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Food processors are great for chopping, grinding, slicing and pureeing a wide variety of foods. If you want a single tool that can juice fruits, knead dough and mix thick batter, you will need to find a food processor with the right amount of power and types of accessories to handle food prep.
Choosing a food processor often comes down to your cooking needs and budget. Small processors, commonly known as food choppers, are good for light food preparation and smaller budgets. If you want a food processor that can handle more prep tasks, you’ll find that a full-size model is a better investment.
After researching dozens of models, our top pick for the best food processor is the Cuisinart Food Processor 14-Cup Vegetable Chopper, which features a powerful motor that can tackle all of your food-prep tasks with ease.
Best food processors available now
Best of the best

Dimensions: 11” L x 7.9” W x 14.8” H | Capacity: 14 cups | Power: 720 W | Accessories: Stainless steel standard slicing disc, medium shredding disc, stainless steel chopping/mixing blade, spatula, instruction manual, recipe booklet | Weight: 18 pounds
From its capable 720 watts of power to its sturdy build, the Cuisinart Food Processor 14-Cup Vegetable Chopper makes an outstanding addition to any avid home cook’s kitchen. It’s a rugged machine with straightforward controls and durable stainless steel blades for perfectly chopping all types of food. It can also prepare foods in different ways, as it chops, kneads, slices, mixes, shreds and purees.
This food processor boasts a wide feed chute that can fit big chunks of fruits, vegetables and more. We love the 14-cup capacity for consumers who frequently cook for large groups. Users will have peace of mind knowing that the plastic parts are BPA-free. Although it’s on the noisy side and is heavier than many competitors, those who want a top-performing option won’t mind these minor concerns.
While this model is pricier than some other options, it’s backed by a three-year warranty to protect your investment. It also comes with a comprehensive bundle of accessories that includes two slicing discs, the blade, a spatula, a detailed instructional manual and a recipe booklet that add to its overall value.
Best bang for the buck

Dimensions: 5.2” L x 5.9” W x 8.5” H | Capacity: 3 cups | Power: 350 W | Accessories: Removable bowl, lid, blade | Weight: 2.1 pounds
Not all home cooks need a larger food processor or can afford a premium model. Fortunately, the Hamilton Beach Vegetable Chopper and Mini Food Processor is a reliable, space-saving choice that does a good job chopping food and is available at a budget-friendly price.
Small but mighty, this little appliance has a 3-cup capacity and a strong stainless steel blade. It’s powered by 350 watts, which makes it able to handle many food-chopping tasks. It can puree, dice and mince, too. Once you snap the bowl in place, it stays put thanks to a patented Stack and Press function. The bowl, lid and blade are easy to remove for cleaning and can be placed in the dishwasher.
We know that many cooks have limited space, so we appreciate that this food processor has a small footprint. This allows it to be stored easily on a counter or in a cabinet. The low price makes it a good choice for cooks who are watching their budget or beginners who are learning how to prepare ingredients with this handy appliance.
Great hybrid option

Dimensions: 15.75” L x 11.1” W x 18.07” H | Capacity: 8 cups | Power: 1,500 W | Accessories: 72-ounce blending pitcher, 2 16-ounce Nutri Cups and lids, stacked, dough, chopping and Nutri blades, recipe guide | Weight: 9.2 pounds
More than just a food processor, the Ninja Mega Kitchen System Blender is also a blender and personalized smoothie maker. Made by the popular brand Ninja, it features an 8-cup food processor container that can accomplish numerous food-prep needs and a 72-ounce blending pitcher. Plus, the two included Nutri Cups have lids so you can take delicious concoctions on the go.
This Ninja system has a powerful 1,500-watt motor that’s housed in a durable base. A bundle of blades, which includes dough and chopping blades for the processor, a stacked blade for the pitcher, and Nutri blades for the Nutri Cups, allows chefs to achieve perfect results quickly regardless of the types of food they are preparing.
Don’t let the numerous features concern you that this food processor is complicated, as it has easy push-button controls, including blend, mix, crush and single-serve, which take the guesswork out of preparing food. The components disassemble easily for cleaning and storage. We also appreciate the recipe guide that includes 31 recipes to inspire your culinary creativity.
Easy to clean

Dimensions: 8.7” L x 10.7” W x 17.5” H | Capacity: 12 cups | Power: 1,200 W | Accessories: 2 blades, 2 discs | Weight: 12.3 pounds
The Ninja Professional XL Food Processor may have a trim design, but it’s also a powerful appliance that prepares your favorite foods for smoothies, salads, casseroles and much more. It has an awesome feature set that includes a 1,200-watt motor, wide feed chute, effective pusher and 12-cup capacity. This makes it a great choice for large households with cooks who like appliances that simplify their cooking tasks.
We also love this Ninja’s iQ technology that adjusts performance for perfect results every time. The easy-to-operate push-button control panel includes chop, shred, puree, slice and mix dough. The machine comes with two rugged blades and two discs.
This processor offers professional-level performance and is also made for easy cleanup. Simply pop the bowl, blades, discs and lid in the dishwasher, and they will be clean and ready to use. Although it offers a large capacity, it doesn’t take up an excessive amount of storage space.
Best mini chopper

Dimensions: 5” L x 7” W x 9.25” H | Capacity: 3 cups | Power: 250 W | Accessories: [bowl with handle, blade, spatula, instruction manual with recipes] | Weight: 2.2 pounds
If you only need a processor that can grind and chop small amounts of food, Cuisinart’s Mini-Prep may be for you. This model lives up to its name with a compact size that can hold 3 cups of food. The basic button controls include grind and chop, so operating it is almost effortless. Plus, it takes up minimal space and comes at a price that’s great for tight budgets.
The BPA-free blending bowl of this mini processor sports a durable handle so you can easily pour ingredients into your recipes. Although at 250 watts the motor is underpowered compared to larger models, the stainless steel blade does a good chop chopping and grinding many types of foods. It’s also straightforward to take apart and clean and has dishwasher-safe parts.
Despite the low price, this small food processor comes with protection. It’s backed by a limited 18-month warranty that is an industry leader for models in its class. And the instruction book that comes with it includes tempting recipes for you to try.
Powerful performance

Dimensions: 7.76” L x 9.88” W x 16.02” H | Capacity: 9 cups | Power: 1,000 W | Accessories: 3 blades, disc attachment large feed chute, recipe booklet | Weight: 7.65 pounds
Ninja makes many premium kitchen appliances and, after testing the Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor, we found this to be no exception. Delivering 1,000 watts at peak performance, we loved that this food processor produces results fast and can even make dough in minutes. It has three tough stainless steel blades, a disc attachment and a wide feed chute to tackle almost any food-prep job you give it.
This model is a workhorse that does everything for you thanks to Auto iQ preset programs. Chop, puree, dough, disc, low, high and pulse are controls that add to its simplistic functionality. It’s great for large households too, thanks to the 9-cup capacity.
The plastic parts of the Professional Plus are BPA-free, and the bowl and attachments are dishwasher-safe for hassle-free maintenance. Although powerful with a large capacity, this processor has a streamlined design with stainless steel accents that look great in any kitchen. “I really enjoyed this food processor because of its versatility,” our tester said. “Outside of crushing ice, which it advises against, I didn’t feel like there was anything I couldn’t do with it.”
Best for large jobs

Dimensions: 9.2” L x 11.3” W x 17.7” H | Capacity: 16 cups | Power: 1,450 W | Accessories: Adjustable feed chute, adjustable slicer, shedding and fries discs, 3 blades, Breville+ app access and 30-year warranty | Weight: 30.6 pounds
Breville is another top manufacturer of small appliances — and the Breville BFP810 Sous Chef 16-Cup Food Processor is perfect for avid cooks. This high-end model is powered by 1,450 watts, which makes it capable of preparing all types of food. You can prepare them in many ways, too, as it includes discs for shredding and making French fries, a 24-size adjustable slicer and three stainless steel blades.
We know that it’s important to have a versatile feed chute when processing foods of different sizes. There are no concerns on that front with this food processor, as the chute adjusts from 1.7 to 5.5 inches. When paired with the powerful motor, you can count on this appliance to tackle everything from small berries to large chunks of potatoes and everything in between.
You can stay inspired to create culinary works of art when you take advantage of the Breville+ app, which is packed with recipes to try out with your new food processor. We also like that this model is easy to clean and has many parts that can be placed in the dishwasher. Peace of mind comes with this model too, as the parts of this processor are BPA-free and the motor is backed by an outstanding 30-year warranty.
Easy to use

Dimensions: 8.9” L x 8.7” W x 15.2” H | Capacity: 8 cups | Power: 450 W | Accessories: slicing-shredding disc, S-blade | Weight: 5.57 pounds
If you need a food processor for basic tasks, check out the classic Black + Decker Food Processor and Vegetable Chopper. Not only is it lightweight and easy to use, but it also has useful functions cooks need to prepare ingredients. Easy push-button functions, a wide feed chute and an 8-cup capacity are highlights of its feature set.
Powered by 450 watts, the motor can handle many jobs with ease. The stainless steel S-blade and reversible slicing-shredding disc turns food into pieces that are ready for popular recipes. The locking mechanism provides security while you work. Despite the popular features and reliable performance, this Black + Decker appliance comes at a low price that will fit most budgets.
While the functions of this blender make it ideal for beginners, the easy maintenance makes it suitable for cooks with limited time for cleanup. Remove the attached components from the base, place them in the dishwasher and they’ll be clean and ready to use for the next recipe.
Easy to store

Dimensions: 8.5” L x 10” W x 16” H | Capacity: 10 cups | Power: 450 W | Accessories: blade, chopping-pureeing blade, bowl scraper | Weight: 4.7 pounds
Pro-grade small appliances are great, but we understand that some consumers want basic models that are affordable, easy to use and simple to store. The Hamilton Beach Food Processor and Vegetable Chopper meets these standards while also delivering the power and components to prepare food in versatile ways.
We love that this model can process 10 cups of food at once, yet has a compact design that doesn’t take up a lot of space to store. Standard dial controls with pulse and two speeds means that you don’t have to figure out a long list of functions.
The motor produces 450 capable watts of power that drives a stainless steel blade and slicing-shredding disc. Chopping, mixing, pureeing, shredding and slicing are accomplished in seconds so you can prepare your favorite dishes with minimal time and effort.
Plus, it couldn’t be easier to clean. Its BPA-free parts can be removed easily and placed in the dishwasher, and the built-in bowl scraper removes food particles so you don’t have to.
Do I need a food processor?
For anyone who regularly cooks at home, a food processor is a great investment.
When preparing meals with fresh vegetables or other ingredients that require chopping, slicing, mincing or shredding, a food processor saves you valuable time. It’s also handy for making homemade salsas and dips.
A food processor grates cheese, too, so you can purchase blocks of cheese instead of more expensive preshredded bags. You can also use a food processor to mix your own mayonnaise, salad dressings and gravies. In many cases, you can whip up cream-based fillings for desserts, too.
Types of food processors
There are two main types of food processors: full-size food processors and small food choppers.
Food chopper
A food chopper has a smaller capacity and less power than a full-size food processor.
As a result, food choppers usually cost less and take up less space on your countertop.
Full-size food processor
A full-size food processor is probably what comes to mind when you think of a food processor.
It can easily chop and slice vegetables, grate cheese and purée dips.
Some models have more advanced capabilities, such as kneading bread dough or juicing fruits and vegetables.
This article was fact-checked by Andrea Boudewijn.
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