countertop. However, if you want to put it in the cupboards or a deep drawer, you easily could. Any home could make space for one of these.

How does it rate online?

The Cuisinart is quite a success online. People love how conveniently petite it is, as well as the fact that everything is dishwasher safe. I tested this in the chrome, but plenty of other reviewers enjoyed the red, pink, and white colorways, which they said looked stylish on the countertop.

It was hard to find criticisms of the Cuisinart, aside from the fact that you have to constantly depress the button for it to run. Some people thought that the motor was loud, but it's rare that food processors are silent and you won't need to run this for a long time anyway.

How does it compare?

I've tested my fair share of food processors and I can tell you that the Cuisinart is one of the best compact models on the market. However, before you fall head-over-heels in love, there's a couple worth considering too.

The first is the Magic Bullet Kitchen Express System. Although this is more expensive than the Cuisinart, the Magic Bullet comes with slicing discs, grating discs, and bullet blending attachments, so the Magic Bullet can do a lot more. You get less control over pulsing and how long it works for (once you've clicked it into place, the Magic Bullet just runs. It also feels cheaper than the Cuisinart, even though you pay more for it. I've brought it in as a comparison, because it's much more versatile than the Cuisinart and, when you're trying to save space in your kitchen, having an appliance that is powerful and compact is a real game-changer.

The other appliance that springs to mind is the KitchenAid food chopper (available at QVC). This is smaller than the Cuisinart and comes with the same, simple blade attachments (not like the Magic Bullet's). The big bonus with the KitchenAid is that it's cordless, so you can chop, blend, and grind from anywhere. Say you want to work at the kitchen table where there are no plugs, you can. Maybe you want to make salsa by the grill in yard, you can. Even if you just can't be bothered to plug in, the KitchenAid is incredibly useful. If that's not tempting, it's available in a range of color options too, so you can pick one that will add some pop to your kitchen countertops. Of course, if you won't remember to charge the battery, or you don't like the idea of paying a premium for, let's face it, a bit of a luxury, the Cuisinart is better.

Should you buy it?

If you want a small, hard working food processor in your kitchen and you don't have big and bold demands to make on it, the Cuisinart is perfect. It's excellent value for money, well-built, and perfect for small spaces. I love it.

What do the different food processor accessories do? These days, it's a reasonable question to ask. Even basic food processors come with a whole host of discs, blades, and miscellaneous attachments. Knowing how to use them will ensure you're getting the most from your appliances.

As H&G's kitchen appliance expert, I've tested plenty of the food processors on the market. In our tests, it's my job to make sure that every accessory provided is useful, so I've seen them all: discs, blades, pitchers, choppers, cups, juicers, and more.

I'll tell you exactly what the most common food processor accessories can do and how to use them. I'll also let you know about some alternatives that you can buy, such as food processor blender combos, so that you know you're making the most of your kitchen appliances.

The main knife or 'S' blade

This is the classic attachment. Every food processor comes with one, whether you choose one which costs $30 or $300. The knife blade, often called the 'S' blade is super sharp and double-sided. It's made to pulse, puree, and slice through your food. If you're making soups, sauces, dips, dressings, and batters, this is the one you'll use. 

If you're au fait with your food processor's functions, the S blade can also be really useful for making an easy shortcrust pastry, cauliflower rice, or some falafels. You'll need to pulse carefully, in shorter, sharper bursts, so that you don't overheat or overchop your ingredients.

The slicing disc

I only started using my slicing discs in the last few years and I wish I had started sooner. Whether you want thinly sliced radishes for a pickle, some cucumber crescents for a salad, or you want some substantial potato layers in your dauphinoise, the slicing disc will give you quick, consistent results. 

Most food processors come with multiple slicing discs, so yours will be able to achieve different thicknesses. However, even a standard, one-size-fits-all disc will save you hours in the kitchen. Plus, if you're clumsy like me, it's good to put some distance between your fingers and freshly sharpened knives.

The grating disc

This is another incredibly useful disk to use on your food processor. I don't know about you, but I get bored manually grating red cabbage for a summer salad, carrots for a cake, or large quantities of cheese. With the help of a grating disc, you can have all of your grating jobs done in seconds.

Whilst you've got the disc out, I'd recommend grating more than you need. Then, if it's cheese or a similarly freezer-friendly foodstuff, you can preserve it in your freezer drawers, whipping out your pre-grated food as and when you need it.

The dough blade

It might sound far-fetched and much more like the job of a stand mixer, but food processors really can make dough. If you have a dough blade, you can knead enriched bread dough, pizza dough, and thicker bakes using the short, blunt blade. 

It's quicker than hand-working the dough on your kitchen surface and it can save you a lot of mess too. I've heard some people using their regular S blade for making breads and batters, because the blades tend to be longer, reaching right to the edge of your bowl. However, this can also be tough on your mix, so always sense-check yourself.

Blending cups and pitchers

Most of those attachments will come with any standard food processor. However, if you want to expand what you can make with a food processor, you might want to take a look at the best food processor blender combos. These will either come with bullet blending cups that can sit on the base of your food processor, or the brand will send a big pitcher. Choosing between the two is really all about capacity: blending cups are great for single-serve smoothies and simple tasks. Pitchers are perfect for large households, trickier recipes, and batch blends. Here are a few of my favorites.

Other accessories

Some food processors will have other accessories available to buy separately. Some brands offer juicer fixes, pastry cutters, and more.

KitchenAid is a great example because you can use their stand mixer base for your food processor, but there are also a range of KitchenAid attachments that transform it into an ice cream maker, meat grinder, and a pasta roller. 

You name it, there'll be an attachment for it. And, manufacturers are only getting smarter. So, if you want to make the most of your food processor, it's worth doing some research to make sure that you're getting the most for your money.

If you want to know how to clean a food processor thoroughly and easily, you're in the right place. I spend my days testing these appliances on oily, tough, sticky, and strong-smelling ingredients, so I've worked out a simple technique for cleaning.

Luckily, many of the best food processors come with dishwasher-safe parts, so you can load them in and set a rinse running, However, if you don't have space for big food processing bowls, fiddly grating and slicing discs, and sharp blades, you'll want to know how to clean each part.

How to clean a food processor

You'll want to take your food processor apart before you start any of the cleaning process. Unplug the machine, then remove the lid, blades or discs, and bowl from the base. You'll often need to twist and unlock the base to take it off the base.

Once you've separated the parts and set them aside, pick up a warm, damp microfiber cloth (available at Walmart) and give the food processor a wipe-down. You'll want to get any food or oily fingerprints off the controls. Then, use a dry cloth to wipe it dry.

Experts at KitchenAid recommend 'avoiding abrasive cleaners or scouring pads because these will damage your appliance. You also don't want to immerse the base of the food processor or the power cord in water or another liquid.'

When the base is sparkling clean, you can tackle the bowl, blades, discs, and lid. Keep these out of the sink and wash them one by one. If you fill a sink when you've got sharp blades and discs floating around, you risk accidentally cutting yourself. 

Fill the sink with warm, soapy water. I recommend using cleaning detergents, such as Ecover or Method and running warm water into the sink. Then, using a soft cloth or sponge, wash the work bowl and then the lid.

The blades and discs will need some more attention. There are two methods to follow. You can use a small cleaning brush to work into any small spaces, wiping off ingredients from the blades too. 

Alternatively, you can fit the food processor bowl back onto the base, and then fit the blades or discs in place. Millie Fender, one of our kitchen experts says to 'add some warm water and a drizzle of dish soap to your bowl. You only need a few drops otherwise when you set the food processor running, it'll all bubble up and your bowl might become overfilled.'

Then, Millie says 'I always rinse my bowl fully to remove the bubbles, because I don't want the next dip I make to taste like soap! It's also a good way to check that you've cleaned the blades well.'

If you don't want to step near a sink and your food processor parts are dishwasher safe, you can give them a rinse, and then run a cycle on gentle or normal, with a soft dishwasher detergent. Always check your manual for what the brand recommends.

Once all the parts are clean, make sure that they're dry. I use a microfiber cloth since these are really effective at picking up every last drop of water. Then, reassemble the food processor and store it in your cabinet, shelf, or pantry. That's all there is to it.

FAQs

Why is my food processor bowl discolored and what can I do?

Plastic bowls and pitchers can cling to bold colors and potent smells, whether you've been blending a green, garlic pesto or a bright curry paste. It's not something to worry yourself with. Try the cleaning steps, but make sure to soak the bowl in warm soapy water, overnight if possible, rather than doing a quick rinse and scrub. If that doesn't work, try mixing baking soda and water. This should help to give the inside of your bowl a deeper clean.

How do you clean the inside of a food processor handle?

Sometimes, the handle can also get a little grubby and this is hard to really reach inside. It's a good idea to invest in some small brushes (the kind you'd use for reusable straws) or a small toothbrush. These should be able to fit inside your handle section, giving it a good clean. If that doesn't work, try adding some white wine vinegar. That should help things along.

How do I clean a cloudy food processor?

Foggy or cloudy plastic needs a little more TLC when you're cleaning, but there are plenty of ways that you can get rid of it. The most common and effective home remedy that people use is sprinkling baking soda onto a damp sponge and using that to wipe the cup. If that doesn't work, try mixing baking soda with vinegar and then using that solution to clean the food processor. It should help to get rid of any fogginess.

Knowing how to choose a food processor that suits your kitchen needs is key to making the most of your space, money, and time. There's plenty to consider before you dive into a food processor purchase and, thankfully, you've got the help of our experts for choosing the perfect one.

We've tested all of the best food processors on the market, as well as food choppers and some of the best food processor combos too. That means we've seen the small, the stylish, and the stunning, as well as ones which are a little less impressive.

Before you choose a food processor, you'll want to think about the size of your kitchen, the capacity that you need, what you will use your food processor for, how much you want to spend and, where you'll store it. We'll cover all of that and more right here.

How to choose a food processor 

The key factors to consider when you're buying a food processor are: capacity, footprint, power, functions, and price. I'll go deep into the details of that and more, but if you want a quick table for what to expect in different price ranges, here's a summary.

Matching aesthetics and style

Food processors aren't known for being the most beautiful appliances on the market, but it helps if you can pick one which matches your interior kitchen design, whether it's a retro-farmhouse style or a more modern, minimalistic tone, there'll be one to match your kitchen. Here are some of our tried and tested suggestions for different kitchen styles:

What sort of size and capacity do you need?

In the table above, I gave you a rough guideline for what sort of capacity and size to look for in a food processor. Large homes that need to make big batches of dips, sauces, smoothies, and nut butters, will need at least 11 cups of capacity. 

If you're a couple or small family, you'll probably want a 7-10 cup capacity. This will be enough to make hummus for you and any guests. There's a danger in sizing-up because the food processor blades won't do as thorough of a job if you've not got a very full food processor. The same applies for sizing down, in which case you're likely to have to run your chopping, dicing, slicing, and blending tasks in batches. 

The smallest food processors might also be called food choppers. These will have up to seven cups of capacity and will be great for single-person homes or couples. You'll be able to chop an onion, grate a carrot, and slice half a cucumber in these. They'll be useful extras to have, but don't count on them if you're squeezing all the extended family round for food.

Often, the footprint of your food processor is proportionate to capacity. Bigger models will require more space on your countertop. The bigger they get, the more important storage options will become. It's important to check that your extra accessories can be stored in the food processor bowl. You'll also want to measure your wall cupboards, if you have them, to make sure that your food processor clears them once the lid and feeding chute is fixed on. You can always pull it out further onto the countertop if you need to, but it's good to have options.

Which functions and features are important?

All basic food processors come with blades, which can chop, mix, and blend up your ingredients. However, as you pay more money, you'll get extras which increase the versatility of your food processor. Mid-range and premium food processors will have slicing and grating discs, so that you can shred cheese and carrots as well as cutting cucumber without getting your hands dirty. If you can see these features on a smaller food processor, make sure you check the chute size, since the smaller models might have narrow chutes which require some more vegetable prep before you can feed your foods into the bowl.

More versatile food processor and blender combos will come with blending pitchers, bullet blender attachments, and blending cups. This will mean that you have more clutter to store away, but, in the grand scheme of things, you'll be able to save space, since you've combined two appliances into one. Check the capacity and power of the blender to make sure that it can cater to your needs. 

Some food processors have special ice functions as well as pulse settings, speed settings, soup settings, and pre-sets for different kitchen tasks. These can be really useful, especially if they'll time how long your machine has been running for. However, bear in mind that you're paying a premium for a luxury rather than a necessary function.

What's good value and a reasonable warranty?

You can pick up an inexpensive food processor easily. The cheapest model that I've tested (and would still buy) is the Magic Bullet Kitchen Express. I actually recommend this all the time, because it's super speedy, really powerful, compact, and consistent. It's only $50 for the food processor with the blending attachments too. You can't go wrong if you're a small household.

At the other end of the spectrum, you've for the luxurious Vitamix food processor and the Ninja Professional Food Processor-Blender Combo. The Vitamix Gourmet SmartPrep Kitchen is $900 (currently reduced to $799.95 at QVC). You get a blender, food processor attachment, and plenty of different discs for various functions. It's a beautiful and powerful appliance, but you pay a premium for the prestigious brand name.

Somewhere in the middle of the two is the Ninja 3-in-1 Food Processor, which is $200. I love it because you get a full-sized food processor and blender, as well as smaller blending cups. It's powerful, sleek, and exceptional value. The only people I wouldn't recommend it to are those in smaller homes.

FAQs

Should I buy a food processor blender combo?

If you don't have both appliances or think you need to upgrade the quality of your food processor and your blender, I would recommend buying a blender and food processor combo. They'll save you space and money, so it's really a no-brainer. The only downside is, you won't get to select specific functions for both. For example, if you want a blender that heats and an 11 cup food processor, you'll have to do a lot more research than if you bought the two separately.

What factors should I consider when picking a food processor?

You'll want to work backwards, when choosing a food processor. The most important thing is that it can meet your needs. Think about whether you need yours to slice, and grate as well as chop. Then, think about the capacity and size of your food processor so that you can use it for your needs. You'll then need to set a budget and think about what yours should look like.

At Homes & Gardens, we have a rigorous system for how we test food processors. As Kitchen Appliances Editor, I lead a team of expert testers across the USA, including home economists, service journalists, and trained cooks (like myself), who personally put each machine through its paces, assessing everything from design and ease of cleaning to performance and durability.

When we're curating our buying guides for the best food processors, we test more than you see. For every competitive spot in our buying guides, there will be at least three or four market-leading models that didn't quite make the cut.

If you're curious to see exactly how we assess the best, I've rounded up some behind-the-scenes insight (it should also give you some inspiration for what can a food processor can do, too!)

How we choose food processors to review

The first step is market research. We keep in touch with the industry to make sure that we always hear about new launch as, (and even before), it happens, and will almost always call products in to test, so we're amongst the first to try them.

Honestly, new food processor launches aren't that frequent (unlike the best blenders, which seem to pop up constantly). Still, our experts are always looking at what the big brands, such as Nutribullet, Ninja, and Cuisinart have to offer but we'll also look at smaller, disruptive brands, too.

Once we've found a product with good specifications, we call it in to our test kitchen. Before trying it out, we make sure to research all of the claims that a brand makes about their food processor. Then, when it comes to testing, we can be sure that we're covering all bases.

We never take any money for our reviews, so myself and our experts always speak independently and honestly.

Design & first impressions

While we know looks aren’t everything, we think countertop staples like food processors should look good, too. In the test kitchen, we take notes on the full experience – from unboxing and setup to learning how to use it - covering everything from its weight and design to how it feels in use.

The setup process also gives us great insight into the overall build quality. We’ll tell you how sturdy the materials feel, whether it’s heavy or lightweight, and how intuitive the controls are to navigate.

Many food processors come with extra accessories such as blending cups, pitchers, dicing disks, portable bottles, cleaning brushes, or add-ons that turn them into the best juicers. These accessories can make a big difference in how versatile and convenient the appliance is, so it’s useful to know what’s included upfront.

Processing performance

Food processors cover a range of functions, so we want to make sure that we've tested them all when we're writing up our reviews and curating our buying guides. Our basic tests will assess the different functions on offer. Here's what they are:

1. Chopping

Almost every food processor comes with some blades. These can be used for breadcrumbs, chopping, and dicing. We test out the blades with a few functions. The first test we run is on chopping red onions. We peel them, chop them into quarters, and let the food processor run. Our experts look for consistently-sized pieces of onion, which can be chopped up quickly and with minimal noise.

2. Making dips

After chopping onions, we'll then throw in some avocado, tomato, cilantro, lemon, and salt to make a guacamole. Some of our experts like their dips chunky, so we run some pulse settings to see whether we can get a well-integrated dip which still has some texture.

Then, we'll keep the machine running, with the timer going, to make a super smooth guacamole. Again, we want all the ingredients to be well-mixed, smooth, and scoopable. Some blenders will push chunks to the top or miss sections at the bottom, but the best will make a flawless dip.

We'll always make hummus, too. This tests the performance on fibrous, dry chickpeas and garlic with just a splash of tahini and olive oil. It's a great way to evaluate the kind of texture that the food processor can achieve with tougher ingredients. The best machines will wow us with light, velvety hummus that we can't stop eating.

3. Grating carrots & cheese

We'll also get discs for slicing and grating, which are really useful to have. We'll grate carrots and cheese. The carrots give us a good sense of how the food processor handles firmer ingredients, how evenly it grates, and how quickly it can work through a carrot.

Cheese can be softer and harder to grate evenly, so we'll feed sticks into the food processor, again, checking how evenly and quickly the food processor whizzes through the cheese.

4. Slicing vegetables

Often, if you flip the disc, you can use the slicing function. We feed the cucumber down the feeding chute, looking at the thickness of each cucumber slice, how quickly it's sliced, and whether the feeding chute is the right size for large vegetables.

5. Extra features

Some food processors come with special features, so we like to test those too. For example, the Breville Paradice 16 came with a dicing rack and the Magimix 4200 XL came with an impressive dough hook.

If a food processor doubles up as a blender, we'll make smoothies and dips, putting it through all the same motions that we look for in our process for how we test blenders. That way, we can let you know whether it's a worthwhile substitute for your home blender – or possibly a contender for the best blender-food processor combo.

Cleaning, storage & maintenance

If a food processor is easy to clean, you'll find yourself reaching for it every day. However, if you can't throw it in the dishwasher or you need to dedicate significant time to cleaning it, you won't want to use it. We make notes on how easy it is to both clean and store your food processor, so you can imagine how it will fit into your everyday life.

Storing the food processor will depend on what you're after. Some models are stackable, meaning all the accessories pack neatly inside the food processor, which is great. Others might look neat and tidy online, but they come with sprawling blades and extra cups, which are a nightmare to store – that always knocks points off for us.

We love smaller food choppers, (as long as they still do the job well), which are easy to slot into cupboards. Other food processors are big and beautiful, made to sit on the countertop for the admiration of your guests. I'd never want to hide away something like the retro 50th anniversary Cuisinart.

Durability

Every food processor must be tested for a prolonged period (at least two weeks, but often over a few months) to check for any issues and assess the product's longevity.

Where possible, we aim to keep products in-house to test them on a long-term basis, updating our reviews as the months and years pass to see if our favorites are still the best in class, or have been surpassed by newer models.

Value & warranty

Finally, we'll take a step back and think about whether the food processor is good value. We'll look at the quality, warranty, and how it stacks up compared to rival brands.

Our experts have tested almost all the food processors on the market, so we are the best people to ask if you want to know where yours sits in the market for value, versatility, and quality.

We'll let you know where you can cut corners and save money (the best blender-food processors are worth a look) as well as let you know what you can get if you spend a little more by upping the budget.

If you've got to this stage but you're still not sure which appliance is right for you, I've written a guide called: Which food prep appliance do you need? which should answer more questions around how food processors stack up against mini choppers, blenders, juicers, and more.

If your heart is set on a processor, head straight to our guide to the best food processors to see which ones topped the list this year.

Whether you're a sucker for a hard-working appliance, looking for versatility and value, or shopping for a kitchen appliance that does it all, I think you'll be pretty pleased with the Nutribullet Triple Prep system. It can handle all your blending and food processing needs like the best blender food processor combos on the market.

Nutribullet is known for making one of the best blenders on the market. The Triple Prep system uses the single-serve cups that make their iconic bullet blender but offers a jug blender for the more robust, ice-crushing tasks. That would be enough to sell me on this blender, but there's more. Nutribullet has thrown in a full-sized food processing bowl that has layered blades to chop up onions, blend nuts, slice veggies, and grate cheese like the best food processors on the market.

So, you can see that on paper, this looks like one serious piece of kit. I took it to our test kitchen to find out whether that translates from the smart credentials onto your kitchen countertop. Here's what I found (spoiler alert: I think you'll like it).

Specifications

Unboxing

The Nutribullet Triple Prep System arrives in a box proportionate to everything inside. What I'm trying to delicately say is that it's a big box. However, you're getting a full-sized bullet blender, jug blender, and food processor, so I wouldn't expect anything less.

The cardboard is packaged and neatly organized, so that unboxing makes it easy to understand which parts go with which appliance. You'll get two blending cups, which turn into portable bottles after use; a food processor bowl with interchangeable slicing and grating blades, a glass blending pitcher, and the sleek power base. It's a lot to store, so make sure that you have the space for this (I'd recommend dedicating a cupboard to the attachments) before you leap into buying one.

Who would it suit?

If you're kitting out a new home or starting afresh with your kitchen, the Nutribullet Triple Prep System is the perfect appliance. The sleek base could easily sit on a modern kitchen countertop, but you'll need to find some space in your cupboards for all the extras, which is why I tend to recommend this for larger homes. 

The single-serve cups are great if you need to blend for one and go, but the 64 oz blending pitcher and 7 cup food processor are what firmly puts this into the 'large homes' category since they're really designed for batch cooking. The sheer versatility of a bullet and jug blender is great if you want to switch up what you're making. The bullets are great for smoothies, but can't crush ice. The blending jug will mist your ice into fine snow in a matter of seconds but is harder to clean if you just want a quick smoothie.

Altogether, this feels like a sleek and smart piece of equipment. Even better, this comes at a relatively low cost. We've found less expensive models, but this is a sweet spot of value and simplicity. You could opt for more sensitive and advanced models (which I'll get into further down), but this is a great starting point.

What is it like to use?

Getting the Nutribullet Triple Prep System set up was easy and stress-free. It comes with instructions, but you won't really need them, since all the appliances click neatly into the base and the functions are all straightforward.

The one-touch operation is a breezy wonder, you can flick between blending, chopping and food processing relatively effortlessly. I made smoothies, crushed ice, shredded veg, dips, and more. By the end of testing, I'd completed a full (if not slightly obscure) dinner party spread without having to break a sweat. Here are some more details.

Test 1: smoothies

Our smoothie tests are simple but tough. We give every blender spinach so that we can test how it handles tough greens. We throw in frozen berries because these can be big and the small seeds are tough to get super smooth. We'll give it some help with banana and almond milk to see how it can handle them. 

I tested making smoothies in both the jug and bullet blender. If you're making a smaller serving and want a portable option, the bullet is brilliant. It works like Nutribullet's best, classic blender, whizzing up everything into a smooth and delicious drink in just 42 seconds. I even added a scoop of my protein powder to see whether the smoothie would go lumpy and this didn't phase the Nutribullet. I had a silky smooth shake in seconds. 

I tried the same quantities in the pitcher, which was good, but I didn't get the same smooth results in the smaller quantity. My smoothie was very drinkable, but I could taste some seeds. However, when I packed the pitcher with more ingredients, aiming to make a four-person pitcher of smoothie, the Nutribullet came into its own, whizzing up a perfect smoothie which I could pour straight from the jug.

Test 2: hummus

After we've made smoothies, we always move onto making a dip, because this has a lower liquid quantity. Blades can struggle to cut chickpea skins into a silky dip. I followed the same process as I did with the smoothies, testing hummus in the bullet blender and then the large pitcher.

I put a can of chickpeas, a squeeze of lemon, teaspoon of cumin, tablespoon of tahini, and drizzle of olive oil into the bullet blender and set it to work. I had to stop the bullet and give it a shake or a scrape a few times before I was satisfied that the blades had worked through all of my ingredients. Overall, this only took a couple of minutes, so I was pleased.

It was much of the same story with hummus in the blending jug as it was with smoothies. The bullet did a better job of small quantities, because the pitcher's blades simply skipped over some of my chickpeas, giving me a very chunky dip. I doubled my quantities and got much better results (and more hummus than I could ever possibly dream of). 

Test 3: ice

Bullet blenders notoriously struggle to even touch ice and this was no exception. I added a little bit of water and some ice cubes to the bullet and they rattled around for a few minutes, doing nothing. The pitcher on the other hand, was another story. I was totally blown away by how quickly this misted my ice cubes into a fine powder, perfect for snow cones and iced cocktails. There were some larger chunks initially, but as I carried on blending, I got some great results.

Test 4: guacamole

Next, I moved on to the food processor. I had enough hummus to feed the whole street, so thought I'd test out a second dip, guacamole. Although avocado is soft and relatively easy to blend, the cilantro is a tough green to cut nicely, the onion is difficult to get into an even size, and the chili is hard to integrate well. 

As you can see, the Nutribullet Triple Prep System aced the guacamole test. The food processor blades did a brilliant job of chopping and combining all of my ingredients throughout the dip even though they're not at different levels. Some chunks splashed up the sides, but I used a spatula to slide them down and into the main dip. 

Test 5: chopped onion

This test takes one step back from the guacamole, stripping out all the ingredients except for the red onion. I only needed to run the Nutribullet Triple Prep System for a few seconds to get the results that you can see in the picture above. The pieces of onion were relatively consistent, although I could spot a visible difference between larger and smaller chunks. 

After taking the picture, I ran the food processor for longer and ended up with some really small chunks and still some bigger ones. This is fine if you just need to quickly chop onions for a sauce, dip, or recipe. However, if you're a perfectionist who likes consistent, hand-chopped onions, you might be better off giving this one a miss.

Test 5: grated carrot and sliced cucumber

I made use of the double-sided disk. One face will slice your cheeses and vegetables, whilst the other will grate them. As you can see, I got a good grate on my carrot and I the cucumber was neatly and finely sliced too. It was really speedy and impressively powerful. This only needed a few minutes to power through my veggies.

My only grievance here is the size of the feeding chute, which was slightly awkwardly shaped. I had to halve and then slightly re-shape my cucumber before I could feed it to the disc. As with the onion, if you're a stickler for perfect shapes and sizes, this might be frustrating. However, if you want the job done and you prioritize speed, this is perfect.

Cleaning, storage, and maintenance

There's very little you need to worry about with cleaning the Nutribullet Triple Prep System. All the parts are dishwasher safe, so you can throw them all in and let your machine do the hard work. I would recommend exercising some caution with the slicing and grating discs. In fact, I actually washed these by hand, because I didn't trust my dishwasher to get into all the cracks and crevices.

The base station's sleek interface ended up showing some greasy and foodie fingerprints, so I gave it a quick wipe before tucking it towards the back of the countertop. If you're likely to use this a lot, I'd recommend storing the base on your countertop, since it's pretty small and simple. You'll just need to create some space in your cupboards for the various, large attachments.

How does it rate online?

The Nutribullet Triple Prep System is an online success. All owners praised the versatility of the machine, saying that it was convenient for busy homes that needed to cook in large quantities. People generally felt that it was impressive across all of the attachments, although the bullet blender got the most shout-outs for its performance. 

Lots of people enjoyed having a good blender-food processor combo. However, plenty issued warnings about storage since the attachments are big. It's worth it if you'll use all three (reviewers agree on this), but if one of the three functions will be redundant, it might be worth considering your options.

How does it compare?

This went straight into our buying guide for the best blender food processor combos, because it boasts incredible value, capacity, and performance. This means that it sits amongst the better-known Ninja Professional Plus system. 

The two appliances offer comparable performance and versatility, with single-serve bullet blenders, a pitcher, and food processor bowl. I think they're both brilliant, but if we are getting picky, the Ninja is more consistent and more powerful. The Ninja's food processor blades sit at different levels, meaning that it achieves more thorough results, even as the bowl fills up. This is where the Nutribullet slipped up. 

Aesthetically, I prefer the Nutribullet Triple Prep System. The digital interface disappears, making this look sleek on the countertop. The Ninja and its boxy design prioritizes functionality which is probably why it's cheaper. If you want to save money and put power first, the Ninja is a good bet. However, if you want the design of the iconic Nutribullet, you won't regret one.

If you like the sound of all things Ninja and Nutribullet, but you need a really compact appliance, I'd recommend looking at the Magic Bullet Kitchen Express. Admittedly, this feels cheaper and is really aimed at single or two-person households, but it does an excellent job of simple tasks. The blades of the food processor sit at different levels and the discs whizzed through all of our tests arguably quicker than the Nutribullet Triple Prep System. However, it is obviously is limited in capacity.

Should you buy it?

The Nutribullet Triple Prep System is one serious sous chef. It'll be a great helping hand in any family kitchen, because it covers silky smoothies, delicious dips, misty ice cones, and it can speedily slice and chop your vegetables. Even though this is more expensive than the Ninja, it's still a steal for what should be the cost of three, separate, market-leading appliances.

How we test

At Homes & Gardens, we understand the importance of finding kitchen appliances that not only meet but exceed expectations. When it comes to testing blender food processor combos, we have a rigorous process so that you know exactly what you're investing in and whether it's the best for your needs. 

We start all our tests with smoothies. This includes testing how well the blender can handle frozen fruits, leafy greens, and other ingredients to create smooth and creamy drinks. 

The next test we put out blenders through is on hummus (we test the food processors on guacamole). When we're blending these, we want to make sure that the blades can create a smooth and consistent texture for all of the ingredients.

The dip quality will also prepare us for how well the food processor attachment will handle vegetables. We assess how well a food processor will chop onions. We look at the uniformity and size of the chopped pieces, as well as the efficiency and ease of the chopping process. When slicing cucumber we can check the feeding chute shape, as well as look at the various thicknesses and clean cuts. Our final test is grating carrots. We want consistent and evenly grated carrot shreds, as well as an efficient and easy grating process.

In addition to testing individual functions, we compare each blender food processor combo to other models on the market. We consider factors such as performance, versatility, durability, and ease of use. We also evaluate the value proposition of each appliance, taking into account its features, quality, and price point. If you're interested in finding out more, you can read all about our process on our page dedicated to how we test appliances.

The best blender-food processor combos can be a lifesaver if you love to cook. Home chefs know how quickly a kitchen can become overwhelmed by a mass of appliances, which is why multi-functional tools are invaluable for saving space and streamlining prep.

So, I enlisted the help of our expert testers to find the very best blender-food-processor combos out there. We all agreed that these needed to be worthy of a position in our best blender buying guide, as well as our best food processors list. There shouldn't be any compromises.

After 40 hours and a whole lot of smoothies and chopped veg, here are the best of the best.

One-Minute Verdict

Our top pick is the Ninja Professional Plus – it is spacious, powerful, perfect for families and great value, too. For those working with less storage space, the Nutribullet Ultra Plus Kitchen System, available at Target, is our pick, with compact accessories. Finally, for those with the budget, the Magimix 14-Cup Food Processor, at Williams Sonoma, is the most durable option we tested.

The Quick List

Best Overall Blender-Food Processor: The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System

How does it perform on blending? Our tester, Millie, made some creamy smoothies that rivaled the best blenders on the market. At 1400 watts, it's seriously powerful. The only flaw was that it left some seeds behind in our berry smoothie test – but frankly, we have very high standards. It was also impressive across soups and ice cones. It's best suited for bigger families, thanks to the enormous 72 oz pitcher, but if you want to make single servings, there are also two 24 oz travel-sized bullets.

What about food processing? Millie labeled the chopping functions 'faultless'. She tested chopped zucchini, celery, and carrots, and grated cheese, saying: 'Every ingredient was evenly blitzed using the double-layered blades. I thought that the Auto-IQ settings were excellently timed with differing strengths and intermediate pulsing. My only complaint is that it's on the noisy side.'

In terms of cleaning, all removable attachments (the lids and blending cups, to the blades and slicing disc), can go through the dishwasher. If you plan on using it on a regular basis, MillIe reports that is also easy enough to clean by hand.

Small criticisms: Before you invest, it's worth evaluating your kitchen space. The large attachments need some spacious cupboards to be stored neatly away in, especially because the lids only lock into place when the attachments are on your base. But remember, this is two appliances in one, so you're probably saving space overall.

Our Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-IQ review has more details

Best Designed Blender-Food Processor

How does it perform on blending? If you’re after a kitchen appliance that blends power with sophistication, the Nutribullet is a standout. The sleek and shiny design combines blending and food processing into one modern device – complete with a light-up digital timer and touchscreen for total control.

Our small appliances expert, Laura, tested the blending blades on smoothies, soups, dips, and even ice cones. She says, 'The razor-sharp blades and powerful motor delivered fantastic results every time. I also loved the single-serve cups in small and medium sizes – which were perfect for prepping on-the-go drinks.' It's worth mentioning that all of the attachments are dishwasher-safe for easy clean-up.

What about food processing? The food processor is also impressive, chopping, shredding, and pureeing large quantities with ease. However, Laura says, 'It faltered on smaller quantities. The food processor is so big that when I added one small onion, it rolled around and didn't get thoroughly chopped.'

Small criticisms: If you need a food processor for small tasks, this isn't the ideal fit. The Ninja Professional Plus above is slightly more consistent, since the blades sit at different levels, meaning that it achieves more thorough results, even as the bowl fills up. Also, it's slightly more expensive than the Ninja. However, if you prioritize sleek design, you have the space and the family demand for a large appliance, it’s still a worthy investment. It's a good one to shop in the sales, too.

Our full Nutribullet Triple Prep review has more details

Best Compact Blender-Food Processor

How does it perform on blending? Our team was already a huge fan of the Nutribullet Ultra blender, so we were expecting big things from the 3-in-1 Plus system. Unsurprisingly, the powerful 1200-watt motor and stable base easily handled frozen bananas, berries, and ice with ease (so long as you place them in the right order). I like that two personal blender cups are included for single-serve smoothies on the go.

Food processing? The 2-cup food processor bowl is ideal for small chopping tasks. Our expert cookware tester, Tobey, chopped an onion into a texture suitable for sauces and soups in under a minute. She noted that the results weren't uniformly perfect, but good enough. She also sliced carrots and cucumbers, and ground fresh spices.

Small criticisms: The Nutribullet Ultra Plus+ struggled with grating Parmesan cheese (it quickly turned into a melted mess). Plus, the food processing cup is small; some ingredients need to be pre-cut before processing, which adds an extra step to meal prep. If size and versatility matter to you, I recommend spending a bit more on something like the Ninja Professional Plus – it's worth it.

Finally, the motor base is ideal for small kitchen counters, but with 14 pieces included, finding storage space for all attachments can be challenging.

Read more in our full Nutribullet Ultra Plus review

Most Versatile Blender-Food Processor

How does it perform on blending? If you're short on space, the Braun MultiQuick is a powerhouse in a compact package. It comes with attachments for blending, whisking, mashing, chopping, pureeing, and kneading – all powered by an impressive stick motor. We particularly loved the blending wand, which is flexible, easy to control and gets into the tightest corners. We used it to make a very smooth pea soup – the chunky onions, mint and pea skins disappearing into nothing. This earned the Braun a spot in our best blender buying guide as the best blender for baby food.

Food Processing: Our tester, Millie, was pleasantly surprised to find that the Braun's 8-cup processor attachment rivals larger models like the Ninja but takes up far less space, since it doesn't need the chunky motor base. Millie issues a word of warning: 'It actually chopped my onions almost too well – blitzing them to a near-purée on a high setting. This kit also comes with a mini chopper, which made a very smooth pesto in the test kitchen, with a sauce-like consistency and no trace of large chunks of garlic or pine nuts.

Small criticisms: The blender is handheld, so you do have to do a little manual work to get those ultra-smooth results. Plus, our tester Millie felt that the food processor chopping bowl and blades were flimsy in comparison to some of our top options, like the Ninja and Nutribullet above. However, if you lack tall cupboards and pantries for those kinds of large appliances, the Braun is your best bet.

You can read more in our Braun MultiQuick Immersion Hand Blender review

Most Durable Blender-Food Processor

How does it perform on blending? Though the Magimix 14-Cup Food Processor is primarily a food processor, it comes with a blending blade perfect for smoothies and batters – making it a strong combo option. In testing, I blended banana, yogurt, almond milk, flax seeds, and cinnamon into a creamy smoothie in under a minute. There was one tiny chunk of banana left behind, but overall, it did a great job. It was slightly tricky to pour accurately, since there's no spout like a blender pitcher.

What about food processing? This is hands-down one of the best food processors for serious home cooks and pros alike. Built by Robot-Coupe – the only brand trusted in commercial kitchens – it features ultra-sharp Sabatier blades for precise slicing, shredding, and chopping. I used it for everything from grating cheese to prepping veggies for a ratatouille and blending hummus, and it handled every task with power and consistency. The three bowl sizes add great flexibility, and all attachments are dishwasher-safe and easy to use.

Small criticism: It’s tall, heavy, and not cheap – but it’s built to last. The 30-year motor warranty speaks volumes, and I know chefs who’ve used theirs for decades without a hitch. If you're ready to invest in a durable, professional-grade processor, the Magimix is worth it.

My Magimix 4200XL review has more details

Best Premium Blender-Food Processor

How did it perform on blending? Our reviewer, Alexandra Frost, made smoothies and crushed ice to test the blender's performance. This blender had turned around 20 ice cubes into slushie-ready mix in under five seconds, and mixed a super smooth smoothie without complaint. She didn't need to shake the pitcher or scrape down the sides, either. When making nut butter, it took only seconds to break down whole almonds.

What about food processing? The processing function is the fastest and most impressive way of cutting a vegetable Alex had ever seen, and much more efficient than competing products she has tested in the past. A single potato was completely sliced and ready to make chips, hash browns, or a casserole side dish in a matter of seconds. The slices were consistent, and no food was stuck in the process.

Small criticisms: While this is a high-performing machine, it’s not a quiet one. At over 90 decibels during the blending process, it is not considered a quiet blender. However, it’s on for such a short time as it does its job efficiently that it bothers everyone less than quieter options that take longer.

Being a large machine with so many settings, it can also feel initially overwhelming as you come to learn the setup, and the blades are sharp enough to cut skin easily, so be careful when handling.

Our full Ninja Foodi Power Blender Ultimate System review has more details

How to Choose a Blender-Food Processor

If you're stuck wondering: 'Which food prep appliance do I actually need?' I've written a guide to help you start.

If you're already set on getting a blender-food-processor combo, you need to think beyond the basics. It’s not just about blending and chopping – it’s about efficiency, versatility, and durability in the kitchen. Here’s what to consider:

Versatility: A good combo appliance should be a true multitasker. Look for attachments that you need, like graters, slicers, whisks, and even juicers, if you like that sort of thing. For frozen cocktails, look for ice-crushing capabilities, too. Only pay for what you'll actually use – if you’re just making smoothies and occasional sauces, a simpler model will do.

Capacity & Size: Consider both the volume you’ll be working with and where you’ll store it. A large-capacity processor (7+ cups) is ideal for prepping big batches, but make sure it fits your counter or cabinet space. If you’re tight on room, a compact model with attachments that slot into a drawer might be better.

Power: The power rating matters. If you're crushing ice or turning vegetables into thick purées, aim for at least 1000 watts. For lighter tasks like chopping herbs or making vinaigrettes, 600 watts should suffice. Underpowered machines struggle with tougher ingredients, leading to uneven textures and burnout over time.

Durability & Build Quality: Plastic components may be lighter and cheaper, but they wear down faster. If you're using this appliance daily, look for BPA Tritan plastic and stainless steel blades – they're more durable and often easier to clean. Also, check warranties – good brands stand by their products.

Cleaning: If you dread washing up, look for detachable blades, smooth surfaces and dishwasher-safe signs.

Cost vs. Value: Price matters, but think about value over time. A cheap model might seem like a steal, but if it struggles with basic tasks or breaks within a year, it's probably not worth it. You might even prefer to invest in a reliable, time-tested blender and separate processor, if you plan to use them every single day for a long time.

How We Test Blender-Food Processor Combos

When evaluating the best blender-food processor combos, we treat each function – blending, processing, and additional attachments – as if they were standalone appliances.

For blenders, we test smoothies, soup (where the appliances accept hot liquids), and ice to test power. A food processor has to slice, grate, and dice vegetables, and make a smooth dip with no lumps.

You can read more details about each process in how we test food processors and how we test blenders.

FAQS

What is the difference between a blender and a food processor?

If you’re trying to decide between a food processor vs blender, it helps to know they serve very different purposes. The best food processors have wider, shallower bowls, making them ideal for chopping, slicing, or shredding vegetables, nuts, and other dry or semi-dry ingredients.

The best blenders, on the other hand, have tall, narrow pitchers designed to create a vortex that pulls ingredients toward the blades, so they excel at turning liquids and soft ingredients into smooth drinks or sauces. If you’ve ever tried making a soup in a food processor or chopping raw veggies in a blender, you’ll know why each machine is built for its own set of tasks (I really don't recommend you try the experiment, though!)

The options in this guide combine the best of both worlds, offering interchangeable blender pitchers and food processors that can blend smoothies and chop veggies with one powerful motor base.

What can you use a food processor for?

For me, the best part about a food processor is that you can make healthier, homemade versions of ultra-processed or packaged store-bought foods. For example, you can grate cheese that's free from added binding chemicals, chop tomatoes without the extra sugar or metallic taste from cans, and prepare preservative-free hummus or mayonnaise.

If you enjoy cooking from scratch, a food processor can help you make your own meatballs, patties, or falafels with ease. Of course, the most well-known function is chopping onions, mincing garlic, and shredding carrots or cabbage - but you can also turn your hand to dips, like pesto, salsas, and hummus.

That’s just scratching the surface. Depending on the blender-food-processor combo you choose, you might even be able to bind dough or shortcrust pastry. Our small appliance tester and expert foodie, Alex, has written a really interesting guide to what a food processor can do (and you might want to take a look at my list of things you can make in a blender while you're at it).

With your new appliance secured, learn the best way to clean a blender to keep it in perfect condition.

Love the latest product news and helpful shopping advice? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.

Since testing Magic Bullet's Kitchen Express, it has become my personality trait. I've spoken to countless friends about it and recommended it so often that anyone would think I was sponsored by Magic Bullet. I'm not. I just really like this appliance.

The Kitchen Express covers the functions of a personal blender and a mini food processor in one, compact appliance. It's only a little more than $100 and for that, you get a lot. 

If you're looking for a professional, ice crushing blender, I'll stop you now. This isn't for you (don't worry, there are plenty of other good blenders). It's aimed at small-space dwellers who need to make one to two portions of a smoothie or dip–  if that sounds like you then you're in for a treat.

I tested every function on the Kitchen Express: shredding, chopping, slicing, and blending, so I'll go deep into the details of what's on offer from Magic Bullet's smallest, multi-purpose machine.

Specifications

Unboxing

I knew this was a small appliance before I unboxed it, but it really is tiny. It comes in a compact cardboard box, but with lots of unnecessary plastic. This isn't ideal from an environmental perspective, though it meant that the Kitchen Express arrived in perfect condition. 

I was pleased to see that this comes with plenty of useful accessories. There's a two-in one shredding and slicing disk; a blade for chopping; two tall cups; and a to-go lid, which turns your smoothie cups into portable bottles. Sometimes these accessories can become clutter, but I was pleased to find that the food processor accessories can tuck neatly into the work bowl when not in use. 

Who would it suit?

There's a very clear divide in who this suits and who it doesn't. If you need a speedy, small food processor, this is excellent. If you'll mainly be be blending smoothies, this more than does the job. It's faultless in both respects and easy to pack into cupboards or even a deep drawer when you're not using it.

The issue, of course, inevitably comes down to power and size. As soon as you need to chop more than two onions at once, this will struggle and you'll need to do it in batches. The Nutribullet Food Processor, made by the same parent company, has 200 more watts than this little processor. A top-line processor like the Cusinart 14 Cup has almost 500 more watts. 

The blender, although good with smoothies, can't crush ice either, so whilst this is compact and competent, it will start to struggle when you start to push the limits.

However, although this is cheap, it actually feels well-built. The blades are stainless steel and the plastic is durable and BPA free.

What is it like to use?

As you might expect from a small and straightforward appliance, this is uncomplicated. The base station is an easy place to twist either the blender or food processor attachment on to and, from there, any accessories slot neatly into place. 

It's almost universal to blenders and food processors that these appliances are loud. The Kitchen Express reached 74 dBA, which isn't bad. If you need a comparison, that's about as noisy as a hairdryer. 

The light base would be prone to bouncing around the surface if it wasn't for some useful grippy feet, which fix it neatly onto the countertop. Just make sure you keep them clean, so they stay fully functional. 

Another well-considered feature is the lip on the work bowl, which makes it easy to pour out any liquids, such as soups. It's the sort of thing you wouldn't miss, but really appreciate having.

When you decide to start blending or chopping you're given the option of turning the Kitchen Express to 'on' or 'pulse'. There are no speed settings, which lacks some nuance, but is nevertheless good to have.

Testing the blender

When we test blenders we put them through three tasks: making a smoothie, blending up some hummus, and crushing ice. I wanted to see whether this was a good blender in its own right, so undertook our standard tests.

For the smoothie, I used a mix of frozen banana, berries, spinach, and oat milk. I didn't have to blend for more than a minute before I could see that the smoothie was ready to drink. There weren't many seeds from the berries left over and the spinach, even though I had packed it in, was indiscernible. I gave a glass to our other expert testers and we all agreed the Kitchen Express had made a smooth drink.

Making hummus can be a surprisingly difficult task for some blenders, but, overall, I was pleased with how the Kitchen Express performed. I put a can of chickpeas, a squeeze of lemon juice, some salt, tahini, and cumin into the blender and set it running. The resultant hummus was a little grainy, but that's me being picky. It was good, but if this was a blender-only appliance, I would say that there are better blender options available.

When it came to ice crushing, I added ice and a little water to the blending cup. Bullet blenders tend to struggle with blending ice, so it was no surprise that this made a little bit of slush before giving up and rattling ice cubes around the plastic cup. If you'll be making ice cones or frozen cocktails, you'll need a different blender.

Testing the food processor

The food processor was a really exciting part of the test for me. It's a tiny work bowl, but holds surprising amount of food. I peeled an onion, chopped it in four and fed it into the chute. Within just three seconds, my onion was finely chopped.

However, with such power comes a few inconveniences. I didn't keep the food pusher in the chute, so a few pieces of onion flew out onto the countertop. The sheer speed of the Kitchen Express also meant that my onion was unevenly chopped. You can see in the image above that it isn't a disaster, but if you're a perfectionist, this might bug you. 

The next function I tested was the slicer. I'd spotted that the feeding chute is a kidney shape, which, whilst pretty, is very inconvenient. I had to halve my cucumber and squeeze it down the chute to get it sliced by the disk. However, once I had done that the whole half cucumber was finely sliced in just four seconds. Here, the slices were delicately thin and faultlessly consistent. 

Whilst the blender had excelled at hummus, I wanted to see how the food processor would fare with dips. I put an avocado, some lemon, salt, and cilantro into the work bowl and let it blend. I used the pulse setting to see whether I could keep it chunky for a bit (for the people who like a little texture) and it did a pretty good job. It was a little uneven in that the bottom was much smoother than the top, but, once mixed, this wasn't obvious. I then gave it a final blend to get it smooth. The results were great. I'd made a really good guacamole, even if I say so myself.

The final test was assessing the grater. I used carrot, since this is quite a tough root vegetable, but you could use the disk to slice chocolate, cheese, or fruits and vegetables. I couldn't even time how quickly this whizzed through the carrot. It seemed like less than one second. Again, I had the issue of a few pieces flying out, but when a carrot is grated that quickly, you've saved enough time to clear up a few stray pieces of carrot.

Cleaning, storage, and maintenance

Aside from the stray foods which jumped out the food processor when I was using it, the clean up process was easy. There are lots of bits which need washing, but all the components are dishwasher safe. Just make sure to be careful with the blades. They're frighteningly sharp.

As for storage, this is easy. Unassembled, you could put everything in a deep drawer. Failing that, this would easily stack into a cupboard. There are quite a few accessories, but the food processing parts can all be kept in the work bowl and the bullet blenders are much harder to lose.

How does it rate online?

It comes as no surprise that this is highly rated online. On Amazon, out of nearly 1,000 reviews, this has 4.3 stars. People scored it highly on the clean-up, but a little lower on value, which I was surprised by. I looked a little deeper into the reviews and have put this grievance down to the size. There were a number of people who said they wished the blending cups and work bowl were both a little bigger. I wouldn't recommend this if you're a home of more than two people, but for servings less than that, the capacity is fine.

Unsurprisingly, renters in apartments or those with smaller kitchens preferred this food processor. People praised the design and power in almost every single review, which, after my experience, is understandable.

How does it compare?

If you have a little more budget to spend (that is, double), the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System is a better alternative. It comes with a 64 oz food processor, 72 oz blending pitcher, and two 24 oz to-go cups. This solves the capacity issue which the Magic Bullet Kitchen Express had. Plus, performance wise, the Ninja is better. It's more thorough and consistent. However, as you have been warned, it's twice the price. 

If you're looking for a good, mini food chopper, you can't go wrong with KitchenAid's 3.5 cup food chopper. In our full KitchenAid food chopper review, we found similar performance when chopping onions and mixing up dips. However, unlike the Magic Bullet, it lacks discs for shredding and slicing. If you're looking for versatility, I'd choose the Magic Bullet every time. However, if you just want a small food chopper, the cordless KitchenAid is still convenient. 

As for small blenders, the Ninja Blast is an excellent, 16 oz bender. Purely based on blending, it's better than the Magic Bullet. The Ninja Blast is cordless and didn't struggle with any of the tasks we set it, including crushing ice. It's also cheaper than the Magic Bullet, so is a great, portable appliance to have if you've got a compact kitchen.

Should you buy it?

If you're a small household with a compact kitchen, absolutely buy this. It is a speedy, powerful, and versatile appliance. However, if you're looking for capacity and versatility, I'd recommend looking into the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System. You'll just need to double your budget.

How we test

At Homes & Gardens we take our tests seriously. Our team of expert product testers took the Magic Bullet Kitchen Express to our dedicated test kitchen to put it through its paces. 

We used our standard tests for both blenders and food processors to see how the Kitchen Express compared to the best appliances in each category. I also made notes on the unboxing, clean up, and storage part of the process, so you know everything you need to before it arrives at your door. If you'd like to know more about the behind the scenes, you can visit our dedicated page for how we test.

Though they're handy machines, 'food processor' is a pretty vague name. 'Processing' food is all you're ever doing in a kitchen – chopping, slicing, mixing and dicing are all processes. Unlike other appliances, you might be scratching your head and wondering what a food processor can do.

What's more, you'll have seen some of the best food processor brands claim multiple functions that might not live up to scrutiny. It seems almost laughable that you can make cookie dough, chopped vegetables, whipped cream and ground beef in the same machine.

Thankfully, we've tested lots of different food processors, as well as some of the best food processor blender combos. We know precisely what you can – and what you can't – make with a food processor. I have first-hand experience experimenting with these machines and testing their limits, and I'll combine this knowledge with reviews from our expert testers to show you exactly what can be achieved with a food processor.

Can a food processor chop vegetables?

Chopping vegetables is the most basic function a food processor can do. The best models will turn out chopped vegetables in seconds, saving you time and effort. It's a lifesaver for preparing stocks, soups and sauces – I use one whenever I'm making jerk. Almost every food processor on the market will also come with a slicing disc that will create uniform roundels of carrots and courgettes in a couple of seconds. 

Can a food processor grate cheese?

Yes, and grating is usually one of the best functions of a food processor. A good processor will save you the tedium of standing over a grater by powering through entire blocks of cheese in seconds. Grating functions really shine on vegetables, so homemade coleslaw is a breeze. It's effective for a wide range of dishes — as just one example, grating potatoes in a food processor takes a lot of effort out of latkes. My favorite thing to test with a food processor is grating chocolate, because the resulting curls of chocolate make a fantastic topping for cupcakes. 

Can a food processor grind coffee?

Yes, a food processor can grind coffee – but we wouldn't recommend it. Some processors offer coffee grinding attachments, but you could still grind coffee with the basic blade. You'll certainly get ground coffee, but it will be far coarser than what you'd get in a coffee grinder, so it might not work for an espresso machine. 

Can a food processor grind meat?

Yes, food processors can grind meat. It's an underrated function that means you can grind your meat exactly as you like it without having to invest in a hand-turn meat grinder. 

However, bear in mind that smaller food processors – also called mini choppers – won't be able to handle meat. I've tried grinding meat in small choppers before, and it's unsafe. Chunks of meat are too simply heavy for processors of around 3-5 cups, and cause them to shake all over the place. Meat can even destabilize large food processors if the base isn't stable enough. 

My personal favorite food processor for grinding meat is the Breville Sous Chef 12. I tested it a couple of years ago and found that it has a wide, heavy base that keeps it sturdy and safe when blasting through chunks of beef. 

Our expert tester Camryn has also given it a look – there's more detail in her full Breville Sous Chef 12 review. 

Can a food processor shred chicken?

A food processor can shred chicken, but be careful as you do it. Use the pulse function in quick bursts to gently separate out the strands of meat. If you leave the processor to do its thing, it will turn your chicken into an unappetizing meaty mush.  

Can a food processor make baby food?

Yes, food processors can make baby food – it's one of the things they're best at. If you want to give your baby some of the freshest food you can get, a food processor can whizz strawberries and bananas into a nutritious fruit purée. The only ingredients are fruit, so you know it's free of additives and processed ingredients. Some of the best food processors have purée functions built in, like the Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor.

Camryn's full review of the Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor has more detail.

Can a food processor whip cream?

Yes, food processors can whip cream. The best results come from processors with whisk attachments, but the basic metal blade will do a good job too. The only downside is portion size – you need to make sure your cream fully covers the blades to make whipped cream, but this can result in a lot of extra cream you may not need. 

Can a food processor make dough?

I've used a food processor to knead bread and pastry doughs. Of the two, short-crust pastry dough turns out best. The blades create a fantastic fine crumb that's perfect for pies and tarts. Because pastry dough is lighter than bread dough, you can make it safely in any large food processor.

Bread dough, however, is a little trickier. While most food processors come with hook blade attachments for kneading bread dough, these heavier doughs can make some processors wobble, so make sure your processor is sturdy enough to handle it. 

If you're a keen baker, however, food processors simply won't be up to the task. Stand mixers do a faster, more thorough result, and you can taste the difference in the results. For the odd loaf every couple of months, a food processor will do the job. If you love baking like we do, then invest in a stand mixer. 

Can a food processor make cake mix?

Yes, food processors can make cake batter. They're fantastic for quick, unfussy mixes - it was one of my go-to tests when I first started out as a reviewer. I've made hundreds of mini cupcakes with a food processor and each time they come out light and airy, with less of the hassle of breaking out a full-size stand mixer.

If you've been strong-armed into a bake sale at the kids' school and then completely forgotten about it, you can mix dozens of cupcakes in a processor and have them ready to go in under 40 minutes. 

Food processors are also great for cookie dough, as you can make chocolate chips and then mix the dough in one machine, saving on the washing up. Our reviewer Camryn made classic chocolate chip cookies in the Ninja Professional Plus food processor. While not as good as a stand mixer, making cookies in a food processor is  a fantastic option if you're short on space.

Can a food processor make mayonnaise?

Food processors can make mayonnaise. It's an exact science – I can't tell you how many hours I've spent slowly adding oil to eggs – but it results in fresh, homemade mayo that beats store-bought every time. The same principle applies to other sauces like aioli. 

Can a food processor beat eggs?

Cakes and mayo need eggs, so it follows that if you can make mayo and cake mix in a food processor, you can beat eggs. My usual test back in the day was preparing egg whites for meringue - the results aren't as good as a stand mixer but it will save you the hassle of setting out such a big appliance. 

Can a food processor make dips?

Food processors are great for dips. They really excel with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes like hummus, tzatziki, and taramasalata. If you make a lot of Mexican food, a food processor is your new best friend. It'll save you a lot of chopping when you're prepping pico de gallo, salsa verde, and guacamole. Expert tester Camryn loved the KitchenAid mini chopper for this, because it's compact and cordless, perfect for whipping up quick salsas when you're on the grill.

Camryn's full review of the KitchenAid Cordless 5 Cup Food Chopper has more detail. 

Can you make butter in a food processor?

You can make butter in a food processor – just add heavy cream and mix it for a couple of minutes. However, the results aren't amazing, and it likely won't save you much money. You're better off buying store-bought, and if you really like homemade butter, a proper churn will give you better results. 

Can you spiralize in a food processor?

Yes, but you need the right attachment. It's not standard in every food processor, but with the right attachment, you can make perfect curls of carrot for a low-carb replacement for pasta or noodles.

What can't I make in a food processor?

After all of those functions, it seems like there's nothing a food processor can't do. However, we've hit the limit: you can't make smoothies, shakes, or juice in a food processor unless you've invested in a food processor and blender combo.

The golden rule is that food processors are for food, blenders are for drinks. Food processors aren't designed to handle liquid ingredients. I used to fill food processors with water to test if they were watertight. Even top models would leak – they simply aren't designed for liquid. If you try to make a smoothie or juice in a food processor it will turn into a messy waste of food. Blending and juicing are separate functions that need a blender or a juicer.

You can find combination blender/food processors, which have the same base but different jug attachments for the two functions. The best on test was the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System. 

So there you have it – you can prepare pretty much any solid food in a food processor, but liquids are best left to blenders. 

If you're wondering what you can make in Nutribullet, you're not alone. Blenders are becoming ever more popular as people plan healthy smoothies for their New Year's resolutions. Yet while Nutribullet is almost synonymous with blending, it's not always clear why you'd opt for one model over another, or why you'd even need one in the first place. 

Luckily, the testing geniuses here at Homes & Gardens got up close and personal with some of the most popular Nutribullet models on the market. Thanks to first-hand experience, we're best placed to tell you exactly what Nutribullet products can do. 

I've brought together insights from across our testing team – including from Head of Reviews, Millie Fender – to find out whether Nutribullet is up to everything you can throw at them, and if they deserve their place in our rankings of the best blenders. 

Can a Nutribullet blend ice?

Yes, Nutribullet blenders can blend and crush ice. That said, make sure you buy the right model. The Nutribullet GO is a compact, portable model that’s great for taking on the go, but it lacks the strength to crush ice. If you're after a frozen smoothie, our tests found that it's too small to do anything to ice, simply pushing around ice cubes as it blends other ingredients. However, our pick for the most versatile Nutribullet, the Nutribullet Blender Combo, whizzes ice into a fine white powder that’s delicious in smoothies and sorbets. The Nutribullet Pro 900 Series, our pick for the best overall Nutribullet, also does a fantastic job of blending ice.  

You can discover more in our guide to which Nutribullet is best.

Can a Nutribullet blend frozen fruit? 

Nutribullet blenders are fantastic at blending frozen fruit – we're yet to find one that isn't. Our expert testers have tried multiple models on frozen bananas and berries with fantastic results, blending all the ingredients together without lumps. Nutribullet blenders create a delicious, slushy consistency that's great for açaí bowls and other frozen treats.

Add ice cream and milk, and you can also make milkshake in a blender.

Can a Nutribullet blend hot food? 

If you want to blend hot food, the Nutribullet Blender Combo is your best best. Our testing expert Helen McCue made an excellent curried carrot and butternut squash soup, heating the chunky-cut vegetable first before whizzing everything together in the specialized pitcher. Steam vented easily out of the tip of the lid, but the lid itself was sealed tightly and kept all the liquid soup inside. The result was a delicious soup with no lumps. 

There's more detail in Helen's full Nutribullet Blender Combo review. 

Can a Nutribullet make juice?

The classic bullet-shaped Nutribullet blenders can't make juice, as their blades chop everything together like a smoothie. However, Nutribullet also makes juicers, and our Head of Reviews, Millie Fender, loves the Nutribullet Pro Juicer. Though she found it noisy, when it came to the performance she found that 'there's no faulting the quality design of the NutriBullet Juicer Pro'. It made fantastic orange, carrot, and ginger juice, and has a turbo mode for taking on tougher root vegetables like beetroots. 

Can a Nutribullet grind coffee?

Yes, but not as standard. The Nutribullet Milling Blade will finely grind seeds, nuts, and coffee beans. However, this attachment is only suitable for the original Nutribullet 600 Series, and you'll have to pay for it. We haven't yet tested the milling function, but we've tried out plenty of specialized coffee grinders that will probably do a much better job. That said, if you're tight on space and want to blend and grind with the same appliance, it might be a good investment. 

Our guide to the best coffee grinders has more information. 

 Can a Nutribullet be used as a food processor? 

Hypothetically, you could use a Nutribullet blender as a food processor, but why would you bother when Nutribullet has its own food processor? Our reviewer Camryn Rabideau took the Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor to task and found that it made great banana ice cream and energy balls, although pizza dough was unsuccessful. The stand-out feature was a spiralizer, which produced perfect curls of carrots. All the attachments can be stored in the bowl, and the removable parts are all dishwasher-safe, leaving Camryn 'really impressed with the performance of this compact appliance'. 

There's more detail in Camryn's full Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor review.

In my hometown of London, you can walk into any professional kitchen and hear the word 'Magimix' used to describe a food processor. It’s the brand I use at home to dice onions and make pastry in seconds. I know chefs who’ve had their Magimix machines for over 20 years – they’re built to last.

But after moving into the American kitchen scene, I quickly learned that the more affordable Cuisinart reigns supreme. Peer into the kitchens of TV chefs like Ina Garten and Martha Stewart, and you'll see Cuisinart right on the counter (Martha herself famously quipped that she'd like to put her critics in one, which tells you something about its power).

With the help of my expert team of product testers, we’ve put the best food processor brands to the test – and we picked the Magimix as the best choice for keen cooks, as it's the most powerful and versatile model out there. We also evaluated newer machines from Ninja and Nutribullet, KitchenAid’s small, cordless models, and even cheaper attachments that can transform your trusty mixer or blender into the best food processor. These are the top picks from our tests.

Quick List

After hours of testing and research, here are the top picks. If one piques your interest, you can find more details further down the page.

• Back to the top ⤴

Best food processors 2025

Best food processor overall

The Magimix 14-Cup Food Processor is a top choice for serious home cooks and professionals. I used this model in cooking school for pastry, effortlessly cutting butter into flour and blending shortcrust tart ingredients in seconds. With a dough blade designed to mix gently without overworking, it ensures a perfectly flaky texture for baked goods.

Made by Robot-Coupe, the French company behind industrial-grade food processors, the Magimix is built for durability. It boasts a powerful yet quiet 950-watt motor, making it the most robust option on this list. Its stainless steel Sabatier blades provide precise and consistent chopping, slicing, and shredding, making it ideal for batch cooking and meal prep. In the test kitchen, I used it for everything from grating cheese to mixing hummus and slicing vegetables for ratatouille. It also features three different bowl sizes, allowing for flexibility in kitchen tasks – whether you’re chopping a small amount of herbs or preparing large batches of ingredients. Every feature and attachment is user-friendly and easy to clean, thanks to the dishwasher-safe attachments.

One drawback is that it doesn't have a dicing function. If dicing is essential, consider the Breville Paradice 16, which comes with a dicing kit for perfectly cubed ingredients. However, at $700, it’s a pricey alternative, so make sure you’ll use the feature enough to justify the cost.

The other pain points I noticed during testing were its height, weight, and premium price. However, this powerhouse is built to last. There's a 30-year warranty on the motor and I know chefs who have had theirs for over 20 years. My verdict is that this a long-term investment in your kitchen.

My Magimix 4200XL review has more details

Best small

When our tester Camryn put the KitchenAid Cordless 5 Cup Food Chopper through its paces, it truly converted her to cordless food processing. 'Suddenly I could make sauces and dips while standing outside with the grill, and move around the kitchen with complete freedom,' she says. 'It's small, lightweight, and a super helpful appliances.'

Camryn used this five-cup food processor for blitzing up onions, carrots, tomato sauce, guacamole, and even to make a delicious aioli using the mayonnaise attachment. It impressed her at every turn. 'It delivers strong processing power that can handle most tasks, and includes an awesome whisk attachment, as well as an oil drizzle basin that will come in handy for recipes like pesto or hummus,' she says, 'though it doesn’t do as good a job creating uniform pieces as larger food processors.'

Camryn loved its ease of use and cleaning: you turn it on by simply twisting the lid into place and pressing the perfectly thumb-sized groove at the top (though you need to unscrew and reattach the lid to add new ingredients), and the cup is dishwasher-safe. Of course, she points out that you will need to remember to recharge it, but the battery lasted a long time during testing and she anticipates needing to recharge every month, at most. Plus, the size suits couples of individuals, but it's obviously not big enough for meal-prepping or cooking for a crowd and it doesn't offer dough hooks or graters. If that's your bag, you should look at the more versatile Magimix which comes with small, medium and large bowls for a wider range of culinary tasks.

Our KitchenAid Cordless 5 Cup Food Chopper review has more details

• Back to the top ⤴

Best design

Apart from the stylish, vintage design, what sets the Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor apart I hear you ask? Firstly, the power. It tackled just about everything our tester, Camryn, threw its way with ease: 'The pesto I made was evenly chopped, and there was no need to go in and scrape any un-mixed ingredients into the sauce; my energy balls came out very well mixed, and I found that it was easy to add and remove the blade because the bowl was so large,' she says.

While it doesn't come with mini and medium bowls like the Magimix above, the large 14-cup bowl is fantastic for families. Camryn says: 'I can see this appliance being useful for someone who frequently does big-batch cooking. If you regularly double or triple the size of recipes to accommodate a large family or frequent hosting, the extra-large size of this appliance may be worth the splurge,' says Camryn.

For those who want a statement design piece as well as a workhorse in the kitchen, look no further. It's outfitted with a slicing disc, shredding disc, and chopping/dough blade, and you can buy other shredding and slicing discs as well as a whisk attachment separately.

It is heavy and fairly bulky, so think twice about buying it if you'll need to transfer it from cabinet to countertop regularly. Many casual cooks will prefer the more user-friendly, compact and lightweight Cuisinart Core for that reason. But the iconic design of this 50th Anniversary edition looks so good, you'll probably want to display it all year round anyway.

Our Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor review has more details

• Back to the top ⤴

Best value

The Cuisinart Core Custom 10-Cup Food Processor is actually quite unique. It’s part of the brand’s new Core Custom Collection, which is compatible with other attachments besides just the food processor work bowl. The brand currently offers a blender jar, juice extractor and dicing accessory (sold separately) – which opens up a world of possibilities with just one appliance. It's excellent value.

As a food processor, it's up there with the very best. In the test kitchen, we agreed that it was lightweight but felt secure, with a bowl that fully seals to prevent any messes while mixing wetter ingredients. It's not too big and not too small, offering just the right capacity for the average user.

It performed well on everyday tasks. We diced carrots, guacamole, made energy balls and even used it to blend chickpeas to make homemade falafels. The controls are simple – you can either mix on low or high, or pulse. However, if you want to perfect pastry, you'll prefer the Magimix above, since it comes with dough attachments.

One of our favorite things about this food processor is that everything can be stored inside the main mixing bowl. That includes the blade (which comes with its own protective cover) and the reversible shredding and slicing discs. It won't take over your kitchen with sprawling attachments, blades, and lids. Plus, all the removable parts are all dishwasher-safe. The only tricky part is choosing from the range of colors when you buy.

Our Cuisinart Core Custom 10-Cup Food Processor review has more details

Best food processor blender combo

If you're looking for a multi-functional appliance, you've found the one. The Ninja comes with a 72 oz blender pitcher, an 8-cup food processor bowl, and a 1400W motor which is up there with the most powerful on this list.

First, let's quickly talk about the blender tests. Our kitchen expert, Millie, made some creamy smoothies that rivaled the best blenders we've ever tested. The only flaw was some seeds behind in our berry smoothie test – but frankly, we have very high standards. It was also impressive across soups, frozen cocktails, and ice cones.

As a food processor, Millie labeled this 'faultless'. She tested everything in it, asking the Ninja to chop zucchini, celery, and carrots and grate cheese. Millie says: 'Every ingredient was evenly blitzed using the double-layered blades. I thought that the Auto-IQ settings were excellently timed with differing strengths and intermediate pulsing. My only complaint was that it's on the noisy side.'

In terms of cleaning, all removable attachments (the lids and blending cups to the blades and slicing disc), can go through the dishwasher. If you plan on using it on a regular basis, Mille reports that is also easy enough to clean by hand.

But before you invest in this fantastic kit, it's worth evaluating your kitchen space. The large attachments need some spacious storage cupboards, especially because the lids only lock into place when the attachments are on your base, so there are lots of components to account for. Just remember, this is two appliances in one, so you're probably saving space overall.

Our Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-IQ review has more details

• Back to the top ⤴

Best for diced vegetables

The Breville Paradice 16 boasts an impressive 16-cup capacity, making it suitable for large families, and people with spacious kitchens who regularly cook in bulk. You could dice salad for an entire soccer team, or make a whole table of fruit pies for Thanksgiving with this thing. The Breville food processor handles large quantities with ease, slicing, dicing, and shredding ingredients in minutes. The inclusion of a mini bowl also allows for smaller batch processing, making it a versatile tool for both everyday use and big events.

With a 1450-watt motor, the Paradice 16 is incredibly powerful. It can chop potatoes, blitz chickpeas, and bind dough. But, its biggest selling point is the special dicing kit, which features three dicing grids (small, medium, and large) and a dicing distributor to push your veggies through. It promises to turn your ingredients into consistent, perfect little squares.

Our kitchen expert, Camryn, tested it for months in her Rhode Island homestead and she was impressed. However, she warns: 'It is enormous; the accessories come in two shoe box-sized containers. While the extensive attachments do add versatility, I found some accessories work better than others. Harder foods got a little stuck in the dicing attachment, and I found the setup confusing at first, even though all the components are color-coded.'

While the system might be intimidating, Camryn found the clean-up to be straightforward. She says, 'Most components are dishwasher-safe, including the blades, discs, and food pushers. However, the brand does recommend handwashing the bowls and lid to prolong their lifespan, but that is easy enough.'

Another downside is that the Paradice 16 is eye-wateringly expensive. But the dicing functionality, the enormous capacity and solid performance could justify the high price – especially if you need to chop a lot of ingredients in a hurry. However, for those who don’t require the full dicing kit, you'll want to look at the Breville Sous Chef 16. It offers the same powerful base unit at a lower price, making it a simpler, more budget-friendly alternative.

Read more in our full Breville 16 Cup Paradice Review.

The ones that just missed the list

How to choose the best food processor for you

Choosing the right food processor depends on how you'll use it, as different models excel at different jobs. Here are a few questions I recommend asking yourself before investing.

What do you want to make in your food processor?

If you mainly need to make small dips, breadcrumbs, or chopped herbs, a small chopper with minimal attachments will do the job perfectly. However, if you want to knead dough, make nut butters, or dice vegetables into uniform cubes, you'll need a powerful model with a larger bowl and specialized attachments. If you want to process on the go, outside at the grill for example, you'll want to look at battery-operated models, like the KitchenAid cordless.

How much food do you want to prepare?

3–5 cup food processors are a good match for individuals or couples who want to make small portions, like pesto or chopped herbs. Medium 6–10 cup capacities will suit families of four to five, who prep moderate amounts of food. The largest, 14–16 cup bowls are best for batch cooking, especially if you're chopping vegetables for meal prep or making dinner for six to eight people.

How much space do you have?

Storage space is key. If you have a petite kitchen, a small model may be a better fit. Whereas those with more storage can opt for a larger, more versatile processor. For example, the Breville Paradice 16 cup is a great option for serious cooks, it comes with two boxes of attachments – not ideal for small kitchens.

If you're low on storage space, you might want to go for a stylish option that you can display on a shelf. For example, the Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor has a timeless design. Or, the KitchenAid Mini Chopper is compact enough to tuck away in a cabinet, but I also think it’s cute enough to leave out without overwhelming your space.

How we test these food processors

Our food processors have been thoroughly tested in our test kitchen and at home, to make sure they are useful for real home cooks. Having trained at culinary school, I stay up-to-date on the latest technology by consulting with my chef colleagues and other industry experts, so we can bring you the best food processor recommendations.

As well as hands-on testing, we also research customer reviews and bear them in mind when we're ranking the products in our hot list.

When testing the best food processors we made sure to use every attachment on offer, meaning we will often slice, chop, grate, spiralize, and blend. These are the core tests that we run on each appliance:

• Hummus: A food processor should achieve a smooth, velvety hummus out of raw chickpeas, garlic, olive oil, and tahini – without the need for excessive scraping.
• Chopped onions, carrots and celery: We check for consistent and finely chopped vegetables without turning them into mush. We test multiple onions, then we try a singular shallot to see how well the processor handles small and large quantities
• Grating cheese and vegetables: We test with both carrots and cheese to see if the grating disc delivers clean, uniform shreds without clogging or jamming. If it's effective, this can be such a time-saver in the kitchen.
• Pastry: Food processors can save so much time for bakers. We now test shortcrust and scone dough, if the model has that all-important dough blade. We're looking for speed and efficacy, so the dough is evenly mixed and not overworked.
• Mayonnaise: Finally, we test the emulsifying abilities of food processors with a classic homemade mayonnaise.

If the food processor brand has special extra attachments, like dicing kits, juicers, or spiralizers, we always make sure to try those out too and report back on whether they are gimmicks or actually useful.

Our testing team like to work with a mixture of personal and brand-supplied recipes. A lot of brands include recipes with their products, which can be a great way of getting to know a food processor, but it's also important that the machine will work with our own recipes in daily life. As part of this process, we try to test the food processors for a few weeks or months in our own kitchens so we can assess the versatility over time (if the brand allows it).

Finally, we cover all the boring bits, like cleaning, storage and maintenance. This allows us to draw a conclusion on whether the food processor is worth the investment or if it's just too faffy. At the end of the day, these are expensive purchases, so they need to provide good value for money.

For more insight into our hands-on review process, refer to our Homes & Gardens review guidelines.

Meet the team

Food processor FAQs

What can you use a food processor for?

For me, the best part about a food processor is that you can make healthier, homemade versions of ultra-processed or packaged store-bought foods. For example, you can grate cheese without the added binding chemicals, chop tomatoes without the extra sugar or metallic taste from cans, and prepare hummus or mayonnaise free from preservatives.

If you enjoy cooking from scratch, a food processor can help you make your own meatballs, patties, or falafels with ease. Of course, the most well-known function is chopping onions, mincing garlic, and shredding carrots or cabbage - but you can also turn your hand to dips, like pesto, salsas, hummus,

But a large food processor with attachments can also help you create desserts, like brioche, sponge cake, whipped cream, pastry crusts, sliced fruit pies, fruit purees, and energy balls.

That’s just scratching the surface, depending on the food processor you choose, there are tons of possibilities.

What size food processor is best?

Our advice is to never buy something your kitchen can't accommodate. Yes, it's tempting to buy the largest and most impressive food processor out there, but if it won't fit onto crowded counters or in kitchen cupboards, you'll grow to resent it very quickly.

The motor base is often the biggest culprit when it comes to space consumption. High-powered models like Magimix and Cuisinart take up more room, but they deliver on performance and capacity, making them worth the trade-off for serious cooks or large households.

When choosing the right cup capacity, consider your household size and cooking habits:

• 3–5 cups – a good size for individuals or couples who prep small portions, like dips, dressings, or chopped nuts.
• 6–9 cups – ideal for small families, who want to prepare sauces, shredded cheese or small portions of vegetables.
• 10–14 cups – a great fit for most families, handling meal prep, slicing vegetables, binding dough and mixing batters to feed up to six people with ease.
• 16 cups – the largest and best option for batch cooking, big families, or those who entertain often, allowing you to prep large quantities of food in one go.

Not all food processors are bulky, though. KitchenAid models in our guide have a small footprint and a budget-friendly price tag, making them great choices for compact kitchens. If space is at a premium but you still want a processor that packs a punch, these models strike a great balance between size, power, and affordability.

Food processor vs blender: what's the difference?

If you've ever tried to make a smoothie in a food processor or chop veggies in a blender, you'll know they're very different machines. Because food processors have flatter bowls they're best suited to chopping dry ingredients, whereas the vertical design of a blender's pitcher means you'll have perfectly smooth drinks in seconds.

If you're trying to choose between a blender versus a food processor, there's always the option of buying a model that can do both. We have a whole buying guide dedicated to the best food processor blender combos.

Appliances are the backbone of our daily lives. They make daily tasks easier and faster, make food prep and storage possible, and help us keep our homes clean. In a nutshell, we couldn't do without them. Fortunately, nowadays, high-quality appliances also look great, with designs that range from sleek and contemporary to retro and colorful.

Whether you are buying a refrigerator, a washer, or a small kitchen appliance for your countertop, these are the best retailers to make your shopping experience fast and pleasurable. From opportunities to save to retailers that stock top-range and hard-to-find brands, these are the websites you should always consult first when appliance shopping. 

Best places to buy appliances 

This is where to shop for appliances, from the best food processors and air fryers to the best vacuums for pet hair.

1.  Lowe’s 

Known for: Kitchen appliance sets, washer/dryer sets, luxury appliances, small appliances 

Available at: Lowe’s

Lowe’s is the best place to buy appliances for our money, for several reasons. First, there’s the comprehensive choice – whether you need a new washer, a refrigerator, a garbage disposal unit or a freestanding air conditioner, this is the place to get it. 

What we really like about Lowe’s appliance shopping is the opportunity to buy appliance sets. For example, rather than choosing a fridge, oven, microwave, and dishwasher separately, you can buy them as a package, with a good saving. The other great thing about Lowe’s is the opportunity to shop for luxury appliances such as four-door refrigerators with ice makers and extra-large convection ovens.  

2.  Home Depot

Known for: Home decor, DIY projects, appliances

Available at: The Home Depot

The Home Depot has one of the most comprehensive selections of both small and large appliances, so you could get everything you need for your home in one place here. 

From cookers, mixers, and coffee makers to washer-dryers and large kitchen appliance sets, this one-stop destination has it all. What we really like, however, is that the retailer also carries spare appliance parts in case you want to DIY repair an appliance.  

3.  Wayfair 

Known for: Furniture, home decor, appliances, outdoor

Available at: Wayfair.com

Wayfair has a vast selection of appliances big and small. The biggest draw with the ever-popular retailer is its seemingly endless choice. Whatever your budget and preference, you almost certainly will find it here. From a $20 coffee maker to a Bertazzoni gas range cooker for over $14,000, every appliance type and brand imaginable is covered. 

As always with Wayfair, the detailed left-hand-side menu makes browsing efficient and easy. Each appliance type has its own filters so you don’t have to spend hours searching for the exact thing you’re looking for. Frequent sales make investment purchases from Wayfair even more tempting.  

4. Appliances Connection

Known for: Luxury appliance brands

Available at: Appliances Connection

Appliances Connection is where you should head if you are serious about your appliance research and want the very best brands. If you know your Bertazzoni from your Fisher & Paykel, then this is the place for you. 

And although the focus here is investment brands, there are many opportunities to make good savings, especially if you’re planning on buying multiple appliances. Discounts on multiple appliance purchases often extend into the thousands and are well worth the larger initial spend. 

 5. AJ Madison 

Known for: Kitchen and outdoor kitchen appliances, smart appliances, sales

Available at: AJ Madison 

AJ Madison prides itself on being an industry leader ‘offering an unrivalled selection of top rated home and kitchen appliances online at unbeatable prices. Sales are frequent and impressive with this retailer, with 40 percent discounts common. 

If you are planning a kitchen remodel you should definitely look into the Remodel Reward scheme that offers up to $2,000 off for kitchen appliance bundles. We’ve also seen over $2,000 off luxury outdoor gas grills by XO, in case you need outdoor kitchen equipment. 

6.  PC Richard & Son 

Known for: Appliances, TVs, computers, mattresses

Available at: PC Richard & Son

PC Richard & Son is where we go when we need a kitchen appliance, a washer, or a vacuum. The retailer's selection of these three is second to none, although they do also carry a variety of small appliances if you also need to buy the best toaster oven, for example. 

What really makes PC Richard & Son stand out, though, is that they stock Samsung's Bespoke range, which includes customizable fridges, microwaves, washers, and more. If you have special requirements for your appliance or an unusual space you need to fit an appliance in, this range is well worth investigating. 

7. Sears 

Known for: High-end appliances, heating and cooling, mattresses

Available at: Sears

If you're after the latest fridge model from Frigidaire or Kenmore Elite (think advanced features like smart home compatibility and the latest cooling technologies) or a brand-new Samsun washer, Sears is the place to get it. 

There is a number of other reasons why Sears is a great place to shop for appliances: a white-glove delivery service ensures your appliance is installed by expert technicians. Need an appliance repair? Sears has a dedicated repair service. Finally, the retailer has an 'in-stock now' section if you need an appliance delivered fast. 

8. ABT

Known for: Appliances, electronics

Available at: ABT

A very easy-to-navigate panel of icons directs you to the appliance you need on the ABT website. This is one of our favorite places to shop for dishwashers, vacuums, and small kitchen appliances, but they stock the big appliances too. ABT also sell gift cards, which is handy for Christmas gifts. 

In this KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor review, we put this kitchen chopper through a number of standardized tests to see how well it compares to some of the best food processors on the market. We tested the 9-Cup Food Processor in the UK, where it is known as the KitchenAid 5KFP0919BAC Food Processor. The machine itself is the exact same though, and comes in a range of lovely colors that will fit right in with just about any kitchen decor. 

Although we really enjoyed how storage-friendly this food processor is, it didn't come out on top when we tested it alongside models from Breville and Magimix. The cucumber we sliced came out at an awkward angle, and the emulsifying attachment struggled to make a small serving of mayonnaise. However, it did a great job of chopping onions in seconds, and its hinged lid means it is a mess-free option that will work in any space. 

KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor specs

• Model name: KFP0918BM
• Power: 120 volts
• Capacity: 9 cups
• Size: 7.87 x 9.65 x 16.75 inches
• Weight: 6.35 Pounds
• Included:  9 Cup Work Bowl, Lid with 2-in-1 Feed Tube, Multi-purpose Blade, Reversible Slicing/Shredding Disc, Whisk Accessory, Refrigerator Lid, Dough Blade
• Warranty: 1 year on parts and labor

Getting started

The KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor comes in a conveniently small box, and despite the fact that is has a good amount of added attachments, all of the parts tuck away neatly inside the food processor. 

It comes with a chopping lid with two different size chutes, and a lid that attaches if you want to store the KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor chopping bowl in the fridge.

The packaging was heavily polystyrene, which is a shame as other models we tested came with more recyclable packaging. However, we did feel that this is a product that is designed to last when testing it, meaning you won't need to replace it any time soon. It would have been good to see this quality backed by a longer warranty. 

When assembling the KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor, we noted that the lid hinges onto the side of the work bowl. When testing other food processors this is something that hasn't featured, which means that we were often left placing a dirty lid onto a kitchen countertop, leaving a mark from whatever was inside the food processor. 

This hinged lid also makes it easy to open and close the food processor, but we did find that when it's placed upright, some of the pusher inserts did slide out if not inserted correctly. 

Slicing in the KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor

The KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor comes with a reversible slicing and shredding disc, so we used this to slice some cucumber and shred some carrot. 

Our cucumber did not fit into the smaller insert, which meant we had to use it in the wider feeding chute. Although we were pushing it down as it sliced, the speed of the food processor meant that it ended up being knocked sideways, and our finished result was far from the flat and even slices we achieved in other food processors. 

Overall, we were off to a disappointing start. A large wedge of the cucumber became stuck between the pusher and the slicing wedge which also meant we had a bit of waste, and our cucumber was not evenly sliced whatsoever. 

Shredding carrot

To shred our carrot we flipped the reversible disc and were able to use the smaller feeding chute to insert our carrot whole. 

The KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor has three buttons: start, stop, and pulse. We opted for the pulse button to shred our carrot to get a bit more control, but the entire thing was finished in a couple of seconds as there is no adjustable speed with this food processor. If you were looking for an option with different speeds, we suggest the Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor.

The size of the bowl meant we could easily have shredded a lot more carrot in the KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor, meaning it is a good size for the average household. We also found that almost all of the carrot was shredded, with very little waste overall in this test. 

Chopping onion

If there is one hated kitchen task that can be taken away with a good food processor, it's chopping onions. We added a quartered and peeled red onion to the KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor and pulsed it for a few seconds to see how evenly it would be sliced. 

It is safe to say that the KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor had absolutely no trouble with this task. Some models have struggled to chop parts of an onion, while blitzing the bottom half of the bowl into more of a paste, which can catch and burn very easily when cooking. 

We had no such issues with this food processor, likely because of the size of the bowl which meant that the onion was able to feed through to the bottom of the chopping blades without getting stuck. The onion pieces were even and perfect for cooking. 

Making hummus 

Food processors need to handle both solid and liquid ingredients, and they are particularly well suited to making dips from scratch. We made a batch of hummus in each of our tests by first blitzing some chickpeas and then adding tahini, lemon, onion and olive oil and blending for 45 seconds. Using the same timings allowed us to check and see if there were textural differences between our different dips. 

This hummus came out very smooth with little textural inconsistency. It was still grainy in parts, but we experienced this across a few of our tests and we suspect that it is in part related to how we prepared the chickpeas. 

We did not have to go in and scrape the sides of the bowl at any point, and when we were done it was easy to remove the finished dip from the bowl. It tasted great, and we would definitely trust this food processor to make more dips in future. 

Making mayonnaise with the whisk attachment

The KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor is one of the few food processors on the market that comes with a whisking attachment. I have used this same attachment in the smaller KitchenAid Cordless 5 Cup Food Chopper and was able to use the controlled oil dropper in the lid of the food processor to make an easy mayonnaise in minutes. 

Unfortunately, I struggled to do this in the KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor. The whisk sits quite far above the bottom of the bowl which meant it wasn't able to emulsify the yolk fully with my first few drops of oil. This meant I was left with an unstable mix as I added the rest of the oil, causing my mayonnaise to split.

The whisk attachment would definitely work well if you're planning on making whipped cream or even a large portion of egg whites, but unless you are planning on making a lot of mayonnaise I would stick to one of the best immersion blenders to get the job done. 

How does it compare? 

The KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor is certainly one of the most storage friendly food processors we tested, with every attachment fitting inside the compact bowl. We really enjoyed the controls and it felt secure to use, with safety features such as a latch to keep the lid in place. 

If you are looking for a large food processor for families, we think the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor would be a more suitable choice. While a 9-cup capacity is an average size and perfect for small families, it won't manage large servings in one use. 

The Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor comes with a spiralizer, and has a slightly smaller capacity. In testing though, we much preferred its slicing abilities and it performed very well for the price. 

Should you buy the KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor?

The KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor did not excel in each of our tests, but it is a well-made and thoughtfully designed machine that takes into account the demands of a home kitchen. While it does not have an extensive range of attachments, it does everything we want in a food processor and will not place any demands on already-full kitchen cabinets. 

If your main concern is quality of slicing, the KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor did fall short in our tests. However, it did an excellent job of chopping and shredding, and the hinged lid means it's mostly mess-free. We also enjoyed being able to place our attachments in the dishwasher when finished, which made cleaning a breeze. 

About this review, and our reviewer

Millie Fender is our Editor for all things small appliances at Future. She spends a lot of time testing everything from toasters to air fryers in her London flat, and recommending the very best ones to readers. 

Millie tested the KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor in our test kitchen, alongside models from Breville and Magimix, to see how well it performed in a series of standardized tests. 

When it comes to tasks like pureeing ingredients and shredding produce, it’s hard to beat the convenience of a food processor. These kitchen appliances will help you speed through prepwork, but some models are quite large and bulky—not to mention expensive—which isn’t ideal if you only use them occasionally. If that sounds like you, the Oster 10-Cup Food Processor might be right up your alley. While it has a spacious 10-cup capacity, this appliance is lightweight, stores compactly, and won’t break the bank. 

We wanted to see how the Oster 10-Cup Food Processor performs against the best food processors we’ve tested, so we used it in the kitchen over the course of several weeks. We used the appliance for a variety of prep tasks, from shredding carrots to making hummus, and while it doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as more expensive models, we think it’s a solid entry-level option for light-duty jobs.   

Oster 10-Cup Food Processor with Easy-Touch Technology specs

• Power: 500W
• Capacity: 10 cups
• Size: 8.58 x 10.24 x 16.46 inches
• Weight: 7.4 pounds
• Included: Stainless steel S-blade, reversible shredding/slicing disc, and dough blade

Unboxing

The Oster 10-Cup Food Processor came in a lightweight box, and the appliance itself is a very manageable weight, making it easy to move around the kitchen or lift up into your kitchen cabinets. Inside the packaging, the food processor was secured by two pieces of molded cardboard, but every component was additionally wrapped in a layer of plastic. Even the food pusher, which was secured within the unit’s lid, had its own plastic wrapping—it was definitely overkill and not the most eco-friendly.

After I removed the plastic from all the various pieces, one of the first things I noticed is that the components aren’t the best quality. While lightweight, the base and food processor bowl are made from fairly thin plastic, which makes them feel quite flimsy when compared to a model like the Breville Sous Chef 12. In addition to a regular S-shaped metal blade, this food processor also comes with a plastic dough blade and a reversible slicing/shredding disc, and I was happy to find that all the pieces can be easily stacked inside the work bowl for compact storage. 

Making carrot cake

I was tasked with baking a carrot cake just a few days after receiving the Oster 10-Cup Food Processor, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to take the unit for a spin. (No pun intended!) The recipe I was making called for two cups of shredded carrots, so I decided to the appliance to slice up the produce with the help of its shredding disc. It did take me a few tries to get the work bowl properly situated on the base, but overall, it was quick and easy to set up with the shredding blade.

Once I had the blade attached, I turned on the food processor using its “Easy-Touch” buttons, which are slightly indented to ensure you press in the right spot. From here, it was simply a matter of feeding the carrots in to the chute and pulsing the blade to shred the produce. The machine made quick work of the carrots, shredding each one in just a few seconds. However, because there’s a sizable gap between the blade and the lid, the last few inches of each carrot would get stuck on top of the disc—a common issue with inexpensive food processors. This meant there was a small amount of carrot that I simply couldn’t shred, and I ended up giving the pieces to my dogs as a treat.

While the food processor did shred the carrots quickly and evenly, I did find myself wishing that it had a dual-size chute like the Nutribullet Food Processor. Because the Oster’s chute is so wide, small ingredients like carrots can be hard to feed in straight. To solve this issue, many new food processors have a smaller feeding tube in the center of the large one, which is ideal for these types of applications. 

Making strawberry sorbet

I was testing this food processor in the height of strawberry season, and I had a surplus of berries from the garden that I was hoping to use up, so I decided to make strawberry sorbet. (It tastes so much better when the berries are fresh!) To make the recipe, I used the food processor’s regular blade and poured a pound of strawberries into the work bowl, along with a small amount of lemon juice, and there was plenty of room to spare thanks to the unit’s 10-cup capacity. 

When I put the lid on, I must not have locked it in all the way, so when I started the food processor, the lid actually popped open. When this happened, the machine automatically shut off, which I thought was a great safety feature. The appliance also won’t turn on until the lid is closed, preventing you from accidentally starting it. Once the lid was properly secured, I processed the berries on the machine’s high setting. It took around a minute for the contents to become a smooth puree, and it was easy to scrape the mixture out of the work bowl using a silicone spatula thanks to the smooth walls.

Making hummus

The next recipe I made with the Oster Food Processor was a classic: hummus! The recipe called for canned chickpeas (drained of the liquid), tahini, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice, all of which get added to the bowl of the food processor.

From here, it’s just a matter of processing the mixture until it’s your desired consistency. I started the food processor on low, then kicked it up to high speed for about a minute. The hummus was still looking a little chunky, so I added in some of the reserved chickpea liquid, and it was easy to pour into the bowl via the large chute. 

Overall, the food processor did a good job creating a smooth and delicious hummus. There were a few small chunks of chickpea that were left in the hummus, but not enough to bother me.

Chopping nuts

 I wanted to see how well the food processor would handle harder ingredients, so I used it to chop up a cup of pecans, which I like to put on my salads. Using the regular metal blade, I pulsed the nuts around 10 times, at which point most of them were chopped up. The results were fairly inconsistent—some of the nuts were chopped up into dust, while others were still whole—so I wouldn’t use the appliance for this type of task again.  

Cleaning

One of the best aspects of the Oster 10-Cup Food Processor (in my opinion, anyway) is that all its removable components are dishwasher-safe. The work bowl, lid, food pusher, and blades can all be put on the top rach of your dishwasher, ensuring you don’t have to lift a finger to get everything clean. The work bowl did have a few water marks when it came out of the cycle, but it was easy to wipe them away with a kitchen towel. 

I also love that this food processor doesn’t take up too much storage space when not in use. All the accessories can be neatly stacked inside the work bowl, and the whole thing is much more compact than other food processors I’ve tested, such as the Cuisinart Core Custom 10-Cup Food Processor. 

Should you buy the Oster 10-Cup Food Processor with Easy-Touch Technology?

The Oster 10-Cup Food Processor retails for around $70, and overall, I would describe its performance as good, but not great. It does just fine with simple tasks like pureeing ingredients, but it’s definitely not the best for shredding or chopping tasks. (If you’re looking for a food processor that will make slicing produce extremely easy and fast, I highly recommend the Breville Sous Chef 12.) 

However, the gadget is inexpensive, easy to clean, and compact to store, so it’s a good choice for those who just need an affordable food processor for occasional, light-duty use. 

About this review, and our reviewer

Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer who has been testing small kitchen appliances (as well as other home goods) for several years. She’s tested everything from toasters to oil infusion machines, and as an avid baker, she loves trying out any gadgets that promise to make her creations more delicious or easier to bake.

Camryn does her product testing from her small homestead in beautiful Rhode Island. When she’s not tinkering around with the latest home gadgets, she spends her time tending to her animals, working in her garden, or crafting.

German design is known for quality and utility, and the Braun MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender MQ9199XL is a classic example of this. Although the blender does not have the most aesthetically pleasing design when compared to many of the best immersion blenders we've tried from KitchenAid and Smeg, it's certainly the most powerful and best-equipped option we've tested.

We tested the MQ9199XL, which comes with a food processor attachment, a handful of different slicing and shredding blades, dough blades, and pretty much everything else you'd expect in one of the best food processor. This aside, it's also got a blender attachment, whisk, potato masher, and a mini chopper. Keen home chefs who will make the most of all these functions can't go wrong with this immersion blender, but for those who just want to make tasty soup it may be overkill.

Braun MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender MQ9199XL: specs

• Colors: Black / silver
• Functions: Hand blender, food processor, mini chopper, whisk and more
• Weight: 1lb 11oz
• Speed settings: Variable
• Dimensions: 2.68 x 2.68 x 16.14 inches

Getting set up

Unsurprisingly, the Braun MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender MQ9199XL came in a large box, and required quite a lot of effort to get set up. It comes with dozens of parts, some of which we would struggle to store safely due to how sharp they are. We would have appreciated a storage bag to keep everything safe and prevent any attachments from getting lost.

The MQ9199XL is the most equipped of the MultiQuick line, but there is also the Braun MQ9037X which costs not a lot less but only includes the mini chopper, whisk, blender, and mashing attachment. If you already have a food processor you're happy with, we'd go for this one.

We tested the Braun MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender MQ9199XL alongside a range of immersion blenders from Cuisinart, KitchenAid, and Smeg. You can see a selection of them below, laid out with all of their component parts for context. Two of the immersion blenders we tried were cordless, and the rest were corded.

The Braun is a corded model, which we've found leads to a more powerful performance. The cord is nice and long, but the unit weighed the most of the immersion blenders we tested. 1lb 11oz without the blending attachment, and 2lbs 2oz with it attached. We didn't struggle to hold it at this weight, but if you struggle with mobility or you would just prefer something lighter, it might not be the immersion blender for you.

Making soup

We made a very large batch of pea soup and distributed this evenly amongst the blenders, using the blending cup that came included with each. It might be the case that you plan on blending straight into your pots, but these blending cups are useful nonetheless for emulsifying or making smoothies, so we wanted to try them out.

The Braun cup was one of the flimsier ones we tested, a surprising contrast to its sturdy handle and attachments.

For this test we blended continuously for 45 seconds on the highest setting. The controls on the Braun MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender MQ9199XL are continuous, with a trigger that blends faster the harder you press down on the variable paddle.

There is also a safety feature, which requires you to first press down on the top section of the handle before pressing the trigger. Handy for the clumsy, or those with kids.

The blender has what is called an ACTIVE Blade, meaning you can move the blade up and down while blending to reach deeper into a pan and increase circulation.

We really enjoyed the soup that we made in the Braun MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender MQ9199XL. The onions, mint, pea skins, nothing phased it. Our soup was immensely smooth, and the easy winner of our test on consistency alone.

However, we did find that this immersion blender was by far the noisiest of those we tested, reaching 89dB.

Using the whisk

Again, we found a discrepancy with the whisk compared to the rest of the attachments with the Braun MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender MQ9199XL. It's quite flimsy and feels cheap, despite how high-quality everything else felt with this immersion blender.

We whisked three egg whites until they reached stiff peaks that stayed upright when we removed the whisk, and the MultiQuick actually look the longest to do this of the blenders we tried.

The whisk felt small compared to the handle and we could feel it wobbling as we held it for the 2 minutes and 21 seconds it took to reach our stiff peaks. We did find that the bubbles were very evenly distributed, but it was unfortunate that we had to hold the container when whisking.

This is because the container had no grips at the base, something we had with the mixer from KitchenAid, which meant it spun around if not held. If we were making meringues we'd have struggled to whisk continuously while also incorporating sugar.

Making pesto

Where an immersion blender included a mini chopper, we used this to make pesto. There's no bad way to enjoy pesto, some prefer a more rough consistency while others would prefer it to be very smooth, but it was useful for us to see how powerful each chopper was when used side-by-side.

In our test we used the Cuisinart cordless immersion blender and the KitchenAid cordless, so the Braun was our only corded model. This gave it an advantage as we found that the corded models are typically more powerful.

The mini chopper with the Braun MultiQuick 9 was also the largest of the three, with an optional dough blade that can be used instead of the chopping blades we used for the dip.

We found that the lid goes on very firmly and there was no chance of spilling, but it did trap some basil that then was not incorporated into the dip. After 30 seconds of blending our pesto was by far the smoothest of the three we made, with a true sauce-like consistency and no trace of large chunks of garlic or pine nuts.

Mashing potatoes

This immersion blender comes with an exciting mashing wand that we couldn't wait to try. It has a plastic base which we appreciated because it could be used on non-stick without scuffing up the coating.

We boiled some potatoes and added salt, pepper and butter before putting the mashing blade to work.

It worked by pushing the potatoes around and through the small holes at the top of the wand, meaning you get little worm-shaped trails of mashed potato coming out of the top. Some stirring is required to get rid of these shapes, but we did enjoy the relatively lump-free consistency of our mash. Delicious.

Using the food processor

This is an immersion blender review, but you do get a food processor attachment included with this machine, so we felt that we should test that out too. The 8 cup food processor comes with a handy dicer attachment and can also be used to slice, shred, julienne, chop and knead.

The main test of a quality food processor is its chopping ability, so we added a few onions to the bowl and blitzed them for a few seconds.

Unsurprisingly, the onions were completely blitzed virtually instantly, but when we went in with a spoon we found that it was almost reduced to mush as opposed to finely chopped pieces of onion that won't catch quickly when cooking. We should have used a lower speed to make sure that we gave the onion at least a fighting change against this powerful chopper.

Should you buy the Braun MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender MQ9199XL? 

If you love a smooth soup and a finely-chopped sauce, look no further. This immersion blender has everything you could possibly hope for, and a few extras you probably won't get much use out of unless you're a very eager home chef.

We don't recommend this for those with neat little kitchens that require order and are easily cluttered. Those colorful shredding attachments will easily get lost in drawers or cupboards, and the KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender is a more minimalist alternative for those who simply want a good soup. It also came second in our soup test, so if you don't want all the extras, that's the one we'd suggest.

However, there is no denying that this immersion blender packs in value for money and has some innovative features you won't find anywhere else. It's guaranteed to get a lot of use and save you some serious time in the kitchen, just be prepared to start on low power once you realize how much power this immersion blender really has.

About this review, and our reviewer

Millie Fender is our Editor for all things small appliances at Homes & Gardens. She spends a lot of time testing everything from toasters to air fryers in her own apartment and recommending the very best ones to readers.

Millie put this immersion blender to the test at Future's testing facility in Reading. She ran it side-by-side against a selection of immersion blenders from leading brands, and was able to compare the taste and texture of the soups and sauces she made directly. After testing Millie had to return the blender to KitchenAid, so in the case of this immersion blender we are unable to provide any long-term testing.

There is a wide range of food processors available today, from small choppers that hold just 1 or 2 cups to heavy-duty, oversized machines that would be right at home in a professional kitchen. The Breville Sous Chef 12 falls firmly on the latter end of that spectrum—this high-end food processor can accommodate up to 12 cups of ingredients in its work bowl, and it’s powered by a 1,000-watt motor that makes quick work of even the toughest ingredients. It’s also unmatched in terms of versatility thanks to three different chute sizes and a unique adjustable slicing disc. 

However, bigger isn’t always better, and we wanted to find out if the Sous Chef is truly one of the best food processors and worth its premium price. I tested the appliance over the course of several weeks, using it to make a variety of recipes, and while things were a bit rocky in the beginning, I eventually understood the hype around this appliance. While it costs two or three times more than other food processors, it's easy and enjoyable to operate and delivers consistent results. 

Breville Sous Chef 12 specs

• Power: 1,000 watts
• Capacity: 12 cups
• Size: 7.5 x 8.5 x 17 inches
• Weight: 16.5 pounds
• Included: Stainless steel spindle, micro-serrated S-Blade, adjustable slicer, reversible shredder, dough blade

Unboxing

Some food processors, like the Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor, weigh just a few pounds and are easy to move around the kitchen, but as soon as I picked up the Breville Sous Chef’s box, I knew that wasn’t the case for this appliance. At over 16 pounds, it’s not the heaviest food processor I’ve tested—that honor goes to the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor—but it’s still substantial in weight and not a gadget I’d want to move in and out of the cupboard regularly. 

To get it out of the box, I had to put the package on its side and slide out the cardboard casings that held the appliance in place. Once those were removed, it was a matter of removing a layer of plastic from each component (not the most sustainable packaging, unfortunately). 

In addition to the base and work bowl, this food processor comes with a regular metal chopping blade with micro-serrations, blade cover, plastic dough blade, slicing blade, shredding blade, and a stainless steel spindle to hold the attachments in place. 

Right out of the box, I noticed that the work bowl has a variety of measurements printed on the side, and its mini feed chute also doubles as a measuring cup for liquids—a cool concept, if you ask me!

The lid of the work bowl is easy to click on and off, and it’s sealed with a rubber gasket to prevent ingredients from splashing out during processing. 

The bowl actually offers three different chutes to accommodate ingredients of all sizes, and the base of the unit has three buttons: power, start/pause, and pulse. Many food processors have multiple speed settings, so I was interested to see whether this unit’s single speed was adequate for different tasks.

Making bread dough

I’ll admit that the Breville Sous Chef and I didn’t get off on the right foot. You see, I had been eyeing a recipe for French bread made in a food processor for a few weeks, and I thought that if any appliance could handle the recipe, it would be this one. 

The Breville is powerful and heavy-duty with a large capacity—not to mention that it comes with a special dough blade, which is shaped like a regular S-blade but made from hard plastic. So I decided to go for it right off the bat. Spoiler alert: It did not go well. 

The recipe was fairly simple. You start by activating the yeast in warm water, then measure six cups of flour and a little salt into the food processor bowl. From there, you pour the yeast mixture into the food processor while it’s running, then add in a few cups of additional water. 

I’m not sure what went wrong, but the dough never came together into a ball. It ended up being the consistency of a thick pancake batter, and when I turned the food processor on to “knead” the dough, things went south quickly. 

After about 20 seconds running, the food processor shut off (likely due to its overload protection), and that’s when I noticed the base was actually smoking a bit. I’ve never actually broken an appliance that I was testing, and I was mortified that I potentially blew out the motor on such an expensive machine!  

The manual says the machine will shut down when the motor overheats, so I left the base to cool down for about an hour. In the interim, I waited to see if the bread dough would rise. It did, but it was just so sticky that there was no way I could work it into loaves, so I ended up tossing it. Needless to say I was a little annoyed to have wasted 6 cups of flour! 

Overall, this recipe was a complete fail—the thick mixture was too much for the food processor to handle, which makes me question why the brand included a dough blade at all. The silver lining was that the machine did turn back on after it cooled down, so at least I didn’t break it.

Making toffee

After that mess, I decided to test out a much easier recipe—my favorite almond and chocolate toffee. I had previously made this treat with the Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor, which wasn’t quite powerful enough to chop up the chocolate chips, so I was curious if the larger Breville machine would fare better.  

I fitted the work bowl with the regular chopping blade, then poured in a cup or so of milk chocolate chips. I pulsed the blade a few times, but it didn’t seem to be doing much, so I ended up turning the machine on and letting it run for about a minute.

Thanks to its sharp blade and powerful motor, the food processor was able to chop up the chocolate chips into small, uniform pieces that were ideal for the recipe. There was also very little chocolate “dust,” which was an issue with other food processors.

Once the chocolate was chopped up, I also used the machine to break up the slivered almonds. It only needed a few pulses to chop up the nuts, and the appliance had definitely begun to redeem itself in my book.

Making bolognese sauce

The next recipe I made in the Breville Sous Chef was a bolognese sauce that uses a food processor to chop up all the ingredients. After putting the regular chopping blade in the bowl, I cut two onions into quarters and dropped them down the chute into the bowl.

This food processor is unique in that it has not one, but three chute sizes. There’s a large 5-inch feed chute, a mid-sized 2.75-inch feed chute, and mini 1.5-inch feed chute for skinny items like carrots, allowing you to easily feed in virtually any ingredient.

The onions fit perfectly down the mid-size tube, and the food processor was able to chop them up into uniform pieces in just six or seven pulses. It was so much easier than chopping by hand, and as an added bonus, no watering eyes!

Once the onions were chopped, I transferred them to a separate bowl and put two carrots, two celery sticks, and a few cloves of garlic into the food processor. 

Again, it only took a few quick pulses for the sharp blade to chop up the vegetables—though there were a few larger pieces of carrots and garlic that managed to evade the blade. Still, all that chopping would have taken several minutes by hand, but with the Breville Sous Chef, it was all done in a matter of seconds. 

Variable slicing

One of the most interesting features of the Breville Sous Chef 12 is its variable slicing disc. Most food processors offer one or two slicing thicknesses, but the specially designed Breville disc is adjustable and has 24 thickness settings, ranging from 0.3mm to 8mm. 

All you have to do is twist the dial on the bottom of the disc, and the blade adjusts to your desired height—it’s actually very similar to a mandoline.

I wanted to test out this slicing disc, so I decided to make some oven-baked potato slices to go along with dinner. I love that a whole potato fits down the 5-inch chute (though keep in mind that the machine won’t turn on until the pusher is inserted), and the disc performed better than I expected. In fact, my partner was walking by as I sliced the potatoes, and I think his exact words were, “Wow, that’s crazy!”

I started off on the thinnest slicing setting, and the blade made quick work of the potato, creating amazingly uniform, paper-thin slices that would be perfect for homemade potato chips. 

With just one pulse, the blade sliced up half the potato—that’s how quickly it works—and it managed to slice the entire vegetable, unlike other food processors that frequently get a piece stuck on top of the blade.

To get a sense for the different thicknesses the blade can create, I tested a few settings on the disc. It gives you extremely precise control over the thickness—arguably more than most people need—and I found that I had to turn the dial several settings before I could tell the difference in the slice thickness. 

Still, there’s a wide variation between the thickest and thinnest settings, and I would happily use this tool instead of my mandoline any day—it’s quicker, easier, and safer!

Cleaning

Washing dishes is one of my least favorite chores, so I was quite disappointed to read in the manual that Breville recommends hand-washing the work bowl, lid, and blades of this food processor. The instructions say you can put the pieces in the dishwasher occasionally, but that “prolonged exposure to harsh detergents, hot water and pressure will damage and shorten the life of the plastic and the interlock components.” I understand the rationale and the desire to preserve such an expensive appliance, but I still found this to be extremely inconvenient, especially as there are many awkward nooks and crannies that need to be washed. 

Over the course of my testing, I found that the best way to minimize scrubbing is to rinse the bowl and blades immediately after use—once bits of food dry onto them, they’re significantly harder to get off. I did end up putting the removable components through the dishwasher once just to see how they fared, and honestly, they looked just fine when they came out, so I’d likely be tempted to wash them that way in the future, especially after messy jobs.

As far as storage goes, some of the accessories will fit inside the work bowl, but not all of them. I was able to fit the regular chopping blade and dough blade, as well as the slicing disc into the work bowl, but I still had to store the shredding disc separately.

Should you buy the Breville Sous Chef 12 Food Processor? 

At first, I was a bit skeptical of the Breville Sous Chef 12, but after using it for a few weeks, I think my initial problems were due to a poorly written recipe, not necessarily the machine itself. While it does cost a cool $300, the food processor outperformed many other models that I’ve tested, delivering consistent results with minimal effort. I especially love its adjustable slicing disc and multiple chute sizes, which make it extremely versatile for food prep. 

However, there are a few notable downsides worth mentioning, especially since the appliance is on the more expensive side. The brand doesn’t recommend putting its components in the dishwasher, which makes cleanup much more cumbersome, and the machine can overheat if tasked with particularly dense ingredients. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether the machine is worth this inconvenience.

About this review, and the reviewer

Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer who has been testing small kitchen appliances (as well as other home goods) for several years. She’s tested everything from toasters to oil infusion machines, and as an avid baker, she loves trying out any gadgets that promise to make her creations more delicious or easier to bake.

Camryn does her product testing from her small homestead in beautiful Rhode Island. When she’s not tinkering around with the latest home gadgets, she spends her time tending to her animals, working in her garden, or crafting.

While it may look similar to many other appliances, the Cuisinart Core Custom 10-Cup Food Processor is actually quite unique. It’s part of the brand’s new Core Custom Collection, and what makes it stand out is the base can be used with other attachments besides just the food processor work bowl. The brand currently offers a blender jar, juice extractor and dicing accessory (sold separately) that can be used with the base, making the system an appealing option for those who don’t want to buy individual appliances for each of these tasks. 

The Core Custom Food Processor comes in three different sizes – 13 cups, 10 cups, and a 4-cup chopper – as well as four finish colors. We wanted to see how its performance stacks up against other similarly sized appliances, so we tested the 10-cup model over the course of several weeks. After using the food processor to make recipes like jam, energy balls, and guacamole, we were impressed by its thoughtful design and useful features, including its sealed work bowl, multiple accessories, and compact storage. Overall, it ticks off all the boxes of what the best food processor should be, and its unmatched versatility is just the cherry on top of the cake. 

Cuisinart Core Custom 10-Cup Food Processor: specs

• Power: 500 watts
• Capacity: 10 cups
• Size: 11 x 7 x 15.5 inches
• Weight: 8.6 pounds
• Included: Chopping/mixing blade, two reversible shredding discs, and spatula

Unboxing

The Cuisinart Core Custom 10-Cup Food Processor arrived securely packed in the box using cardboard forms, and I had to put the package on its side to slide the appliance out. Once I removed the outer cardboard packaging, I was a bit surprised to find that every component in the box was wrapped in its own plastic bag. It made for quite a bit of waste, even though the food processor isn’t that big.

As I put the appliance together, I noticed that this food processor is quite lightweight – the whole thing is around 8 pounds, which makes it easy to move around the kitchen. It was a nice change compared to the brand’s Custom 14-Cup Food Processor, which weighs close to 20 pounds. 

The base of the Core Custom 10-Cup Food Processor is more squat than other food processors I’ve tested, and there are just three buttons on it: low, high, and pulse/off. The main blade includes a protective cover that makes it safer to store, which I thought was a nice touch, and the machine comes with several other accessories, including two reversible shredding/slicing discs and a cheap plastic spatula that was quickly relegated to the back of my utensil drawer.

After I set the food processor up, I plugged it in to make sure it worked. However, nothing happened. It might sound silly, but I expected the lights on the front of the appliance to turn on to indicate it had power. They don’t, though. The lights only turn on when the buttons are pressed, which makes sense, I suppose, but I was thrown off by the fact that there’s no indicator that the machine is on.

Making blackberry jam

Right after I received this food processor, I was tasked with baking a birthday cake for my brother, who requested something light and fruity. I decided to make a Blackberry-Marscapone Lemon Cake, which provided the perfect opportunity to test out the food processor for the first time.

The first step in the recipe is pureeing blackberries to make a quick jam, so I placed the chopping blade into the work bowl, along with several cups of the berries. As I did this, I realized that one half of the blade is serrated and the other is straight – the brand doesn’t offer any explanation to why it’s designed this way, and it didn’t seem to make a huge difference in my testing.

As I put the food processor’s lid on, I noticed it has a silicone lining that creates a tight seal on the bowl, which helps to keep ingredients from splashing out. I love this feature on food processors, as it’s especially helpful when processing dry ingredients. 

From there, I simply pulsed the machine a few times before pressing the low-speed button. Within around 60 seconds, the berries were uniformly pureed. My instinct was to push the low button again to turn the machine off, but that didn’t do anything. You have to press the “pulse” button to shut off the motor. It’s not a big deal, but it took some getting used to since other machines I’ve been testing, such as the Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor, work differently. 

Overall, the appliance did a good job with this simple task – the berries were a nice smooth consistency that I was then able to mix with sugar and cook down into a jam. While removing the berries from the food processor’s bowl, I did find out that you have to hold the bowl in place as you remove the lid. If you don’t, the whole bowl just ends up coming off the base.

Making energy bites

Energy balls are a staple in my fridge – they’re the perfect mid-afternoon snack, if you ask me – and they’re super easy to make in a food processor. I decided to whip up a batch using the Core Custom 10-Cup Food Processor, and I started by adding a cup of oats and shredded coconut into the bowl. 

I had to pulse the machine several times to get the ingredients to the right consistency, then I added in peanut butter, honey, and some chocolate chips. (I usually put chia seeds in them too, but I didn’t have any.)

I put the machine on low to mix everything together, but a big glob of peanut butter ended up stuck above the blades. I had to turn the machine off, scrape down the sides, and put the machine on high to get everything uniformly mixed. It was an extra step, but the food processor still got the job done just fine.

Shredding carrots

Next up, I wanted to test the two reversible shredding discs that came with the Cuisinart Core Custom Food Processor. One disc creates thin pieces; the other makes thicker pieces. Plus, when you flip them over, the discs can also be used to slice produce. 

I was making soup and needed some shredded carrots, so I decided to test out both discs to see which thickness I liked better. It was easy to load the disc onto the central spoke in the work bowl, and from there, I put the lid on and placed my peeled carrots into the narrower feed tube. 

Like many modern food processors, this unit has two feed tube sizes to choose from, and the smaller option helps to keep skinny produce upright so you can shred every last bit of it. My only complaint is that the small pusher doesn't have any spikes on the end, so it doesn’t grip the produce as well as it could.

I shredded one carrot with each disc, which only took a few seconds, and ultimately, I decided that I liked the thicker pieces a little better. However, I think the thin disc would be great for shredding cheese or even zucchini for zucchini bread.

Making guacamole

Finally, I had a few avocados on my counter that needed to be used up, so I decided to make guacamole with them. I used Cuisinart’s Chunky Guacamole recipe, but I only had two avocados, so I halved all the ingredients. The first step was to mince up a garlic clove and half a jalapeno in the food processor, and to be honest, it didn’t really work. The ingredients were just too small and got stuck under/on the chopping blade. I think this is one instance where the appliance’s lower power levels fall flat. However, once I added in the onion pieces, the processor was able to chop everything up just fine.

Once those ingredients were uniform in size, I fed in pieces of avocado through the larger feed tube, as well as some lime juice. The guacamole was the perfect chunky consistency after just five or six pulses, though I did scrape down the sides of the bowl once to make sure everything was mixed together. I usually make guacamole by hand using a potato masher, but this might be my new go-to method – it was quick, easy, and efficient!

Cleaning and storage

All the pieces of the Cuisinart Core Custom Food Processor are top-rack dishwasher safe, so clean-up is extremely quick and hands-off. Personally, I hate hand-washing dishes, so this is a major plus in my book. 

Once the components are clean, all the accessories—the blade, its protective cover, and the two slicing discs – stack together nicely and fit inside the work bowl for compact storage. This was one of my favorite features of this food processor, as many other models are cumbersome to store due to all their components.

Should you buy the Cuisinart Core Custom 10-Cup Food Processor?

The Cuisinart Core Custom 10-Cup Food Processor retails for around $180, which is fairly expensive for a food processor of that size, but we think this appliance is worth the splurge if you’re going to use it regularly. 

Details like the sealed work bowl, blade cover, compact storage, and light weight make this appliance easy and enjoyable to use, and it also comes in larger or smaller sizes to suit your needs. Plus, for those who have limited storage, the Core Custom collection is a great choice, as you can buy additional attachments to use on the same base. 

About this review, and the reviewer

Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer who has been testing small kitchen appliances (as well as other home goods) for several years. She’s tested everything from toasters to oil infusion machines, and as an avid baker, she loves trying out any gadgets that promise to make her creations more delicious or easier to bake.

Camryn does her product testing from her small homestead in beautiful Rhode Island. When she’s not tinkering around with the latest home gadgets, she spends her time tending to her animals, working in her garden, or crafting.

For those who are new to the world of food processors, an appliance like the Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor is a great entry-level option. This moderately priced model offers a middle-of-the-line capacity and comes with standard attachments like a chopping blade and shredding/slicing disc, and it’s simple and approachable enough for beginners—or simply anyone who doesn’t want or need a fancy food processor. 

When put next to some of today’s more expensive food processors, the Ninja Professional Plus may lack bells and whistles, but its simple, straightforward design is a great option for many kitchens. It can hold up to 9 cups of ingredients in its work bowl, and thoughtful design features like a locking lid and Auto-iQ preset buttons make it easy and enjoyable to use. However, is it too basic to be considered one of the best food processors?

To get a sense of this appliance’s performance, we tested the Ninja Professional Plus alongside other popular food processors like the Cuisinart Custom 14 and Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor. I spent several weeks using all its different attachments and settings, and while the design does have a few quirks, I ultimately think it’s a great basic option for everyday applications. 

Ninja Professional Plus specs: 

• Power: 1000W
• Capacity: 9 cups
• Size: 7.76 x 9.88 x 16.02 inches
• Weight: 7.65 pounds
• Included: Chopping blade, dough blade, reversible slicing and shredding disc, 20-recipe inspiration guide

Unboxing

As I took the Ninja Food Processor out of its box, I couldn’t help but notice just how much packaging was in it. There were pieces of styrofoam, cardboard supports, and lots of little plastic bags. It definitely seemed excessive for a fairly small appliance.

Overall, this food processor is an average size and comes with standard accessories. In addition to a 9-cup work bowl, it includes a chopping blade, reversible slicing/shredding disc, and an all-plastic dough blade. It was extremely straightforward to set up, and the unit is lightweight enough that it can easily be moved around your kitchen as needed.

One design feature that I liked about this food processor is that it has a small rubbery lip around the edge of the lid that creates a seal with the bowl. Other food processors I’ve used in the past lack this seal, and as a result, powdery ingredients often get stuck between the bowl and lid. 

Additionally, the lid on the Ninja Food Processor locks into place, and it has a button that you have to push to remove the cover. I wouldn’t mind this feature, except that the lid twists off in the same direction the bowl twists off the base. Because of this, every time I forgot to press the unlock button to remove the lid, I ended up twisting the entire bowl off the base instead. I’m sure I’d get used to the design eventually, but it was slightly irritating during testing. 

Chopping in the Ninja Professional Plus food processor

The first recipe I made with the Ninja Food Processor was a batch of almond toffee—yum! To make this recipe, you’re supposed to use a food processor to chop up chocolate chips into small crumbles, so I figured this basic task was a good place to start testing.

I outfitted the work bowl with the regular chopping blade, which has a different design than the other food processors I tested. The Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor and Cuisinart Custom 14 Food Processor both have a single set of blades in their work bowls, but the Ninja Food Processor actually has two sets of blades—a higher set and a lower set. In theory, this might help to prevent ingredients from getting stuck up above the lower blades, but in practice, it didn’t seem to make much of a difference.

The other thing I noticed about the appliance’s blades is that they’re not very sharp. In fact, they’re actually quite thick, and I don’t think they’d be effective at fine chopping tasks – especially not when compared to something like the Cuisinart Food Processor, which has an extremely sharp, serrated blade. 

To start the recipe, I poured the chocolate chips into the food processor bowl and pulsed it a few times to start chopping up the pieces. I tried using the dedicated “Chop” setting, which pulses on and off, as well as putting the machine on high, and to be honest, none of it really worked. 

After several minutes of trying different settings, many of the chocolate chips were still whole, and the pieces weren’t even close to being uniform in size. I was a little disappointed in the overall performance, as the chocolate then didn’t melt properly when I poured the toffee over it.

Making potato latkes

As I was trying to think of something I could cook using the food processor’s shredding disc, I realized I had a big bag of russet potatoes in my pantry, so potato latkes it was a good option. I really enjoy these potato pancakes, even if it’s not the holidays, so I decided to make a small batch to test out the food processor.

After scrubbing and quartering the potatoes, I set up the appliance to shred. To use the shredding disc, you have to put in the central spoke, then place the disc on top of it. The disc is reversible – one side shreds, and the reverse side creates slices. I appreciated that the disc has two spacious finger holes that make it easy to lift up and out of the work bowl – something the Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor lacked.

The food processor has a special button for shredding, so I turned it on and fed the potato slices into the chute using the food pusher. I was quite impressed by how fast it shredded the potato – each piece was gone in just a few seconds.

However, there is a roughly ½-inch gap between the bottom of the chute and the blade, so when I got to the end of each potato, the last piece wouldn’t shred properly and just got stuck on top of the blade. I’ve had this happen with inexpensive food processors before, and it can be a little frustrating, as you’re left with a chunk of potato that is too small to be fed into the blade.

Besides that one quirk, the appliance worked amazingly for shredding the spuds—much faster and easier than it would have been with a box grater. 

Cookie dough

I can honestly say I’ve never thought to make cookies in a food processor, especially when I have my stand mixer, but the Ninja Food Processor comes with a special dough blade, so I thought, “Why not?” The blade looks just like the standard chopping blade, but it’s made completely from plastic – not metal. The brand claims that the appliance can make up to 2 pounds of dough in as little as 30 seconds, so I was interested to see if it would truly live up to that claim.

I decided to go with classic chocolate chip cookies – a recipe I make so often that I know it by heart! I halved the recipe because I wasn’t sure if a full batch would fit into the food processor, and I followed the same steps I would using my mixer. I started by blending up the shortening, sugars, and vanilla, then added in an egg. The food processor didn’t do the best job mixing these ingredients together, and I had to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.

I then added the dry ingredients in two additions, using the “dough” button on the base to mix everything together. To my surprise, the dough actually came together quite well. It was (mostly) uniform, and the whole process was faster than using my stand mixer. 

Of course, the real test is whether the cookies taste good. Chocolate chip cookies are always a winner in my household, and my verdict is that while they were delicious, the texture was definitely different than normal. Not bad, but a little lighter almost. Still, it’s good to know that if you ever wanted to mix up cookie dough in your food processor, this machine is up to the task. 

Making banana 'nice cream'

My final recipe in the Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor was banana “ice cream.” This is essentially just frozen bananas pureed until they resemble soft serve ice cream, and it’s my go-to when I’m craving ice cream but want to be a little healthier.

To make this recipe, I outfitted the food processor with its normal chopping blade, then tossed in a few frozen bananas and a splash of milk. I pulsed the machine a few times to break up the large pieces, then used the puree button to create a creamy consistency. (Honestly, it doesn’t seem like the Auto-iQ buttons do anything special. The operation was basically the same as putting the machine on high.) I had to put an extra splash of milk in to help the machine out, as well as scrape down the sides, but overall, it was able to create delicious banana ice cream in a matter of minutes. 

Cleaning

The Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor is extremely easy to clean, which is always a plus in my book. All of its removable components are dishwasher safe, allowing for hands-free clean up. The only issue I ran into is that sometimes food particles got stuck underneath the rubber seal on the lid, so I had to scrape them out with a utensil. 

One downside of this food processor is that all its accessories don’t stack nicely in the work bowl like they do with the Nutribullet Food Processor. The manual says that a blade assembly can be stored in the bowl, and that other accessories should be stored alongside the machine. I have fairly limited storage, so I didn’t like that I had to carve out additional space for the extra pieces. 

Should you buy the Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor?

The Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor is pretty basic as food processors go –and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s reasonably priced (and often on sale), and it works well for everyday tasks. It did struggle a little on hard ingredients like chocolate chips, but overall, it did everything a food processor should. I think it’s a good choice for your average household, as it’s not too big or too small, and it’s straightforward and easy to use. 

If you frequently process large batches of food, you may be better off with a high-end model like the Cuisinart Custom 14, which has a huge 14-cup capacity, or if you want something more compact, the Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor has a fairly small footprint – it also comes with an awesome spiralizer attachment. 

About this review, and the reviewer

Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer who has been testing small kitchen appliances (as well as other home goods) for several years. She’s tested everything from toasters to oil infusion machines, and as an avid baker, she loves trying out any gadgets that promise to make her creations more delicious or easier to bake.

Camryn does her product testing from her small homestead in beautiful Rhode Island. When she’s not tinkering around with the latest home gadgets, she spends her time tending to her animals, working in her garden, or crafting.

If you’ve ever lamented that your food processor bowl was too small to accommodate a recipe, you’ll understand the appeal of the Cuisinart Custom 14 14-Cup Food Processor. The most common food processor capacities are 8 and 10 cups, but this high-end model from Cuisinart is significantly larger, holding up to 14 cups of ingredients in its bowl. Not to mention that it’s powered by a 720-watt motor, which makes quick work of even the toughest nuts and vegetables. 

The Cuisinart Food Processor is more expensive than many other models, but it has a heavy-duty design that’s ideal for large-batch recipes. If you’re making salsa for a crowd or even processing cheesecake batter, this appliance is up to the task, but is its bulky, oversized form too much for your average kitchen? We wanted to see how it stacks up against other popular food processors, so I tested it against the Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor and Ninja Professional 9-Cup Food Processor to see whether it was worth the splurge. 

During several weeks of testing, I used the food processors to make everything from pesto and energy balls to banana ice cream and sliced vegetables. The Cuisinart certainly blows away the competition when it comes to capacity and sheer power, but at the end of the day, this appliance isn’t right for everyone. 

Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor: specs

• Power: 720W
• Capacity: 14 cups
• Size: 7.9 x 11 x 14.8 inches
• Weight: 17.3 lbs.
• Included: Stainless steel standard slicing disc (4mm), medium shredding disc, chopping/mixing blade, detachable disc stem, spatula, instruction/recipe book

Unboxing

The Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor was packed with a combination of styrofoam, cardboard, and plastic wrapping, and despite the appliance’s large size, the box was fairly compact. 

The thing that stood out to me the most as I unboxed this food processor was its weight. It’s significantly heavier than both the other models I tested, weighing in at around 17 pounds. The base is quite substantial, and I imagine someone like my mother, who is disabled, would have trouble moving this appliance around the kitchen and in/out of storage. 

Making pesto

The first recipe I made using the Cuisinart Food Processor was good old pesto, and I actually used a recipe from the appliance’s manual. (I’ve found Cuisinart recipes to be quite good in the past.) I cut the recipe in half simply because I didn’t have enough basil for a full batch, and I didn’t need that much of the sauce anyway.

After adding in the first few ingredients, including pine nuts, garlic, and grated cheese, I realized just how massive the work bowl is. The contents barely covered the bottom of the bowl! The blade still managed to chop everything up just fine, and I liked how easy it is to press the paddle-style buttons on the front of the base. This food processor only has one speed and a pulse button, and these functions made it extremely easy to operate. 

Even after I added in 2 cups of tightly packed basil and the olive oil, the quantity of pesto still looked measly in the 14-cup bowl. Despite my small batch, the food processor did a perfect job chopping everything into uniform pieces, and I was able to easily remove the blade to scoop the pesto out. The spatula that comes with the food processor proved to be extremely handy, as it has a sharp corner on one side that’s ideal for cleaning out the corners of the bowl.

Making energy bites

I frequently use my food processor to make energy bites, so that was the next recipe I tackled using the Cuisinart Food Processor. Again, the bowl was larger than necessary for the roughly 3 cups of ingredients, which included oats, coconut flakes, peanut butter, honey, and chocolate chips. I could easily double the recipe with space to spare.

The serrated chopping blade made quick work of my energy bites, getting the ingredients to the perfect crumbly consistency after just a minute of operation. However, one thing I did notice while making this recipe is that the paddle-style buttons are easy to accidentally press as you’re working around the appliance. At one point, I pushed the pulse button when putting down a measuring cup, but the good news is that if the chute is open or the lid is off, the machine won’t start. Points for safety! 

After I added and processed all the ingredients, I took the blade out to scoop the dough into balls. Only then did I realize the consistency was still too dry and I needed to add more peanut butter. Usually it’s challenging to get a food processor blade back into the bowl once you’ve removed it, but I was actually able to get the blade back in fairly easily to process the additional ingredients. This was likely because the bowl wasn’t filled to the top with ingredients, but it was convenient nonetheless.

Slicing and spiralizing vegetables

Another common use for food processors is shredding or slicing vegetables, so I decided to use the Cuisinart to prep vegetables for my salad. While most food processors have reversible discs with shredding on one side and slicing on the other, this model actually has separate discs for each function. It’s not necessarily a big deal, but in my mind, extra accessories just means more pieces I have to store.

To set up either one of the discs, you have to attach it to the “disc stem,” which serves as the central spoke inside the work bowl. The disc twists onto the stem easily, and from there, it’s just a matter of putting the stem onto the motor head. I really like that this food processor has a smaller feed tube inside the larger chute—it’s the perfect size to accommodate a skinny vegetable like a carrot, and it makes it easy to feed the vegetable in straight.

Both the shredding and slicing attachments chewed through a full-length carrot in a matter of seconds, leaving my veggies prepped and ready to go. I do wish the appliance came with a disc that made thin slices, though—the brand sells additional discs that you can use with this appliance, but they’re surprisingly expensive at $40 or $50 apiece. 

My only other note regarding the slicing and shredding discs is that they’re somewhat tricky to get out of the food processor. Other models I’ve used had finger holes that allow you to safely grasp the disc, but for this appliance, the instructions say to “Place two fingers under each side of the disc and lift it straight up”—easier said than done. It took me a little finagling to get the discs out, but I’m sure I’d get used to it eventually. 

Making lemon bars in the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor 

The final recipe I made with this food processor was a batch of tasty lemon bars. The crust of this recipe, which includes flour, lemon zest, toasted almonds, and butter, is made in a food processor, which saves you the hassle of cutting in the cold butter by hand. After pulsing the dry ingredients a few times to mix them up and chop the nuts, I added in a stick and a half of cold butter cubes. I pulsed a few times, then pressed the “on” paddle to let the machine run for a minute. 

Within 30 seconds or so, the dough had reached that perfectly crumbly stage, and it was ready to be pressed into the baking pan. This process probably would have taken me several minutes working with a manual pastry cutter, but it was quick and painless to do in the food processor. 

Cleaning

I don’t enjoy washing dishes by hand, so I was happy to find that Cuisinart actually recommends putting the detachable pieces of this food processor into the dishwasher. Everything came out of the wash cycle looking as good as new, but I will note that the stainless steel base does get fingerprint smudges quite easily. Luckily, they’re easy enough to buff out if it bothers you. 

When it’s time to store this appliance, the brand says never put the blade or discs on the motor shaft—likely a safety precaution. I did find that both discs and the blade can be stashed inside the work bowl, which makes it easy to keep everything together, and I opted to simply keep the bowl off the base to heed the brand’s recommendations. 

Should you buy the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor? 

While it’s a well-made and easy-to-use machine, the Cuisinart Custom 14 14-Cup Food Processor definitely isn’t for everyone. First of all, it’s extremely expensive, retailing for $250, and its 14-cup capacity was larger than necessary for all the recipes I made in it. 

However, I can see this appliance being useful for someone who frequently does big-batch cooking. If you regularly double or triple the size of recipes to accommodate a large family or frequent hosting, the extra-large size of this appliance may be worth the splurge. 

About this review, and the reviewer

Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer who has been testing small kitchen appliances (as well as other home goods) for several years. She’s tested everything from toasters to oil infusion machines, and as an avid baker, she loves trying out any gadgets that promise to make her creations more delicious or easier to bake.

Camryn does her product testing from her small homestead in beautiful Rhode Island. When she’s not tinkering around with the latest home gadgets, she spends her time tending to her animals, working in her garden, or crafting.

Food processors can be a somewhat polarizing small appliance—some people can’t live without one, while others simply don’t understand the appeal. No matter which camp you fall into, though, you have to admit that the Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor is anything but a one-trick pony. This food processor can play a lot of different roles in the kitchen, helping you to chop, shred, and slice ingredients faster than a knife ever could. It also comes with a spiralizer and dough blade for even more versatility. 

This mid-size food processor might not be the largest or most expensive model you can buy, but it certainly stands out thanks to its wide range of attachments (some of which I’d never seen before) and sleek, compact design. It can hold up to seven cups of ingredients at a time, and it offers three different power levels to suit the task at hand, but is it one of the best food processors out there today?

To see how this food processor stacked up against other popular models, I tested it in my kitchen alongside the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor and the Ninja Professional 9-Cup Food Processor. Although it was the smallest appliance in the lineup, the Nutribullet still managed to hold its own against bigger models, and after weeks of testing, I think it’s an ideal everyday food processor for any household. 

Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor: Product specs

• Power: 450W
• Capacity: 7 cups
• Size: 7.4 x 11.5 x 15.75 inches
• Weight: 6 lbs.
• Cord Length: 39.3 inches
• Included: Chopping blade, dough blade, spiralizer disc, reversible thick slice/shred disc, reversible thin slice/shred disc, recipe book

Unboxing

As soon as I picked up the box, I noticed that the Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor is extremely lightweight and manageable at just 6 pounds—it’s a stark difference when compared to the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor, which weighs in at close to 20 pounds. 

Most of the packaging in the box was cardboard, which is easy to recycle, but I was a little disappointed to find that almost every component was wrapped in a thin layer of plastic—not the most eco-friendly option. 

As I unpackaged this food processor, I was taken aback at how many attachments it came with. Food processors I’ve used in the past came with a chopping blade and a shredding/slicing disc, but the Nutribullet comes with two blades—one metal and one plastic—as well as two reversible discs and a strange spiralizing attachment. I’ll admit I was intimidated by the last accessory, as I’d never seen anything like it before and wasn’t sure how, exactly, it would work. However, I was ready and willing to find out, so I jumped into testing.

Making energy bites

I started out with a straightforward food processor recipe: energy bites! We usually keep a container of these tasty bites in our fridge at all times, as they’re ideal for a mid-afternoon snack, and I love that they only take a few minutes to make in a food processor.

After putting the regular chopping blade into the food processor, I combined oats and shredded coconut in its work bowl. I pressed the pulse button on the food processor’s base to chop up the ingredients a little bit, but it didn’t work the way I expected. Most food processors instantly spin their blades when the pulse button is pressed, but the Nutribullet has a slight delay before it jumps into action. I ended up simply turning the processor on low—it has low, medium, and high settings, unlike the Cuisinart Food Processor, which simply has one power level—and letting it run for 20 seconds or so to mix up the oats and coconut.

Next, I added in the other ingredients, which included peanut butter, chia seeds, honey, and chocolate chips. I opted to turn the food processor on medium this time, and I was surprised to find that it shook a little bit as it churned up the ingredients. Thankfully, the base has four suction cups that stick it to the counter, so it didn’t go anywhere. Overall, the machine did a great job creating a uniform mixture, and it was easy to remove the blade so I could scoop out the batter. I was pleased with the appliance’s performance, but this was also one of the easiest tasks I had planned for it. 

Making banana 'nice cream' 

Banana “ice cream” is another recipe that I frequently make in my food processor—if you’re not familiar, it’s essentially just frozen bananas that are processed to resemble soft-serve ice cream. However, it requires a fairly powerful blender or food processor to achieve the right consistency, so I was interested to see how the Nutribullet performed, as it’s only powered by a 450-watt motor. (For comparison, the Cuisinart has a 720-watt motor and the Ninja offers 1,000 watts.)

For best results, you should generally chop up the bananas before freezing them to make it easier for your food processor, but I forgot this step. I managed to break the frozen fruit in half, and I added it to the work bowl along with a splash of milk. After a few pulses, I turned the Nutribullet onto its high setting and let it chop up the banana. I had to add another splash of milk to help it grab the frozen ingredients, but the appliance did a great job creating a smooth, lump-free consistency. I also added a little bit of peanut butter and cocoa powder for flavor, and the “ice cream” made a perfect dessert. 

However, I did notice during this test that the “max liquid” fill line on the work bowl is fairly low. I wanted to see just how much liquid it could hold, so I filled the bowl up with water to the line then transferred it into a measuring cup. It was exactly 2 cups, so you probably won’t be making any soup in this appliance. 

Sliced and spiralized vegetables

I needed to shred some carrots for a recipe one night, so I decided to use the Nutribullet to make quick work of the prep. I tested out both the thin and thick shredding discs—the thicker option is the standard thickness you’d expect from a food processor, while the thin disc delivers really fine shavings.

I absolutely loved that I could simply feed the carrot into the narrow center of the chute, which is the perfect size to keep the vegetable upright. Additionally, the food pusher has little spikes that help to grab the vegetable, keeping it in place as you push it into the blade. For larger ingredients, you can simply take the whole chute out—that’s the beauty of its dual-size design.

The shredding discs worked as expected, so I wasn’t really wowed by them, but the spiralizer attachment really blew me away. I had to consult the manual to ensure I was installing it correctly, as the unique attachment doesn’t spin like the discs or blades. Instead, it stays in place inside the work bowl while the motor turns a small, circular blade inside the attachment. This allows it to quickly create vegetable spirals—it was much faster and easier than any other spiralizer I used. 

The curly strands were perfectly uniform, and the attachment was able to spiralize pratically the entire carrot in one fell swoop, resulting in foot-long carrot curls. Personally, I think it’s a much better way to spiralize vegetables, and I can’t wait to try it on potatoes—the resulting curly fries would be epic.

Pizza dough

The Nutribullet Food Processor comes with a “dough blade,” which looks just like the regular chopping blade except it’s made of plastic. To try it out, I found a recipe for pizza dough that was made in a food processor. It was fairly straightforward—you just added all the ingredients into the bowl and pulse until a sticky ball forms. At least, that’s what was supposed to happen. 

My dough never came together, and instead, I ended up a dry, cumbly mess. I couldn’t even get it to resemble dough after working it with my hands, so I just gave up and went back to my usual pizza dough recipe made in the best stand mixer. I think this failure had more to do with the recipe than the performance of the food processor, though, and the appliance would definitely work well for making pie crust or other crumbly doughs.

Cleaning the Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor

Food processors can get fairly messy when you’re working with ingredients like honey and peanut butter, so I was happy to find that most of the removable pieces, including the blade adaptor, blades, work bowl, lid, and food pusher, are all dishwasher safe. (Top rack only, though!) I was able to simply toss them in the dishwasher, and they were ready to clean the next day. My only suggestion is to take the blade off the blade adapter when you put it in the wash—I didn’t do this the first time, and gunk got trapped between the two pieces.

One of my other favorite aspects of this food processor is how nicely it stores. With many other food processors, including the Ninja Professional 9-Cup Food Processor, attachments have to be stored separately, but the Nutribullet is designed to fit all but one of its attachments right inside the work bowl. There are two ways to stack them, and you’ll be left with just one of the shredder discs or the spiralizer attachment to store separately. (It would be nice if everything fit inside, but there really are a lot of accessories.) Additionally, the power cord wraps up under the bottom of the base for even more compact storage.

Should you buy the Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor?

While there are a few quirks with the Nutribullet 7-Cup Food Processor—namely its weird pulse button and slight shaking during operation—I was really impressed with the performance of this compact appliance. 

It’s powerful enough to tackle tough ingredients like frozen fruit, and its spiralizer attachment is one of the coolest accessories I’ve seen in a long time! Plus, the mid-price model is thoughtfully designed for compact storage, making it a great option for smaller kitchens. 

About this review, and the reviewer

Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer who has been testing small kitchen appliances (as well as other home goods) for several years. She’s tested everything from toasters to oil infusion machines, and as an avid baker, she loves trying out any gadgets that promise to make her creations more delicious or easier to bake.

Camryn does her product testing from her small homestead in beautiful Rhode Island. When she’s not tinkering around with the latest home gadgets, she spends her time tending to her animals, working in her garden, or crafting.