This model tied with the Black+Decker HC150B for the back of the pack, both ranking quite inferior to the Ninja Express Chop. Most food processors are electric, however, there are some quality manual models on the market, such as the Zyliss Easy Pull Food Processor. A manual processor is only ideal if you don’t want to deal with cords or batteries or will be using it in a place where there isn’t electricity. For standard everyday usage, an electric model with motors between 200 and 400 watts is your best option.
You can usually purchase everything from a juicing attachment to julienne disks separately, but such extras often go unused. Both cookbook authors we spoke with essentially said these add-ons were a waste of money, so we didn’t test any. Take a hands-on approach with a manual mini food processor, which can be used anywhere — no need for charging or plugging in. Lab Director Papantoniou likes this model cuisinart choppers because it has “an oversized handle that’s easy to pull and use, and it is overall simple to clean.” She notes that it’s great for garlic and other quick jobs. Because you must pull a cord to operate it, it could pose the risk of fatigue for some users and requires some dexterity. The Cuisinart EvolutionX Cordless Mini Chopper ($80) was the only cordless mini chopper we tested, which was intriguing.
For our final assessment, the Cuisinart again delivered a disappointing performance. It has by far the hardest to clean blades out of the entire bunch and is almost impossible to get a sponge into all the little nooks and crannies to adequately clean the chopper. It is a bit of a balancing act to hold the plunger down and keep the blades out all while avoiding being cut when trying to force the sponge in between them to clean them. Needless to say, we weren’t fans of cleaning it and even though it is listed as dishwasher-safe for the top rack, even then we don’t think this chopper gets particularly clean. Food gets lodged way up in the chopper and it ends up being almost impossible to clean.
The Cuisinart’s slicing disk isn’t adjustable like the Breville Sous Chef’s slicing disk, which has multiple settings, similar to a mandoline. But you can buy additional slicing disks through Cuisinart if you want them. The included slicing disk makes approximately 5-millimeter slices, which is fine for most tasks, but you’ll probably want the 2-millimeter slicing disk for making homemade potato chips. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves.
I would recommend this as a high quality product that lasts a long time. I have dropped mine on the floor, some of the bottom broke but nothing integral, and it still runs. Featuring a drizzle basin and pour spout, this mini food processor’s design exceeded our expectations. The Cuisinart Complete Chef chops, slices, and cooks food all in one 18-cup stainless steel bowl (it comes with attachments and built-in recipes for cooking things like risotto or beef stew). We were eager to see how it would compare to the Thermomix (a wildly expensive blender that cooks, and which has something of a cult following outside of the US), but we weren’t able to get it to work. We probably just got a lemon, but that doesn’t bode well for a $700 appliance (at the time of this publishing).
Sarah Wharton has a diploma from the International Culinary Center and has worked as a recipe developer. She led the GH Institute’s testing for immersion blenders, many of which come with a chopper attachment. The Cuisinart doesn’t come with a storage case for its attachments. If you don’t want to store the attachments in the bowl, it would be worthwhile to purchase a case for about $30. This article was updated in February 2023 to ensure that all products were in stock and reflected current pricing. We removed discontinued products and added new picks from Black + Decker, Zyliss and Hamilton Beach.
However, its powerful motor ensures efficient and consistent chopping results every time. 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. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions.
The motor on the Elemental was noisy, and the base is very lightweight. Another drawback to the Sous Chef is that it made a slightly looser mayonnaise than the Cuisinart Custom 14 and the mini processors we tested. Also, its mini bowl insert did not chop almonds evenly, so we recommend using its 16-cup bowl for this task. The Sous Chef’s thoughtful design was what really sold us on this machine. Other machines require you to fit the bowl over a shank on the base, but the Sous Chef has a flat attachment, with the shank attached to the inside of the work bowl.
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