But it’s oversized and significantly more expensive than the Cuisinart, and it comes with a bulky bundle of accessories that you may not need. By contrast, our upgrade pick, the Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro, comes with a plethora of disks and accessories, requiring more storage space. At only 15 inches tall, the Cuisinart should also fit under most cupboards. We like its slightly retro, sleek design, and the base is also available in several colors (each of which has a different model number). Michael Sullivan is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter and has covered food processors since 2016.
A low-battery indicator warns when it’s time to recharge the battery, which takes about two hours for a full charge. But if you need just a bit more work done, and the battery is low, a 10-minute charge is enough to handle up to 11 more onions. That’s worth keeping cuisinart toa60 in mind when removing the contents and hand-washing. Most have dishwasher-safe parts, but you’ll want to confirm that before making your purchase. Additionally, the blade placement makes all the difference in how easily bits of food can get stuck inside.
And we didn’t notice any straining or stuttering of this model’s 240-watt motor, even when it was chopping a fibrous jumbo carrot. As long as you don’t try to use the Food Chopper for heavy tasks, such as making nut butter, we don’t think there’s much risk of burning out the motor. Beyond the main blade and one disk each for shredding and slicing, you don’t need much else. Many food processors also come with a dough blade made of plastic, but we found that a metal blade mixed dough just as well, so we don’t think the dough blade is essential. You can usually purchase everything from a juicing attachment to julienne disks separately, but such extras often go unused.
He’s spent dozens of hours shredding cheese, chopping vegetables, mixing doughs, and whipping up mayonnaise for this guide. This guide builds on work by Wirecutter deputy editor Christine Cyr Clisset. Downsize from 4 full separate appliances to a single base with 4 attachments. A food chopper can run you anywhere from $10 to $50, so understanding what you want out of this appliance is crucial to making the right decision when shopping.
When this innovative appliance first debuted in 1973, chefs and home cooks across the country quickly realized that Cuisinart food processors could drastically speed up food preparation. Today, thanks to new technology and added functions, are even more efficient at making food for your favorite dishes. To meet your unique culinary needs, find a selection of food processors in a variety of sizes, ranging from a mini 4-cup to a large 14-cup one. Some Cuisinart food choppers also feature special slicing and shredding capabilities for foods such as cheese and vegetables. Use this handy machine to do everything from making homemade hummus to whipping up a zesty summer cabbage slaw.
A bottle brush is handy for cleaning around the feed tube, inside the food pressers, and along the sharp blades. Never submerge the base of a food processor in water; only wipe it down with a damp cloth or sponge. Soaking the parts in hot soapy water is a great way to remove any remaining residue. If you can, it’s a good idea to get into the nooks and crannies around the blade, inside the food pressers, and around the tube with a bottle brush or toothbrush. In the case of electric food processors, make sure that the device is cooled down and unplugged if you are going to wipe the base with a hot, damp cloth. As a private chef, I can say this brand’s mini food processor is worth the splurge, as I’ve owned one for over two decades.
However, we think it’s actually easier to see the ingredients in the bowl when the feed tube is positioned in the back of the lid. Ham has a great texture for easy chopping, with either a manual chopper or an electric one. Chopping cooked chicken breast to make chicken salad would be easy in many choppers. A medium rare steak would be more of a challenge and might not be possible in some choppers.