I take advantage of my meals processor on a weekly foundation to make every thing from home made hummus to shortly chopping veggies for salads to making nut butters. I take into account it my sous chef within the kitchen! The very best meals processors make simple work of a wide range of kitchen duties, and know the way necessary it’s to decide on one which works persistently and reliably.

Whereas all meals processors supply the identical primary perform of chopping and grinding or slicing and shredding, they don’t all carry out the identical. I’ve personally used and beloved my Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor for years, however I’ve discovered a number of different worthwhile choices that may work higher in your kitchen To slim down the record, I thought-about capability, ease of storage, and sturdiness, in addition to my private expertise from utilizing others prior to now. 

Beneath are one of the best meals processors that will help you out within the kitchen.

My Prime Picks:

1. What’s in My Kitchen: Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor – $199.50 at Amazon
2. My Favourite Mini: Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Meals Processor – $36.71 at Walmart
3. Greatest Finances: Hamilton Seaside 10-Cup Meals Processor – $44.97 at Amazon
4. Greatest Primary: Ninja Skilled XL Meals Processor – $119 at Walmart
5. Greatest Massive Capability: Breville Sous Chef 16 Professional – $374.99 at Amazon
6. Greatest Blender and Meals Processor Combo: Vitamix A3500 SmartPrep Kitchen System – $899.95 at Amazon

Opinions of The Greatest Meals Processors

1. What’s in My Kitchen: Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor

The Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor has been a staple in my kitchen for a number of years, and I take advantage of it on a regular basis! Not solely does it make clean sauces and creamy nut butters, however it’s sufficiently big to accommodate bigger portions and has massive, paddle-style controls that make it simple to make use of. There are solely two settings—on and pulse—so it’s good for freshmen and no-fuss residence cooks. There’s a big feed tube that makes it simple so as to add substances, and it consists of a normal slicing disc, a medium shredding disc, and a stainless-steel chopping and mixing blade, so you should utilize it rather than a mandoline slicer or field grater, too.

The Specs:

• Capability: 14 cups
• Dimensions: 11 x 7.9 x 14.8 inches
• Weight: 16 kilos
• Settings: On, pulse

The Professionals:

• Constant outcomes
• Massive feed chute to reduce prep
• Glossy, chrome steel design

The Cons:

• No pace settings
• Costly

What Others Are Saying:

The Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor was named one of the best meals processor by Wirecutter, The Spruce Eats, and Bon Appetit. It additionally has greater than 19,000 evaluations on Amazon, with a mean ranking of 4.6 stars.

Purchase the Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor:

2. My Favourite Mini: Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Meals Processor

I like utilizing my Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Meals Processor for smaller duties, like chopping cucumbers to make Tzatziki Sauce. With its 3-cup capability, it’s the perfect dimension for chopping greens or making dressing. It solely has two settings—chop and grind—so it’s fairly simple to make use of. The motor is much less highly effective than the full-size fashions, so this isn’t the only option for making nut butters or reducing by way of more durable meals, however it’s nice for primary prep and straightforward to retailer. 

The Specs:

• Capability: 3 cups
• Dimensions: 5.0 x 7.0 x 9.25 inches
• Weight: 2.5 kilos
• Settings: Chop, grind

The Professionals:

• Easy operation
• Straightforward to retailer
• Finances-friendly value

The Cons:

What Others Are Saying:

The Cuisinart Mini-Prep Meals Processor was named greatest small by Good Housekeeping. It additionally has virtually 30,000 evaluations on Amazon with a 4.6-star ranking.

Purchase the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Meals Processor:

3. Greatest Finances: Hamilton Seaside 10-Cup Meals Processor

For those who don’t plan to make use of your meals processor each day like me, you may want a inexpensive possibility. This budget-friendly 10-cup meals processor from Hamilton Seaside does the trick for infrequent use. The motor isn’t as highly effective as some others, however it has an excellent capability, plus three settings—two speeds and a pulse mode—that make simple work of most kitchen duties. It features a chopping blade and a slicing/shredding disc, however one characteristic I actually love is the built-in scraper attachment. This constantly scapes the perimeters of the bowl when you’re utilizing it, so that you don’t should cease to scrub the perimeters with a spatula. 

Its rounded design does make it a bit bulkier than a few of the different sleeker fashions, however for those who plan to retailer it in a pantry or cupboard as an alternative of in your counter, that shouldn’t be an issue.

The Specs:

• Capability: 10 cups
• Dimensions: 15.47 x 10.25 x 8.43 inches
• Weight: 4.7 kilos
• Settings: Two speeds, pulse

The Professionals:

• Various pace settings
• Constructed-in scraper attachment
• Finances-friendly value

The Cons:

What Others Are Saying:

The Hamilton Seaside 10-Cup Meals Processor has a mean 4.6-star ranking from greater than 40,000 evaluations on Amazon. 

Purchase the Hamilton Seaside 10-Cup Meals Processor:

4. Greatest Primary: Ninja Skilled XL Meals Processor

Ninja makes nice user-friendly kitchen home equipment which are glorious for freshmen or anybody who doesn’t need a number of fuss. I like this meals processor as a result of it’s versatile—there are two blades in addition to slicing discs—but it’s simple to make use of. It comes with 4 preset applications (chop, puree, dough, and disk), plus three guide settings (low, excessive, and pulse). The additional-large feed chute means you may drop bigger items of meals in with out chopping an excessive amount of, and the 12-cup dimension can accommodate massive recipes and household meal prep. 

• Capability: 12 cups
• Dimensions: 17.5 x 10.7 x 8.7 inches
• Weight: 10.9 kilos
• Settings: 4 preset applications (chop, dough, puree, disc) and three guide settings (low, excessive, pulse)

The Professionals:

The Specs:

• Versatile settings
• Further-large chute for much less prep
• Can accommodate bigger recipes

The Cons:

• Bigger footprint than others

What Others Are Saying:

The Spruce Eats named it one of the best energy and Meals Community named it one of the best worth possibility. The Ninja XL Meals Processor additionally has over 11,400 evaluations on Amazon and a 4.7-star ranking.

Purchase the Ninja Skilled XL Meals Processor:

5. Greatest Massive Capability: Breville Sous Chef 16 Professional

In case you have a giant household, for those who meal prep, or for those who usually entertain, chances are you’ll wish to take into account a larger-capacity meals processor that may make a giant portion of home made pesto without delay.. Whereas this meals processor is a bit dear, it has a number of helpful options. For starters, it has a beneficiant 16-cup capability and an especially highly effective motor that may minimize by way of just about something you throw at it. There are two feed chutes to get exact cuts for different-sized meals, and it features a variable slicing disc that has 24 settings, from additional skinny to eight millimeters thick. It additionally comes with a 2.5-cup mini-processing bowl for smaller jobs, so that you’re getting the equal of two machines in a single.

The Specs:

• Capability: 16 cups
• Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.9 x 17.5 inches
• Weight: 19.7 kilos
• Settings: On and pulse

The Professionals:

• Massive capability
• Versatile with two feed chutes and variable slicing
• Comes with a smaller processing bowl

The Cons:

What Others Are Saying:

Wirecutter calls it one of the best improve, Meals Community named it greatest total, and Meals and Wine named it greatest splurge. The Breville Sous Chef 16 Professional additionally has a mean 4.6-star ranking from over 2,600 evaluations on Amazon.

Purchase the Breville Sous Chef 16 Professional:

6. Greatest Blender and Meals Processor Combo: Vitamix A3500 SmartPrep Kitchen System

I like my Vitamix blender, and for those who want a blender and a meals processor, the Vitamix A3500 SmartPrep Kitchen System is a winner. It’s an funding, however you’re getting the facility and reliability of a Vitamix, and two kitchen home equipment in a single. The set consists of the A3500 sequence base and motor, which is the blender I take advantage of, plus a 12-cup meals processor bowl and a 64-ounce blender jar. You’ll additionally get 4 slicing blades, which is greater than different choices on the record, that allow you to make every thing from small shreds to thick slices. 

As a result of the meals processor works from the identical base because the blender, you’ll get all the identical settings, like variable pace management and pulse, so you will have extra management over consistency. All whereas saving on storage!

The Specs:

• Capability: 12 cups
• Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 17 inches
• Weight: 12 kilos
• Settings: Variable pace management, pulse

The Professionals:

• Variable pace management
• Versatile and handy
• Consists of many slicing discs

The Cons:

What Others Are Saying:

The Spruce Eats named the Vitamix Meals Processor Attachment one of the best attachment, and Critical Eats calls it one of the best space-saving meals processor.

Purchase the Vitamix A3500 SmartPrep Kitchen System:

Different Meals Processors to Contemplate

KitchenAid 7-Cup Meals Processor

KitchenAid makes high-quality small home equipment, and it is a nice meals processor. It has three-speed choices, and the equipment neatly stack inside for storage, which is a pleasant contact. In the end, it didn’t make the record as a result of the 7-cup capability could also be limiting for some, and it’s not fairly a mini meals processor, so it’s not compact sufficient for these in search of a smaller possibility. The KitchenAid 7-Cup Meals Processor is accessible at Amazon for $55.71.

Black + Decker 8-Cup Meals Processor

 For those who’re solely utilizing your meals processor sometimes, this budget-friendly meals processor could possibly be an excellent possibility for you. However for those who plan to make use of it usually, I like to recommend investing slightly extra in a single that may final you for a very long time. This one additionally tends to offer uneven cuts, which will not be a giant deal, however it relies upon what you’re utilizing it for. The Black + Decker 8-Cup Meals Processor is accessible at Amazon for $39.99.

GE 12-Cup Meals Processor

This GE 12-Cup Meals Processor has rather a lot going for it. It consists of 4 slicing discs and stackable feeding tubes that allow you to alter the dimensions of the chute. Plus, it has a robust motor and a 12-cup capability that may work for many on a regular basis kitchen duties. It didn’t make my record of winners as a result of I’ve extra expertise with the opposite manufacturers and fashions, however it could possibly be an excellent possibility for residence cooks, particularly at this cheap value. The GE 12-Cup Meals Processor is accessible at Amazon for $112.95.

Breville Sous Chef 12

A smaller model of the Sous Chef 16 Professional, the Breville Sous Chef 12 is an effective possibility. It has three chute sizes, a variable slicing disc, and a security cease characteristic. Nonetheless, for my part, it doesn’t stand out amongst different fashions on this dimension vary. Plus, it’s pricier than similar-size choices with out a number of additional options to justify the upper value. The Breville Sous Chef 12 is accessible at Amazon for $251.10.

Why You Can Belief Me

I’m Gina, the creator and recipe developer behind Skinnytaste, which options my favourite wholesome, family-friendly recipes made with actual meals. I like discovering methods to make cooking and meal prep simpler, and my Cuisinart 14-Cup Meals Processor is a staple in my kitchen for rushing up my chopping and mixing duties.

In my a few years of recipe creation for Skinnytaste, I’ve used a number of different meals processors, so I do know what to search for and what to keep away from. When narrowing down the choices, I thought-about capability, total dimension, and model status. For meals processors that I haven’t tried myself, I relied on evaluations from actual customers on Amazon and the outcomes from skilled product testers at main cooking publications.

The whole lot to Know Earlier than Shopping for a Meals Processor

What to Contemplate Earlier than Shopping for a Meals Processor

Meals processors serve the identical primary goal of mixing and chopping, however all of them have options that make them stand out from each other. Listed here are an important issues to contemplate when deciding which one is greatest in your kitchen.

Capability: Meals processors include totally different bowl sizes. You need the bowl to be sufficiently big to deal with all of your wants, however bigger isn’t at all times higher. For those who go too large, it may not have the ability to successfully course of smaller portions of meals for the reason that blade may even be bigger. Most residence cooks ought to goal for a capability of round 9 to 14 cups for on a regular basis wants, and I like to make use of a mini 3-cup dimension for smaller duties.

General dimension: Along with the capability, you’ll wish to take into consideration total dimension, particularly for those who’re planning to maintain it in your countertop. Verify the size of the meals processor you’re contemplating and be sure to’re snug with the area it takes up.

Settings: All meals processors have primary settings—sometimes on/off and pulse choices—however chances are you’ll discover some with superior options like a dough-kneading blade. Contemplate your commonest cooking wants and slim down your decisions that manner. Typically, extra options imply a better value, so for those who don’t want all of the bells and whistles, you may skip them in favor of a cheaper price tag.

Equipment: Meals processors sometimes include various varieties of blades and a few even have totally different dimension bowls to accommodate different-size kitchen duties. Take into consideration what equipment you’ll have to make the kitchen equipment only for you, and select an possibility that covers these bases.

What’s a Meals Processor?

A meals processor is a flexible kitchen equipment that helps pace up meals prep and may make on a regular basis duties a lot simpler. Relying on the included blades, meals processors can chop, shred, slice, grind, and puree all varieties of meals.

Can You Use a Blender as a Meals Processor? 

You should utilize a blender rather than a meals processor for some kitchen duties, however you received’t get the very same outcomes. Blenders are designed to liquefy substances, so that they’re greatest for wetter recipes and liquid-based substances. Meals processors can shred and slice dry substances, which a blender can not do, and can be used to puree. For those who solely have a blender, be sure that to make use of a pulse perform or manually pulse the machine to keep away from turning your substances into soup.

What Does a Meals Processor Do? 

Meals processors chop, shred, slice, and grind various kinds of meals. For instance, they’ll shred carrots or recent cheese or shortly chop onions. Some meals processors even have attachments that may knead dough, they usually can mix and puree meals, much like a blender.

Can You Grind Espresso Beans in a Meals Processor?

Sure, you may grind espresso beans in a meals processor, however chances are you’ll not get a constant grind such as you would with a devoted espresso grinder. Moreover, meals processors don’t allow you to management the dimensions of the grind, so it may be troublesome to get precisely what you need for a French press versus an automated drip machine. For those who do use a meals processor to grind your espresso beans, be sure to use the heartbeat perform and test on them each 3 to five seconds till you attain your required end result. Simply be aware that the espresso odor could linger. 

The Greatest Recipes for Meals Processors

Meals processors is usually a useful kitchen instrument for therefore many recipes. I take advantage of mine usually to shortly chop greens, put together dressings and sauces, and make nut butters. Listed here are a number of of my go-to recipes, however you should utilize this versatile kitchen instrument for prep too:

Costs had been correct at time of publication.