An error consistently appeared on the screen each time we attempted to run it, even when the correct lid and blade attachment were in place. The customer service representative we spoke to wasn’t able to offer much guidance since they weren’t familiar with the model (they even confessed it doesn’t sell often). In our tests, the Cuisinart evenly chopped almost everything, including juicy tomatoes. (The only exception was almonds—more on that in the Flaws but not dealbreakers section, below.) The grating disk also shredded soft mozzarella cheese without getting gummed up. And we made a firmer, more stable mayonnaise in the Cuisinart than in any other full-size model we tested.
Sarah (she/her) is a deputy editor for the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she tests products and covers the best picks across kitchen, tech, health and food. She holds a certificate in professional culinary arts from the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education). The Sous Chef is solidly built, with a hefty base that weighs about 15½ pounds (excluding the bowl). This processor also comes with a limited one-year product cuisinart toaster costco warranty and has a 25-year warranty on the motor—by far the longest warranty on a motor of any of the models we tested. You can use a food processor for pureeing dips and sauces too, but it will yield coarser textures than a high-powered blender—it’s best for things like hummus and pesto. You’ll need a blender if you want to make silky smoothies or to puree liquids like soup, which can splatter and leak out of a food processor’s doughnut-shaped bowl.
Its powerful motor and sharp blades can effectively chop through frozen fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The Breville Sous Chef 12 BFP660SIL food processor did well in our tests, but it didn’t outperform the Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro or our top pick, the Cuisinart Custom 14. The Sous Chef 12 wasn’t able to chop tomatoes or almonds as evenly as the Sous Chef 16 Pro. Its smaller, 12-cup capacity was also more limiting than the Cuisinart’s 14-cup bowl.
The Sous Chef is more than twice the price of the Cuisinart Custom 14, and it’s more powerful (and much bigger) than most people need. This is one of Cuisinart’s most basic models, but it consistently chops, slices, and kneads better than any other food processor we’ve found for under $250. Despite our overall lack of enthusiasm about this chopper, we must admit that it did quite well in this tests, actually doing the best job of the group. This manual chopper gives you the most control over chopping, allowing you to actually chop the onion, rather than turning it into mush. However, you can only fit about half of a small onion inside and it doesn’t always cut all the way through it, usually leaving a residual skin with the last layer of the onion.
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. With this method, the mayonnaise comes together without your having to control the flow of oil. Most mini choppers don’t have hefty bases like full-size processors do, and the Food Chopper is no exception. However, at just under 2 pounds, it has a slightly heavier base than other mini models, which helps keep it stable.
It will allow you to prep a range of food—whether you’re grating cheese, chopping nuts, slicing vegetables, or kneading dough—at lightning speed. We’ve been testing food processors since 2013, and we remain convinced that the simple, sturdy, and powerful Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor is the best choice for most home cooks. Selecting the right size food processor starts with the capacity of the work bowl. A 14-cup food processor, like the Custom 14™ 14 Cup Food Processor, is just right for families or large gatherings. Or, if it’s just you making small batches, a compact option like the Elemental 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder is perfect for simple chopping, grinding or puréeing. We have a wide range of sizes available, including 4, 8, 11, 12, 13, and 14-cup work bowls.
A full-size food processor can be worth the kitchen real estate, but it has a large footprint, which is less ideal for apartment kitchens or dorm rooms. Mini food processors are also useful for smaller batches of items, like herbs, nuts, salsas, pestos and vinaigrettes as well as tasks like prepping homemade baby food. They mean you don’t have to have great skills with a chef’s knife and are easier to clean than a blender. Mini food processors are sometimes called food choppers; they’re built to break down produce and other ingredients into everything from a rough chop to a smooth purée.
Safety
I’ve cut my fingers a few times getting the blade out to wash it. It also has a safety feature that prevents it from running unless the lid is locked in place. Ease of Assembly
Easy to assemble, and has a safety lid that has to be locked for it to start. Sometimes you have to mess with it to get it locked, but other than that no problems. Ease of Cleaning
3 pieces that have to be cleaned every time you wash it.
It’s also slightly skinnier than the other models we tried, which ultimately made it easier to store in a drawer or cabinet. For one third the price of the winning Cuisinart, it’s an awesome alternative that will get the job done. Cuisinart’s cordless choppers are the perfect kitchen tool for those who are always on the go.
You’ll find replacement bowls, food pushers, blades, and various other attachments for the Cuisinart Custom 14 and the Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro (though we should note that they can be quite expensive). You can sometimes find cheaper, secondhand parts on eBay, but just be sure you get the right model number. We read a few reviews by people who disliked how the Cuisinart Custom 14’s lid locks with the feed tube in the back rather than in the front (which is standard for most models). However, we think it’s actually easier to see the ingredients in the bowl when the feed tube is positioned in the back of the lid. We recommend this large, 16-cup processor only if you’re cooking for a crowd multiple times a week.