Depending on your needs, you might choose one over the other, or you might want both. We have a guide to the best countertop blenders (as well as to the best handheld immersion blenders and the best personal blenders) if you’re interested in getting one. This mini, 3.5-cup processor is too small for making bread dough or coleslaw, but it’s the ideal size for cuisinart toaster costco chopping one onion or making small batches of mayo or vinaigrette. There’s no need to worry about any shards of steel ending up in your food and you won’t have to replace your blade for a long time because they can really withstand the test of time. Most brands sell replacement parts, which may come in handy after the limited warranty on parts expires.
A whipping blade is included, which stores easily in the mixer bowl so it won’t get lost in the gadget drawer. All of the parts that contact food are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. A lid is included so food can be stored in the 6-cup container for later use.
We weren’t impressed with the Magimix by Robot-Coupe 14-Cup Food Processor. It wasn’t able to chop as evenly as the Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro or the Cuisinart Custom 14. The machine also seized up while preparing pizza dough and was noisier than other models we tested.
While most hand choppers require you to push down to chop, this one uses a pulling action that spins the blades, like the pull-start on a lawnmower, but on a much smaller and easier scale. A nonskid ring on the bottom of the bowl keeps it from slipping, so you just rest a hand on top and pull the handle with the other hand. In testing, we also found it easy to hold the chopper at an angle when we needed to encourage small amounts of food to fall into the blades.
We appreciate that Breville provides a storage case for the attachments, but the box takes up almost as much cupboard space as the machine itself. We recommend the inexpensive KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Food Chopper for anyone who wants to make small batches of dips, spreads, or mirepoix. On top of that, its handled cuisinart toa60 jar with push-button activation was the most convenient to use. And this KitchenAid is a great option for people who don’t want to invest in a $250 machine. You can’t knead dough or shred ingredients in it, but you can grind or chop small portions of vegetables or nuts, which is more tedious to do by hand.