(Part 2) Best food processors according to redditors
We found 235 Reddit comments discussing the best food processors. We ranked the 82 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
I firmly believe that if you enjoy a decent cup of coffee, a good coffee setup is a must for every kitchen. And that doesn't mean a big pricey espresso machine, but something as inexpensive as a french press or burr grinder.
As for kitchen gadgets, I have always thought that a good knife will beat everything else in the kitchen. However, For making salsa and other spreads, I can't believe how fast and simple a manual food processor (for example) can make things. Cut your ingredients into cubes, and go, it takes making salsas and bruschetta.
For a chopper, I use a KitchenAid like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MMNAGC/r
But don't expect to find any that grate cheese. Just get a rotary cheese grater or a salad shooter.
dutch oven
or
food processor
I vote for the Breville All in One. It’s an immersion blender, has a whisk attachment, a potato masher with 3 different settings, and my favorite thing about it is that it has a medium sized food processor attachment. Shred, slice, and chop/blend anything! I stopped buying frozen hashbrown potatoes and all shredded veg after getting it. Super fast, easy, way fresher than the bagged stuff.
Holy shit my husband just bought me this!!!
Cheap tips...
Rice Cooker, Slow cooker, Food Processor, Blender.
Zojirushi Rice Cookers are consistent and long lasting - I had one of these for 12 years, and it always got the job done right. When I moved in with my wife, she had a rice cooker that was old, but still worked (another Zojirushi). We recently splurged and got a really high end one. It's AMAZING, 10-15 minute perfectly cooked rice.
Cuckoo CRP-HV0667F IH Pressure Rice Cooker - For reference.
Anyways...
Get the simplest cheapest crock-pot - Less things to go wrong when it's as simple as this.
Get a cheap food processor
Get a decent blender - Don't go too cheap on blenders, you really get what you pay for in a quality blender. Blenders and mixers are the two things KitchenAid does best.
Now... The reason why I said get cheap stuff? Because you said you know nothing about cooking, and you might destroy a nice piece of equipment in your ignorance. It's bound to happen. Since you are going to be living on your own, if family gives you free stuff, don't feel bad about getting rid of it if the equipment sucks. They didn't want it anyways. Good tools? And you'll do a good job.
Watch this for other equipment...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-av6cz9upO0 - Gordon Ramsay may be a celebrity, but his kitchen knowledge is definitely high-end.
Personally don't skimp on the saucepans, frying pan, and the knife (honestly for 99% of jobs you just want a really good chef's knife, other than a pairing knife can do most everything). They will make your life easier if you have quality equipment. I disagree with him about the cutting board for 2 reasons (10 years in restaurants in the past here)... One, you are a beginner and might ruin a wood board. Two, wood boards can accumulate bacteria from meats if not taken care of properly. I advise this one...
OXO Grips Utility Cutting Board
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHRXUeVsAQQ - Great video showing you some good techniques in cooking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJy1ajvMU1k - Another video along the same vein, great techniques for cooking.
As others have said Budgetbytes is great.
Raw beans and raw rice are always going to be significantly cheaper than buying pre-made/pre-cooked. Use a slow cooker to cook beans overnight. Use google for a recipe.
Chicken skin-on, bone-in is always going to be significantly cheaper than not. Breast is usually drier/tougher but lower calorie per oz. Thighs are juicier/softer, but higher calorie per oz. Remove the skin if you want to be more calorie efficient. Keep the skin on for flavor. Personally? I always leave skin on, remove the bone (but use it for cooking to extract the flavors), and I always use a chicken thigh. Personal preference. A cool tip is to remove the skin, coat in olive oil, and fry by itself. Try that out, see if you like it. Fry till like crispy bacon. If you don't use the skin in cooking, you can use it like this as a snack later.
Seasoning things is really important. Don't over-season, less is more. Because you can always add more seasoning later. When I make chicken, I always put a pinch of salt on each side, grind some pepper (use a pepper grinder, it's always superior to that pre-ground pepper crap), slap that into it. Olive oil, don't skimp out on this either. Get stuff actually from Italy, larger bottles are usually a better deal. Chicken with salt, pepper, olive oil is simple and tasty.
Get some kinda meal prep containers...
https://www.amazon.com/Freshware-15-Pack-Compartment-Bento-Lunch/dp/B01IIINCRS - These should work great. I like having a separation point in the container.
Some simple recipes I like...
http://luckypeach.com/recipes/miso-claypot-chicken-no-claypot/
https://www.budgetbytes.com/?s=slow+cooker - Anything here.
https://www.budgetbytes.com/?s=easy - Again, using the search function at budgetbytes is huge.
One thing that helps is to develop your palate. If you will be doing okay for money, the occasional outing to a restaurant to try something new can be really beneficial. When you eat food out, imagine what possible technique they could have used to achieve a certain texture or taste.
I'm just rambling, but hopefully this will help a little.
We used to eat out a lot because we were both so busy and by the time we got home we never wanted to cook. It hurts to think about how much money we spent on food.
This isn't really a "gadget", but we recently bought a chest freezer from Amazon and I don't know how we lived without it before. That coupled with a Foodsaver Vacuum Sealer and a cheap canning kit is the best money I've spent to save money in the long run. Buying things like meat at costco actually makes sense now since we have the room for it. Now whenever we cook, we'll double or triple the recipe and freeze it for another day.
Yesterday we made chicken pot pies (doubled Alton Brown's recipe and it made 10 meals. We ate two and froze the other 8), salsa (using the food processor, made 8 pint jars), and falafel (doubled recipe, made about 20 balls). Today we're going to make a beef stew.
I've been thinking about getting into the whole crockpot idea since mine is just sitting all by itself in the cabinet, but I haven't gotten that far yet.
I'm voting for food processor but do look at one with a sealed housing. Processing big loads of liquids makes for a mess unless the top is sealed.
I have a Cuisinart FP-14 Elite Collection 14-Cup Food Processor which has a sealed top (and 3 different sized bowls) so nothing gets out.
Another option is a stick (or immersion blender). It's much cheaper (I got a Cuisinart model recently on Woot! for $40), processes in regular bowls and is easier to clean. I think it also might possibly make a smoother blend for smaller amounts. Might be a nice idea for developing recipes with trial amounts of ingredients.
PS. Just gave my blender to my daughter since I haven't used it in years. 8-)
It's a Cuisinart food processor. https://smile.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DLC-8SY-Custom-11-Cup-Processor/dp/B01AXN5VUC/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1525290244&sr=1-4&keywords=cuisinart+11+cup+food+processor&dpID=41hPL1%252BjyNL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
They're capable of doing a lot of tasks. I generally don't use it unless I'm going to have to chop/dice/etc. a bunch of stuff, but it can also grate, slice, and even knead dough. Expensive, but it's a buy-it-for-life thing.
I use this and I can turn a head of cauliflour into rice in about 30 s, its great!
I like to bake mine spread out on a sheet drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake until golden. Amazing.
Of course! Happy to discuss this stuff. To be completely honest, I was about halfway through writing when I saw the link to your article so my advice was more couched in the "Kitchen Necessities" realm, rather than gift ideas, haha. Hopefully it can be useful in either future articles or general advice for your own kitchen though.
For a food processor, I have a Cuisinart that doubles as a blender. I like having the dual versatility personally, although some may prefer one over the other. What you said is a good indicator of what I'm referring to: something that can chop things, or pulverize them into a paste/sauce, versus what a standard mixer can do. Honestly, just having this thing around makes me want to try to create new things. For that alone, it's a worthy gift for someone who enjoys cooking.
Let's do it in the kitchen.
I can't live without my Sharper Image mandoline! So good in fact, I have two! Mr sunshine_orchids uses it multiple times daily to slice his veggies for salads. It also makes great french fries with just a little elbow grease. I've use it before for slicing up apples for muffins and stuff, and it makes perfect eggplant slices for eggplant parm. I just rinse it and get it the little blade spaces with a pipe cleaner.
My other one: Black & Decker Electric Chopper is used daily for chopping multiple cloves of garlic, making bean dip out of canned pinto beans & spices, making salsa, the list goes on and on! This thing is awesome, and clean up is literally 3 steps: pop off the blade and rinse, wash/bleach (if necessary) the cup, and wipe down the top of the motor attachment. That's it. At least the MIL got one of our Christmas gifts right!
I hope you wind up loving these kitchen tools as much as I do. My knife skills are reserved for meats and poultry at this point, lol
Maybe look into something like this . It is a solid multitasker which will aide in slicing, dicing, and pureeing food. I know my mom with RA loves hers and says it isn't too heavy or cumbersome.
I have this KitchenAid and am happy with it.
Are you talking hardware or food?
When it comes to tools, stick to Alton Brown's golden rule: don't buy unitaskers. Make sure that everything you buy can be used for more than one thing.
Knives: you only need three (maybe): a large work knife (generally a chef's knife or a santukou knife, but it can be whatever is comfortable for you), a paring knife, and maybe a serrated knife.
Cutting boards: either plastic, wood, or bamboo (but never use wood or bamboo for meat - the bacteria gets into the grain and doesn't come out). DON'T use hard materials like glass or stone. They dull the edges of your knives.
Other:
wantedneeded anything else.Uhhh... I'm actually not at home right now, so I'm trying to do a mental inventory of my kitchen. I'm sure I've missed a bunch of stuff.
Cuisinart "pro" and "classic" series are made with plastic gears, the "elite" series are the ones that still use heavy-duty parts. I saved and saved and got this dude.
Robot Coupes are the way to go if you are really serious about it, but they are ridiculously pricey.
Pregnancy: Liked Old Navy Maternity I loved wearing foldover waist things like capri pants, skirts, and pants. Though for work I was able to keep wearing my pre-pregnancy pants as my fat redistributed and they are elastic waist anyway. And the Old Navy Maternity tank tops are amazing, I still wear them after giving birth. I also wore Poise pads to catch my pee leaks, they worked great.
Did not like Ginger gum, that shit's gross.
Postpartum: Liked Kotex pads. The squirt bottle they gave me at the hospital. Colace.
Did not like Always pads (fucking cheese grater). Those witch hazel pads didn't do much for me, neither did the numbing cream.
Baby Like Pampers Baby Dry diapers, Fisher Price Rock and Play, Nosefrida snotsucker, Fisher Price plug in swing, Chicco Keyfit 30, Chicco NextFit, Harmony Odyssey stroller, Infantino pouch feeding products, Vtech baby monitor, Cuisinart food processor, lightweight car seat toys, Ubbi diaper pail, IKEA high chair (I probably have more, but these are some of the things I love on a daily basis or have saved my sanity).
Did not like Swaddle blankets (specifically swaddling), moby wrap, boppy pillow, Graco battery operated swing, huggies diapers, and MAM bottles.
Bonus Mom Supplies Pump wipes (my pump room at work has no sink and these are perfect to use after pumping), leisure bra (I cut holes where my nipples are and I can double pump hands-free, so helpful!), and JuJuBe diaper bag (it's small and cute and I know where everything is now!)
Nah- the hand holding the blade assembly is in danger. Can't find the exact listing but you'd is similar.
Ninja QB900B Master Prep Chopper, Blender, Food Processor, Silver (Certified Refurbished) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CCZ3BK1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_XDG3AbRDJKH6P
The one I had was the same form factor but has two different size pitchers and a personal blender cup. The blade stacks- in the short things like the chopper the blade stack is one piece. In the taller things the blade stack is two pieces. Usually one piece has less of a handle when disassembled for washing.
I almost wanna say the plastic of the blade stacks is non-stick because nothing ever stuck to it... Either way it was really slippery when soapy. Not remotely safe to even flip over in your hand to wipe at.
Seriously. They're great products but don't hand wash the blades. Soapy blend, remove blade stack and rinse well while being careful to not have blades above body parts until your handle is soap-free.
I seriously envy anyone who has that unappreciated appliance in their kitchen. I want one soooo bad.
Thanks for the sinful contest!
Not sure about the tomatoes but a food processor or a salad shooter will handle the slicing of the onions, potatoes, carrots, anything. Just don't thing it would b good for tomatoes.
I have one like this
https://www.amazon.com/Presto®-Professional-SaladShooter-Electric-Shredder/dp/B078YB46B8/ref=sr_1_8?
​
https://www.amazon.com/PROfreshionals-72029-Tomato-Slicer/dp/B000WEMFXE/ref=sr_1_15?
this one looks good
https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Serrated-Vegetable-Cheese-Slicer/dp/B00280NBQA/ref=pd\_cp\_79\_3?
You really need to rethink the powdered shakes thing. Seriously. Been there, done that. They make a GREAT "on the go, need SOMETHING," type of meal replacement. But otherwise, EAT SOMETHING HEALTHY!
If you want shakes, enjoy them without processed powder. You do NOT need added protein, unless your calorie intake is SO low, it's dangerous.
Frozen fruit and milk WITH YOGURT (which you like) is so much better for you. Yes, you will get a bit more sugars, but the trade off is actual, natural, anti-oxidants and proteins, not factory produced processed powder.
If you don't have a good blender that can crush ice, get one (My fave: https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-BFP-703BC-Blender-Processor-Brushed/dp/B01EEK8MOW )
Stupid question: color of product doesn't mean a different version right?
If I were to get the red one on Amazon since it is slightly cheaper, it is the same product?https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078Z2DTTQ/ref=twister_B07QJKQJC3?_encoding=UTF8&th=1
Omega also makes commercial kitchen grade blenders that are similar spec to the Vitamix (3hp motor). But they will often sell for half the price ($220-$250 instead of $450-$500), and are frequently on sale.
Another cheaper option is to get an Indian brand "mixer grinder". The mixer grinder is a workhorse in an Indian kitchen, along with a pressure cooker, because of the daily need to grind lots of stuff for meals (chutneys, curry powders, curry pastes, dry spice grinding etc).
They are not 3hp motors but 1hp but are very well built and reliable and in most cases, a 1hp or 700W motor is enough and gets the work done. But they cost $100, which is significantly cheaper than the commercial grade blenders. And with every day use (literally), most will last for years in a home kitchen. Here are some options:
this the one i use now https://www.amazon.com/Blender-Processor-Auto-iQ-1200-Watt-Pitcher/dp/B07K2LT46N/ref=sr_1_66?keywords=food+processor&qid=1558579107&s=gateway&sr=8-66 got it as a gift i used to have something like this before i got the Ninja tbh i would pref something like the later then the Ninja i find the Ninja is a lil too powerful for most the uses i use it for. https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-70725A-FBA_70725-Processor/dp/B00KHLN7K2/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=food+processor&qid=1558579191&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1
I wouldn't buy a food processor under $60 as I want to make sure that it has proper amounts of power behind it. You don't want it to burn out after a month.
My recommendation would be the Cuisinart Pro 11. The grater attachment REALLY comes in handy every year when my family grates potatoes for Chanukah latkes.
I really like (to my surprise) our Ninja. We got the kitchen prep set which came with a food processor and two single serve cups in addition to the main blender.
It's got a ton of power (as much as a vitamix but way cheaper), and multiple blades in both the food processor and the blender. It blends better than our old blender (but as that was a $20 Walmart special, who's surprised?) - and processes better than the Cuisinart food processor. (If it sliced and grated, it would be perfect.)
Also - Ninja has great customer service. My husband broke the bowl, and they sent us a replacement the next day, arriving in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
get these cheap at thrift stores
https://www.amazon.com/Salsa-Master-Maker-Chopper-Blender/dp/B0046EKWE0/
if you have the $ hand crank blender
https://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-1304-1406-Vortex-Blender/dp/B001LF3I3O
I will second immersion blender. My mom bugged me for years to get one. Once I finally did, my Vitamix has been relegated to smoothies only. The immersion blender is awesome for handling any job that needs contents blended that are in a pot on the stove (soups, gravy, salsa, etc).
For speed prep, I love my mandolin (https://www.amazon.com/Prepworks-by-Progressive-Folding-Mandolin/dp/B012BVH9HW). Can slice up a storm of vegetables in very little time. For speed chopping, I love my $12 salsa maker (https://www.amazon.com/Salsa-Maker-Chopper-Mixer-Blender/dp/B0046EKWE0). I can chop 8 cups of onion in just a couple minutes.
I just broke down and bought an Instant Pot. I am pretty excited to try one pot pressure-cooked meals.
Congrats!!
Hmmm. My SO says I should say January 6th so I'll trust him.:)
Also a healthy boy!!
20 dollar thing
40 dollar thing
...Because we're seriously lacking in the kitchen appliance department.
Best of luck!!
You want the ninja, it is designed for both food processing and smoothie making. I found it at Kmart randomly the other day and I use it constantly for smoothies; I don't even use the food processing feature because I don't need it, but it's been a perfect smoothies machine.
http://www.amazon.com/Euro-Pro-Ninja-Master-Blender-Processor/dp/B002JM2V9K
The food processor on Chopped is a Cuisinart, I believe. I think it's http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002I5DMU0/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p79_d0_i3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0K1CTE3M9Z7W08ZMKYBA&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846
I do know the Cuisinart with the very boxy base is also really popular with chefs too. It's been around for a long time. It has really good reviews as well as the Breville, but I haven't personally tried it. It seems to have a much weaker motor, and I've heard of lots of issues with Cuisinart customer service.
I actually left my food processor bowl on the stove a year after buying it, not realizing it was on, and walked away. Melted it. They sent me another one for free even though it was my fault.
I'd get one if you have the money, buy I wouldn't just get a cheap one. I had a cheap one and just didn't want to use it because it sucked.
I bought this one about 2 years ago and it's still going strong. It chops nuts really well too even though the reviews tell you not to use it for nuts.
https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-Processor-525-Watts-70670/dp/B000RJTNFC/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485067240&sr=1-4&keywords=hamilton+beach+food+processor
Will you still be in the same area? Just on your own? For frugality, I spend a lot of time scouring local thrift shops, Craigslist and Freecycle.
If you have a chance to prepare food ahead of time and freeze it for later that can be a great way to get the most out of your food budget. Cooking for one or two is a lot harder than cooking for 4 or more. Food goes bad so quickly here so make sure you have lots of airtight food storage. Rice is a very versatile ingredient. Mugs can double as bowls if you're trying to save money/space.
Get a good can opener. Make sure you have a bottle opener and corkscrew. A flat head AND a Phillips head screwdriver. Toilet paper should be the first thing you buy. You have this food chopper on your list but I think you should go for a food processor instead. Sorry I couldn't find one in turquoise.
I actually picked up the Cuisinart DFP-3 Handy Prep 3-Cup Food Processor around two months ago and like it quite a lot. It seems sturdy enough for what I'm using it for - making pesto, chopping up food, etc. The shredder on it is more of a pulverizer so cheese doesn't come out as nice as it could (though maybe I need colder cheese), but the slicer works wonderfully. It's large enough for one serving, sometimes two, but don't expect to make a full meal for 6 people in it.