Food Processors
A food processor earns counter space by replacing a lot of knife work — slicing discs, shredding discs, and a sharp S-blade cover most weeknight prep. The differences between models are mostly about motor durability, feed tube size, and how easy the bowl and blades are to clean.
We've grouped picks by full-size machines for regular meal prep versus mini choppers for smaller jobs like herbs, garlic, or salad dressings.
What to look for
Wide feed tubes save prep time
A wide feed tube (like on the Cuisinart Elemental 13-cup) lets you drop in a whole potato or tomato without pre-cutting, which is a bigger time saver in practice than most spec differences.
Bowl capacity vs. actual usable capacity
Manufacturer-listed bowl capacity is usually the max fill line, not a practical working amount — expect to use roughly 60-70% of the stated capacity for most tasks like shredding or dough.
Dough blades need a strong motor
If you plan to make bread or pizza dough in the processor, check that the model is explicitly rated for dough — underpowered motors stall or overheat under stiff dough.
Mini choppers aren't a replacement for a full-size processor
A 3-4 cup mini chopper (like the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus) is great for garlic, herbs, and small sauces, but can't handle slicing/shredding discs or larger batches.