Best Food Processors for Every Cook and Kitchen

Food processors are your kitchen’s unsung heroes. They perform tedious tasks like chopping onions and shredding cheese helping save you time on everyday meal prep. Beyond slicing and dicing ingredients, these powerhouse appliances can also turn heavy cream into butter, make the perfect pie crust, and grind meat.

“As much as I love preparing ingredients by hand, some things actually come out better using a processor,” says Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz, author, cook, and curandera. “One example is sofrito,” she says, “I make mine with purple onions, garlic, fresh herbs, and peppers. The paste is uniform and it is done in half the time.”

Food processors are a worthy investment that can last for years (or even decades) and nearly everyone I interviewed had very strong opinions as to why their food processor was THE BEST. So whether it's to make pesto, hummus, baby puree, or pizza dough, your ideal food processor awaits.

Our top picks for the best food processor

What to consider when buying a food processor

Space and capacity

“I've lived in tiny kitchens over the course of my life that did not allow for bulky appliances,” says Ruiz. “So, even though you may desire a large workhorse, you need to have a place to store it. That said, if you have the room, choose a medium or large processor (with more cup capacity) that has attachments to process smaller things when needed. You can usually size down, but you cannot size up.”

Power

A food processor's power is measured by the wattage of its motor, with most appliances averaging between 450 to 2000 watts. You need the power to pulverize nuts into creamy nut butter, for example, or to handle bigger quantities of foods to chop, but consider what you need as more power can cost ya.

Quality and warranty

“Look at the quality of parts: whether they put plastic on plastic, metal on metal or a combination of both,” says Matt Dugan, corporate executive chef at Vitamix. “You want this to be your workhorse in the kitchen, so having quality parts and not being afraid to pay for them should be a heavy consideration.” He also suggests looking at the warranty. “If anything ever does go south, are you able to easily get it repaired/fixed without the hassle of lengthy customer service delays.”

Functionality

This brings us to our next question: what are you gonna do with your food processor? Chef Tim Katz, a private chef in the Hudson Valley of New York, says he uses his food processor almost every day.

“The food processor shreds, chops, blends, and can create a type of binding. I use my food processor for pie dough and potato pancakes, pâté, making all kinds of nut butter, grating cheese, dressings, pesto, dog food-—and more.”

Food processors come with different attachments in addition to the standard, all-purpose S-blade that allows you to shred, slice, spiralize, knead dough, and more. Be sure to check out what’s included and have fun experimenting with all the attachments instead of just storing them away.

Budget

Food processors can range from $40 to over $500, so consider what you need it for, how much space you have, its power and capabilities, and what kind of warranty it comes with when determining how much you want to invest.

Why use a food processor

Food processors were created to help professional chefs prep and quickly cut bulk ingredients like veggies. In addition, their fast motors and sharp blades easily create consistencies that would be arduous and time-consuming, like that of nut butter, pesto, salsa, dough, and more. Food processors save home cooks tons of time on everyday meal prep, help at-home chefs get next level/restaurant-style results creating intricate sauces and textures fast, and are rock stars when creating larger or special occasion recipes for parties and holidays.

How to use a food processor effectively

I recommend reading the manual for setup and trying out all the attachments instead of just storing them, as they can bring a lot to your table. In terms of some tips and techniques, I reached out to Verena Carmona, a senior product manager at Hamilton Beach, who offered these tips for maximizing your food processor:

For the best chopping results, Carmona recommends pulsing on and off in one-second increments, ensuring ingredients are uniformly sized before chopping. “Many food processor owners use a continuous speed instead of pulsing,” says Carmona, “which can result in mushy ingredients, especially when chopping onions, which only require a few pulses.”

For the best shredded cheese results, Carmona says to chill your cheese in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before shredding. She adds, “Soft cheeses like mozzarella should be placed in the freezer for 30 minutes prior to processing to ensure they are firm enough for shredding.”

Maintenance and care of a food processor

Most food processors are dishwasher safe or can be hand-washed in hot, soapy water.

Always be careful when cleaning and handling the blades. “To clean the base of the food processor, it is best to wipe it with a damp cloth or sponge,” says Carmona, “Or if necessary, use a mild, non-abrasive cleaner.”

How we selected the best food processor

I polled friends, family, and colleagues, as well as tested models, and read through online reviews to find the best food processors for you. I specifically looked at:

Speed and power

I took into consideration food processor features such as the motor power (in wattage, from 240 watts up to 2.2 peak hp) which allows for tougher jobs like making creamy nut butters and chopping big quantities of veggies in a precise, uniform manner in no time flat.

Accessories and versatility

Food processors can do way more than slice and dice and we chose options that offered extra accessories (like dough blades, spiralizers, and adjustable slicing discs) that can handle a variety of different uses like make dough, spiralize veggies, and slice and shred to precise thin and thickness.

Easy to use, easy to clean

I also considered counter size, cup capacity, material quality, and ease of use. Professional and home chefs shared their favorite features like intuitive design, safe and compact blade storage, and dishwasher-safe parts that help to clean and maintain your food processor.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Which food processor is best for home use?

“I prefer and have always used a large-capacity food processor,” says Ruiz, “mainly because I enjoy baking. Making a big ball of tart dough doesn't work in smaller processors.” She adds that it's important to be honest with yourself when figuring out what you need and how you will use it. “Bigger is not always better if you are cooking for one and not making pastry dough.”

What are the best quality food processors?

“As a former restaurant owner, having the ability to replace a part when needed was important,” says Ruiz, so be sure and check that warranty so you know your options from the get-go.

Also, look for bowl capacity, what attachments are included, what materials are used, and ease of use. Read reviews to make sure the machine does what it says it's gonna do.

What food processors do professionals use?

“Professionals use food processors with a heavy motor base,” says Dugan. “It’s their workhorse for being able to get food prepared and to the customer on time. Tough, durable parts allow for the most versatility to chop six to eight garlic cloves or six to eight cups of garlic cloves.”

Are expensive food processors worth it?

It’s subjective but if you factor in “cost per use”—meaning how often you’ll use it during its lifetime, which can be years—then it can be very cost effective. In addition, Ruiz factors in all the time she’s saved in the kitchen which also has value. Just like quality espresso machines and air fryer toaster ovens, a high-quality food processor may be worth the extra money.

Can you make smoothies in a food processor?

You can make smoothies in a food processor, but they will not be as smooth and creamy as a blender, especially if you have a lot of ingredients like seeds and nuts. “A blender's long, narrow shape allows for creating the vortex, which you need for liquifying,” says Chef Tim, who prefers a blender for making a smoothie.