Many people fail to understand that there is a vast difference between a food processor and a blender. This may be because each appliance has a spinning blade that is used to break down foods into tiny pieces. Yet the reality is that each of these devices has its own place in your kitchen.

For example the blender’s role is to virtually liquefy foods or turn them into an emulsified end product. Blender blade speeds often top out at 18,000 rpm.

Food processors on the other hand operate at much lower speeds ranging from 2,000 rpm for single speed models to 10,000 rpm for two speed models. A food processor is designed to shred, chop, cut, knead, puree, grate, and grind foods into small pieces with little if any liquid.

As you shop for a food processor keep in mind what you plan to use it for. Buying one that is too small for what you plan to use it, will leave you with an appliance that spends more time in the cupboard than being used. The same can be said of one that is too big for your needs.

Below you will find a selection of Food Processors ranging from heavy-duty to everyday home-use.

Breville BFP800XL Food Processor

The Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor features a heavy-duty, 1200 watt induction motor that is plenty powerful enough to chop, slice, and dice anything you throw at it. The motor is durable and built to last and Breville stands behind their…

Cuisinart DFP-14 14-Cup Food Processor

The Cuisinart DFP-14 14-Cup Food Processor is a large capacity food processor that can help you make all kinds of meals large or small. It can be used for slicing, chopping, kneading dough, shredding cheese, mincing garlic, mixing batters and much more.…

Oster FPSTFP4600 Stainless Steel 10-Cup Food Processor

The Oster FPSTFP4600 Professional 10-Cup Food Processor with In-Bowl Storage uses a whisper quiet, 450 watt induction motor to help you slice, dice, mince, chop and purée. It also features a 10 cup capacity so that you can easily make large or…

Cuisinart DLC-10S Pro Classic 7-Cup Food Processor

The Cuisinart DLC-10S Pro Classic 7-Cup Food Processor is a very versatile kitchen appliance. It will help you slice, chop, shred, and mince very quickly. It can also be used to mix batter and knead dough. The Cuisinart DLC-10S has a detachable…

Hamilton Beach 70610 500-Watt Food Processor

The Hamilton Beach 70610 500-Watt Food Processor is a full-size, 10 cup food processor that gives you enough capacity for preparing large amounts of food. The stainless steel chopping blade does a great job of mincing and the stainless steel disc is…

KitchenAid KFP750PK 700-Watt 12-Cup Food Processor

The KitchenAid 700 Watt 12 Cup Food Processor features a very powerful motor to chop, dice, slice, mix and purée quickly and easily. Despite its powerful motor this food processor also operates fairly quietly thanks to its durable, sealed housing. This food…

Black & Decker FP2500B Food Processor

The Black & Decker FP2500B PowerPro Wide-Mouth 10-Cup Food Processor features a motor with 500 Watts of slicing, chopping, shredding, and grating power. It also has a generous, 10 cup capacity that will allow you to process large amounts of foods and…

A Manual Food Processor

For the average person, the thought of a food processor conjures up images of a powerful electric appliance loaded with features. However, there are a number of manual food processors that can provide you with exceptional results.  Most manual processors are single purpose devices, and as such have a limited range of uses. There are several different types of manual food processors to choose from including:

The Grater:

This type of manual food processor is designed to shred a range of foods into uniform shreds. It can be used to help you make everything from hash browns to macaroni and cheese or carrots for your salads. The only real option you have is to choose different blades to create different sizes of shreds.

The Box Grater:

This is the most basic form of manual food processor and typically offer four sides with four different shredding or slicing surfaces. The best versions are made from stainless steel, but you can buy cheaper tinned steal models that tend to rust. In recent years plastic graters have begun to grow in popularity.

The Rotary Grater:

This model uses a round container, a press, and a rotating blade to grind, shred, or grate the food. They are highly efficient and easy to use, making them very popular for use at the table when grating cheese.

The Micro Grater:

These tiny graters are similar to the rasp used in woodworking and perfect for use with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves.

The Food Mill:

These are similar to the rotary grinder but have interchangeable disks that let you work with a number of foods.  They are designed for use with soft or cooked foods to separate the skins, seeds, and cores from the processed foods. They are perfect for creating purees, baby foods, or sauces.

The Mandolin:

These devices are used to create a range of different types of slices, using several blades and adjustable thicknesses. Most come with a number of cutting and grating blades, others offer them as options you can buy at additional cost.

The Electric Food Processor

The average electric food processor typically comes with one or more clear bows, a locking lid, and a selection of blades for slicing and grating. Any model you choose should have a built in safety switch that does not allow the blade to be turned on unless the lid has been locked in place. Beyond these few basic features, there are a few more important factors you should consider when looking for the right food processor.

Bowl Capacity:

As you look at the various food processors, you will find the containers range in size from as little as 4 cups to as much as 20. For the most part a processor with a 10 cup capacity should be more than enough for the average family. Many cooks keep both a larger model and a smaller electric chopper around for simple tasks and save their bigger models for larger projects.

Pure Power:

If you are going to buy a food processor, be sure to buy one that is going to have enough power to handle any task you might have. If you are going to buy a 10 cup processor, look for one that has at least a 400 watt motor. This should be more than enough power to handle anything you can throw at it.

The Feed Tube:

If you have to chop your foods up before you can put them through the feed tube of your processor, you have obviously purchased the wrong unit. Buy one that offers a tube that can handle large pieces of foods. This will cut down on the time and energy needed to get the job done.

Speed:

Single or two speed, the choice is yours to make. But remember having multiple speed offers you the ability to work with a much wider variety of foods. This will also let you get the job done more quickly and efficiently.

The right style of food processor can help reduce the amount of time you spend preparing your foods. However, it can be challenging trying to find the right one to fit your needs. Bear in mind that you do not always have to spend a fortune to find one that is going to get the job done.

Our reports are designed to help you find the best food processors and show you what you need to know to find the best one to fit your needs. When you want to shred, chop, or grind your foods read what our reports have to say.

In order to find the best food processors, Kitchen Chatters takes a good look at what the experts have to say. We look at the results of their side by side comparison tests. These tests examine capacity, blade speed, capacity, and versatility.

Based on this information our experts and details found by reading consumer reviews, we are able to recommend which of the various food processors that are readily available throughout the country are likely to offer the best service.