A food processor chops, slices, shreds, purees and in some cases mixes dough. For home cooks the main choices are bowl size, motor power and which blades and discs come in the box. A large bowl handles batches; a small one is easier to store and clean.
The six machines below run from a 5-cup compact Cuisinart to a 14-cup model, with Ninja and Hamilton Beach options in between. Sizes, watts and included parts come from each product’s listing page. We have not used these processors ourselves. Where a listing disagrees with itself, we say so.
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What to Look For
| Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Bowl size | 5 cups for small jobs; 9 to 14 cups for family batches |
| Motor watts | Higher numbers help with dough and dense foods; Ninja quotes peak watts |
| Included parts | Chopping blade, dough blade, slicing and shredding discs |
| Feed chute | A wide chute means less cutting beforehand |
| Cleanup | Look for dishwasher-safe parts and in-bowl storage |
Specs at a Glance
| Processor | Bowl and motor | Included parts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja BN601 | 9 cups; 1000 peak watts | Chopping blade, dough blade, reversible slice and shred disc | 4 Auto-iQ presets; dishwasher-safe parts |
| Ninja NF701 | 12 cups; 1200 peak watts | Chopping blade, dough blade, reversible shredding disc | 4 Auto-iQ programs; XL feed chute; 1-year warranty |
| Cuisinart 14-cup | 14 cups; 720 watts | Chopping blade; slicing and shredding discs in the bullets | Extra-large feed tube; 3-year warranty; listing parts list is inconsistent |
| Cuisinart Pro Custom 11 | 11 cups; 625 watts | Steel blade, three slicing and shredding discs, spatula | Manual controls; dishwasher safe |
| Hamilton Beach 70730 | 10 cups; 450 watts | Chopping blade, slicing disc, shredding disc | Built-in bowl scraper; 2 speeds plus pulse; 1-year warranty |
| Cuisinart FP-5 | 5 cups; 300 watts | Chopping blade; shredding and slicing disc | Cord storage in base; 3-year warranty; 5.91 in wide |
The 6 Best Food Processors for Home Cooks
1. Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor BN601
A 9-cup bowl on a 1000 peak watt base with four Auto-iQ presets for chopping, slicing, pureeing and dough, plus a dough blade, a reversible slicing and shredding disc and dishwasher-safe parts.
Suits: one-touch programs for mid-size batches. Strengths: a dough blade and presets. Weaknesses: the warranty is shown only as “1” on the listing. Skip it if you want dial control.
View Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor BN601 9-Cup on Amazon
2. Ninja Professional XL Food Processor NF701
A 12-cup bowl on a 1200 peak watt base, with four Auto-iQ programs, an XL feed chute with a three-part pusher, a chopping blade, a dough blade and a reversible shredding disc.
Suits: large batches and whole produce. Strengths: the XL chute and a 12-cup bowl. Weaknesses: a tall 17.5 inch build and a 1-year warranty. Skip it if counter height is tight.
View Ninja Professional XL Food Processor NF701 12-Cup on Amazon
3. Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor DFP-14BCNY
A 14-cup stainless steel model with a 720 watt motor, on and off/pulse buttons, an extra-large feed tube, a detachable disc stem, a 4 mm slicing disc, a medium shredding disc and a 3-year limited warranty.
Suits: the biggest bowl here. Strengths: simple controls and a 3-year warranty. Weaknesses: the discs are not adjustable, and the details table lists only the chopping blade. Skip it if you need adjustable slice thickness.
View Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor DFP-14BCNY on Amazon
4. Cuisinart Pro Custom 11-Cup Food Processor
An 11-cup brushed chrome unit at 625 watts with a steel blade, three slicing and shredding discs and a spatula, manual controls and dishwasher-safe parts.
Suits: a mid-large bowl with several discs. Strengths: three discs in the box. Weaknesses: the listing gives no warranty length. Skip it if you want presets.
View Cuisinart Pro Custom 11-Cup Food Processor DLC-8SBCYP1 on Amazon
5. Hamilton Beach Food Processor 70730, 10 Cups
A 10-cup, 450 watt processor with a built-in bowl scraper that works while it runs, two speeds plus pulse, a chopping and pureeing blade, a slicing and shredding disc and a large feed chute.
Suits: a scraper for sticky mixes. Strengths: the scraper and two speeds. Weaknesses: the lowest watts of the full-size models. Skip it if you plan to knead dough often.
View Hamilton Beach Food Processor 70730 10-Cup on Amazon
6. Cuisinart 5-Cup Chop and Shred Food Processor FP-5
A compact 5-cup, 300 watt machine 5.91 inches wide with a universal chopping blade, a reversible disc for fine and medium shredding, a wide-mouth feed tube, cord storage and in-bowl storage for parts.
Suits: small kitchens and small jobs. Strengths: easy storage and a 3-year warranty. Weaknesses: a small bowl. Skip it if you cook for a crowd.
View Cuisinart 5-Cup Chop and Shred Food Processor FP-5 on Amazon
Care and Setup
- Cut food into even pieces before you fill the bowl.
- Do not fill past the maximum line.
- Unplug before changing blades or discs.
- Check the manual for which parts go in the dishwasher.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying more bowl than you will use.
- Comparing peak watts with continuous watts.
- Assuming a disc is included without checking the parts list.
- Overfilling the bowl with liquids.
Food Processor FAQ
What size bowl do I need?
Five cups covers small jobs. Nine to fourteen cups suits family batches.
Which models list a dough blade?
Both Ninja models list one. The others list a chopping blade only.
The Short Version
For presets and dough, the Ninja BN601. For the roomiest Ninja, the NF701. For the biggest bowl, the Cuisinart 14-cup. For three discs, the Pro Custom 11. For a built-in scraper, the Hamilton Beach. For a small kitchen, the Cuisinart FP-5.
