Do you dream of perfectly chopped vegetables or silky smooth hummus in seconds? A great food processor makes kitchen magic happen. But when you look for the best one, the sheer number of choices can feel overwhelming. You hear about different brands and features, and it’s easy to get confused about which one truly lives up to the hype.
That confusion is real, especially when you trust expert opinions. America’s Test Kitchen is known for its tough testing and honest reviews. Finding their top-rated food processor means you want reliability and performance, but navigating their specific recommendations can still take time. You want to invest your money wisely in a machine that won’t quit after a few uses.
This post cuts through the noise. We dive deep into America’s Test Kitchen’s favorite food processors. You will learn exactly why they earned their top spots, what features matter most, and which model fits your cooking style perfectly. Get ready to stop guessing and start chopping with confidence!
Top Rated Food Processor America’S Test Kitchen Recommendations
- POWERFUL PERFORMANCE: Equipped with a 1000-peak-watt motor, this Ninja food processor effortlessly handles tough ingredients, ensuring smooth and consistent results every time.
- AUTO-IQ TECHNOLOGY: Features 4 Auto-iQ intelligent preset programs that take the guesswork out of food prep, providing one-touch control for chopping, slicing, pureeing, and dough making.
- LARGE CAPACITY: The 9-cup bowl is perfect for large batches, making it ideal for family meals, entertaining, or weekly meal prep, saving you time and effort in the kitchen.
- PRECISION BLADES: Includes stainless steel precision blades designed for optimal performance, ensuring even chopping, slicing, and pureeing of all your ingredients.
- DOUGH BLADE INCLUDED: Comes with a specialized dough blade that makes mixing dough for bread, pizza, and pastries a breeze, delivering professional-quality results at home.
- SUPERIOR FUNCTION: The Cuisinart Food Processor with 720-watt motor functions as a vegetable chopper, blender, and food processer in one. Make any kind of dip, puree soup, or sauce including hummus, salsa, guacamole, and more.
- MUST-HAVE FEATURES: The 14-cup food chopper has “on” and “off/pulse” buttons with an extra-large feed tube with bowl sleeve assembly designed for both small and large feed tube pushers. It also comes with a detachable disc stem for easy clean up.
- INCLUDED ACCESSORIES: This food processor comes with dishwasher-safe parts including a stainless steel standard slicing disc (4mm), medium shredding disc, and stainless steel chopping/mixing blade.
- NOTE TO CONSUMER: The shredding and slicing blades of this electric chopper are not adjustable. Please refer to the manual before setting up.
- LIMITED 3-YEAR WARRANTY: The Cuisinart Food Processor comes with a limited 3-year warranty on the entire unit and a full 5-year warranty on the motor.
- 【Indispensable Kitchen Helper】GANIZA BPA-FREE food processor features 2 sets of blades and paired bowls (8-Cup glass bowl and 8-Cup stainless steel bowl). Easily chop meat, fish, vegetables, nuts, frozen fruit, or make a salad, guacamole, etc, the food chopper is ideal for multiple kitchen tasks!
- 【Efficient Motor & Safety Insurance】The Full-copper motor supports a 3 times longer service life than regular motors. Adopting patented automatic stopping design to protect your family and child, and blades are spring-loaded and stop rotating immediately once you pop the motor out of the way.
- 【Please Note】Ganiza food processor is equipped with an overheating protection system. If the machine stops working, please wait a few minutes for the machine to cool down before starting it. Overheating protection system is built to ensure quality & lifetime, and also makes the food processor safe.
- 【Unlock Versatility with Two Bowls】Your food hygiene, we care. The Mixing Bowls are made from different materials (glass and sus 304 stainless steel) to avoid confusion between bowls for different uses, meat chopper and vegetable chopper, food processor.
- 【2 Speed - Great Time Saver】450 watts motor certified for professional use combined with upgraded two levels of "S" stainless steel blades, a few seconds is enough to turn any vegetable or meat into tiny bits. 2 cutting speeds to meet different needs of foods or texture.
- STACK AND SNAP TECHNOLOGY FOR EASY ASSEMBLY: With this well-designed food processor, you can skip frustrating, awkward assembly. Stack & Snap technology provides easy assembly and removes the need for difficult twist-locking.
- 12 CUP SEALED BOWL: Most food processors are too small for large processing jobs. This 12 cup sealed bowl fits large volumes of food all at once, and since it's sealed in the center, there's no messy leaks or spills to clean up after processing.
- BIG MOUTH CHUTE: Fit a whole potato or tomato right into the chute. The Big Mouth chute of this Hamilton Beach food processor saves prep time by reducing the need to pre-cut food before processing.
- SLICE, SHRED, CHOP, MIX AND PUREE WITH 2 VERSATILE ATTACHMENTS: This large food processor and vegetable chopper includes a chopping/pureeing blade and reversible stainless steel slicing/shredding disc so you can tackle every job with ease.
- QUICKLY POWERS THROUGH TOUGH INGREDIENTS WITH 450 WATT MOTOR: Shred cheese and potatoes, slice cucumbers and tomatoes, chop onions and herbs. As you process, the suction cup feet prevent sliding for greater stability on the countertop.
- MOST POWERFUL: With a 1200-peak-watt motor, this Ninja food processor powers through tough ingredients, making it the best of Ninja food processing.
- VERSATILE PROGRAMS: Featuring 4 Auto-iQ preset programs, this kitchen appliance removes the guesswork, making it easy to chop, slice, shred, puree, and mix dough.
- NINJA BLADE TECHNOLOGY: Experience uniform processing and evenly mixed dough with Ninja's innovative blade technology, perfect for any kitchen task.
- LARGE FEED CHUTE: The XL feed chute with a 3-part pusher easily accommodates any size ingredient, reducing prep time and making it an ideal vegetable chopper.
- REVERSIBLE SHREDDING DISC: Achieve fine or coarse results with the reversible shredding disc, making it a versatile food processor and chopper for all your needs.
- Simply stack and press to chop: The patented stack & press design makes it easy to assemble and use. Simply press the lid to chop and release to stop. Since all you do is stack the lid on top of the bowl, no difficult twist-locking is needed.
- Perfect size for everyday use: Chop and mix up to 3 cups of ingredients every day of the week with this 3 cup chopper. It's the perfect size for everyday use, yet small enough for easy storage.
- Easily chop, puree and emulsify with stainless steel blades: Durable stainless steel blades make easy work of a multitude of ingredients including onions, carrots and nuts. Oil dispenser on lid makes it easy to emulsify dressings, dips and sauces.
- Easy to clean: The bowl, lid and removable blades of the Hamilton Beach chopper are all dishwasher safe.
- Power through tough ingredients: This small food chopper has a 350 watt motor to provide all the power you need to prepare all types of food including onions, nuts, herbs, hummus, dressings and homemade baby food.
- ·blender and food processor combo, Multifunctional The professional food processor is feature-rich, offering 11 attachments to easily complete the work of a blender, chopper, citrus juicer, dough kneader, coffee grinder, vegetable slicer, mixer, and more. Whether you're a novice cook or a busy housewife, it will fulfill all your food processing needs. Save time and money
- ·Dual Lock Protection for Peace of Mind Cooking Hassle-free operation with dual top and bottom locking protection, the food processor will only operate when the bowl is securely locked to the base and the top is locked to the bowl. Non-slip feet on the base of the food processor blender machine prevent any accidental movement and double the safety.
- ·4 speeds with blue indicator light 14-cup food processor and blender combo handles tasks such as mixing, grating, and kneading easily and efficiently with the flick of a button, three speed settings, and a pulse button to create food at its best.
- ·Large capacity, time-saving all-round assistant The blender and food processor has a large 2.5-liter bowl and a 1.5-liter blender jar, plenty of capacity to help you create delicious meals for any occasion. The perfect food processing all-rounder for making tons of juices, shakes and smoothies.
- ·Preferred materials, full performance accessories The food processor is preferably made of food-grade compliant materials and comes with high quality stainless steel blades, blender and food grinder jugs, whisk, double pusher, spatula, and upgraded slicing and julienne discs for increased versatility in the kitchen. The addition of scales in the mixing jug and small feeder improves the practicality of measuring.
- The Breville Sous Chef 16 food processor is where precision and consistent size are the keys to beautiful presentation, even cooking and good taste; Create masterpiece meals in minutes with the 16 cup food processor large enough for your cooking goals
- RECIPES FOR HOME AND KITCHEN: Breville+ opens a world of instant mastery with over 1000 guided recipes, live and on-demand classes, cook guides, and more; Recipes from leading food content experts, tested and tuned exclusively for your Breville appliance
- THE CHEF'S ARMORY OF PRECISION: Slice, shred, French fry, mince and purée with your very own chef’s armory; Includes a 24 size adjustable slicer, reversible shredding disk, French fries disk, micro-serrated S-blade, dough blade and mini blade & bowl
- EXTRA LARGE 5.5 INCH FEED CHUTE: Food processor simplifies meal preparation; 3-in-1 feed chute designed to accommodate different shapes and sizes with precise results; Chute options range from 1.7 in to 5.5 in, reducing the need to pre-prep your food
- HEAVY DUTY INDUCTION MOTOR WITH 30 YEAR WARRANTY: Heavy duty induction motor has updated direct drive with a high torque 1450W motor to easily handle the toughest kitchen jobs; Large food processor will remain a favorite kitchen appliance for many years
The Ultimate Buying Guide for America’s Test Kitchen Rated Food Processors
America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) rigorously tests kitchen gear. When they rate a food processor, it means that model performs exceptionally well. Buying an ATK-rated processor gives you confidence in your purchase. This guide helps you choose the best one for your kitchen needs.
Key Features to Look For
When selecting a food processor, several features matter most. ATK focuses on power, versatility, and ease of use.
- Motor Power (Wattage): Look for processors with strong motors, usually 500 watts or more. Strong motors handle tough jobs like making thick dough or grinding hard nuts easily.
- Bowl Capacity: Standard full-size processors have bowls around 12 to 14 cups. This size works for most family cooking. Smaller 7-cup models are good for smaller tasks or apartments.
- Blade Quality and Variety: The main S-shaped blade must be sharp and durable. Good processors also include slicing and shredding discs. Check if the discs are reversible or adjustable for different thicknesses.
- Feed Tube Size: A wide feed tube lets you drop in whole vegetables, like large potatoes or carrots. This saves you time chopping things beforehand.
Important Materials
The materials used affect how long the processor lasts and how safe it is to use.
- BPA-Free Plastic: The work bowl and lid should be made from sturdy, clear plastic that is safe for food contact (BPA-free). You need to see what is happening inside while processing.
- Stainless Steel Blades: High-quality stainless steel blades resist rusting and stay sharp longer. Cheap blades dull quickly.
- Sturdy Base: The base holds the motor. A heavy base prevents the machine from “walking” across the counter when processing hard ingredients.
- Durable Controls: Buttons or dials should feel solid. Flimsy controls often break after heavy use.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
What makes one processor better than another often comes down to small design details.
Quality Boosters:
- Pulse Function: A responsive pulse button gives you short bursts of power. This feature helps you control texture, preventing over-processing things like salsa or hummus.
- Easy Cleanup: Components that safely go into the dishwasher improve the user experience significantly.
- Secure Locking Mechanism: The bowl must lock securely onto the base. Many modern processors will not turn on unless the lid and bowl are correctly locked, which improves safety.
Quality Reducers:
- Overheating: Processors that quickly overheat after just a few minutes of heavy work reduce quality. ATK testers watch for this.
- Food Traps: If the lid has many small crevices where food gets stuck, cleaning becomes a major hassle.
- Wobbly Base: If the machine shakes violently during operation, it signals poor balance or a weak motor housing.
User Experience and Use Cases
Think about what you plan to make most often. This guides your capacity choice.
Common Use Cases:
- Baking Doughs: If you frequently make bread or pizza dough, you need a powerful motor (over 600 watts) and a durable blade assembly.
- Meal Prepping Vegetables: For large batches of shredded carrots or sliced potatoes, prioritize a wide feed tube and high-quality slicing/shredding discs.
- Sauces and Spreads: For smooth hummus, pesto, or nut butter, a machine with a good seal and strong S-blade prevents ingredients from sticking to the sides.
An ATK-rated machine usually excels across all these tasks. They provide consistent results, meaning your homemade pesto will be smooth every time, not chunky one day and liquid the next. Always read reviews focusing on noise level, as some powerful machines can be very loud.
10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About ATK-Rated Food Processors
Q: Why should I trust an ATK rating over other reviews?
A: America’s Test Kitchen tests products in controlled, standardized ways. They use the product for many recipes, checking durability and performance repeatedly. Their ratings focus on how well the machine actually performs the job.
Q: Are the highest-rated food processors always the most expensive?
A: Not always. ATK often finds excellent mid-range models that perform just as well as premium brands. Price is not the only factor they consider.
Q: How do I clean the sharp blades safely?
A: Always clean the blades immediately after use. Rinse them under running water, or use a brush with soapy water. Never wipe the sharp edges with a cloth directly. Most blade assemblies are dishwasher safe.
Q: What is the ideal bowl size for a family of four?
A: A 12-cup or 14-cup bowl is generally ideal for a family of four. This lets you process enough ingredients for a main dish or side dish without needing multiple batches.
Q: Can a food processor replace a blender?
A: No. Food processors chop, slice, and mix thick items. Blenders are designed to liquefy ingredients, like making smoothies or creamy soups. They use different blade designs.
Q: Will an ATK-rated processor handle making almond flour?
A: Yes, if it has a strong motor (over 550 watts) and you process the almonds in small batches. You must pulse frequently to avoid turning the nuts into butter due to friction heat.
Q: What does it mean if the machine leaks while processing liquid?
A: Leaking usually means the lid or the center spindle is not seated correctly. Check that the bowl and lid seals are clean and properly locked into place before turning the machine on.
Q: How important is the quality of the slicing disc?
A: It is very important for presentation and even cooking. Poor discs create uneven slices. High-quality discs produce uniform slices that cook or look the same.
Q: Should I buy a model with continuous speed or only pulse?
A: You need both. Continuous speed is for tasks requiring a uniform texture, like making dough. The pulse setting gives you control for chopping vegetables or making chunky salsa.
Q: How long should the warranty be on a quality food processor?
A: Good processors usually offer a warranty of at least one year on parts and labor. Higher-end models often feature 5-year or even 10-year warranties covering the motor, showing the manufacturer trusts the durability.
Hi, I’m Larry Fish, the mind behind MyGrinderGuide.com.. With a passion for all things kitchen appliances, I created this blog to share my hands-on experience and expert knowledge. Whether it’s helping you choose the right tools for your culinary adventures or offering tips to make your kitchen more efficient, I’m here to guide you. My goal is to make your time in the kitchen not only easier but also enjoyable! Welcome to my world of kitchen mastery!