From Mini Choppers to 16-Cup Workhorses: Food Processors for Every Kitchen

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This doesn’t change our recommendations or the price you pay.

Choosing the best food processor starts with one question: how much food do you prep at once? A 3-cup mini chopper handles herbs, garlic and a quick salsa. A 9- to 14-cup machine shreds a block of cheese, slices a bag of potatoes and kneads pizza dough. A 16-cup flagship adds adjustable slicing and a motor warranty measured in decades, at a premium price.

We compared seven food processors from well-known brands, all sold and shipped by Amazon.com: a mini chopper, budget 8- and 10-cup models, two 9-cup machines with dough blades, a 14-cup Cuisinart and Breville’s 16-cup Sous Chef. For each, we quote the listing’s claims on bowl size, blades and discs, and motor power, and we cite the warranty field, weight and sales rank. Where a listing contradicts itself or leaves a field empty, we flag it.

Shopping for smoothies or crushed ice rather than chopping and slicing? Our best blender guide covers that job.

Our Top Food Processor Picks at a Glance

Price key: $ under $50 · $$ $50–$100 · $$$ $100–$175 · $$$$ $175+. Prices change often; check Amazon for today’s price.

1. Cuisinart 14-Cup DFP-14BCNY: Best Overall

Cuisinart’s DFP-14BCNY is a 14-cup food processor in a stainless steel housing, built around a 720-watt motor. Cuisinart describes it as a vegetable chopper, blender and food processor in one, for dips, puréed soups and sauces such as hummus, salsa and guacamole.

Controls are as simple as they get: an “on” button and an “off/pulse” button, with no speed settings to choose. Food goes in through an extra-large feed tube with a bowl sleeve assembly designed for both small and large feed tube pushers, so you can drop in whole vegetables or guide thin items like carrots. A detachable disc stem makes cleanup easier.

In the box are a stainless steel standard slicing disc (4mm), a medium shredding disc and a stainless steel chopping/mixing blade, all dishwasher safe. Cuisinart includes a note that the slicing and shredding blades are not adjustable, so the 4mm slice is the only slice thickness you get without buying extra discs. The bullets state a limited 3-year warranty on the entire unit and a full 5-year warranty on the motor, though the warranty field itself is empty. The listing gives 11 by 7.9 by 14.8 inches and 18 pounds.

It suits families and batch cooks who shred, slice and chop large amounts at once and want a straightforward machine with few parts to learn.

Why we like it

• Big 14-cup bowl
• Extra-large feed tube
• Long motor warranty in the bullets

Watch out for

Slice thickness is fixed at 4mm with the included disc, and at 18 pounds it’s a machine to leave on the counter.

Check Price on Amazon →

2. Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus DLC-2A: Best Mini Food Processor

The Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus DLC-2A is a 3-cup mini food processor, sometimes sold as a food chopper, with a 24-ounce work bowl and a 250-watt motor. It’s meant for the small jobs that don’t justify hauling out a full-size machine: chopping herbs, dicing vegetables and grinding hard cheese.

The trick is its patented reversible stainless steel blade. Cuisinart says the auto-reversing SmartPower blade gives two processing options from a push-button control panel, chop and grind, with one blade edge sharp and the other blunt. The listing adds a caveat that it’s not recommended for grinding beans.

Cleanup is quick: the bowl and lid are dishwasher safe, and the motor base wipes clean with a damp sponge or cloth. The box includes the 24-ounce work bowl with a handle, the blade, a spatula and an instruction and recipe book. The body is a lightweight plastic, the listing gives 5 by 7 by 9.25 inches and 3 pounds, and the warranty field and bullets both state a limited 18-month warranty. The listing says it is BPA-free.

It suits singles, couples and small kitchens, and it pairs well with a full-size food processor or hand blender as the go-to tool for garlic, herbs, nuts and small-batch sauces.

Why we like it

• Fits in a drawer or cabinet
• Chop and grind modes
• Easy cleanup

Watch out for

It can’t slice or shred, and the 24-ounce bowl limits batch size.

Check Price on Amazon →

3. Ninja Professional Plus BN601: Best 1000-Watt Food Processor for Dough

Ninja’s Professional Plus BN601 is a 9-cup food processor with a 1000-peak-watt motor and four Auto-iQ preset programs. Ninja says the presets take the guesswork out of prep, giving one-touch control for chopping, slicing, puréeing and dough making.

Dough is a highlight. A specialized dough blade is included, and Ninja pitches it for bread, pizza and pastry dough. For everything else, stainless steel precision blades handle chopping, slicing and puréeing, from vegetables and fruit to hummus. The 9-cup bowl is sized, Ninja says, for family meals, entertaining and weekly meal prep.

Day to day, all removable parts are BPA-free and dishwasher safe, and built-in safety mechanisms let the processor run only when it’s properly assembled. The listing gives 9.88 by 7.76 by 16.02 inches and 7.65 pounds. One field to flag: the warranty field reads only “1,” which looks like a placeholder, and the bullets don’t spell out warranty terms, so check Ninja’s own documentation. Note too that Ninja rates the motor in peak watts, which describes maximum output rather than continuous running power.

It suits home bakers who want a processor that also kneads dough, and anyone who likes the reassurance of preset programs instead of judging pulses by eye.

Why we like it

• One-touch Auto-iQ presets
• Dough blade included
• Safety interlock

Watch out for

The warranty field is effectively blank, and peak wattage figures aren’t directly comparable with other brands’ ratings.

Check Price on Amazon →

4. KitchenAid 9-Cup KFP0921: Best KitchenAid Food Processor

KitchenAid’s KFP0921 is a 9-cup food processor that leans on accessories rather than raw power. Its multipurpose blade uses a four-blade design that KitchenAid says processes tougher ingredients and minces meat in 10 seconds, based on 500 grams of chicken, beef and pork.

Beyond the main blade, the box includes a reversible slicing and shredding disc, a dough blade for bread or pizza crust, and a whisk accessory that KitchenAid says turns cream into butter or whipped cream. There’s also a lid with a 2-in-1 feed tube and a separate refrigerator lid, so the bowl can go straight into the fridge.

Assembly is twist-free: the bowl clicks on in one motion and the lid latches. KitchenAid suggests a quick clean by adding warm water and one or two drops of dish soap to the leak-resistant bowl and running it. All blades and discs store directly in the bowl, and the base has an integrated cord wrap. The listing gives 7.87 by 9.65 by 15.35 inches and 6.6 pounds, with a warranty field of “1 Year.” It doesn’t state wattage.

It suits cooks who want a single mid-size machine that chops, slices, shreds, kneads and whips, and who value tidy, all-in-one storage in a smaller kitchen.

Why we like it

• Whisk and dough blade
• Everything stores in the bowl
• Refrigerator lid

Watch out for

The listing doesn’t give a wattage, so you can’t compare motor power directly with the other picks.

Check Price on Amazon →

5. Hamilton Beach 70730 10-Cup: Best Budget 10-Cup

Hamilton Beach’s 70730 is a 10-cup food processor built around one clever feature: a built-in bowl scraper. Instead of stopping, opening the lid and reaching in with a spatula, you move the scraper from side to side while the machine runs or with the power off.

The rest is a capable basic setup. A 450-watt motor drives two attachments, a stainless steel slicing/shredding disc and a chopping/puréeing blade, covering what Hamilton Beach lists as five functions: slice, shred, chop, mix and purée. Two speeds plus pulse give you control, with high speed for tougher jobs and low for delicate foods.

The 10-cup bowl handles large volumes at once, and the large feed chute reduces how much you need to pre-cut. The blades, bowl and lid are dishwasher safe, and Hamilton Beach says the parts are BPA-free in all food zones. The listing gives 8.5 by 10 by 16 inches and 6.2 pounds, and the warranty field reads “One(1) Year Warranty.” Hamilton Beach suggests uses from salads and homemade salsa to acai bowls.

It suits families who want a big bowl for coleslaw, salsa, chopped salads and shredded cheese at a budget-friendly tier, and who don’t need to knead bread or pizza dough at home.

Why we like it

• Built-in bowl scraper
• Big 10-cup bowl
• Two speeds plus pulse

Watch out for

There’s no dough blade, and slice thickness is fixed with the included disc.

Check Price on Amazon →

6. BLACK+DECKER 8-Cup FP4200: Best Budget 8-Cup for Nut Butter and Hummus

BLACK+DECKER’s 8-cup food processor is a budget full-size machine with a 450-watt motor, a stainless steel S-blade and a reversible slicing and shredding disc. The brand’s focus is ease of use for everyday prep.

Assembly is the headline. You set the work bowl onto the base, and the lid acts as the locking mechanism, so there’s no twisting the bowl into place. BLACK+DECKER says that ends the struggle of locking a bowl, a common complaint with budget processors.

The 8-cup work bowl has room for salsa, nut butter and hummus, which the listing names directly. The S-blade chops and mixes, and the reversible metal disc slices vegetables on one side and shreds cheese on the other. Easy-clean touchpad controls offer low, high and pulse settings, and a flat touchpad is easier to wipe down than knobs. The listing gives 8.9 by 8.7 by 15.2 inches. Its weight and warranty fields are empty, and the model field (FP4200B-RF) doesn’t match the listed part number (FP4200BC), so confirm the model on the box.

It suits first apartments, college graduates, occasional cooks and anyone who wants full-size slicing, shredding and chopping without stepping up a price tier or learning a complicated control panel.

Why we like it

• Lid locks the bowl
• Wipe-clean touchpad
• Slice and shred disc

Watch out for

Warranty terms and weight aren’t stated on the listing, and the model field looks inconsistent.

Check Price on Amazon →

7. Breville Sous Chef 16 BFP810: Best Premium Food Processor

Breville’s Sous Chef 16 BFP810 is a 16-cup food processor built around precision. Breville’s pitch is consistent size: evenly sliced and shredded food that cooks evenly and looks good on the plate.

Power comes from what Breville calls a heavy-duty induction motor with an updated direct drive and a high-torque 1450-watt rating. The kit is extensive: a 24-size adjustable slicer, a reversible shredding disc, a French fry disc, a micro-serrated S-blade, a dough blade, and a mini bowl and blade for small jobs. A storage container holds the attachments and cleaning tools when they’re not in use.

The extra-large 3-in-1 feed chute accepts pieces from 1.7 to 5.5 inches, which cuts down on pre-chopping. Breville says the bowl is BPA-free, dishwasher safe and designed to survive everyday knocks, though one bullet describes it as “6 cup or 121 fl. oz,” which conflicts with the 16-cup title. Warranty also needs checking: the bullets state a 2-year limited product warranty and a 30-year motor warranty, while the warranty field reads “1 Year Manufacturer.” The listing gives 9.2 by 11.3 by 17.7 inches and 30.6 pounds. Buyers also get Breville+, with more than 1,000 guided recipes and classes.

It suits enthusiastic cooks and big households who slice and shred often, value adjustable thickness, and want a machine they expect to keep for many years.

Why we like it

• Adjustable slicing in 24 sizes
• Huge feed chute
• 30-year motor warranty in the bullets

Watch out for

At 30.6 pounds it needs a permanent spot on the counter, and the listing’s bowl-size and warranty details conflict.

Check Price on Amazon →

How We Chose the Best Food Processors

We limited our picks to well-known brands sold and shipped by Amazon.com and in stock, skipped any model already in our blender guide, and compared what each listing says:

• Bowl size: from a 3-cup mini chopper to a 16-cup flagship.
• Blades and discs: slicing, shredding, dough and specialty attachments, and whether slicing is adjustable.
• Motor: stated wattage, noting where a brand uses peak watts or doesn’t give a number.
• Ease of use: assembly, controls, presets, feed tube size and cleanup.
• Warranty field, weight and sales rank: straight from the listing data, flagged when empty or inconsistent.

Food Processor Buying Guide

Is a Premium Food Processor Worth It? Budget vs. High-End

Budget machines such as the BLACK+DECKER 8-cup and Hamilton Beach 10-cup chop, slice and shred with 450-watt motors and fixed discs. Spending more buys capacity, attachments and warranty: the Cuisinart 14-cup lists a full 5-year motor warranty in its bullets, and the Breville Sous Chef 16 adds a 1450W induction motor, a 24-size adjustable slicer and a 30-year motor warranty. If you slice or shred a few times a month, a budget model is plenty. If you prep large batches several times a week, the premium features earn their keep.

Best Food Processor for Bread and Dough

Kneading needs a dough blade and a motor that won’t bog down. The Ninja BN601 (1000 peak watts, with a dough preset), the KitchenAid KFP0921 and the Breville all include a dedicated dough blade. The Cuisinart 14-cup’s title mentions kneading dough, but its listed accessories are a slicing disc, a shredding disc and a chopping/mixing blade.

Best Food Processor for Nuts, Dates and Sauces

Nut butter, date paste, hummus and pesto all rely on the S-blade and steady power. The BLACK+DECKER listing names nut butter and hummus, and the Cuisinart 14-cup and Ninja listings name hummus and sauces. Sticky mixes like dates benefit from scraping, which the Hamilton Beach’s built-in bowl scraper handles without opening the lid. For a few tablespoons of pesto or chopped nuts, the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus is quicker to set up and clean, though Cuisinart says not to use it for grinding beans.

Best 1000-Watt Food Processor and Smart Presets

Wattage figures aren’t all measured the same way. Ninja lists 1000 peak watts, Breville 1450 watts from an induction motor, and Cuisinart 720 watts for its 14-cup model; KitchenAid doesn’t state one. The Ninja is also the only pick with programmed presets: four Auto-iQ programs for chop, slice, purée and dough. None of these listings make a quietness claim, so we can’t name a quiet model from the listing data.

Best Countertop Food Processor for Small Kitchens

Weight and storage matter if the machine won’t live on the counter. By listed weight, the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus (3 lb) is easy to keep in a cabinet, the full-size Hamilton Beach (6.2 lb), KitchenAid (6.6 lb) and Ninja (7.65 lb) are manageable, and the Cuisinart 14-cup (18 lb) and Breville (30.6 lb) are best left in place. The KitchenAid stores every blade and disc inside its bowl, and the Breville includes a storage container for its attachments.

Best Company for a Food Processor: Comparing Brands

Each brand here has a clear strength. Cuisinart offers the most popular mini chopper on the page and a long-standing 14-cup design, Ninja leans on power and presets, KitchenAid on accessories and storage, Hamilton Beach on budget convenience, and Breville on precision slicing and motor warranty. None of these are commercial machines; they are home appliances, and their warranties should be read with that in mind.

Kitchen Appliance Safety and Insurance

Food processors draw a lot of power and carry very sharp blades. The NFPA’s electrical safety page notes that extension cords are intended for temporary use, so plug a countertop appliance into a wall outlet and check cords for damage. If you mince raw meat, the FDA’s safe food handling guidance says to wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item, which applies to the bowl and blade too.

If an electrical fault or kitchen fire does cause damage, your homeowners or renters policy is what helps you recover. Our Ohio homeowners insurance guide explains common coverages, and first-time buyers can start with our insurance tips for first-time Ohio homeowners.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best food processor for most kitchens?

The Cuisinart 14-Cup DFP-14BCNY is our top pick. It ranks #3 in Food Processors, has a 720-watt motor, an extra-large feed tube and slicing and shredding discs, and its bullets state a limited 3-year warranty with a full 5-year motor warranty.

What size food processor do I need?

A 3-cup mini like the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus handles herbs, garlic and dressings. An 8- to 10-cup model covers most family cooking, and a 14- to 16-cup machine suits big batches of slaw, shredded cheese or dough.

What is the best food processor for bread dough?

Choose one with a dough blade. The Ninja BN601 has a dough blade and a dough preset with a 1000-peak-watt motor, and the KitchenAid KFP0921 and Breville Sous Chef 16 also include dough blades.

Can a food processor make nut butter?

Yes. Use the S-blade, process in stages and scrape down the sides. The BLACK+DECKER 8-cup listing names nut butter directly, and the Hamilton Beach’s built-in bowl scraper helps with sticky mixtures.

Is a food processor the same as a blender?

No. A food processor has a wide bowl and discs for chopping, slicing and shredding solid foods, while a blender uses a tall jar for liquids, smoothies and ice. See our best blender guide if drinks are your main use.

The Bottom Line

For most kitchens, the Cuisinart 14-Cup DFP-14BCNY is the best food processor: a big bowl, an extra-large feed tube and a long motor warranty in its bullets. The Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus is the small-job specialist, the Ninja BN601 brings dough presets, and the KitchenAid KFP0921 adds a whisk and tidy storage. On a budget, the Hamilton Beach 70730 and BLACK+DECKER 8-cup cover the basics, while the Breville Sous Chef 16 is the premium choice for adjustable slicing.

Upgrading your kitchen and want to know how your policy protects it? Call Jeff Smith’s State Farm office at (740) 354-7747 or get a free coverage review.