Food Processor-Worth the Price??

[PrincessKitty1]

Do you love yours and use it all the time or does it just sit on a shelf (like my bread machine before I gave it away! ).

Easy to clean or a pain? What brand do you like? How much should I expect to pay for a decent one?

Thanks!

(BTW I asked these questions a couple of months ago about a panini maker and I LOVE the one I ended up ordering from Amazon--we use it a lot and paninis are still a big treat .).

 

[mickeymaker2003]

I have a medium sized Kitchen Aid food processor and I really like it. I don't use it a ton, but when I want it, it is easy to use and put in the dishwasher. I will probably be using it tomorrow to crush Oreos for Oreo cheesecake and I like it for shredding cheese and vegetables. It is also great for making salsa.

 

[Pigeon]

I use it occasionally. For certain tasks like making pesto, it's indespensible. But for day to day stuff, I use my KitchenAid mixer all the time and the food processor not so much.

 

[geffric]

I rarely use my food processor.. crock pot all the time but not the food processor..

 

[dzneelvr]

I gave mine to a resale shop after it sat on the shelf unused for over 5 years. I seriously don't know what I ever used it for.....

 

[Imzadi]

I have the tiniest one. It barely even fits a whole can of chick peas in when I make hummus, which is pretty much all I use it for.

 

[aubriee]

I guess I'm one that doesn't learn from her mistakes. I bought one years ago when they first became popular. I never used the thing and finally threw it away. A few years ago I decided I wanted another and promised myself I would use it. I believe it is sitting on one of the shelves out in the garage, but I couldn't swear to know exactly where it is (just like the big electric griddle I thought I had to have ). I think they're both out there somewhere.

 

[Glenna74]

A year ago I would have said it was indispensable. Then I got my KitchenAid stand mixer. Between the stand mixer and the stick blender, I'm covered about 98% of the times that I would have hauled out the food processor. And I do bake and cook quite a lot ... it's just easier to clean the other two appliances.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

I use my Cuisinart at least once a week. I'm always making pesto, chopping nuts, grinding hummus, etc. I've had it for at least 15 years (maybe more). I know that it came with us from our old house to this one and we've been here 14 years. It's easy to clean but my only complaint is that the bowl is plastic and one small part near the base has broken off. So, I have to hold it in place while it runs.

 

[MommaSnowwhite]

I have a larger black and decker one and small Cuisinart one. The small one is great for sauces and small jobs. I love the large one for making soup, shredding cheese and veggies. Depending on my mood I can use it a couple of times a week to once a month. I love having one. I know that the black and decker one isn't the best brand out there, but i have had it for at least 5 years and it is still going strong - I think that the high end ones are best if you will use it frequently, but my black and decker has been great for a more occasional user.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

It depends a lot on the kind of cooking you do. I have a President's Choice (store brand) one that was not very expensive, but I really like it. It's easy to put together and to clean. I also have a mini processor that is great for small jobs.

We're vegan, so we eat a lot of hummus, bean dips and vegetable soups that are so much easier with the food processor. I also like to bake pies, and the processor makes it so simple to make a pie crust. We use it probably once or twice a week.

My daughter, however, who is a more "from-scratch" cook than I am, uses hers every day. She has a Cuisinart and loves it. I find it harder to put together and to clean, though.

Teresa

 

[Sillyminny40]

I use it to grate big huge blocks of cheese! Also, slices veggies for pizza etc.
If you are not a make from scratch person, you may not like it. I love it. Also my kitchen aid mixer and blender.

You may find something yummy here:
http://www.cuisinart.ca/en/recipes.php?state=recipes

 

[kissy]

I use mine so much I ended up breaking it and haven't replaced it yet. I loved it for doing things like chopping onions. I'm a kitchen appliance junkie though. I've got everything from a quesadilla maker to a panini press to a kitchen aid mixer and everything in between. I honestly don't have any appliance I don't use. Anthing to make my cooking easier.

 

[prncess674]

If you aren't sure you are going to use one then buy a used one on Craigslist or from a garage sale. I would go with a good quality used over a cheap new one. Cuisinart and Kitchen-Aid are top quality. Here in the DC area there are always a few a week on CL. I got one that was nearly new from a couple who had gotten it as a wedding gift. I just ran the bowls and attachments through the dishwasher before using it.

 

[crisi]

I use my Cuisinart at least once a week. I'm always making pesto, chopping nuts, grinding hummus, etc. I've had it for at least 15 years (maybe more). I know that it came with us from our old house to this one and we've been here 14 years. It's easy to clean but my only complaint is that the bowl is plastic and one small part near the base has broken off. So, I have to hold it in place while it runs.

That's me as well. There are a lot of things that the Kitchenaid stand mixer is better for, or the stick blender - but when it comes to chopping nuts, grating cheese, slicing cucumbers - the Cuisinart comes out. I've had mine 20 years. Washes up fairly easily in the dishwasher.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

Thanks for all the very helpful replies. DH is the cook around here and I read all the replies in this thread out loud to him as they came in. He has some Amazon rewards built up so he's thinking about a KitchenAid or Cuisinart food processor from Amazon. I'll post more if he ends up getting one!

 

[stacy347]

I love, love, love mine! It is one of the cheaper ones (Hamilton Beach) but it works wonderfully! I especially love it for slicing potatoes...I could never get them as thin as I wanted for fried potatoes or when making a gratin but they come out perfectly in the processor. The pieces all go in the dishwasher so it's very easy to clean up.

 

[Stephanie218]

We got one for our wedding, and have yet to use it. DH is gone now though, and I don't cook a lot by myself, so we'll see if we break it out when he comes home.

 

[sms]

I have a Black and Decker Quick and Easy. Got it at WalMart for $40! I LOVE it! Use it to slice veggies, to make egg salad, chicken salad, salsa, dips, hummus, chop cabbage for slaw, I coud go on and on!

 

[Momma2dakidz]

I use mine ALL the time, i have a cheap Rachel Ray brand that i bought on ebay and i just LOVE it.