6 Best Food Processors of 2026, Tested and Reviewed
We sliced, diced, shredded and blended to find the best one to suit your needs.
Tested by Beth Lipton, Layla Khoury-Hanold and Stevie Stewart
Like so many kitchen appliances, there are a large array of food processors on the market, ranging widely in price, size, and level of bells and whistles. And while Cuisinart can claim the original food processor, there are several other brands that are worth a look, depending on your needs. Here are our favorites, whether you need a simple model for basic chopping and blending or you're a kitchen pro shopping for a serious upgrade.
Our Top Food Processor Picks
How We Tested
Layla Khoury-Hanold
We've tested more than 24 food processors over the years. To determine what food processors to test, we researched reputable consumer buying guides, scoured bestseller lists from Amazon, Williams Sonoma and Target, and consulted major brands like Cuisinart and Hamilton Beach. We begin by evaluating how easy the processors are to set up, how accessible the manuals are and how simple (or not) it is to navigate the processors' attachments. From there, we put each processor through a series of tests: chopping an onion, slicing zucchini, shredding carrots and Parmesan cheese, chopping basil, making pie dough and emulsifying a salad dressing.
To determine our top picks, we looked at how well the bowls, blades and lids clicked into place, how the buttons were designed, how many speeds each one had, whether it was easy to clean and how much storage space each one requires. We ruled out any processors that couldn’t complete all of the tasks and factored in cost.
- Powerful, consistent and fast performance
- Adjustable feed chute and slicing blade
- No stop-delay when pulse button released
- Expensive
The Breville pureed, sliced, grated and made dough without issue and with very little effort. At 1000 watts, the machine was one of the more powerful that we tested, making quick work of all of our tasks. One of our favorite attributes of this machine was its versatility/adjustability. The feed chute features three different size options, allowing you to slice/grate larger pieces than some other machines may allow. The slicing blade is also adjustable with 24 different settings ranging from .3mm to 8.0mm thick.
Unlike the other machines, the measurements are clearly written on the adjustment dial. Even more, the blade is easy to adjust with just a click. Another noticeable difference with this machine was its pulsing mechanism. We loved that the machine stopped immediately when releasing the pulse button, whereas other machines had a more delayed stop. Overall, this machine was excellent. It was powerful, fast, consistent and easy to use.
- Capacity 12 cups
- Power 1,000 watts
- Dishwasher-safe Yes
- Compact
- Easy to use
- Modestly priced
- Narrow feed tube
- Not very powerful
This processor has three speeds — high, low and pulse — and we found that these functions allowed for even control depending on the task. We found that it easily and uniformly diced an onion, made short work of grinding Parmesan and pulled together pie crust in a few pulses. However, if you're making emulsions or need to incorporate ingredients fully, like with pesto, processing on the high setting may take longer than more powerful models.
The reversible slicing and shredding disc was easy to install thanks to the manual's clear directions. It easily sliced half a zucchini with the help of the plastic food pusher. One thing to note: The feed tube isn't very wide, so if you're processing a lot of vegetables or fruit at one time, be sure to cut them accordingly and perhaps allow for a little extra time.
We appreciated the twist-free design on this processor, which was intuitive to use and allowed the work bowl to click into the base easily. The flip-up lid easily latches over the work bowl, but we found that the food pusher that nests inside the feed tube often fell out, so either remove it or take extra care opening the lid after processing.
- Capacity 7 cups
- Power 300 watts
- Dishwasher-safe Yes
- Efficient and consistent performance
- Shredding and slicing blade in one unit
- Budget-friendly
- Only one option for slicing and shredding thickness
Let's say you're looking for a solid food processor with a full-size capacity and plenty of functionality: This is a fantastic choice. It's thoughtfully designed (we love that the shredding and slicing blade is one unit, and the bowl has a pour spout — so smart!), and the 12-cup size means it can handle a wide range of jobs.
You only have one option for slicing thickness, but it works very well; it made quick work of a zucchini with nearly no waste. The same is true of the shredding blade — only one thickness, but very efficient. The buttons (one for slice/shred, one for puree/mix and one to pulse) offer different levels of power so each job gets done the way you want it to.
- Capacity 12 cups
- Power 450 watts
- Dishwasher-safe Yes
- Extra-large capacity and extra-wide feed chute
- Powerful
- Variable slicing disk
- Expensive
- Takes up a lot of space
Best if money and space are no object: Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro. This is the Ferrari of food processors, almost as good as having an actual human sous chef in your kitchen. They thought of everything for this one — different-sized feed chutes so you can slice or shred thick or thin items easily, 24 slicing thickness options, five cutting disks so you can make anything from French fries to julienne vegetables and a timing function.
Even the caddy that holds all the accessories is thoughtfully labeled, so you know what everything is at a glance. If the 16-cup-capacity bowl is too much for the job at hand, grab the 2.5-cup mini-processing bowl. The one thing to note is that it takes up nearly as much space as an actual Ferrari — this is not the model for small kitchens or anyone without a lot of counter space.
- Capacity 16 cups
- Power 450 watts
- Dishwasher-safe Yes
- Powerful, effecient performance
- Moderately priced
- Lightweight
- Doesn't puree as finely
The Ninja was one of the most affordable on our list, but it did not lack power. At 1000 watts, it is just as powerful as our top choice. The unique double blades are great when you are processing larger quantities and prevent a common problem of some older machines: just the bottom of the mixture being pureed rather than top to bottom.
It is easy to clean by hand, but all parts are also dishwasher-safe. The Ninja was also one of the lighter machines we tested, weighing around seven pounds. It performed close to par with the other machines, and while it did not get as fine of a puree on the pesto as the other machines, it is still a formidable machine for the price point.
- Capacity 9 cups
- Power 1,000 watts
- Dishwasher-safe Yes
- Large capacity
- Versatile, efficient multi-tiered bowl system
- Comes with extra specialty attachments
- Heavy
- Expensive
What makes the Magimix stand out is its tiered bowl system. It has three bowls that nest within each other, ranging from large, medium to small. The tiered system allows you to go from one step to the next without having to stop to clean. We pureed the pesto in the small bowl, then immediately moved on to slicing zucchini in the medium bowl and then directly into making pie dough in the largest bowl.
The machine also comes with two unique attachments: a whisk for beating egg whites or cream and a BlenderMix for making smoother, creamier soups and smoothies. The machine is a bit heavier and more expensive than the others we tested, so it would be suited for someone who would be using their processor regularly.
- Capacity 14 cups
- Power 950 watts
- Dishwasher-safe Yes
What to Know About Using a Food Processor
Know what each blade is for.
Food processors are really versatile, especially the models that come with different blades. Use the S-blade to break nuts and seeds down into butter; to chop and blend herbs, cheese, nuts and oil into pesto; to blend beans into hummus or other dips. The food processor also works well if you're making a vegetable puree. Though it's possible to do this in a blender, the processor will blend it more efficiently and it's much easier to scrape all the puree out of the processor.
You can knead dough in a food processor.
And you don't need the dough-kneading blade; a regular S-blade works well. Use the S-blade to cut cold fat into dry ingredients for pastry or pie dough. There are instructions out there for whipping cream and making cookie dough in a food processor, too.
Use it for quick shredding.
Switch to the shredding blade to quickly shred carrots, winter squash or hard cheese. If you have a slicing blade, your food processor can do the slicing work of a mandolin. Use the S-blade to chop nuts and seeds or to quickly chop onions.
Layla Khoury-Hanold
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Food Network Shopping Experts believe the best method for testing products is based on how our fans are going to use them in the real world. In each of our Tested and Reviewed stories, products are tested in real home kitchens that reflect real-world use cases. Our testers follow rigorous testing rubrics designed by our expert editors and take copious notes during the testing process. When choosing the best products, our testers evaluate all of the testing data and take into consideration many factors, including ease of use, price, product availability and practicality. The products covered on FoodNetwork.com are chosen completely independently by our editors without any outside influence. Our editors do not accept products in exchange for a positive review or promised coverage.
