Cooking is a valuable skill that can provide you with food that is much healthier than a diet of takeout meals and in-between packaged snacks. However, just like with everything else, there is a tradeoff here; you need to invest a lot of time to transform healthy, raw ingredients into tasty and no-less-healthy meals. Fortunately, there are some modern tools and devices that can make your kitchen exploits happen a lot faster and easier.
Mini food processors are a must-have if you’re cooking at least several times a week. They can chop, slice, dice, puree, or even crush most fruits and veggies you throw in them. This saves you a lot of time, makes the preparation of your meals more pleasant, and the resulting dish ends up looking much better. As a nice bonus, mini food processors replace multiple stand-alone devices in your kitchen cabinets, so you have less stuff to store and clean once you’re done cooking.
Mini food processors come in a variety of models that offer different functionality and boast different price tags, ranging from little more than the price of a single takeout meal to significant investments that reward you with a shiny, multifunctional beast. We’ve reviewed the top choices and compiled this list of the best mini food processors.
KitchenAid KFC3516ER Food Chopper
Let’s start off with a budget-friendly mini food processor that can still do a lot of chopping and slicing. The KFC3516ER is an entry-level model from KitchenAid’s extensive line of food processors, but it does deliver a lot of bang for your buck.
The processor’s bowl can hold around 3.5 cups of ingredients, so it should be enough for most chopping needs, even if you’re doing meal prep and cooking in bulk. The rolling blade can be operated at two different speeds and even has various pulse settings so that you can control how finely your veggies are going to be chopped.
The processor is compact and lightweight, so it’s easy to handle and store. The bowl is BPA-free and dishwasher-friendly, so you can just toss it into the dishwasher and not even worry about having to clean it. Overall, the KitchenAid KFC3516ER is a great choice for those who need a high-quality device without a lot of extra functionality.
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KitchenAid KFP0933ER Food Processor with ExactSlice System
If you need a more powerful food processor that can work with up to 9 cups of ingredients, you should take a look at the senior model in the KitchenAid food processors lineup. This device can hardly be called “mini,” but it makes up for the bulkiness in versatility.
The KFP0933ER model has two work bowls: a smaller one to hold three cups of ingredients and a larger one for 9 cups. You won’t even have to cut bigger vegetables like tomatoes or potatoes manually before you put them into the processor because you can simply feed them into the machine through an extra-wide feed tube.
Thanks to the ExactSlice system, as well as multiple Pulse speed settings, you can achieve different levels of chopping finesse. In addition, this model comes with two separate discs for shredding and slicing. Add in the special pizza dough blade, and you can see just how many kitchen actions can be performed with this food processor.
BLACK+DECKER HC306 Electric Food Chopper
If it’s simplicity and affordability you’re after, take a closer look at this little guy. The HC306 model from BLACK+DECKER has a small work bowl that can only accommodate 1.5 cups of ingredients, but that’s okay if you only cook occasionally and in small portions.
The food processor has a stainless steel self-sharpening blade, so you don’t have to worry about it getting dull and rendering the whole device useless. The bowl has a safe lock mechanism, so you can fill it up completely and know that all ingredients are still going to stay inside the bowl even while the device is on. It is also dishwasher-friendly, making the cleaning process as short and convenient as it gets.
The processor is controlled with a single button, which is only reasonable given the simple functionality it offers. You can achieve slightly varying degrees of chopping finesse, but that’s about as flexible as it gets with this processor. And that’s okay, because the key selling points of this little device are the ease of use and attractive price. We wouldn’t recommend the BLACK+DECKER HC306 for someone who cooks a lot, but it’s ideal for some occasional chopping assistance or for making sauces and dips.
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Proctor Silex Hamilton Beach 72500RY Food Chopper
This is the last minimalistic entry on our list, just in case you need a very simple food processor and somehow didn’t like the previous one. This chopper from Proctor Silex is slightly bulkier than the one from BLACK+DECKER, but it is also a little more powerful. The work bowl is made from BPA-free plastic and can be filled with up to 1.5 cups of fruit and vegetables to be chopped. It can also be cleaned in the dishwasher, which makes using it easier and more convenient.
There is only one button on this mini food processor that you have to press to activate the device. It may seem inconvenient to some, but it is a safety measure to prevent the chopper from accidentally running for too long. Also, you won’t even have to hold the button down for a long time because the processor is powerful and normally does its job within seconds. Depending on how you control the device, you can get the contents of the bowl pureed (keep holding the button for a relatively long time), or just chopped (hold the button down for some seconds, then release it; repeat until the ingredient pieces are as small as you’d like them to be).
Ninja 400-Watt Blender/Food Processor
This is a truly miniature food processor, featuring a compact base and a sleek, modern design. However, don’t let the mini size fool you; this processor is capable of chopping and grinding your fruits and veggies in the blink of an eye.
The small base houses a 400-watt motor to power the two blades (chopping and stacked) that come with the processor. In addition, you also get two work bowls, one of which is a pitcher that can hold up to 48 ounces of ingredients, and an actual bowl that can hold 16 ounces of food you need to process. This way, the device can be used both as a blender to make smoothies or purees and as a food processor to chop your ingredients before you cook them.
The additional accessories include anti-splash guards for both bowls, so you can be sure that your kitchen remains clean and you only have to wash the blade and bowl (the latter can simply be tossed into a dishwasher, by the way).
KitchenAid KFP0718CU Food Processor
We have already discussed two great models from KitchenAid, but what if you need a mid-range mini food processor that can still work with a large amount of ingredients? KitchenAid has an answer to your needs, the KFP0718CU food processor that can work with up to 7 cups of fruits and vegetables at a time.
Simplicity and ease of use must have been on the minds of KitchenAId engineers a lot when they worked on this product, because this mini food processor is extremely easy to set up, use, and clean. The bowl can be installed and secured with just one motion, and it is designed in a way that prevents leaks. Operating the device is also very easy; just press the buttons for High, Low, or Pulse speed, and your job is done. The buttons are LED backlit, so it’s easy to locate them even if your kitchen doesn’t have the best lighting.
This food processor comes with a multifunctional blade and a special disc for slicing and shredding. All accessories can be stored in the bowl and cleaned in the dishwasher, so all you have to do is press the button and enjoy the chopped or pureed food in a matter of seconds.
Hamilton Beach 70740 Food Processor
This mini food processor won’t break the bank, but it will chop and shred up to 8 cups of ingredients surprisingly fast. It has two speeds and a special pulsing mode to obtain nice, evenly chopped bits of food. The processor comes with two blades, one of which is a multifunctional chopping blade, and the other a slicing disc. The blades are powered by a 450-watt motor, so it won’t be long before your fruits and vegetables are ready to be further cooked or consumed.
The bowl has a feeding tube, so you don’t have to add all the ingredients at one time. And the tube is wide, so you likely won’t even have to cut up larger vegetables like potatoes or cucumbers before you put them into the bowl. The lid with the feeding tube can be flipped for convenient and compact storage. Despite having a large bowl, the device can work with small volumes of ingredients, too, so you can quickly chop an onion for a sauce or shred some cheese. Once you’re done, remove the blade and bowl from the base and toss them into the dishwasher; that’s all the cleaning you’ll have to do.
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Keelive Food Processor
You may be cooking in bulk for a big family, which would likely mean having to fill up the bowl several times before you reach the needed amount of ingredients. Fortunately, this food processor from Keelive may be the solution to your problem, because it can hold as much as 10 cups of fruits and veggies. What’s more, it can also grind meat, which means that it’s capable of replacing yet another device on your kitchen shelves.
The chopping unit has four blades for increased efficiency and chopping speed. The bowl accommodating the blades and your ingredients is made of glass, so you don’t have to worry about BPA and all those other harmful substances in plastic leaking into your food. Both the bowl and the blades are dishwasher-friendly, so cleaning the unit after you’re done working with it is a breeze. The device also has two different speed settings, and, of course, you can imitate the pulsing mode by holding and releasing the button; yes, you do have to hold it down for the processor to work, but it increases the device’s safety, and all the chopping doesn’t take long anyway.
Ninja BL770 Food Processor
SharkNinja is a company that is known for producing excellent kitchen devices, and the BL770 mini food processor is no exception. You get a huge 72-ounce pitcher for frozen blending or ice crushing, a multifunctional 8-cup bowl for just about any chopping or dicing purposes, and two Nutri Ninja cups that can be used to blend smoothies and take them with you on the go.
The 1,500-watt motor powering the unit is capable of reducing just about any ingredient you can throw at it to a soft, even puree. Nuts, ice cubes, and large chunks of food that could be a problem for many other food processors are not even slightly challenging for this Ninja device.
With this food processor, you can even make pizza dough in a matter of minutes. It’s very versatile and comes with a number of high-quality work bowls made from BPA-free plastic, so we think that the higher-than-market-average price is justified. Oh, and we also have to mention that you’ll be getting a recipe book with 30 recipes for delicious smoothies, which is definitely going to come in handy if you’re new to blending and need some ideas for inspiration.
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Cuisinart DLC-2APK Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor
This little machine is ideal for a one-person household, offering an affordable price and reasonably good performance to match it. The DLC-2APK model has one work bowl that can contain up to 24 ounces of whatever foods you need to chop. The appliance is compact and lightweight, so you’ll easily find a place for it in your kitchen, even if it’s already crammed with dishes and other devices.
This mini food processor has a unique blade that has both sharp and blunt edges. The blunt ones can be used to grind spices, while the sharp ones will take care of fruits and vegetables. The bowl and the blade are dishwasher-friendly, providing an easy way to clean the processor after you’re done using it. The motor also provides the smart auto-reversal feature to give you more control over the texture of your blend.
The Cuisinart DLC-2APK is available in several colors, including red and pink, which are surely going to appeal to female users and potential owners. Inside the box, you will also find a spatula and a recipe book to help you get started with your new device. Overall, we feel like you’re getting a really good deal for your money with this mini food processor.
Cuisinart DFP-14NRY Custom Food Processor
Just like most other brands and manufacturers on our list, Cuisinart doesn’t just have one food processor model on the market. You can count on the DFP-14NRY model to cover all your chopping, dicing, and blending needs for years to come. Similar to all other Cuisinart mini food processors, this one comes with a spatula and a recipe book, so you’re getting some nice bonuses from the start.
However, there is more to this food processor than the additional accessories. The Cuisinart DFP-14NRY comes with three blades: a multifunctional chopping blade, a disc for slicing, and a disc for shredding. All three are made from high-quality stainless steel and will stay sharp for a long time before you have to worry about sharpening or replacing them.
The huge work bowl can hold up to 14 cups of ingredients, which should be enough even for the largest families. It also has an extra-wide feeding tube that is large enough for whole potatoes and cucumbers. You’re also getting a small and a large pusher for the tube so that you don’t have to push the ingredients in with your hands.
TIBEK Food Processor
TIBEK may not be a household name in the world of kitchen appliances, but their food processor is a very decent competitor compared to most of the other devices on our list. This is a truly multifunctional unit, allowing you to make smoothies, chop veggies, dice fruits, make hummus, and even knead pizza dough.
If you cook on a regular basis, you know that there are numerous small kitchen activities that can make the whole cooking process slow and unenjoyable. With this mini food processor from TIBEK, you can forget about all the manual chopping and dicing. All you have to do is toss the washed and peeled ingredients into the work bowl (it holds up to 12 cups of ingredients, by the way) and rotate the control wheel to achieve great results in mere seconds.
This food processor comes with three chopping discs, a universal blade, a pizza dough blade, and a bowl scraper. All accessories are made from high-quality materials and can be cleaned in a dishwasher, saving you further time and effort.
Hamilton Beach 70820 Food Processor
This unit is a solid mid-range performer, offering a lot of versatility and a large 8-cup bowl at a reasonable price. The food processor is supplied with a reversible disc for shredding, an adjustable disc for slicing, a multifunctional blade, a blade for kneading pizza dough, and a bowl scraper. This means that the 70820 model from Hamilton Beach can take on dozens of small kitchen jobs that would normally turn cooking into a chore. However, once you delegate them to this device, cooking becomes fun and enjoyable because you’re able to see the results of your efforts much sooner.
The large feeding tube makes sure that you don’t have to do any additional preparation before you toss the ingredients into the bowl. You can run the processor at two speeds and make use of the pulse mode to achieve various textures for the end result. The accessories have a special storage case, but you can also simply store them in the bowl. Both the bowl and the blades can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
Braun FP3020 Food Processor
If you’re after some European design and quality, the FP3020 food processor from Braun could be right up your alley. It has a large 12-cup BPA-free plastic bowl, so you can chop and slice a lot of ingredients at once. The processor can also function at varying speeds, and you can even adjust the speed setting for the pulse mode, so there is quite a number of textures you can achieve with this device.
The food processor has a powerful 600-watt motor that is powerful enough even for challenging tasks, such as chopping a carrot or some nuts. It even has a special attachment for juicing, so you can have some fresh orange juice straight out of your food processor. Along with the juicer, you’ll also find multiple blades and shredding discs, as well as kneading and whipping attachments in the box.
You can also buy some additional accessories for it, such as a small work bowl for sauces and dips, or a special attachment for making french fries. Given the price of this food processor, the additional accessories could have been included in the box, but the unit does its job so well that we felt ready to shell out some more money for the attachments.
Costway 5-In-1 Food Processor
We are finishing off our list with another multifunctional mini food processor that can also grind your meat and make you smoothies in addition to the standard chopping and dicing functions. The Costway food processor is also extremely safe, automatically shutting down if overloaded and refusing to start if not assembled properly.
The unit comes with several work bowls, multiple blades and chopping discs, as well as a special cleaning brush to clean the non-removable parts. Everything else can be detached and tossed into the dishwasher for effortless cleaning. The wide feeding tube allows you to spend very little time preparing your ingredients to be chopped. All you have to do is wash and peel them, and the food processor will take care of the rest.
Given the number of accessories you get with this mini food processor, we feel that its price is more than fair, and we can only recommend this unit to someone who is looking for a versatile machine to facilitate their cooking endeavors.