I Hate My Food Processor

[MaryIsobel]

6 hours ago, Anna N said:

It is not difficult to turn off the dry cycle, open the door at the end of the wash cycle, and the dishes will air dry. Used to do that all the time with my old dishwasher.

That's what I do and have always done. And I put all parts of my Cuisinart 12-cup processor in the dishwasher. I also have the Breville all-in-one and I use it more frequently now that we are empty nesters. I do use the big boy for pastry - I make 5 single shells at a time. I also use it when I am making big batches of things like spaghetti sauce or chili or salsa. Saves my poor old wrists the chopping

[Tropicalsenior]

25 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Why do you suppose we ever bought the damn things?

I bought this one because the first one that I had, A Molineux, was a darn good machine. I brought it down from the states and I used it all the time. This was the only direct drive that I could find down here at the time for what I wanted to pay and I've been sorry ever since.

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, ElsieD said:

Why do you suppose we ever bought the damn things?

Maybe there should be another topic – – Getting the Most out of Your Food Processor. 😂

[chromedome]

12 hours ago, TdeV said:

I have a Cuisinart Custom 11 (bought 1990 or so) which is plugged in, but sits on a shelf above my kitchen work space. When I want to use it, I bring it off the shelf. I have 5 or 6 disc blades, but mostly use a shredder or slicer or the regular stainless steel blade. An arrangement which has worked well for many years (and many kitchens).

 

I have gone through 2+ workbowls (because I put cheese that is too hard in the bowl). Sadly, Cuisinart has stopped selling work bowls for my model machine.

 

Last time I had to replace the work bowl, I had to buy a new top cover, and pusher, and sleeve assembly ($130) because the part which I bought (from China via Amazon) did not fit my perfectly-working, other components. This last time the work bowl lasted a very short time because the plastic is very soft.  ☹️ Where the work bowl feet connect to the machine has become deformed, and I can no longer disconnect the bowl from the machine (DH has to do it).

 

This is depressing because the rest of the machine/parts work fine. I don't know how to replace it; I don't want to spend the money for the accessories; I don't want to throw it away; I don't know how to give the machine away.

 

Grump. ☹️

I have an 80s-vintage Cuise that I use infrequently but consistently. When my old work bowl broke I was fortunate enough to find an entire backup Cuisinart on a local buy-sell site for the same price as a replacement bowl online. It's a replica "Classic" model rather than an original, but since my original is only 40 years old and still going strong I haven't actually used the backup yet.

 

Unfortunately the work bowl that came with the new machine has the new-style lid/pusher assembly, which is an absolute PITA to disassemble and clean.

[Maison Rustique]

I used my Cuisinart a lot when I had my big kitchen in California. When we moved to this place with its dreadful tiny kitchen, it has not been used because I have had no room for it. I pulled it out recently and am trying to figure out how to make a place for it because I really need to use it for the sake of my hands and the safety of anyone within range of flying knives since I can't really hold onto them anymore.

 

And I need to make one of my favorite salads that requires paper thin sliced celery, mushrooms and parmesan cheese. 

[Darienne]

1 hour ago, Maison Rustique said:

I used my Cuisinart a lot when I had my big kitchen in California. When we moved to this place with its dreadful tiny kitchen, it has not been used because I have had no room for it. I pulled it out recently and am trying to figure out how to make a place for it because I really need to use it for the sake of my hands and the safety of anyone within range of flying knives since I can't really hold onto them anymore.

 

And I need to make one of my favorite salads that requires paper thin sliced celery, mushrooms and parmesan cheese. 

Hmmm....Ed made me a rolling cart on which I could keep the stand mixer.  I don't actually...having given up on it completely...but it might be an answer for you.  My cart is kept in the dining room.

 

As for paper thin slices...I made a cucumber salad which Ed loves...and I couldn't possibly cut it myself.  Zip, zip, zip...and it's done in a trice.  

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, Maison Rustique said:

I really need to use it for the sake of my hands

That would be one reason to advise people to hang onto their food processors. None of us know what the future holds, but we may be unable to use a knife because of physical or visual disabilities and a food processor can give us a little more time in the kitchen.

[Darienne]

4 minutes ago, Anna N said:

That would be one reason to advise people to hang onto their food processors. None of us know what the future holds, but we may be unable to use a knife because of physical or visual disabilities and a food processor can give us a little more time in the kitchen.

Absolutely.  Has given me a new life in the kitchen.   I no sooner recovered from two Carpal Tunnel surgeries to a Dx of severe degenerative arthritis and wearing once again two hand braces.  Not the happiest of campers.

[Lindacakes]

These are very helpful comments, thank you to all.  I am surprised to find out how not alone I am.  Although I suspect those who adore their FPs likely just skipped the thread.

 

I make carrot cake from the Silver Palate, which requires cooking and mashing the carrots.  I highly recommend this recipe for anyone who might be looking for a good carrot cake.

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/silver-palate-carrot-cake-50075298

 

I have a set of these Microplane graters/shredders and I use those for carrots for salad --

https://www.microplane.com/kitchen-graters-professional-series

 

I have two stand mixers, one an old Kitchenaid that was my mother's, with the glass beehive bowl, the only appliance I keep on the countertop.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-50s-kitchenaid-hobart-c-tilt-1787510828

I also have a bowl lift 6-quart Kitchenaid mixer with a dough hook for bread.

 

I just sold a Vitamix on eBay because drinking gallons of raw spinach gave me oxalate issues and green drinks is all I used it for.  Selling a variety of don't use or rarely use items on eBay has sparked my current interest in downsizing the FP out.

 

I do understand the chopping and sauce needs, hence the 4-cup machine.

 

 

[chromedome]

52 minutes ago, Lindacakes said:

I just sold a Vitamix on eBay because drinking gallons of raw spinach gave me oxalate issues and green drinks is all I used it for. 

Mine is used primarily for crushing ice (not that we drink a lot, my GF just likes cups of unflavored "sno-cone"). Also I make a couple of big batches of applesauce each year, and leaving the skins on the apples saves me a lot of prep time. The V-mix makes them disappear in seconds.

 

Other than that it's a dust collector, but I have shelf space for it and those two uses justify its existence (that, and the $25 thrift store purchase price).

[Tropicalsenior]

15 hours ago, Tropicalsenior said:

I've been sorry ever since.

I can't even have the hope that mine will die anytime soon. A friend of mine bought the same one at the same time that I did. He has used it 7 days a week in his restaurant and it still shows no sign of giving up.

[DesertTinker]

The Flat Cover is another tool that makes life easier if you have a Cuisinart and are chopping or mixing (doesn’t work with the disks). It makes clean up so much easier without the feed tube/interlock to clean and dry. They seem to be available for a lot of different models and aren’t too expensive.

 

[Lindacakes]

That's exactly how the smaller choppers work -- flat top with a little oil drip hole.

 

https://www.cuisinart.com/search_/?s=elite+collection+4+cup

 

 

[scubadoo97]

My FP is used mostly to make hummus 

[blue_dolphin]

Just now, scubadoo97 said:

My FP is used mostly to make hummus 

In mass quantities, a la your Thanksgiving extravaganza!

[Tropicalsenior]

34 minutes ago, scubadoo97 said:

My FP is used mostly to make hummus 

Buckets and buckets of hummus.

[scubadoo97]

I like using my knives and I am back to cooking for 2 most of the time.   So really don’t use my FP that often 

[lemniscate]

I use my FP intermittently for batch cooking at the moment.   LIke pasta dough and pie dough, shredding 6 lbs of carrots, or 3 heads of cabbage for coleslaw.   I can't foresee a time I will not need one.   Yesterday, I used it to turn 2 large slabs of halvah to powder to mix into cookie dough which was an unusual opportunity.   

[Lindacakes]

Halvah dust, amazing.

[scubadoo97]

My wife has been using our Vitamix lately to make protein smoothie’s for breakfast.  I also have a Blendtec.  Was making a lot of frozen banana smoothie’s, more like banana sorbet, but they have sat idle for a long time 

[dtremit]

On 12/20/2022 at 3:13 PM, KennethT said:

BUT, I've been getting more and more into making Indonesian food (as well as other SE Asian foods) which would make lots of use of what @gfweb is talking about.  Look at any YouTube video of people in SE Asia making SE Asian curries and all you see are things that look like the Bullet type blender or very small chopper.  Currently I'm either doing it by hand with a mortar/pestle to make me feel like a SE Asian grandmother or I make a big enough batch to use my normal sized blender - but then I have to either add water or some oil to get it to blend properly.

 

Pai from Hot Thai Kitchen recommends the Breville stick blender @JoNorvelleWalker mentions upthread as specifically being good for making curry pastes — I ran across that recommendation when I was looking to replace my stick blender, and I've also been very happy with it. I have one with a slightly different set of accessories. I find it's replaced my other mini-prep type devices.

Edited February 26, 2023 by dtremit (log)

[Katie Meadow]

I don't hate my food processor but I admit it's a chore to get it down and another chore to wash it and a chore to remember which way the bowl goes on.  I use it for four things: hunmus and/or babaganoush, pickled daikon and carrots for banh mi, shredding root vegetables for a root vegetable cake I make rarely and, once a year, fresh cranberry relish. What I hate is my blender. Since I discovered the immersion blender I haven't used it at all and should give it to the Goodwill.

[Tropicalsenior]

4 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

What I hate is my blender. Since I discovered the immersion blender I haven't used it at all and should give it to the Goodwill.

Wow. I couldn't agree more with that statement, in fact I could have written it myself. I think I'll take mine out this week and give it to my cleaning lady. I could use the storage space.

[DianaB]

We have a Magimix mini which is small enough to sit on the worktop (next to the far larger Kitchenaid stand mixer and its new friend the Ninja Creami 😁).  We bought the Magimix simply because the motor is rated sufficiently to turn pistachios into pistachio paste, likewise hazelnuts etc.  I wouldn’t give it up because making one’s own nut pastes is so much more economical here than buying ready made.  The Magimix also makes great pancake batter and similar; it slices potatoes for gratin dauphinois and grates carrots etc for salads.  All parts go in the dishwasher as needed.  
 

Perhaps much depends on what one likes to create but I don’t regret the Magimix despite numerous less expensive and larger options. 

[lemniscate]

I have hated blenders, until I got the Blendtec.  The friction heating has changed how I make custards, mother sauces, melty cheese sauce, lemon curd, batters, various soups from cold/room temp ingredients............

 

My cheapo immersion gets used for infrequent small mixing.  Like a tiny batch of mayo too small for Blendtec, but I appreciate it when I need it.

 

Still love my old Cuisinart FP too.  Pie dough, pasta dough, and mass veggie mangler extraordinaire.