The Food Processor Topic

[LindaK]

My Cuisinart FP has been a workhorse for 20+ years. I did have to replace the workbowl a few years ago when it cracked after having a cast iron pot dropped on in, but the company was still able to replace it. It probably needs a new blade but the motor still runs like it's new.

[ElsieD]

Darienne, if you put stock into what Cook's Illustrated has to say, they recommend the KA KFP 750 12 cup FP. For a smaller one, they recommend the KA Chef's Chopper. My big FP is a Cuisinart, circa 1980, but I also have the small KA FP. It is the one that sits on my kitchen counter and I use it a lot.

[Darienne]

Thanks all for the information so far. It's either Cuisinart or Kitchen Aid. Considering the amazing finds we had while in Moab last time...maybe we'll wait and see what we can find there.

Do people really buy food processors and not use them?

[andiesenji]

Do people really buy food processors and not use them?

There are lots of people who buy food processors and other appliances and never use them or use them a few times and "forget" about them, particularly if they have little room to keep them out where they are handy.

Recently the thrift store to which I donated a pile of clothes that are now too large for me, had a boxed, never used Cuisinart priced at $30. I sent one of my neighbors down to buy it (military wife, small children, limited income) and she was thrilled to get it.

The church down the road from my home, has a "rummage" sale twice a year and I have seen several food processors over the years show up in their sales.

There are so many churches in my city that one can usually find a similar sale almost any weekend. I think the local council of churches schedules them so they don't conflict with each other. Check these sources as well as thrift shops. (I'm not a church goer but I have called the church secretary of the one down the road to find out when sales are going to be scheduled, I also donate to them.)

I have three Cuisinarts, different sizes, and use them all fairly often. I was considering buying the MagiMix 5150 special deal that has been in Napa Style catalog, mainly because it comes with some extras.

Then I had a second thought, curbed my buying impulse and decided, No! I really didn't need it.

However, I am still tempted. If I get this I can haul the Cuisinarts to my daughter and give her custody of them.

The 16-cup capacity of the MagiMix isn't as much as the big Cuis, but I can cope.

[Darienne]

I do love the price of the MagiMix 5150. From $30 - $549. Now that is unusual.

Also congratulations on the 'clothes that are now too big for me' issue. Not many of us can say that one.

Moab has these two main second hand store. It's a little town of about 5,000, hard scrabble and tourist mainly, and where all the stuff comes from I can't imagine. So I can manage with only a little processor for 26 more days. Oh, Moab, here we come!!!!

[John Rosevear]

Just chiming in here... I have a Cuisinart DLC-7 that's old enough to have been made in Japan, which means it's probably old enough to drink. It works hard and runs great. I've accumulated a whole bunch of discs and doodads for it, replaced a few parts once or twice... at this point I probably have most or all of the vintage accessories (except for that weird whisk/blender thing). If/when the motor ever goes I'll probably just buy another one via eBay or Craigslist and keep going. I have yet to see a newer model that is enough of an improvement to be worth making the change.

One little note on Cuisinarts for anyone who might be new to the breed: If you make a habit of putting the clear plastic bits in the dishwasher they don't last nearly as long, and while new replacements are available for most models (even the old ones) they're more expensive than you'd think and don't always fit as well as the originals. Hand wash for best results.

[Kerry Beal]

Just chiming in here... I have a Cuisinart DLC-7 that's old enough to have been made in Japan, which means it's probably old enough to drink. It works hard and runs great. I've accumulated a whole bunch of discs and doodads for it, replaced a few parts once or twice... at this point I probably have most or all of the vintage accessories (except for that weird whisk/blender thing). If/when the motor ever goes I'll probably just buy another one via eBay or Craigslist and keep going. I have yet to see a newer model that is enough of an improvement to be worth making the change.

One little note on Cuisinarts for anyone who might be new to the breed: If you make a habit of putting the clear plastic bits in the dishwasher they don't last nearly as long, and while new replacements are available for most models (even the old ones) they're more expensive than you'd think and don't always fit as well as the originals. Hand wash for best results.

Want one of those weird whisk/blendy things?

[John Rosevear]

Want one of those weird whisk/blendy things?

No thanks -- I don't want to give shelf space to it!

[Kerry Beal]

Want one of those weird whisk/blendy things?

No thanks -- I don't want to give shelf space to it!

Damn - love to clear a little shelf space here!

[Dakki]

Where does one get workbowls for an 11 cup KA? The safety tab on mine has broken (under normal load but out of warranty by now).

One complaint (besides the lack of ruggedness of the bowl assembly) is that the lid has an internal lip where food catches, particularly if I'm using the mini bowl. It catches rather a lot of stuff, which makes a mockery of my careful measuring of ingredients, spills all over the counter when I remove the bowl, and is hard to clean, to boot.

[prasantrin]

Did you check online? You can find a bowl for the 600 or 650 for only $40.

[Dakki]

Amazon only has the 12 cup ones I think, and I didn't find them on the KitchenAid site.

[baroness]

Where does one get workbowls for an 11 cup KA? The safety tab on mine has broken (under normal load but out of warranty by now).

One complaint (besides the lack of ruggedness of the bowl assembly) is that the lid has an internal lip where food catches, particularly if I'm using the mini bowl. It catches rather a lot of stuff, which makes a mockery of my careful measuring of ingredients, spills all over the counter when I remove the bowl, and is hard to clean, to boot.

Is THIS helpful?

[Dakki]

Ah, thanks!

[prasantrin]

Amazon only has the 12 cup ones I think, and I didn't find them on the KitchenAid site.

Did you actually look?

The actual vendor is Culinary Parts, but it's on Amazon.

[faith]

If anyone wants spare parts for a Cuisinart DLC-8 Plus, pm me. I've got a bunch of parts that need a new home: work bowl, regular blade, dough blade, three slicing disks and stem attachments (actually four, but two copies of one of them), feed tube and the larger lid piece into which the feed tube fits. (In other words, everything except the base and the lid itself.)

Edited to add that I meant to mention they're free.

Edited October 26, 2010 by faith (log)

[faith]

I'm pretty sure the parts in my last post have been spoken for. I'll repost if I'm wrong...

Edited to add that the parts have not been claimed after all.

Edited October 26, 2010 by faith (log)

[haresfur]

Anyone have any information on brands available in Europe or Australia like Kenwood or others? Any thoughts on food processors that have blender attachments? My blender met a premature end because I plugged it into the 240 V outlet on the voltage regulator/transformer (I had taped over the 240 V outlets on the regulator but then it got swapped with a second one that wasn't idiot-proofed .) I saw there is also a 'Jamie Oliver' brand made by Tefal.

I expect that I won't be a heavy user - pesto, pie crust, chopping nuts, some slicing when I'm in a hurry.

[Keith_W]

A food processor with a blender attachment will never get a puree as smooth as a blender. Even a blender won't get super-smooth purees unless you get a high powered blender like a Blendtec or a Vita-mix. Unfortunately those are very expensive in Australia.

I have a Magimix FP. I can tell you that slicing is best done with a knife. If I have to do a lot of slicing, I pull out the mandolin. I hate using the food processor for slicing, because it is a pain looking for the correct disc, then washing everything up afterwards. A mandolin is easy to wash. A food processor isn't.

[Susanwusan]

I'm looking to buy an inexpensive food processor.  Is the Adexa brand reliable for such equipment?

[gfweb]

what's your budget and planned use?

[Susanwusan]

Professional Stainless Steel Food Processor with Blender 1000W| Adexa FP407

Buy KENWOOD MultiPro Express FDP65.860WH Food Processor - White | Free Delivery | Currys

 

Those are the two I'm deciding between for light use on a daily basis.  The extra blenders etc., are not important, my main concern is the food processor.

Edited October 15, 2021 by Susanwusan (log)

[tikidoc]

My Cuisinart FP is starting to die, so I am looking for a replacement. The old one has started randomly overheating and stopping when performing tasks that should really not be too strenuous. It died yesterday when pulsing flour and butter to make Serious Eats pie dough (after about 15 pulses), so I had to toss the work bowl into the fridge to keep the butter cold. It worked when I went back to the task an hour later. This has been happening intermittently for a few months, so I’m looking for a replacement.

 

When I use the food processor, I often make extra food to freeze so I’d like a larger (12-16 cup) machine. Have been looking at another Cuisinart and also at the Breville Sous Chef. Thoughts?

[lindag]

Cooks Illustrated has consistently top rated the Cuisinart.

I have a slightly different model Cuisinart 14 cup that I've been using for more than 15 years and it's been great as well.

Top-rated model.

[dtremit]

I have been thinking about those two processors as eventual replacements for my KA when it dies.

 

On the one hand, all the other Breville stuff I own is beautifully made, and the mini chopper for their stick blender I have works great. I also really like the attachments.

 

On the other hand, it's nearly twice as expensive, and doesn't seem to really be rated better by most outlets.

 

The other factor that I learned to be cautious of with the KitchenAid is replacement parts availability -- chances are, the plastic bowl or blade will go out before the motor. This happened to me with the KA — the safety interlock inside the bowl handle broke — and it took me months of searching and cost $100 to get a replacement.

 

The Cuisinart has been in production so long that the chances of being unable to buy a replacement are really slim. I have no idea whether Breville will have replacement parts available in ten years.