Food processor recommendations?

[KarenNC]

I'm considering getting a food processor to help with making things like hummus, pesto, etc, as well as maybe actually try out some of those recipes that call for using one (when I can't figure out an easy alternative prep method). We're trying to do more "getting back to basics" and making more of our food than buying preprocessed (and hopefully save money;)). If there's one that can assist in kneading dough, that would be a plus. I would like to bake more of our own bread, but the bread machine just died (actually committed suicide by leaping off the counter!) and I don't really want another. It's too much of a space hog for our kitchen. I'm trying to find things that are as multipurpose as possible to save space.

 

Any suggestions on "must-have" features, reasonably priced but reliable, etc? We're a family of three, but I'd like something that can handle a reasonable quantity of food so that I can make things for parties, potlucks, to put in the freezer, etc.

Edited June 26, 2009 by KarenNC

[iamom]

I have a Black & Decker that works well for me but I really only use the chopper blade and rarely the other attachments.

 

I think Cuisinart is kind of the "gold standard" of food processors but it probably depends how you'd use it and how often to determine if the higher price would be worth it.

 

Also, within each brand, they sell different sizes, depending on what capacity you need.

[Ferdie]

I have a Cuisinart 11 Cup. It came with 2 discs - slicing and grating and the chopping blade. I use all three accessories. I like the size though it is a little large for small items like one clove of garlic or a Tblsp of cilantro.

 

Our Cuisinart is probably 10 years old. I use it all the time and it looks brand new. The plastic cover has survived being dropped on our tile floor many tiles.

 

Our food processor is one of my favorite kitchen tools.

[BikeBookBread]

I was back and forth about the KitchenAid and Cuisinart...both had the best reviews from Cook's Illustrated. I eventually went with the 12 cup KitchenAid and LOVE it. It is heavy (substantial), has great attachments and powers through anything I put in there. I got mine on Amazon (I didn't care about color particularly, I got white because it was less expensive) so I got a great deal with a bunch of free blades, a storage case, a citrus juicer attachment (which surprisingly I use A TON) and egg whip.

 

My advice to you: get the biggest one you can afford and stick with either KitchenAid or Cuisinart (I'm not being a brand snob, just that they consistently get the highest reviews and the others have had less than stellar reviews...I shopped and read-up for 2 YEARS to find the right one!)

 

If you are interested in KitchenAid, go to their website and check out their refurbs...GREAT deals...SUPER customer service. I had an issue with a 12 year old stand mixer and they helped me wonderfully. I had a problem with a replacement part that I could only get from them, it only cost $11, and they spent probably an hour on the phone with me, ran back into the shipping and storage area, called around, until it was solved. Stellar.

[Philothea]

I have a Cuisinart processor and love it. I had a Black and Decker that I also liked but I could not reach the customer service department after multiple attempts to order a replacement bowl. (everything on this bowl broke).

 

I think Kitchen Aid has awesome customer service. A part was missing from an attachment that I bought for my mixer, I called, got right through to a HUMAN, and they sent the part free of charge. I recieved the part 3 days later!

 

If I had to do it again I would get two different bowl sizes, one for big jobs and one for small jobs. I also use my processor a lot, it gets prime real estate on the kitchen counter. I would buy a Cuisinart again, but I would also consider a Kitchen Aid. However, I probably would not buy a Black and Decker because I don't think they can handle heavy use (and my abuse).

[Melora in NC]

I have an 11 cup KitchenAid (the 670), which I Love. It is heavy duty and very easy to clean (the Cuisinart I was given twenty years ago worked fine but was more complicated to wash up).

[Ellie]

We had a Braun for many years. Now I use the food processor attachment for my Bosch, and although it isn't huge, it has always been big enough to do anything I've needed to do.

[Carol in Cal.]

I ended up not ever using the matchstick blades, but the graters, slicers, and of course the dough and chopper blades get the most use.

 

I can tell you which Cuisineart I covet. Williams Sonoma and Cuisineart have teamed up to design a new version that is only sold through WS. I saw it online and then visited it at the store. It is AWESOME looking. There are 3 different mixing bowls, so the 'in progress' clean up is minimized. They figured out a clever way to make each blade do double duty, so you don't need as many of them to do the same jobs. Also there is a great little case to store the (fewer) attachments, that is sleek and goodlooking and functional.

 

If I didn't already have a Cuisineart AND a Kitchen Aide mixer, I would buy this new Cuisineart for sure, but I really can't justify it, in terms of either money or space. Nope. I really can't. (But if someone thinks it would be a wonderful Christmas present, someone very close to me, someone to whom I am married, I would just pretend I was happy, and express warm gratitude.)

[Liz CA]

Another vote for Kitchen-Aid.

[herbalgirl]

I have a Hamilton Beach 14-cup "Big Mouth" (love the name!) food processor and I love it. :D

[Pine Ledge Academy]

I have a Cuisinart 11 Cup. It came with 2 discs - slicing and grating and the chopping blade. I use all three accessories. I like the size though it is a little large for small items like one clove of garlic or a Tblsp of cilantro.

 

Our Cuisinart is probably 10 years old. I use it all the time and it looks brand new. The plastic cover has survived being dropped on our tile floor many tiles.

 

Our food processor is one of my favorite kitchen tools.

:iagree: