After a long day of work, school or childcare, the last thing you want to do is spend extra time chopping vegetables for the evening’s meal. Save time with a high-quality food processor from Cuisinart — the push of a button or turn of a knob is all that’s required to have everything prepped for dinner. Slice and dice ingredients, whip up sauces, and shred foods without exerting any energy. Cuisinart is a trusted name in kitchen appliances and has models to meet every user’s needs. We like the Elite Collection 2.0 14-Cup Food Processor for its strong motor and large capacity. Check out our buying guide and find the right Cuisinart food processor for your kitchen.
Considerations when choosing Cuisinart food processors
Size
There are a range of Cuisinart food processor sizes, so choose a unit that’s big enough for your needs — models have three- to 14-cup capacities. Before settling on one, check that you have the appropriate amount of storage space to house the unit in question. Measure under your cabinets if you plan to store it on a countertop, since some profiles are taller and wider than others. If you’re cooking for a family or meal-prepping for an entire week, err on the side of caution and opt for a unit with at least an 11-cup capacity. When preparing smaller portions, a processor with a three- to nine-cup capacity should suffice.
Wattage
Wattage is a critical component when determining a food processor’s capabilities. A weak motor can’t handle tough tasks like kneading dough or chopping hard ingredients like carrots. The wattage on Cuisinart models ranges from 400 to 1,200 watts. If versatility is important to you, opt for a higher-wattage model.
Using your Cuisinart food processor
Here are a few tips to help you get started with your new food processor:
Always assemble your food processor before turning it on. Unplug the unit if you need to manually access foods inside. Grab a spatula to scrape foods that have accumulated on the bowl’s sides. Use the “Pulse” function on your food processor to chop foods. Continuous power, on the other hand, is useful for creating puréed foods and sauces. Even if your processor is equipped with a large feed chute, chop up very large foods to prevent overtaxing the motor.
Features
Control interface
Choose between models with dials or buttons when purchasing your new Cuisinart food processor. Touchpad units are also available at a premium. Settings on Cuisinart’s processors are fairly simple — on/off, low, high, pulse. Certain models also have special functions for things such as kneading dough.
Feed chute
To minimize prep time required when using your food processor, select a unit with a wide chute. This way you don’t need to cut up all ingredients before feeding them into the machine. In general, the smaller the unit, the narrower the chute.
Attachments
Expect your Cuisinart food processor to come equipped with several standard attachments including blades for slicing and chopping. Also available are S-blades (for shredding foods), dough blades, spiral blades (used in place of a spiralizer) and blender attachments (used instead of the standard processor bowl).
Price
Expect to pay between $30 and $200 for a Cuisinart food processor. Compact mini models are the least expensive option with a maximum price tag of $80. Large-capacity units with 11-plus cups or sleek touchpad interfaces cost up to $200.
FAQ
Q. Can I use a food processor in place of a blender?
A. Select Cuisinart models allow users to swap between a work bowl or blender container. Otherwise, a regular food processor doesn’t entirely replace a standard blender. Processors are designed for handling solid foods while blenders are best for dealing with liquids.
Q. What’s the warranty like for Cuisinart food processors?
A. Coverage varies depending on the model in question, but most models have a warranty period of at least 18 months.
Our take: A top-of-the-line model from a reputable kitchen appliance brand.
What we like: Impressive 1,300-watt motor is up to the task. Features a safe Bladelock system. Large-capacity 14-cup design with an extra lower-capacity work bowl for prepping smaller portions. Runs quietly.
Our take: A moderately priced Cuisinart model that offers plenty of wattage and is suitable for most kitchen tasks.
What we like: Sleek design. Generously sized with an added 4.5-cup work bowl. Simple to operate. Cleanup is a breeze.
What we dislike: Loud.
Steph Coelho is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money. BestReviews never accepts free products from manufacturers and purchases every product it reviews with its own funds. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.