Comparison: How To Choose The Best Food Processor (Updated | Dec 17th)
Standing in the kitchen appliance aisle, you’re faced with a dizzying array of food processors promising to revolutionize your cooking. As your culinary confidant, I’ve sliced through the marketing fluff to bring you the real scoop. From power-hungry chefs to busy parents, we’ll explore how to match your needs with the perfect processor.
Editor’s Choice
Best for a specific purpose
- Best for professional power: Ninja Food Processor
- Best for compact convenience: Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor
- Best for recipe mastery: Food Processor Perfection: 75 Amazing Ways to Use the Most Powerful Tool in Your Kitchen
- Best for kitchen powerhouse: Ninja Mega Kitchen System
- Best for smartest processing: Ninja | All-in-One Blender and Food Processor | Best for Smoothies
- Best for effortless assembly: Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap Food Processor and Vegetable Chopper
- Best for dual bowl innovation: Ganiza Food Processor
- Best for everyday chopper: Hamilton Beach Electric Vegetable Chopper & Mini Food Processor
- Best for safety first design: GANIZA Food Processors
- Best for premium capacity: Cuisinart Food Processor
Product Comparison: How To Choose The Best Food Processor
Professional Power
Ninja Food Processor, Professional Plus, 1000 Peak Watts, 4 Functions for Chopping, Slicing, Purees & Dough with 9-Cup Processor Bowl, 3 Blades, Food Chute & Pusher, Silver, BN601
Ninja
- POWERFUL PERFORMANCE: Equipped with a 1000-peak-watt motor, this Ninja food processor effortlessly handles tough ingredients, ensuring smooth and consistent results every time.
- AUTO-IQ TECHNOLOGY: Features 4 Auto-iQ intelligent preset programs that take the guesswork out of food prep, providing one-touch control for chopping, slicing, pureeing, and dough making.
- LARGE CAPACITY: The 9-cup bowl is perfect for large batches, making it ideal for family meals, entertaining, or weekly meal prep, saving you time and effort in the kitchen.
- PRECISION BLADES: Includes stainless steel precision blades designed for optimal performance, ensuring even chopping, slicing, and pureeing of all your ingredients.
- DOUGH BLADE INCLUDED: Comes with a specialized dough blade that makes mixing dough for bread, pizza, and pastries a breeze, delivering professional-quality results at home.
- EASY TO CLEAN: All removable parts are BPA-free and dishwasher safe, making cleanup quick and hassle-free, so you can spend more time enjoying your culinary creations.
- MODERN DESIGN: Sleek silver finish and compact design fit seamlessly into any kitchen decor, while the sturdy construction ensures long-lasting durability and performance.
- USER-FRIENDLY: Intuitive controls and easy assembly make this food processor accessible for all skill levels, from novice cooks to experienced chefs, enhancing your cooking experience.
- SAFETY FEATURES: Built-in safety mechanisms ensure the processor operates only when properly assembled, providing peace of mind during use and preventing accidents.
- VERSATILE FUNCTIONALITY: Perfect for a wide range of tasks including chopping vegetables, slicing fruits, pureeing hummus, and mixing dough, making it an essential tool for any kitchen.
Compact Convenience
Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor, 24-Ounce Mini Food Processor to Chop Herbs, Vegetables, and Hard Cheese, 24-Ounce Work Bowl, Reversible Stainless Steel Blade, DLC-2ABC, Brushed Chrome
Cuisinart
- SUPERIOR FUNCTION: The Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor offers an efficient 250-watt motor and patented reversible stainless steel blade to quickly chop herbs, dice vegetables, and grind hard cheese
- CONVENIENT CONTROL: The 24-ounce food chopper with durable, lightweight plastic body features a push-button control panel and auto-reversing SmartPower blade for two powerful processing options—chop and grind (not recommended to grind beans as it chops)
- EASY CLEANUP: A dishwasher-safe bowl and lid provide for easy cleanup, while the motor base can be wiped clean with a damp sponge or cloth
- WHAT’S INCLUDED: The mini chopper includes a 24-ounce work bowl with handle, stainless steel blade with sharp blunt edges, spatula, and instruction/recipe book
- LIMITED 18-MONTH WARRANTY: The BPA-free Cuisinart mini chopper comes with a limited 18-month warranty
- 250-watt food processor with 3-cup plastic work bowl
- Chops and grinds with patented reversible stainless-steel blade
- Simple push-button control panel; durable, yet lightweight plastic body
- Dishwasher-safe bowl and lid for quick cleanup; spatula included
- Product Built to North American Electrical Standards
Recipe Mastery
Food Processor Perfection: 75 Amazing Ways to Use the Most Powerful Tool in Your Kitchen
AMERICASTES TKITCHEN
Kitchen Powerhouse
Ninja Mega Kitchen System, 1500W, 72 oz. Full-Size Blender & 8-Cup Food Processor with (2) 16 oz. To-Go Cups, Total Crushing Technology – Smoothies, Ice Crushing, Purees, Dough & More, Black, BL770
Ninja
- POWERFUL 1500-WATT MOTOR: Crush ice, blend frozen fruit, and power through tough ingredients with the 2-horsepower motor, designed for professional results.
- TOTAL CRUSHING TECHNOLOGY: The XL 72-oz.* pitcher, ideal for large batches and entertaining, features Total Crushing Blades that crush ice to snow in seconds and powers through tough ingredients. *64-oz. max liquid capacity.
- ON-THE-GO CONVENIENCE: Includes two 16-oz. Nutri Ninja Cups with To-Go Lids, perfect for personalized shakes and smoothies.
- 8-CUP FOOD PROCESSING: Delivers consistent, even chopping, pureeing, and mixing. Includes a dedicated chopping blade, plus dough blade, capable of mixing up to 2 pounds of dough in just 30 seconds.
- VERSATILE FUNCTIONS: Choose from 4 functions – Blend, Mix, Crush, and Single-Serve – that best fits your recipe and meal prep needs.
- NINJA BLADES SYSTEM: 4 Unique blades optimized for every task. From Total Crushing Blades for XL Blending to Pro Extractor Blades for on-the-go and chopping and dough blades for the processor bowl.
- EASY TO CLEAN: BPA-Free dishwasher-safe parts
- WHAT’S INCLUDED: 1500-Watt Motor Base, 72-oz. Total Crushing Pitcher, Stacked Blade Assembly, (2) 16-oz. Nutri Ninja Cups with Spout Lids, Pro Extractor Blades Assembly, 8-cup Precision Processor Bowl, Chopping Blade, Dough Blade.
- CARE INSTRUCTION: Use a damp cloth to wipe the motor base clean. The cups, bowls, blades, attachments, and lids are dishwasher safe. It is recommended to put these pieces on the top rack. Use extreme caution when cleaning & handling the blades.
Smartest Processing
Ninja | All-in-One Blender and Food Processor | Best for Smoothies, Cookie Dough, Salsas, Cole Slaw and More | BlendSense Intelligence for Perfectly Smooth Results | 1800 Watt | Black | TB401
Ninja
- 1800 PEAK WATT MOTOR BASE: Made for powering through the toughest of ingredients.
- BLENDSENSE: Ninja’s smartest technology that can automatically adjust speed and time for perfectly smooth results. Innovative dial informs the user what mode the blender is in for a truly user-friendly experience.
- 72-OZ. FULL-SIZE PITCHER: Great for making large batches of smoothies and frozen drinks for the whole family.
- 64-OZ. POWER FOOD PROCESSOR BOWL: Use with the single-touch programs for even chopping, smooth purees, and processing up to 2 lbs. of dough. Included feed chute lid & pusher make adding ingredients both simple and safe.
- SLICING & SHREDDING DISC: Slice and prep veggies, cheese, and more with ease.
- VARIABLE SPEED: Allows for complete manual control of (10) different speed settings*. *Only in Full-Sized Pitcher
- 24 oz. SINGLE-SERVE CUP: Enjoy your favorite blended drinks in the single-serve cup with spout lid for on-the-go convenience.
- LIQUID DETECT: Alerts you when liquid is needed*. *only in Single Serve Cup.
- DISHWASHER SAFE: Containers, lids, and blades are all top-rack dishwasher safe.
- WHAT’S INCLUDED: 1800 PW Motor Base, 72 oz. Pitcher, 64 oz. Food Processor Bowl with Feed Chute Lid, Total Crushing and Chopping Blade Assembly, 24 oz. Single-Serve Cup & Lid, Hybrid Edge Blade, Chopping Blade, Dough Blade, Slicing/Shredding Disc.
Effortless Assembly
Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap Food Processor and Vegetable Chopper, BPA Free, Stainless Steel Blades, 12 Cup Bowl, 2-Speed 450 Watt Motor, Black (70725A)
Hamilton Beach
- STACK AND SNAP TECHNOLOGY FOR EASY ASSEMBLY: With this well-designed food processor, you can skip frustrating, awkward assembly. Stack & Snap technology provides easy assembly and removes the need for difficult twist-locking.
- 12 CUP SEALED BOWL: Most food processors are too small for large processing jobs. This 12 cup sealed bowl fits large volumes of food all at once, and since it’s sealed in the center, there’s no messy leaks or spills to clean up after processing.
- BIG MOUTH CHUTE: Fit a whole potato or tomato right into the chute. The Big Mouth chute of this Hamilton Beach food processor saves prep time by reducing the need to pre-cut food before processing.
- SLICE, SHRED, CHOP, MIX AND PUREE WITH 2 VERSATILE ATTACHMENTS: This large food processor and vegetable chopper includes a chopping/pureeing blade and reversible stainless steel slicing/shredding disc so you can tackle every job with ease.
- QUICKLY POWERS THROUGH TOUGH INGREDIENTS WITH 450 WATT MOTOR: Shred cheese and potatoes, slice cucumbers and tomatoes, chop onions and herbs. As you process, the suction cup feet prevent sliding for greater stability on the countertop.
- EASY TO CLEAN: All removable parts are dishwasher safe for effortless cleanup and all food zones are BPA-free for peace of mind
- 2-IN-1 CHUTE: Use the small chute and small pusher when you need to process thinner foods like carrots and celery — it holds them upright for better control and clean cuts. Use the Big Mouth chute and big pusher for larger, whole foods like potatoes.
- SIMPLE FUNCTION GUIDE: The simple function guide takes the guesswork out of food processing — you’ll always know which blade to use and which button to push.
- CONVENIENT POUR SPOUT: Simply pour ingredients from the processing bowl right into your serving bowl for mess-free pouring.
- WHAT’S INCLUDED: 450 watt processor base, 12 cup bowl, large food pusher with small chute, small food pusher, lid with Big Mouth chute, chopping/pureeing/mixing blade, reversible slicing/shredding disc, user guide
Dual Bowl Innovation
Ganiza Food Processor, 2-Speed Food Chopper Meat Grinder with 8 Cup Stainless Steel & 8 Cup Glass Bowls, Upgraded Button & Smart Overheat Protection Light – Includes Clean Brush, 2 Sets of Blades
Ganiza
- 【Patented Button Design】Upgraded Ganiza food processors for effortless use, and easier pressing. The ergonomic design of the Buttons & Appearance reduces hand fatigue and provides good control and stability.
- 【Innovative Overheat Protection Light Display】Built-in overheat protection system ensures safe operation of the food chopper and extends the food processor’s lifespan. The patented smart light provides clear, intuitive feedback on overheating, allowing better control over processing times for safer use.
- 【Indispensable Kitchen Helper】GANIZA BPA-FREE food processor features 2 sets of blades and dual bowls (8-Cup glass bowl and 8-Cup stainless steel bowl). Easily chop meat, fish, vegetables, nuts, fruit, or make a salad, guacamole, salsa, burgers, etc, the food chopper is ideal for multiple kitchen tasks!
- 【Efficient Motor & Safety Insurance】The Full-copper motor supports a 3 times longer service life than regular motors. Adopting patented automatic stopping design to protect your family and child, and blades are spring-loaded and stop rotating immediately once you pop the motor out of the way.
- 【Unlock Versatility with Two Bowls】Your food hygiene, we care. The Mixing Bowls are made from different materials (glass and sus 304 stainless steel) to avoid confusion between bowls for different uses, meat chopper and vegetable chopper, food processor. Note: Glass bowl: max 149 °F (65 °C); hotter water may cause shattering.
- 【2 Speed – Great Time Saver】450 watts motor certified for professional use combined with upgraded two levels of “S” stainless steel blades, a few seconds is enough to turn any vegetable or meat into tiny bits. 2 cutting speeds to meet different needs of foods or texture.
- 【Make an Exhausting Job a Breeze】Still struggling about daily handling of onions or meats? Just an electric food chopper is all you need to make cooking fun. The GANIZA chops, mixes, blends, whips, grinds, and more, all with a simple push to start. Easy to clean with removable blades. Powerful veggie chopper made thanksgiving prep a breeze.
Everyday Chopper
Hamilton Beach Electric Vegetable Chopper & Mini Food Processor, 3-Cup, 350 Watts, for Dicing, Mincing, and Puree, Black (72850)
Hamilton Beach
- Simply stack and press to chop: The patented stack & press design makes it easy to assemble and use. Simply press the lid to chop and release to stop. Since all you do is stack the lid on top of the bowl, no difficult twist-locking is needed.
- Perfect size for everyday use: Chop and mix up to 3 cups of ingredients every day of the week with this 3 cup chopper. It’s the perfect size for everyday use, yet small enough for easy storage.
- Easily chop, puree and emulsify with stainless steel blades: Durable stainless steel blades make easy work of a multitude of ingredients including onions, carrots and nuts. Oil dispenser on lid makes it easy to emulsify dressings, dips and sauces.
- Easy to clean: The bowl, lid and removable blades of the Hamilton Beach chopper are all dishwasher safe.
- Power through tough ingredients: This small food chopper has a 350 watt motor to provide all the power you need to prepare all types of food including onions, nuts, herbs, hummus, dressings and homemade baby food.
Safety First Design
GANIZA Food Processors, Electric Food Chopper with Meat Grinder & Vegetable Chopper – 2 Bowls (8 Cup+8 Cup) with Powerful 450W Copper Motor – Includes 2 Sets of Bi-Level Blades for Fruits/Meat/Nuts
Ganiza
- 【Indispensable Kitchen Helper】GANIZA BPA-FREE food processor features 2 sets of blades and paired bowls (8-Cup glass bowl and 8-Cup stainless steel bowl). Easily chop meat, fish, vegetables, nuts, frozen fruit, or make a salad, guacamole, etc, the food chopper is ideal for multiple kitchen tasks!
- 【Efficient Motor & Safety Insurance】The Full-copper motor supports a 3 times longer service life than regular motors. Adopting patented automatic stopping design to protect your family and child, and blades are spring-loaded and stop rotating immediately once you pop the motor out of the way.
- 【Please Note】Ganiza food processor is equipped with an overheating protection system. If the machine stops working, please wait a few minutes for the machine to cool down before starting it. Overheating protection system is built to ensure quality & lifetime, and also makes the food processor safe.
- 【Unlock Versatility with Two Bowls】Your food hygiene, we care. The Mixing Bowls are made from different materials (glass and sus 304 stainless steel) to avoid confusion between bowls for different uses, meat chopper and vegetable chopper, food processor.
- 【2 Speed – Great Time Saver】450 watts motor certified for professional use combined with upgraded two levels of “S” stainless steel blades, a few seconds is enough to turn any vegetable or meat into tiny bits. 2 cutting speeds to meet different needs of foods or texture.
- 【Make an Exhausting Job a Breeze】Still struggling about daily handling of onions or meats? Just an electric food chopper is all you need to make cooking fun. The GANIZA chops, mixes, blends, whips, grinds, and more, all with a simple push to start. Easy to clean with removable blades. Powerful veggie chopper made thanksgiving prep a breeze.
Premium Capacity
Cuisinart Food Processor, 14-Cup Vegetable Food Chopper for Mincing, Dicing, Shredding, Puree & Kneading Dough, 720-Watt Motor, Stainless Steel, DFP-14BCNY
Cuisinart
- SUPERIOR FUNCTION: The Cuisinart Food Processor with 720-watt motor functions as a vegetable chopper, blender, and food processer in one. Make any kind of dip, puree soup, or sauce including hummus, salsa, guacamole, and more.
- MUST-HAVE FEATURES: The 14-cup food chopper has “on” and “off/pulse” buttons with an extra-large feed tube with bowl sleeve assembly designed for both small and large feed tube pushers. It also comes with a detachable disc stem for easy clean up.
- INCLUDED ACCESSORIES: This food processor comes with dishwasher-safe parts including a stainless steel standard slicing disc (4mm), medium shredding disc, and stainless steel chopping/mixing blade.
- NOTE TO CONSUMER: The shredding and slicing blades of this electric chopper are not adjustable. Please refer to the manual before setting up.
- LIMITED 3-YEAR WARRANTY: The Cuisinart Food Processor comes with a limited 3-year warranty on the entire unit and a full 5-year warranty on the motor.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Buying Guide
FAQs
What is the most important factor to consider when choosing a food processor?
The most critical factor is the motor power, measured in watts. A more powerful motor (600 watts or more) will handle tough jobs like kneading dough or chopping hard vegetables without stalling, ensuring consistent performance and a longer lifespan for the appliance.
How do I decide what size (capacity) food processor I need?
Consider your household size and cooking habits. A compact 8-cup model is great for small jobs like chopping herbs or making a single-serving dip, while a large 12-16 cup model is ideal for big families, batch cooking, or making large quantities of dough.
What key features and accessories should I look for?
Look for essential attachments like a multi-purpose stainless steel blade, a reversible shredding disc, and a slicing disc. A dough blade is a valuable bonus for avid bakers, and a mini-bowl insert is perfect for smaller tasks, reducing cleanup.
How do a food processor and a blender differ, and which do I need?
A blender is best for liquids and creating smooth textures like smoothies, soups, and sauces. A food processor excels at solid foods, using sharp blades and discs to chop, shred, slice, and knead, making it a more versatile tool for general meal prep.
What’s the difference between a budget and a premium food processor?
Premium models typically offer a more powerful and durable motor, a wider variety of high-quality blades and discs, and more robust construction. Budget models are great for basic chopping and grinding but may struggle with heavy-duty tasks like dough kneading.
How easy are food processors to clean and store?
Cleaning ease is a major factor; look for models with dishwasher-safe parts (bowls, lids, blades) to save time. For storage, consider if the model has a compact design or if it offers integrated cord storage and a case for all the attachments to keep your kitchen organized.
Are food processors safe to use?
Yes, modern food processors are designed with safety in mind. Most have safety interlocks that prevent the motor from running unless the lid and bowl are locked securely into place, protecting your hands from the sharp blades.