The 10 Best Food Processors of 2026, Based on Expert Testing

For most serious home cooks, the Cuisinart Custom 14 DFP-14BCNY is the best food processor to buy. It combines a large 14-cup bowl, straightforward controls, strong chopping and dough performance, a useful feed tube, and a comparatively quiet 65.2 dB result in Tom’s Guide’s testing. If you want more power and accessories and can accept a higher price and much heavier machine, choose the Breville Sous Chef 16 BFP810. For built-in dicing, julienne, French-fry, and adjustable slicing functions, the Breville Paradice 16 BFP838 is the most capable option.

There is no universally best food processor in 2026. The right choice depends on whether you prioritize dough, puréeing, shredding, dicing, small batches, low noise, storage, price, or long-term parts support. This guide compares current U.S. 120-volt models and one conditional attachment recommendation using manufacturer specifications and recent testing from Good Housekeeping, Reviewed, Tom’s Guide, Food Network, TechGearLab, and TechRadar.

Important disclosure: These are research-based recommendations, not a claim that this publication personally tested every machine. The phrase tested and approved would be appropriate only after the listed models had been obtained and evaluated under a consistent first-party protocol. Prices and availability cited here were checked on August 10, 2026, and can change.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Breville BFP810 Sous Chef 16 Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless Steel	$499.95	Buy on Amazon
2		Breville BFP810 Sous Chef 16 Cup Food Processor, Damson Blue	$499.95	Buy on Amazon
3		Breville BFP810 Sous Chef 16 Cup Food Processor, Black Truffle	$499.95	Buy on Amazon
4		Breville BFP610 Sous Chef 9 Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless Steel	$349.95	Buy on Amazon
5		Breville BFP838 Paradice 16 Processor and Dicer, Brushed Stainless Steel	$699.95	Buy on Amazon

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Quick answers

• Best for most people: Cuisinart Custom 14 DFP-14BCNY
• Best premium all-purpose processor: Breville Sous Chef 16 BFP810
• Most versatile: Breville Paradice 16 BFP838
• Best durability-oriented choice: Magimix 5200XL, subject to U.S. warranty and availability checks
• Best processor with a dicing kit at a midrange price: KitchenAid 13-Cup KFP1319
• Best compact premium option: Breville Paradice 9 BFP638
• Best low-cost model with preset programs: Ninja Professional Plus BN601
• Best convenience-focused budget option: Hamilton Beach Bowl Scraper 10-Cup 70730, if currently available new
• Best compact standalone processor: KitchenAid 7-Cup KFP0718
• Best for existing compatible Vitamix owners: Vitamix 12-Cup Food Processor Attachment

The 10 best food processors of 2026

The order below reflects a synthesis of current expert testing, published specifications, ownership considerations, and model availability. It is not a universal laboratory ranking. In particular, results for one model generation should not automatically be transferred to a similarly named machine.

Prices are observed U.S. direct or published prices from the research date, not guaranteed sale prices. Dimensions and accessory packages can vary by model suffix, color, retailer, and market.

#1 Best Overall

Breville BFP810 Sous Chef 16 Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless Steel

• The Breville Sous Chef 16 food processor is where precision and consistent size are the keys to beautiful presentation, even cooking and good taste; Create masterpiece meals in minutes with the 16 cup food processor large enough for your cooking goals
• RECIPES FOR HOME AND KITCHEN: Breville+ opens a world of instant mastery with over 1000 guided recipes, live and on-demand classes, cook guides, and more; Recipes from leading food content experts, tested and tuned exclusively for your Breville appliance
• THE CHEF'S ARMORY OF PRECISION: Slice, shred, French fry, mince and purée with your very own chef’s armory; Includes a 24 size adjustable slicer, reversible shredding disk, French fries disk, micro-serrated S-blade, dough blade and mini blade & bowl
• EXTRA LARGE 5.5 INCH FEED CHUTE: Food processor simplifies meal preparation; 3-in-1 feed chute designed to accommodate different shapes and sizes with precise results; Chute options range from 1.7 in to 5.5 in, reducing the need to pre-prep your food
• HEAVY DUTY INDUCTION MOTOR WITH 30 YEAR WARRANTY: Heavy duty induction motor has updated direct drive with a high torque 1450W motor to easily handle the toughest kitchen jobs; Large food processor will remain a favorite kitchen appliance for many years

$499.95

Buy on Amazon

1. Cuisinart Custom 14 DFP-14BCNY: best for most serious home cooks

Bottom line: The Custom 14 is the safest all-around recommendation when you want a powerful, uncomplicated machine rather than a large collection of specialized attachments.

The Cuisinart has a 14-cup work bowl, a 720-watt motor, a large feed tube, and simple on, off, and pulse controls. Its included tools are a chopping and mixing blade, 4-mm slicing disc, medium shredding disc, small and large feed tubes, spatula, and detachable disc stem. Cuisinart lists dimensions of 11 by 7.9 by 14.8 inches, a three-year limited unit warranty, and a full five-year motor warranty. Every part except the motor base is listed as dishwasher-safe, and Cuisinart offers replacement work bowls and other parts for the model.

Independent tests give the Custom 14 unusually broad support. Good Housekeeping found it above average at chopping, parsley, Parmesan, carrots, cheese, zucchini, and pepperoni. Reviewed found it particularly effective at pizza dough. Tom’s Guide reported excellent potato slicing, cheddar shredding, and cookie-dough results and measured 65.2 dB, making it one of the quieter results in that comparison.

It is not the most versatile machine in this group. The included discs are basic, there is no built-in accessory case, and assembling the disc can be awkward. Good Housekeeping also found that it did not create a completely smooth purée from canned tomatoes. That is a limitation for silky sauces, not a deal-breaker for chopping, shredding, slicing, dough, pesto, salsa, and most everyday food-preparation work.

Buy it if: you want a large, reliable, straightforward processor for family meals, meal preparation, vegetables, cheese, sauces, and dough.

Skip it if: you specifically need dicing, julienne, adjustable slicing, a mini bowl, or integrated attachment storage.

2. Breville Sous Chef 16 BFP810: best premium all-purpose processor

Bottom line: The BFP810 is the premium choice for cooks who process large quantities and want more included tools than the Cuisinart provides.

Breville lists a 16-cup main bowl, a 2.5-cup mini bowl, and a 1,450-watt motor. The machine is approximately 17.7 by 11.3 by 9.2 inches and weighs about 30.64 pounds. Its accessory package includes an S-blade, adjustable slicing disc, reversible shredder, dough blade, mini bowl and blade, French-fry disc, spindles, and a storage box. The published warranty separates a two-year product warranty from a 30-year motor warranty.

Good Housekeeping named the BFP810 its best overall and highlighted its capacity, motor, and broad accessory set. TechGearLab placed a Sous Chef 16 Pro at the top of a comparison involving more than 30 assessments. Those results support the model family as a premium all-purpose candidate, but the exact model number matters: Breville pages contain confusing status information across BFP800 variants. Some older pages identify variants as discontinued while the U.S. BFP810 page lists a product for sale. Check that the box, retailer listing, and warranty all identify BFP810 before purchasing.

The biggest ownership issue is physical. At more than 30 pounds, this is a machine to keep on the counter or move only occasionally. Its broad accessory collection also takes space even though a storage box is included. Its motor warranty should not be interpreted as a 30-year warranty on the bowl, lid, electronics, discs, or seals; read Breville’s U.S. warranty terms.

Buy it if: you regularly prepare large batches, want adjustable slicing and French-fry capability, and value a mini bowl and dough accessories.

Skip it if: you have limited storage, process mostly small portions, or want the simplest possible control scheme.

3. Breville Paradice 16 BFP838: most versatile

Bottom line: Choose the Paradice 16 when dicing and specialty cuts are central to your cooking. It is overkill for someone who mainly chops onions and makes hummus.

The Paradice 16 combines a 16-cup bowl with a 1,450-watt motor. Its package includes 8-, 12-, and 16-mm dicing discs, a dicing distributor and gearbox, a 15-level adjustable slicer, reversible shredder, dough blade, mini blade, French-fry disc, and storage boxes. Breville also advertises more than 75 tested and tuned guided recipes through Breville+.

This is the broadest toolset in the group for cooks who want uniform vegetable cubes, julienne-style preparation, adjustable slices, shredded ingredients, and French-fry cuts from one machine. The trade-off is substantial: the processor weighs approximately 39.02 pounds, requires storage for multiple boxes, and costs considerably more than a basic full-size processor. TechRadar describes it as a pro-grade choice for large families and users who will genuinely use its dicing, julienne, and French-fry functions, while warning that it is bulky, heavy, expensive, and storage-intensive.

Dicing kits deserve a realistic assessment. They can save repetitive knife work, but they can also add assembly, produce jams, leave waste around the grid, and require careful cleaning. Soft foods may smear rather than form clean cubes. Unless you regularly prepare diced onions, potatoes, carrots, salsa vegetables, or similar ingredients, the less expensive Custom 14 may be the better buy.

Buy it if: you will use several of its cutting systems and have room for the processor and its storage cases.

Rank #2

Breville BFP810 Sous Chef 16 Cup Food Processor, Damson Blue

• The Breville Sous Chef 16 food processor is where precision and consistent size are the keys to beautiful presentation, even cooking and good taste; Create masterpiece meals in minutes with the 16 cup food processor large enough for your cooking goals
• RECIPES FOR HOME AND KITCHEN: Breville+ opens a world of instant mastery with over 1000 guided recipes, live and on-demand classes, cook guides, and more; Recipes from leading food content experts, tested and tuned exclusively for your Breville appliance
• THE CHEF'S ARMORY OF PRECISION: Slice, shred, French fry, mince and purée with your very own chef’s armory; Includes a 24 size adjustable slicer, reversible shredding disk, French fries disk, micro-serrated S-blade, dough blade and mini blade & bowl
• EXTRA LARGE 5.5 INCH FEED CHUTE: Food processor simplifies meal preparation; 3-in-1 feed chute designed to accommodate different shapes and sizes with precise results; Chute options range from 1.7 in to 5.5 in, reducing the need to pre-prep your food
• HEAVY DUTY INDUCTION MOTOR WITH 30 YEAR WARRANTY: Heavy duty induction motor has updated direct drive with a high torque 1450W motor to easily handle the toughest kitchen jobs; Large food processor will remain a favorite kitchen appliance for many years

$499.95

Buy on Amazon

Skip it if: you want a compact appliance or will use only the standard blade and one shredding disc.

4. Magimix 5200XL: best durability-oriented option

Bottom line: The Magimix 5200XL is compelling for buyers who value a multi-bowl system, long motor coverage, and long-term parts support, but U.S. buyers must verify the exact package and warranty before ordering.

The published Magimix specification lists 3.6 liters of total capacity but 1.8 liters of working capacity, an 1,100-watt motor, an 11-kilogram weight, and three bowls: main, midi, and mini. Accessories include Sabatier stainless-steel blades and discs, slicing and grating discs, a dough blade, egg whisk, citrus press, BlenderMix ring, spatula, and storage box. The same page lists a three-year parts-and-labor warranty, a 30-year motor guarantee, and 30-year spare-parts availability.

Those figures come from a non-U.S. Magimix page. Product names, included tools, voltage, prices, warranty administration, and retailer support can differ in the United States. Confirm the purchase through Magimix’s U.S. distributor rather than assuming European specifications automatically apply.

TechGearLab found the Magimix especially strong for nut butter and reported that it passed its leak test. The same testing noted slight instability during pizza-dough mixing. Consumer Reports’ 2026 buying-guide excerpt showed an observed price of $550 and overall score of 70, but the underlying rating is not fully available in an open source, so that figure should be treated as supporting context rather than a complete independent review.

Buy it if: you want multiple bowl sizes and place a high value on motor coverage and the possibility of long-term parts availability.

Skip it if: you need straightforward U.S. retail support, a compact machine, or a clearly documented current package at a low price.

5. KitchenAid 13-Cup KFP1319: best for dicing with integrated storage

Bottom line: The KFP1319 is a strong feature-value candidate for cooks who want dicing and organized storage without paying Breville Paradice prices.

KitchenAid lists a 13-cup work bowl, adjustable Exact Slice disc, dicing kit and cleaning tool, reversible shredding disc, dough blade, refrigerator lid, in-bowl accessory caddy, and a 3-in-1 feed tube. It is designed for chopping, shredding, precision slicing, dicing, kneading, mixing, and puréeing. KitchenAid’s direct price has been observed around $259.99, but that price is promotional and color-dependent. The full model and color suffix should appear on the listing because KFP1319 variants are not necessarily identical retail packages.

The integrated caddy and refrigerator lid address two common ownership complaints: loose discs in a drawer and transferring prepared food to another container before storage. The adjustable slicer and dicing kit also make this more versatile than a basic processor.

There is an important evidence limitation. Tom’s Guide included a KitchenAid 13-cup model in its tested group, but some widely cited comments about KitchenAid noise and a small feed tube refer specifically to the 7-cup model. Those results should not be assigned automatically to the KFP1319. The 13-cup machine deserves direct model-specific testing before anyone calls it the best performer in its class.

Buy it if: you want dicing, adjustable slicing, and organized storage at a midrange price.

Skip it if: your priority is a thoroughly documented performance leader rather than a broad feature set.

6. Breville Paradice 9 BFP638: best premium compact processor

Bottom line: The Paradice 9 brings premium cutting features to a smaller 9-cup machine, but its $399.95 price makes sense only if you will use those features.

The BFP638 has a 9-cup bowl, 625-watt motor, 15-position adjustable slicer, reversible shredder, dough blade, S-blade, 0.5-inch dicing kit, and integrated storage caddy. Breville lists dimensions of 17.5 by 7.7 by 11.8 inches, a weight of 15.65 pounds, a 4.7-inch feed chute, dishwasher-safe bowl and lid, a two-year product warranty, and a 30-year motor warranty.

Compared with the Paradice 16, the smaller machine takes less space and is easier to move. Tom’s Guide found the Paradice 9 storage-friendly and versatile, while TechRadar described the smaller Paradice line as a way to obtain premium dicing and slicing without moving to the larger 16-cup platform.

The capacity is the limiting factor for large households and batch cooks. Its price is also high for a 9-cup machine, particularly if you need only chopping and shredding. It is best understood as a compact specialty machine, not a budget choice.

Rank #3

Breville BFP810 Sous Chef 16 Cup Food Processor, Black Truffle

• The Breville Sous Chef 16 food processor is where precision and consistent size are the keys to beautiful presentation, even cooking and good taste; Create masterpiece meals in minutes with the 16 cup food processor large enough for your cooking goals
• RECIPES FOR HOME AND KITCHEN: Breville+ opens a world of instant mastery with over 1000 guided recipes, live and on-demand classes, cook guides, and more; Recipes from leading food content experts, tested and tuned exclusively for your Breville appliance
• THE CHEF'S ARMORY OF PRECISION: Slice, shred, French fry, mince and purée with your very own chef’s armory; Includes a 24 size adjustable slicer, reversible shredding disk, French fries disk, micro-serrated S-blade, dough blade and mini blade & bowl
• EXTRA LARGE 5.5 INCH FEED CHUTE: Food processor simplifies meal preparation; 3-in-1 feed chute designed to accommodate different shapes and sizes with precise results; Chute options range from 1.7 in to 5.5 in, reducing the need to pre-prep your food
• HEAVY DUTY INDUCTION MOTOR WITH 30 YEAR WARRANTY: Heavy duty induction motor has updated direct drive with a high torque 1450W motor to easily handle the toughest kitchen jobs; Large food processor will remain a favorite kitchen appliance for many years

$499.95

Buy on Amazon

Buy it if: you have limited space but genuinely want adjustable slicing and dicing.

Skip it if: you process large batches or want the best performance per dollar for ordinary chopping.

7. Ninja Professional Plus BN601: best value with preset programs

Bottom line: The BN601 is the most approachable low-cost choice for everyday chopping, puréeing, dough, and disc work, provided you can tolerate more noise and shorter automatic cycles.

Ninja lists a 9-cup bowl, 850 rated watts and 1,000 peak watts, four automatic programs—Chop, Purée, Dough, and Disc—and three manual settings: Low, High, and Pulse. The package includes a chopping blade, dough blade, reversible slicing and shredding disc, disc adapter, feed-chute lid, and bowl. The removable attachments are dishwasher-safe, the direct price observed was $129.99, and the warranty is one year. Ninja says not to use the unit to crush ice.

Preset programs can make the BN601 easier for inexperienced cooks, but they reduce control when a recipe needs a longer or shorter cycle. Tom’s Guide measured 93.8 dBA on a different Ninja Professional model and found automatic shutoff interrupted some hummus and dough tests. That result should not be presented as a direct BN601 measurement, but it identifies the two issues worth checking on this exact model: noise and whether the automatic program stops before a thick mixture is finished.

Buy it if: you want a full-size bowl and useful presets for the least money among the mainstream candidates.

Skip it if: you make long-running nut butter, very smooth purées, or large stiff dough batches and need precise manual control.

8. Hamilton Beach Bowl Scraper 10-Cup 70730: best budget convenience feature

Bottom line: The 70730 is worth considering when scraping down the bowl is your main frustration, but verify that it is still sold new and that replacement parts remain available.

Tom’s Guide named the Hamilton Beach Bowl Scraper 10 Cup its best-value processor and highlighted the built-in bowl scraper, 10-cup capacity, 450-watt output, and low price. The scraper can reduce pauses when making mixtures that cling to the bowl, but it also adds moving parts that must be cleaned and may eventually need replacement.

The research dossier does not establish the model’s current U.S. availability, exact warranty terms, scraper dishwasher rating, or replacement-component pricing as of publication. Those details should be checked before purchase. It also identifies the model as loud and limited in attachments.

Do not substitute the Hamilton Beach 70725A 12-Cup Stack & Snap and call it the same processor. The 70725A is a different product with a 12-cup bowl, 450-watt motor, two speeds, sealed bowl, large feed chute, and reversible slicing and shredding disc.

Buy it if: you want an inexpensive processor and value the built-in scraper more than accessory variety.

Skip it if: you need quiet operation, advanced slicing, a dicing kit, or confidently documented long-term parts support.

9. KitchenAid 7-Cup KFP0718: best compact standalone processor

Bottom line: The KFP0718 is a sensible small-footprint machine for couples, smaller households, and cooks who want simple blade and disc functions without a bulky full-size base.

The 7-cup processor has High, Low, and Pulse controls, a multipurpose blade, reversible medium slicing and shredding disc, twist-free one-click bowl assembly, latched lid, 2-in-1 feed tube, and in-bowl accessory storage. KitchenAid’s manual lists a one-year full warranty for the relevant KFP0718 family in the U.S., District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

TechRadar found the KFP0718 effective with tough ingredients and liked its in-bowl accessory storage, but criticized its noise and relatively small feed tube. A smaller bowl can also be an advantage for small batches because the blade is more likely to contact the ingredients, although it will not replace a 12- or 14-cup machine for large meal-preparation jobs.

Stock has varied by color and suffix, with at least one KitchenAid listing temporarily out of stock. Check the exact model before buying and do not confuse this processor with KitchenAid’s 13-cup KFP1319.

Buy it if: your counter and cabinet space are limited and you mostly make modest batches.

Rank #4

Breville BFP610 Sous Chef 9 Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless Steel

• The Breville Sous Chef 9 food processor is where precision and performance meet compact design with an onboard storage caddy; Premium attachments provide consistent cutting; Create masterpiece meals with memorable taste and presentation
• RECIPES FOR HOME AND KITCHEN: Breville+ opens a world of instant mastery with over 1000 guided recipes, live and on-demand classes, cook guides, and more; Recipes from leading food content experts, tested and tuned exclusively for your Breville appliance
• ONBOARD STORAGE SOLUTION: Compact food processor for small kitchens; Easy-to-use integrated storage caddy holds dicing kit, S-blade, reversible shredder, adjustable slicer, and dough blade; Items can be accessed independently and neatly housed inside bowl
• COLOR-CODED ACCESSORIES: Accessories in the Chef’s Armoury are color coded for easy navigation when using and storing the premium attachments; Consistently cut ingredients are the key to even cooking, delicious taste and memorable presentation
• WIDE 4.7 INCH FEED CHUTE: Food processor features a 2-in-1 wide feed chute designed to accommodate different shapes and sizes for easy and fast preparation; Effectively integrate nuts, onions, garlic, veggies, and more into daily meals

$349.95

Buy on Amazon

Skip it if: you regularly shred large quantities, knead dough, or feed long vegetables through a wide chute.

10. Vitamix 12-Cup Food Processor Attachment: best for compatible Vitamix owners

Bottom line: This is a practical way to add food-processing capability if you already own a compatible Vitamix base. It is not a standalone food processor and should not be compared with one at its attachment-only price.

The attachment works only with SELF-DETECT Ascent and Venturist motor bases. It includes a 12-cup work bowl, two reversible slicing and shredding discs, a multi-use blade, two pushers, disc case, and SELF-DETECT base. Vitamix lists 12-cup dry capacity and 8-cup wet capacity, dimensions of 11.75 by 8.5 by 12.75 inches, a 6.17-pound attachment weight, and a three-year full attachment warranty. The attachment price observed was $279.95; a bundle was listed at $349.95.

The capacity distinction matters. The manual says not to operate the processor continuously for more than three minutes and not to process ingredients above 212°F/100°C. These restrictions make it less suitable for prolonged thick mixtures than a purpose-built food processor. It is, however, attractive for owners who do not want another motor base and already have the required compatible blender.

Check compatibility using Vitamix’s SELF-DETECT guidance. Older Vitamix models and non-compatible bases should not be assumed to work.

Buy it if: you already own a compatible Ascent or Venturist base and need occasional slicing, shredding, chopping, or mixing.

Skip it if: you need a dedicated processor, process hot food, or want a broad set of specialty attachments.

How to choose the right food processor

Choose capacity by the work you actually do

A bowl’s advertised capacity is not the same as its safe working capacity. Magimix lists 3.6 liters total but 1.8 liters working capacity. Vitamix lists 12 cups for dry ingredients but 8 cups for wet ingredients. Breville’s BFP820 manual distinguishes a 16-cup dry capacity from a 10-cup capacity for diced or liquid-thick wet ingredients. Always use the manual’s maximum-fill marks rather than filling a bowl based only on its marketing number.

For small amounts of herbs, one onion, or a small batch of hummus, a huge bowl can be inefficient because the blade may not reach enough food. For family-size meal preparation, large batches of shredded vegetables, or pizza dough, a 12- to 16-cup machine is more practical.

Do not use wattage as a performance ranking

Motor wattage is useful context, but it is not a standardized measure of food-processing performance. A 1,450-watt Breville, 1,100-watt Magimix, 850-watt Ninja, and 720-watt Cuisinart differ in gearing, motor control, blade shape, bowl geometry, and overload behavior. A lower-wattage machine can outperform a higher-wattage competitor on a particular task.

Look instead for even chopping, consistent slices, low residual waste, smooth puréeing, stable emulsions, dough performance, nut-butter behavior, counter stability, and recovery after a heavy load.

Consider the feed tube carefully

A wide feed tube can reduce pre-cutting, particularly for potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and cheese. But an opening that is too large for a small vegetable can let it tip over and create angled slices. Evaluate whether the pusher is comfortable, whether long food stays vertical, whether a smaller chute is available, and whether oil can be added gradually for mayonnaise or dressing. Breville’s manuals specifically recommend smaller chutes or careful positioning when small ingredients fall or tip.

Pay for attachments only when you will use them

The most useful upgrades are usually an adjustable slicer, fine and coarse shredding, a dough blade, a mini bowl, or a reliable dicing kit. Julienne and French-fry discs can be valuable for particular cooking styles, but they add storage and cleaning work. A dicing kit is worthwhile only if it produces clean, uniform cubes without constant clogging or difficult grid cleaning.

Cleaning is more than a dishwasher-safe label

Check how many parts must be disassembled and whether food collects beneath seals, in the lid, around the feed tube, on dicing grids, or inside an accessory caddy. Dishwasher-safe parts may still need top-rack placement, and sharp blades and discs must be handled carefully. Good Housekeeping notes that dishwasher-safe does not mean the blades are safe to handle casually or that every cycle is equally suitable.

Measure the storage footprint, not just the motor base

A premium processor may require space for the base, main bowl, mini bowl, multiple discs, dicing gearbox, cleaning tools, and storage boxes. The Breville Paradice 16 is especially storage-intensive. The Breville Paradice 9 and KitchenAid 7-Cup are easier to accommodate, while the Vitamix attachment avoids a second motor base only if you already own a compatible blender.

Compare the complete warranty and parts picture

Separate the product warranty from motor-only coverage. A 30-year motor guarantee does not necessarily cover the bowl, lid, electronics, seals, blades, or discs. Before buying, check replacement prices and availability for the work bowl, lid, chopping blade, and primary slicing disc. Also confirm whether the warranty applies to marketplace, refurbished, imported, or closeout purchases and whether it excludes commercial use.

Food processor versus blender

A food processor is generally the better tool for chopping, slicing, shredding, grating, kneading, and cutting vegetables into pieces. A high-speed blender is usually better for very smooth liquid purées, smoothies, and hot soups when the model is designed for hot ingredients. Some food processors can purée effectively, but their bowls, seals, and manuals may impose lower wet limits or prohibit hot food.

Best Value

Breville BFP838 Paradice 16 Processor and Dicer, Brushed Stainless Steel

• The Breville Paradice 16 food processor is where precision and consistent size are the keys to beautiful presentation, even cooking and good taste; Create masterpiece meals in minutes with a 16 cup dicer and processor large enough for your cooking goals
• RECIPES FOR HOME AND KITCHEN: Breville+ opens a world of instant mastery with over 1000 guided recipes, live and on-demand classes, cook guides, and more; Recipes from leading food content experts, tested and tuned exclusively for your Breville appliance
• PARADICE KIT INCLUDED: Take precision dicing to the next level with this dicer and food processor combo; The 16mm, 12mm and 8mm dicing attachments work by slicing, then dicing your ingredients; This 2-in-1 process ensures even and precise cubes
• THE CHEF'S ARMORY OF PRECISION: Slice, shred, French fry, mince and purée with your very own chef’s armory; Includes a 24 size adjustable slicer, reversible shredding disk, French fries disk, micro-serrated S-blade, dough blade and mini blade & bowl
• STORAGE CONTAINER: Compact food processor and dicer designed for practical use in large and small kitchens; Maximize your countertop space; Storage container houses all attachments and cleaning utensils conveniently when not in use

$699.95

Buy on Amazon

If smoothies and soups are your main tasks, buy the blender that suits those jobs. If you want to grate cheese, slice vegetables, make pie or pizza dough, chop onions evenly, or prepare a thick dip, a food processor is the more appropriate appliance.

What a proper first-party test should measure

Because this guide synthesizes existing expert testing rather than claiming an in-house lab test, readers should treat the recommendations as informed buying guidance rather than a new standardized score. A defensible original test would use identical quantities and repeatable conditions for:

• Onion chopping and herb mincing, scored for particle-size uniformity and bruising.
• Potato, carrot, tomato, cucumber, or zucchini slicing, scored for thickness variation, crushing, and angled cuts.
• Cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan shredding, including residual waste around the disc.
• Hummus or bean purée, including smoothness, minimum batch size, scraping, and heat buildup.
• Mayonnaise or dressing, including gradual oil feeding and emulsification.
• Pie, pizza, or bread dough, with dough temperature, movement, motor strain, and maximum batch size recorded separately.
• Nut butter, including processing time, scraping, overheating, and motor behavior.
• Dicing, where available, including cube consistency, clogging, waste, cleaning, and setup time.
• Leak testing conducted within the manufacturer’s stated wet capacity.

Ease of use should also include assembly, controls, feeding, disc changes, blade removal, small-batch performance, pouring, cleaning time, drying time, noise, vibration, and storage. A transparent score could weight performance at 35%, ease of use at 20%, cleaning at 15%, versatility at 10%, noise and stability at 10%, capacity and footprint at 5%, and warranty, parts, and value at 5%.

Existing expert tests already provide useful examples. Food Network evaluated onion, zucchini, carrots, Parmesan, pie dough, salad dressing, setup, controls, storage, and cleaning. Reviewed tested onions, parsley, almonds, potatoes, tomatoes, pepperoni, mozzarella, julienne potatoes, and dough. Tom’s Guide evaluated potato, carrot, cheese, onions, hummus, cookie dough, leaks, noise, cleaning, and accessories.

Models and recommendations that need caution

GE 12-Cup Food Processor

Good Housekeeping lists the GE 12-Cup Food Processor as a value pick, but GE says that model is no longer being manufactured. GE’s food-processor category has also shown the newer G8P1AASSPSS as sold out. Treat the GE model as closeout or remaining-inventory stock, not a normal current recommendation, unless availability and warranty are confirmed at checkout.

Breville Sous Chef 12 and Sous Chef 12 Plus

Food Network’s 2026 coverage names the Breville Sous Chef 12 as its best overall, but Breville’s U.S. pages identify the BFP660 and BFP680 as discontinued. They may still appear through retailers or closeout sellers, but buyers should verify warranty support and avoid paying current-premium prices for discontinued stock.

Similar names do not guarantee identical machines

Record the complete model number. Breville Sous Chef 16 variants can include BFP800, BFP810, and BFP820. Paradice models include the 9-cup BFP638 and 16-cup BFP838. Hamilton Beach uses the Stack & Snap name across different generations and capacities. KitchenAid 7-cup and 13-cup processors have separate model and color suffixes. Cuisinart’s DFP-14BCNY, 50th Anniversary DFP-14SENY, and Core Custom FP-130 are different products.

Budget alternatives and models outside the top 10

The Black+Decker FP4200B is another credible budget candidate, but the available research provides less comparative performance evidence than for the Ninja or Hamilton Beach. Consider it when price and basic chopping are the priority, but verify its current accessories, warranty, and replacement parts.

If the Hamilton Beach 70730 is unavailable, the Hamilton Beach 70725A is a different budget alternative. It has a 12-cup bowl, 450-watt motor, two speeds, sealed bowl, large feed chute, and reversible slicing and shredding disc. It should be identified by its full model number, not presented as the Bowl Scraper model.

Safety and used-buying checklist

• Unplug the machine before removing the bowl, blade, disc, or lid.
• Wait until the motor and blade have stopped before opening the lid.
• Use the pusher rather than fingers in the feed tube.
• Follow the manual’s dry, wet, dough, and hot-food limits.
• Keep the motor base out of water.
• Handle blades and discs as sharp tools, even when they are dishwasher-safe.
• For used Cuisinart machines, check the exact model and blade against the CPSC recall information before use.

The CPSC recall involved approximately eight million older Cuisinart food processors whose riveted blades could crack and shed metal pieces. It covered specified model families beginning with DFP-14 and others, not every DFP-14 unit, so the exact model and blade must be checked.

For any used processor, inspect the bowl for cracks, the lid for a secure lock, the shaft for play, the blade for damage, and the feed-tube pusher for fit. Confirm that the primary blade, disc stem, and lid are included; replacing missing parts can erase the initial savings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a 1,450-watt food processor automatically better than a 720-watt model?

No. Wattage is not a standardized performance rating. Motor design, gearing, blade geometry, bowl shape, control behavior, load, and overload protection all matter. Independent results support the 720-watt Cuisinart Custom 14 as a strong all-purpose machine despite its lower wattage than the premium Breville models.

Is the Cuisinart Custom 14 good for dough?

Yes, especially for pie and pizza dough. Reviewed found it particularly strong in pizza-dough testing. Large batches of stiff bread dough are a different and more demanding task, so follow the manual’s maximum dough or flour limits rather than assuming that success with pie dough applies to every bread recipe.

Are food-processor cup ratings the same as usable capacity?

No. Manufacturers may publish separate limits for dry ingredients, thick wet mixtures, and liquids. For example, Vitamix lists 12 cups dry but 8 cups wet, while Magimix lists 3.6 liters total capacity but 1.8 liters working capacity. Use the manual’s fill lines and limits.

Is the Vitamix 12-Cup Food Processor Attachment a standalone food processor?

No. It requires a compatible SELF-DETECT Ascent or Venturist Vitamix motor base. Its attachment-only price is therefore not comparable with the price of a complete standalone processor. It is most sensible for someone who already owns the compatible base.

Should I buy a food processor with a dicing kit?

Only if you regularly need uniform vegetable cubes. Dicing kits can save knife work, but they add setup, cleaning, storage, and possible clogging. For ordinary chopping, slicing, shredding, and puréeing, a simpler processor such as the Cuisinart Custom 14 may be better value.

What should I check before buying a used food processor?

Check the exact model number, blade condition, bowl and lid for cracks, availability and cost of replacement parts, warranty eligibility, and any safety recall. In particular, consult the CPSC information for older Cuisinart riveted blades before using a secondhand machine.

The Bottom Line

For the broadest group of U.S. home cooks, buy the Cuisinart Custom 14 DFP-14BCNY. It is the best balance of capacity, control simplicity, performance evidence, warranty coverage, and price. Spend more on the Breville Sous Chef 16 BFP810 if you want a premium large-batch machine with more accessories. Choose the Breville Paradice 16 BFP838 only when dicing and specialty cuts justify its cost and storage demands. The Ninja BN601 is the practical low-price choice, while the Vitamix attachment makes sense only for owners of a compatible Vitamix base. Before checkout, confirm the exact model number, current stock, working capacity, warranty geography, and availability of replacement bowls and blades.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

Breville BFP810 Sous Chef 16 Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless Steel

STAINLESS STEEL HUB: Precisely engineered and built for durability; WARRANTY: 2 year limited product warranty & 30 year motor warranty

$499.95

Bestseller No. 2

Breville BFP810 Sous Chef 16 Cup Food Processor, Damson Blue

STAINLESS STEEL HUB: Precisely engineered and built for durability; WARRANTY: 2 year limited product warranty & 30 year motor warranty

$499.95

Bestseller No. 3

Breville BFP810 Sous Chef 16 Cup Food Processor, Black Truffle

STAINLESS STEEL HUB: Precisely engineered and built for durability; WARRANTY: 2 year limited product warranty & 30 year motor warranty

$499.95

Bestseller No. 4

Breville BFP610 Sous Chef 9 Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless Steel

WARRANTY: 2 year limited product warranty & 30 year motor warranty

$349.95

Bestseller No. 5

Breville BFP838 Paradice 16 Processor and Dicer, Brushed Stainless Steel

WARRANTY: 2 year limited product warranty & 30 year motor warranty

$699.95

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.