You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable and we are not responsible for items lost in return transit, so you are encouraged to keep track of the tracking number. It features two speeds — chop and puree — so you can prepare anything from pico de gallo to pesto in one compact gadget. We also love that it has a drizzle basin where you can pour liquids in slowly for maximum emulsification and a pour spout for easy serving. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value. Please note that any items on sale, or marked as final sale are NOT eligible for return.
In our tests, we found that a 14-cup capacity food processor bowl was ideal for most people. In fact, of all the food processors, blenders, and immersion blenders we’ve tested for various guides, we found making mayo easiest in a mini food processor like the Food Chopper. That’s because its lid has a small indent to hold oil and a small hole that allows the oil to pour directly onto the blades so you have a consistent, measured stream.
The work bowl is tall rather than wide, so in testing it did a good job chopping small amounts of garlic. It also did well chopping onions, nuts, tomatoes, carrots, and mushrooms. It wasn’t perfect at chopping green peppers, but cuisinart toa60 it was acceptable for recipes. Besides chopping, we used it to make a tomato puree and peanut butter, and it performed well with those tasks. Food processors are versatile appliances every home cook should have in their kitchen.
Not only is stainless steel resistant to water, but it’s highly durable and easy to maintain. The ease of use of a food chopper essentially boils down to whether it is manual or electric. While both models are fine for cooks of all levels, an electric food chopper definitely takes some of the labor out of the process. It will run you a bit more money, but operating it is as simple as the push of a button. There’s a handy pouring spout for dispensing liquids, and a drizzle hole in the lid that’s handy for making emulsified sauces or for slowly adding liquid to purees.
While standard food processors have between 8 and 14 cups of capacity, mini food processors offer 2 to 5 cups for small jobs, such as preparing homemade dressings and dips. Though they don’t have grating or slicing attachments, they can chop an onion or whip up a batch of salad dressing in seconds. Plus, they save you the headache of cleaning a large machine without sacrificing too much power. The Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor has been our top pick since 2013 because it does everything a great food processor should do, without any unnecessary extras. Unlike those of some other models we tested, the Cuisinart’s base remained stable on the counter, even when processing double batches of dough. This model is easy to clean, and the attachments store neatly inside the bowl, preventing clutter.
It’s too small for kneading bread dough and lacks the attachments to shred or slice, but it’s great for completing basic tasks quickly, and it’s easier to clean and store than a full-size model. Although there’s some overlap in what they can do, food processors and blenders aren’t interchangeable appliances. A food processor is the best tool for chopping and mincing, because its wide base allows the blades to slice through more at once, so you can coarsely chop ingredients quickly and evenly. Most full-size food processors also come with blades for slicing and grating, which a blender can’t do. To process small batches of ingredients, you may want to consider getting a mini food processor—even if you already have a full-size version.
Models smaller than that are too limited, and if you think you need one that’s larger than three cups, you’re probably better off with a full-size model. In the case of manual food choppers, you will need to cut down food so that it is small enough to fit in the chopper. If you’re not confident in your chopping skills, both manual and electric choppers are easy ways to avoid spending too much time with your knife.
Michael Sullivan has been a staff writer on the kitchen team at Wirecutter since 2016. Previously, he was an editor at the International Culinary Center in New York. He has worked in various facets of the food and restaurant industry for over a decade.