The 5 Best Food Processors That Slice, Dice And Pulverize With Ease

Forbes09-05-2025

A food processor is among the most versatile kitchen appliances, capable of puréeing, grating, chopping, slicing and mixing everything from nuts and seeds to tender herbs. A sturdy design and high motor power are essential—but so are well-designed discs and attachments, simple controls and easy-to-clean parts. Out of the very best food processors, the one we recommend first is the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor, a powerful pick with just two intuitive settings.
Some of the best food processors come from Cuisinart, Magimix and Breville.
Whether you're whipping up homemade hummus or making carrot cake for the first time, the right processor can significantly increase your confidence and efficiency in the kitchen. 'They make trying new foods and dishes much more approachable,' says Jey Kempin, a chef-instructor at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. And even if you don't have ambitious plans, a reliable model can reduce the amount of time you spend on routine chopping tasks: 'It can cut the time used to prep ingredients in half,' Kempin adds.
When deciding between models, you want to keep a few factors in mind: the size of your household, the amount of storage space you're willing to spare and the frequency with which you can see yourself using the machine. From a petite, under-$50 option to a professional-grade pick you might find in a restaurant kitchen, here are the best food processors to help you tackle daily prep work and project recipes alike.
Amazon
Capacity: 14 cups | Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.8 x 15 inches | Motor power: 720 watts | Included pieces: Work bowl, work bowl cover with feeding tube, small feeding tube and pusher, slicing disc, medium shredding disc, chopping/mixing blade
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Cuisinart has been the gold standard of food processors for over half a century now—and with this machine, it's easy to see why. Powered by a 720-watt motor, this model can effortlessly break down everything from dense nuts and beets to soft cheeses and delicate herbs. 'It grinds tougher foods with no issue,' says Kempin, who recommends this model for home cooks. Its 14-cup capacity is also plenty big for almost all recipes, providing ample space to blitz enough salsa to feed a party, shred zucchini for bread or mix together a standard batch of pastry dough.
Beyond its sheer power and size, the Custom's design makes it a dream to use. First, it has just two paddle controls—'on' and 'off/pulse'—the latter of which 'allows for more control over the final product's texture,' says Kempin. We also appreciate its extra-large feed tube, which obviates the need to chop all your ingredients into smaller parts, saving you time in the kitchen.
Lastly, this food processor comes with a handful of versatile attachments—and not a ton of extra pieces that will never see the light of day. Alongside the BPA-free work bowl and brushed stainless steel base, it includes a 4-millimeter stainless steel slicing disc, a medium shredding disc and a blade for dough and other mixing tasks, all of which rinse off easily with a little soap and water. Just note that this model is relatively heavy, weighing in at 18 pounds, so it's best stored on lower shelves. Its large capacity also makes it bulky, so this may not be a great pick for smaller or storage-strapped kitchens.
Walmart
Capacity: 8 cups | Dimensions: 7.6 x 9.6 x 15.2 inches | Power: 350 watts | Included pieces: Work bowl, two reversible shredding and slicing discs (one medium, one fine)
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If you're seeking a more wallet-friendly option, we also like this model from Cuisinart's Elemental line, which you can often find for less than $100. While the design is a little less premium (the base is made from plastic, for example, and the feed tube isn't quite as wide as the 14-cup above), it's still an absolute powerhouse. While its 8-cup capacity is also still large enough for the average recipe, the machine takes up less storage space than our top pick.
While this food processor—which comes with both a fine and medium reversible shredding and slicing discs—can tackle most basic tasks with ease, its chopping and dicing capabilities aren't quite as precise as with higher-end picks. In the two years that I've owned and used this model, though, I haven't once been disappointed by its performance; while I most often reach for it to make roasted tomato salsas and romesco sauce in the summer, I've also used it to pulverize pesto ingredients and vegetables for soup. Additionally, the four controls (low, high, pulse and off) are very straightforward, and the work bowl locks securely into the base. Notably, for those who hate hand-washing the dishes, all the removable parts are dishwasher safe.
Amazon
Capacity: 12 cups | Dimensions: 8.5 x 7.5 x 17 inches | Power: 1,000 watts | Included pieces: Slicing blade, dough blade, slicing disc, grating disc
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As the most powerful model on this list, the Breville Sous Chef 12 is made for those who know their way around a kitchen and want a food processor they can really put to work. What really makes it stand out, though, is its design: The largest feed chute is extra wide, measuring 5 inches across, and there are two additional chutes in different sizes for smaller ingredients. It also comes a slicing blade, dough blade, grating disc and variable slicing disc, the last of which has a whopping 24 thickness settings.
When you're ready to use the machine, which requires all parts to be securely locked in place, power on the machine and choose between 'start' and 'pulse.' As it blends—even tougher ingredients like nuts and potatoes—its induction motor makes little noise, compared to most other models. And if the motor ever starts to work a little too hard and overheat, the machine has an overload protection system to prevent possible damage. Just keep in mind that the Sous Chef 12 does require a decent amount of storage space. While it has a smaller capacity than the Cuisinart Custom, it's nearly the same size and weighs almost as much (it clocks in at 16 pounds), meaning it's ideal for those who have spacious lower cabinets or shelves to store it.
Amazon
Capacity: 14 cups | Dimensions: 10 x 8.3 x 16.8 inches | Power: 950 watts | Included pieces: Three bowls (6-, 12- and 14-cup versions), two metal blades, two grating discs (fine and medium), two slicing discs (fine and medium), dough blade, blender attachment, egg whisk, spatula, storage box
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'A quality, high-powered food processor can be found in every commercial kitchen, and usually, it is a Robot-Coupe,' says Kempin. After all, the French brand invented the device in the 1970s. While you can buy a commercial-grade Robot-Coupe, for most home cooks, we'd instead recommend this model from the company's consumer line.
The model is relatively straightforward to use, despite its suitability for more technical tasks: There are only three buttons, which keep the machine running ("auto"), enable shorter, controlled bursts ("pulse") and power it off. It's more than capable of slicing through large volumes of dense ingredients, thanks to it 950-watt motor that generates little noise as it runs, and beyond that, is paired with tons of discs and accessories that increase its overall versatility and justify the higher price.
To start, there are three work bowls (6-cup, 12-cup and 14-cup versions) to pick from, depending on the size of your task. And then, there are the accessories: A handful of relatively standard ones (like two metal metal blades, two grating discs and two slicing discs) plus a few nontraditional ones (such as a dough blade, blender attachment, egg whisk and spatula). If that sounds like a lot to keep track of, it is—but the machine also comes with a handy storage box to keep everything organized and in the same place.
Amazon
Capacity: 3 cups | Dimensions: 5 x 7 x 9.3 inches | Power: 250 watts | Included pieces: Stainless steel auto-reversing blade, spatula
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While the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus can't whip up extra-large batches of hummus or pesto, it can still help speed up tedious prep, and packs away into tighter kitchens with ease. Featuring a 3-cup capacity, this compact pick has two simple buttons: 'chop,' which breaks down ingredients into smaller pieces, and 'grind,' which further pulverizes blends into smooth dips and sauces. And though it doesn't come with additional discs, meaning it's not ideal for precise grating or shredding, the stainless steel auto-reversing blade is sharp enough to fly through everything from almonds to onions.
Since receiving this food processor as a gift over a year ago, editorial assistant Whitney Bruno has 'started to use this for just about everything,' she wrote in an ode to the Mini-Prep Plus. 'I no longer sweat over the estimated meal prep times on recipe websites and in cookbooks—I know I can count on the Mini-Prep to chop everything from herbs to carrots without wasting anytime.' This model is a favorite of Kempin's, too: 'I have had mine for over 12 years, and it is still going strong,' they say, adding that it comes in handy 'for quick sauces and fast meals at home.'
Forbes Vetted's home and kitchen team brings extensive experience testing, researching and reviewing kitchen essentials. We've published countless expert-informed roundups on staples including espresso machines, knife sets and wooden cutting boards.
To determine the best food processors for all kinds of home cooks, we compared features from top-rated models and tapped the expertise of a culinary-school instructor.
Whether you're thinking of swapping out your lagging food processor for a newer, higher-quality model, or you're investing in your very first one, here are the factors to keep front of mind as you shop.
With all kitchen tools, we typically suggest prioritizing models from trusted brands—and that guidance holds true for food processors. For decades, Cuisinart has been a name synonymous with food processors, and the high quality of their models is reflected on this list. Other top-performing models come from Breville, which makes some of our favorite kitchen products (including the best espresso machine and air fryer toaster oven), and Magimix by Robot-Coupe, which invented the first domestic food processor in the 1970s.
Food processors come in a range of capacities, from compact 3-cup versions to spacious 16-cup models. Not sure what size makes sense for your household? 'Think about the number of people you will be preparing food for—are you a single person, a family of five or do you host large dinner parties on a regular basis?' advises Kempin. They prefer models with 8- to 10-cup capacities, but frequent entertainers might benefit from a larger pick.
'Also, think about the space that is available in the kitchen,' adds Kempin. The higher the capacity, generally speaking, the more room the model requires. If you have little storage space to spare, consider a miniature model like the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor. While it's limited to smaller jobs due to its petite capacity, it can still blitz everything from nuts to onions with relative ease.
Most food processors come with a standard stainless steel blade to blitz ingredients, as well as additional discs for shredding and slicing. While the main blade can handle most tasks, specialized discs can increase the overall versatility of the machine. In particular, Kepmin likes the grating disc: 'Not only is this helpful with cheeses, but you can grate vegetables like cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cucumbers.'
Just keep in mind that the discs require extra storage space, so if you don't foresee yourself using most of them, don't splurge on a model that comes with a higher price tag that's partly due to the number of attachments. It's also worth noting that, with some machines, you can purchase additional discs separately.
Food processors with 12- to 14-cup capacities typically cost anywhere from $100 to $500. In general, the larger the capacity and the stronger the motor, the higher the price. If you're struggling to determine how much to spend, consider how frequently you plan on using the machine and how much food you typically prepare at once. For example, if you only like to make small batches of almond butter on occasion, you don't need a premium model like the Magimix. But for those who foresee themselves using a food processor for large tasks a regular basis, the upgrade might be worth it.

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