What’s the difference between a food processor and a blender?
It’s all about the blades. Food processors tend to have sharper ones than blenders. This means processors will cut up your food and keep it in a solid form, while blenders will create liquids. Take a carrot, for example — a blender would make juice, whereas a food processor would dice it into cubes, retaining its texture and weight.
If soup and smoothies are staples in your diet, then a blender would be a good fit, but if you’re looking for something a little more versatile, it’s worth spending more on a food processor.
What should I look for when buying a food processor?
We’ve broken down the features worth considering when you’re shopping around for one of these multi-tasking machines.
Attachments: Most models come with a grating disc, slicing disc, chopping blade and dough blade as standard. These accessories are up to most everyday tasks, but there are a few other add-ons to watch out for, including alternative slicing discs, thick and thin grating sizes, spiralizer discs or dicing blades.
Pulse: A pulse function is great for controlling your chopping and avoiding any accidental puréeing, which can happen at full-speed. All the models featured above have this function.
Stability: It’s vital that a food processor is stable on a countertop because of the speed their blades spin at. All the models above have non-slip or suction-cup feet to limit movement.
Programmes: This tends to feature on more advanced models; choose between set modes such as puréeing, kneading or pulsing and leave your food processor to work while you focus on the next bit of food prep.
The verdict: Which is the best food processor?
If you love baking and want a powerful all-rounder with plenty of useful accessories, go for our winning Magimix, but if you want similar quality in a more compact, affordable package, try the Magimix C3160.
Buying a food processor for the first time and want an easy-to-use, reliable all-rounder? This Bosch model should suit. And to save time weighing out all your ingredients, our testers were won over by the Kenwood MultiPro Express and its built-in scales.
Why should you trust the Good Housekeeping Institute?
We’ve been testing kitchen appliances for 100 years at the GHI, so we know what makes a great cooking companion.
Hannah Mendelsohn, our homes editor has written hundreds of reviews and scrutinises every result to ensure we’re recommending the best products. Blossom Boothroyd, our homes testing manager develops our protocols and rigorously tests every appliance to ensure it won’t let you down.
