9+ Best Mini Prep Food Processor | Unrivaled Guide 2023

Unless you run a restaurant, you probably do not need a professional food processor for everyday food prep. Rather, a mini food processor offers many advantages and is a more appropriate choice. No matter what the ingredients, the best mini food processors can handle it all.

If you’re having trouble choosing, our buying guide and in-depth reviews should help. By the time you finish reading this article, you should be able to make the best informed purchase for yourself.

Best Mini Prep Food Processor

What is a food processor?

A food processor is a versatile appliance that can prepare any food in a variety of ways. Chopping, grating, mixing dough, and other time-consuming manual tasks can be done quickly with a food processor.

A food processor typically consists of four parts: a base, a clear plastic body, a set of removable blades, and a lid. The speed and pulse controls are located on the bottom of the food processor. The body of the food processor is large and roomy enough to accommodate large recipes. The lid of the food processor is equipped with a high feed chute for mixing while adding ingredients. Unlike blenders, which have only one blade, food processors have a variety of blades to perform all kinds of tasks, such as grating, cutting, chopping, and blending. They can also be equipped with bowl inserts that allow you to perform several different tasks simultaneously in different compartments.

Due to its body shape and the versatility of its blades, the food processor is well suited for processing dry ingredients. It is not so good at mixing liquid ingredients. Wet ingredients that are partially mixed tend to stick to the sides of the bowl where the blades cannot reach. Unlike a mixer, a food processor works properly even when the contents are filled to the brim.

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How To Pick The Best Mini Prep Food Processor | Ultimate Guide 2023

Cooking Tasks

It is important to consider what type of cooking tasks a food processor is ideally suited for. Food processors are ideal for quickly chopping and pureeing foods that would take a long time to do by hand. Some models also offer additional features such as grating, spiralizing vegetables, and variable-width blades that mimic the slicing action of a mandolin. Food processors are also ideal for batch blending soft or wet ingredients such as tomatoes to make pasta sauce, pizza dough, homemade mayonnaise or dressings.

Blade Performance

The best models have sharp blades that can chop vegetables and herbs evenly without pureeing, grate cheese evenly, slice cleanly, and grind dry ingredients such as bread crumbs and nuts finely. In other words, the blade or grater should be sharp right out of the box and should last for years. It should also have no “mixing holes” between the blade and the bowl, allowing the liquid and soft ingredients to mix evenly, without having to constantly stop and scrape the sides, and without leaving unmixed portions.

Additional Features

Many food processors offer a variety of additional features beyond single-speed increments. Pulse buttons and speed settings are useful for slow, safe chopping to the desired grain size. Additional blades may also be added for grating, slicing, shredding, or spiraling. In addition, some models allow you to adjust the width/thickness of the slices and the shape/size of the grated or spiral-cut vegetables even while processing. Some models also have a nested work bowl that doubles as a mini chopper and a full-size food processor. Some models also have a centrifuge attachment with a work bowl that doubles as a measuring cup and an easy pour spout.

Feeding Mechanism

Most high-end food processors have a bowl lid and a feeding tube into which food is inserted for chopping, dicing, slicing, grinding, pureeing, or kneading (for dough).

Long or bulky foods, such as carrots or potatoes, can be easily fed in and placed straight against the rotating blades for clean, precise cuts. The mechanism for adding liquid through the lid during processing is a big plus.

You will often need to add oil, water, or other liquids to the wet or dry mix during processing to achieve a smooth finish.

Stability

High-quality food processors have powerful motors and sturdy bases that secure them to the counter, allowing them to mix heavy starch dough and other thick foods without bouncing. Some smaller models have suction cups to secure them to the counter. Many food processors also have safety locks on the lid to prevent the machine from turning on with the blade exposed. Some models also have seals or sealed work bowls to prevent wet ingredients from getting out and onto you or your counter during processing.

Motor Power

The wattage of the motor determines the power of the food processor. When trying to process heavy foods, such as dough or hard cheese, in two batches, weaker models tend to freeze or stop. They also tend to wear out easily under normal use and make more noise during processing.

Ease of use

You want a food processor with intuitive, easy-to-understand controls, simple assembly and locking mechanisms for bowls and lids, and easy cleanup.

Dishwasher-safe components are a must. Also, a cord wind-up device keeps the counter clear.

One of the best ways to gauge the ease of use of a particular model is to read food processor reviews online.

Bowl Size

Some sacrifices were made in motor size and power in exchange for a smaller size, so you need to have realistic expectations. As for capacity, it can hold up to 7 cups, which is about right. This may not seem like a lot, but it should still be enough for a family of three or four.

You will notice that the bowl as well as the feed tube are not as wide as you might think. In many cases, foods that don’t fit in the tube are cut into smaller pieces before insertion. But other than that, there is nothing to worry about.

These mini food processors are a good starting point for new cooks who need to practice and get the hang of it. After a while, you will get tired of these choppers and realize that you need something more powerful, like a regular food processor. But that is a story for another time.

Blades and discs

Mini food processors do more than just chop and mince. It can also mix sauces, crush nuts, puree jams, and much more. But unlike high-end food processors that come with specialized blades, mini food processors only come with standard S-shaped blades.

Mini food processors are fine for most foods, but they can take longer to process hard foods. Root vegetables, blocks of cheese, pasta, and hard chocolate do not allow the blades to ensure an even, consistent cut. The cost of running the blades is that the motor can overheat and eventually burn out.

Controls and Speeds

Look for simple controls with large knobs, easy-to-turn dials, and push-down lids. The best models have a pulse function, which gives you more control over chopping and allows you to avoid over-processing the food by rotating it so that the bottom is not chopped more than the top. When working with hard or delicate foods, look for a model that has at least one high speed and one low speed.

Motor Output and Speed Levels

As for motor output, it need not exceed 500 W for small quantities. At the very least, the noise will not go away immediately, but it will be much easier to tolerate.

A typical mini-food processor has two speeds, automatic and pulse, with the latter being more controllable. In addition, some models allow for multiple pulse speed settings, but often up to three.

In pulse mode, the blade runs at maximum speed until the finger is released from the button. Ideally, the pulse should be from 5 to 20 seconds with a short pause in between. This allows for more manual control of the food, determining the consistency of the mixture, the liquid

Ease of cleaning

Regular food processors are often difficult to clean, but not so with the Mini. It is easy to disassemble and clean the parts by hand or in the dishwasher.

Nevertheless, the blades and discs require more attention and care than other parts. Any debris stuck under the rim can be a challenge to rinse out all the nooks and crannies.

In addition, these parts can become less sharp over time due to routine wear and inadequate maintenance. Hard or sticky materials can also exceed the blade’s limits and deform or damage the assembly.

Holding bowls and inserts should be washed by hand, rather than relying on a dishwasher. Also, unless you have small hands, it will be difficult to reach the inside of these parts without a brush.

Safety

The mini food processor has several safety features, the most obvious of which is the lid lock. To prevent food from spilling, rubber gaskets and splash guards help keep your kitchen clean.

If individual components are not installed in the correct order or locked in place, the entire unit will not start. The feed chute and push rod also keep the high-speed blades a safe distance from your hands.

Extras

Although the S-shaped blade is highly versatile, there are some tasks and ingredients it cannot handle. For this reason, some mini food processors come with a set of special blades. These include serrated blades for ultra-fine cutting, plastic kneaders, and grating and slicing discs for a variety of kitchen tasks.

However, given the overall price, such models are rare. In any case, additional blades and discs can be purchased from official manufacturers or third-party suppliers. However, check the instruction manual or contact the distributor in advance to make sure that the appliance is compatible.

Price

Mini food processors are all commonly found for under $100. They are a quick and easy purchase for cooks who want to simplify the process.

Best Mini Prep Food Processor | Video Explanation

FAQs

Why do I need a food processor when I have a blender?

There is a big difference between a food processor and a blender, but there are some tasks that can be done with either. A blender is designed to be taller, more upright, and smaller at the bottom, and usually requires the addition of liquid ingredients to work. Food processors, on the other hand, work with dry ingredients and can handle larger ingredients (larger vegetables, dough) because of their wide, flat bottoms.

How many food processors do I need?

A mini food processor or chopper would be ideal for making small portions or chopping nuts and garlic. A large-capacity food processor would be appropriate for family members, and a very large-capacity food processor would be appropriate for those who entertain or cater.

Note that the bowl size indicated by the manufacturer does not correspond to the exact amount of ingredients that can be added at one time. Food processors typically only hold 1 to 2 cups more than the size of the bowl and less (about half) of the liquid contents.

What is the capacity of your food processor?

In this case, size is important. Too small and the food processor will not work, too large and it will take up too much counter space. Here is a guide to help you find the best machine.

Is A Mini Food Processor Useful?

Conclusion

It’s hard to find a kitchen appliance as versatile and space-saving as a food processor. Like the trusty Swiss Army knife, mini food processors are multifunctional, lightweight, and inexpensive. We hope you found both our guide to buying the best mini food processor and our review useful and informative.