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How to Choose and Buy a Food Processor

Here are some hints and tips on some of the things to consider when choosing and buying a food processor:

Consider the Capacity of the Food Processor

Your main food processor bowl capacity, unless you have a mini processor, should be no smaller than 1.4 litres and can be anything up to 3 litres in capacity. When deciding which model of food processor to buy, try to bear in mind the size of the jobs you are likely to be using the machine for, and choose one with a main bowl capacity to suit your needs.

Wattage

You’ll need to make sure that your food processor is powerful enough to handle any job that you want it to do. Food processors can vary from anywhere between 400W to 1100W or more. A high wattage motor will ensure that you will be able to complete jobs quickly and will be more suitable for heavy use. Try to buy the most powerful model that you can for the money that you have available and aim to buy a 750W or higher model if you can.

Blades

Food processor blades should be stainless steel - anything else won’t be durable enough. Most food processors will come with a range of blades and discs for different tasks, allowing you to shred and julienne, for example. The more blades and discs the machine comes with, the more versatile and therefore better value for money it will be.

Dishwasher Safe Parts

Most food processors now have dishwasher-safe parts to make cleaning them easier, but it’s always worth double checking.

Versatility of the Food Processor

Try to choose a versatile food processor. Some food processors come with a small bullet blender so that you can undertake different tasks at the same time. This can be extremely useful and will also save you money, as you won’t need to buy a separate blender. Other models also have juicer and citrus press attachments.

Safety Features

Many models of food processor have safety features such as non-slip feet and interlocking lids to give you peace of mind, so it’s worth checking the product descriptions to see if the model that you’re considering has these.

Warranty

Check to see how long the food processor that you are considering is guaranteed for, as the length of the warranty can vary from model to model.

Price

Have a clear idea of the amount of money that you are prepared to spend and stick to your budget. There are some professional catering standard processors available to the general public in the region of £250, but there are plenty of excellent models out there that you can buy for around £80 to £100.

However, as with all electrical goods, you do get what you pay for and it’s worth investing in a durable model which has a good range of blades and disks and a large mixing bowl, to ensure that you have a food processor which is versatile and will last you for years to come.

Food Processors - Extras

Some food processors come with extras such recipe books or a spatula. Check the product descriptions when you are choosing your food processor to see whether or not any extra items are included, as these can provide added value.

Further Information

If you want to buy a food processor, you can find out more about some of the top online suppliers, including details of their delivery times and postage and packaging costs, in our Where to Buy section.

You can find out about specific brands and models of food processor in our Brands and Top Models sections.

You can learn more about other types of kitchen appliance in our Types section.