Food Processor Deals & Offers

Features to Look for When Buying a Food Processor

• Capacity

  Food processors come with bowl and jug sizes that range from1.5 to 4 litres. Processors with bigger bowl sizes usually have more features but also take up more storage space. For general family use, a food processor with a capacity of 2.5 litres is usually enough. Some brands produce food processors that have one or two additional bowls in different sizes. These are ideal for processing different amounts of food or for swapping between processes without having to wash the bowls.

• Attachments and Functions

  Discs for grating and slicing as well as blades for chopping and mixing are standard on most food processors and should be more than enough for everyday use. Additional attachments you might find useful include different sized discs for slicing as well as graters, spiralisers, baton-makers (for chips) and a range of dicing blades. If you love your coffee, you might also appreciate a grinder for coffee beans.

• Feet

  Food processors have a tendency to move around the counter when heavier work such as mixing dough or grinding coffee beans is underway. A model with suction-cup feet prevents this from happening.

• Speed

  Most food processors come with two operational speeds and should be all you need. Use the faster speed for processing solid ingredients such as vegetables and nuts and the slower speed for blending ingredients and mixing dough.

• Pulse Function

  A pulse function is useful for controlled chopping when you don't want vegetables turned into a puree. A few quick pulses are all it takes to chop an onion or a clove of garlic.

• Power (Wattage)

  Wattages on food processors range from 300 to 2000 although a higher wattage is not always an indicator of higher quality. Machines of around 500W should have all the power you need to tackle even the toughest of jobs such as chopping raw carrots or grating hard cheese. If, however, you select a food processor with a larger bowl capacity, check it has a motor of at least 600W to prevent it from burning out.

• Programming

  A few food processor models have set programmes that distinguish between different tasks such as kneading and pulsing. This means the machine can be set to work while you get on with different household tasks or relax with a cup of coffee.

• Price

  Food processors vary widely in price and paying several hundred pounds does not always guarantee that your new kitchen helper will deliver everything you want it to. The cheapest food processor you can find might be the perfect one for you.