My Cuisinart is the major workhorse of my kitchen. That is a picture of my actual food processor! The buttons are stained and it generally has something on it from liquid spills or spices. I have had mine for 20+ years. I had to replace the bowl 1 time and I had to replace the engine 1 time (engine blew from water – my error!). I purchased both of these on replacement parts on eBay but I believe Amazon has them now.
I highly recommend one when you are ready to get serious with cooking. A blender can do a lot of this stuff when starting out – and you can also chop with a hand chopper or a mandoline (which I am afraid of after having lost some knuckle skin) – but if you are making a lot of stuff from scratch you need one.
Here are some of the advantages to owning one:
- Time-saving: Food processors can significantly reduce the time spent on food preparation tasks. They can chop, slice, dice, and shred ingredients much faster than doing these tasks manually.
- Efficiency: Food processors provide consistent and uniform results, ensuring that ingredients are evenly chopped or sliced. This is particularly beneficial for recipes that require precise cutting.
- Versatility: Food processors come with various attachments and blades that allow for a wide range of food preparation tasks. From chopping vegetables to making dough, grating cheese, or even preparing nut butters, a food processor can handle multiple functions.
- Labor-saving: Many food processors have powerful motors that can handle tough tasks, such as kneading dough or grinding meat. This helps reduce the physical effort required for these activities.
- Space-saving: Instead of having multiple appliances for different tasks, a food processor can replace several tools, saving valuable kitchen counter and storage space.
- Consistency in Texture: Food processors are excellent at achieving consistent textures, which is crucial for certain recipes. For example, you can achieve a uniform texture in salsas, pestos, or purees.
- Customization: With various attachments and settings, you can customize the food processor to suit different recipes and cooking needs.
- Healthy Eating: A food processor can encourage healthier eating habits by making it easier to prepare fresh and whole foods. You can quickly chop up a variety of fruits and vegetables for snacks or salads.
- Cost-effective: While the initial cost of a food processor may seem high, its versatility and ability to replace multiple kitchen tools can make it a cost-effective investment in the long run.
- Time for Experimentation: Having a food processor allows you to try out new recipes and cooking techniques that might be more challenging or time-consuming without such a tool.
- Ease of Cleaning: Many food processors come with dishwasher-safe parts, making clean-up quick and convenient.
- Reduced Food Waste: By efficiently processing ingredients, a food processor can help reduce food waste by using more of each item and producing less unevenly chopped or discarded parts.
Here are some that I recommend:
