Versatile and reliable, the food processor is a benchtop staple that saves time (and sweat) in the kitchen.
From whipping up hummus to making breadcrumbs to blending soup or baby puree, this small but mighty kitchen appliance can do it all and deserves a spot in your arsenal of appliances.
And if you’re in need of a replacement or upgrade, there are a few factors to consider when investing in a new food processor, including:
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Capacity: how many people are you cooking for and what kinds of dishes?
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Attachments and functions: which settings will you need for your types of baking and cooking e.g. slicing, kneading and dicing?
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Watts: How much power will you need for the task at hand?
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Controls: are the standard ‘on’, ‘off’ and ‘pulse’ enough – or would you like more variety?
To help narrow your decision, we’ve rounded up some of the best food processors on the Aussie market for every need. From the best budget food processor to the best blender for kneading, there’s a whiz-bang model for every home chef.
2024’s TOP FOOD PROCESSOR
- Ninja Professional Food Processor, $149.99 (usually $249.99), Ninja Kitchen (here’s why)
- Breville The Kitchen Wizz 11 Plus Food Processor, $429 (usually $629), Myer (here’s why)
- 3.5 Cup Mini Food Processor, $129 (usually $169), KitchenAid (here’s why)
The Best Food Processors of 2024
01
Ninja Professional Food Processor
$149.99 (usually $249.99) at Ninja Kitchen
Best for: all-around performance
Looking for an affordable food processor that delivers top-notch performance? Consider the Ninja Professional Food Processor. With its four food-processing functions—chop, slice, puree, and mix—cooking becomes a breeze. Whether you’re preparing ingredients, mixing dough, or streamlining your cooking process, this kitchen essential does it all at the touch of a button.
Key features:
- Non-slip feet
- Dishwasher safe components
- BPA free
- One-year warranty
02
Breville The Kitchen Wizz 11 Plus Food Processor
$429 (usually $629) at Myer
Best for: serious cooks looking to make an investment
Featuring super fine variable slicing capacity, this Breville food processor can do it all – from chopping, slicing, grating, pureeing, making dough – with reliability and precision. It’s a splurge item but an appliance that will stand the test of time and get the job done.
Key features:
- 24 thickness settings
- 1000W
- Extra wide chute
- Includes storage box for accessories, including quad blade, dough blade, small blade and reversible grating disc
Also available at:
- $529 from Breville
- $477 (usually $629) from Appliances Online
03
3.5 Cup Mini Food Processor
$129 (usually $169) at KitchenAid
Best for: compact convenience
Small but mighty, KitchenAid’s mini chopper features a compact design that’ll aid your chopping, mixing and pureeing without fuss.
Key features:
- 3.5 cup bowl
- Available in four colourways
- Two speeds and pulse
- Drizzle basin
- Easy to clean
Also available at:
- $149 (usually $169) from Minimax
04
Nutribullet Food Processor
$99 at Amazon
Best for: chopping and preparing
From Julienne to fine shredding, spiralizing to shredding, this Sunbeam food processor is the ideal model for chopping, and comes with an impressive array of blades and discs.
Key features:
- Five blade attachments
- Easy-to-use interface
- 450-watt motor
- Dishwasher safe unit
- Seven cup capacity
05
Magimix Food Processor
$799 at Myer
Best for: kneading dough and heavy-duty mixing
If you consider yourself a serious baker or are after something that can stand up against heavy-duty mixing, this food processor for Magimix is a worthy investment. Of course, it can do all of the classics like chopping, mixing, blending and pureeing but its ability to knead is unmatched. Plus it has a 30-year warranty should you run into issues decades from now.
Key features:
- Super quiet design
- Comes with a recipe book and spatula
- Three bowls of differing sizes
06
Russell Hobbs Desire Food Processor
$129 (usually $169) at Big W
Best for: affordability
Perfect for simple culinary ventures like chopping salads, creating dips and grating cheese, this affordable food processor from Russell Hobbs gets the job done.
Key features:
- 2.5L work bowl with 1.4L capacity
- Two speeds and pulse function
- Dishwasher-safe removable parts
- 600-watts
Is it better to buy a blender or food processor?
It really depends on your needs in the kitchen and what you plan to use it for. Blenders are great for making smoothies, soups, and sauces, and they can also handle crushing ice and blending fruits and vegetables.
Food processors, on the other hand, are more versatile and can chop, slice, shred, and puree a variety of foods. If you need a tool for food prep tasks like chopping, slicing, and shredding, a food processor might be more suitable.
Related article:
- Air fryers 101: Everything you need to know about the benchtop game-changer
- 7 easy-to-use bread makers for home-baking bliss
- Cook like the pros with these high-quality non-stick fry pans
The post How to find the best food processor for your needs appeared first on Women's Weekly Food.
