Difference Between Food Processor and Mixer Grinder | Unrivaled Guide 2023

You want to make a cake, so you need a stand mixer. And a blender for smoothies, and a food processor for chopping vegetables. But food processors can also make cakes, blenders can make vegetables, and blenders have attachments that can add all kinds of functions. What if you want to make juice, nut butter or crushed ice? Even more confusing are all-in-one kitchen appliances, like the “Thermomix,” which apparently can do everything but set the table.

Difference Between Food Processor and Mixer Grinder

What is a blender?

Blenders are used to blend ingredients and make smooth pastes. They are typically used to make smoothies, pastes and spreads.

A blender/grinder, on the other hand, combines the two functions of blender and grinder. It has two jars, one large and one small, and is used to grind ingredients very finely. It can grind dry or wet substances into powder, such as spices, pulses, sugar, coffee beans, etc. You will find a number of jars that you can use depending on your needs, but it can be a bit expensive.

Usually, blenders come with two jars, rubber lids, etc. Another feature is that you can control the speed of the blender. For example, if you need to make purees, smoothies or batter, you can keep the motor speed in normal mode, but if you want to pulse or grind spices, run it faster.

In India, grinder-blenders offer a speed of about 10,000 rpm. There is one more thing to note: you should opt for a blender grinder that has a 750 watt motor, because it is ideal, not very powerful and very low. It is suitable for both large and small families.

What is a food processor?

A food processor is a multi-purpose kitchen appliance. Unlike a blender, we don’t need different appliances for different purposes. Examples – a juicer is used to get fresh juice from fruits and vegetables, a grinder is used to grind spices and meat. Food processors can be used for all culinary needs. You can use it to grind, chop, grate, mix, etc.

The food processor is equipped with interchangeable blades and discs, making it a versatile device. It comes with jars of different sizes and an S-blade used to cut vegetables. It also includes a pusher for pushing food into bowls and jars.

Difference Between Food Processor and Mixer Grinder | Ultimate Guide 2023

1. Ease of use

There are many things you can do with a blender/blender, such as tutneys, smoothies, grating and liquefying. Food processors, on the other hand, can do all of that, plus slicing, grating, kneading and dough making. Blenders therefore have a limited range of uses, whereas food processors are more varied.

2. Design and durability

Food processors take up more space than mixers with fixed blades and various pots, because of the number of blades and accessories. Food processors have only one jar, but the blades can be changed depending on the application. Blenders have fixed blades and use different jars for different purposes, such as pasta, purees, pastes, chutneys, shakes, smoothies and juices.

The bowls of food processors are usually made of unbreakable polycarbonate, while the jars of blenders are usually made of stainless steel.

3. Power consumption

Because of their many uses, food processors require more power than blenders and are more energy intensive. Food processors typically use 600 to 1000 watts of power, while blenders typically use 500 to 1000 watts.

4. Cost

In terms of cost, blenders are affordable in India and are a good kitchen solution, especially for those looking for basic functions. Most Indian kitchens have a blender in most households, as they are not only inexpensive, but also useful for performing various culinary tasks. Food processors may be a bit more expensive, but many feel that their functionality is justified.

5. Limitations

Food processors cannot handle liquids and cannot be used to make smoothies, juices or shakes. The blender, on the other hand, can grind, blend, puree, beat, make smoothies, juices, drinks and powder dry ingredients, but cannot grate or chop vegetables.

6. Maintainability

Blender grinders are easy to clean and require only water, as they are stainless steel and do not stick to liquid or dry ingredients. However, with food processors, ingredients can stick to the bowl, making cleaning difficult.

Which one is right for you?

If you love to cook and enjoy making new dishes, you should go for a food processor. There are so many tasks that need to be done to prepare food, such as chopping, blending, pureeing, slicing and grinding. If you do all these tasks manually, they take a lot of time and become very tedious. So, to save your time and energy, you should buy it.

The blenders come with two or three jars that can be used for juicing and grinding, but other tasks cannot be done with it.

The food processor has a bowl consisting of a motor that has a shaft on which you can attach different types of blades. It has a lid and a tube that helps you pour the food into the bowl.

The question now is what you should consider when buying a food processor

• If you have a family of five or more, you need to buy a food processor with a minimum 750 watt motor.
• If you have about four families, you should go for a 600-700 watt motor.
• If you have a family of two-three, a food processor with a 500-watt motor will suffice.

However, there are certain kinds of things for which a food processor is best suited.

• It is not suitable for making drinks. A blender is best suited for that purpose.
• Blenders blend more easily.
• It is also not suitable for making soup.
• It must be cleaned after each use, which takes time.

How food processors work

There are three main sizes of food processors: mini, compact and full. They consist of a motor, a bowl, a lid and a feed tube. The motor is heavy (about 9 kg for the full size) and stable. The motor has a shaft, into which the pots fit. Then there is a lid used to cover the pots and a bowl with a feed tube to insert the food into the bowl.

• First, you need to choose the blade you want to use and attach it to the motor shaft.
• Place the bowl and lid in the food processor.
• Feed the food to be chopped through the feed tube. But first, clean the food and remove the roots (if it has any).
• Use a pusher to push the food into the bowl (if necessary).
• You can chop vegetables, crack nuts, make smoothies and baby soups (use the S blade to chop vegetables).
• To make dough or chop vegetables, use the plus button instead of the height of the processor.
• Use for crushing large ice cubes and making desserts.

Why you need it

• For cooking, steaming, stirring, chopping, mashing, measuring (with a built-in scale), grinding, mixing, emulsifying, kneading and blending.
• Table mixers, hand mixers, steamers, mini food processors, grinders, blenders, scales and mills can be replaced.
• Recommended for those who have a lot of small appliances in their cabinets and want to keep their kitchen clean and tidy.
• They save time in the kitchen and allow you to do other things while cooking.
• Butter, yogurt, rice flour, nut milks, spice mixes, pastries, bread dough, pizza, focaccia dough, nut butters, broth pastes, baby food, drinks, smoothies, sorbets, ice creams, jams and marmalades, sauces, steam (meat, dumplings). Risotto, casseroles, soups and coffee can be ground.
• It is suitable for everyone, including busy families, newlyweds and young people leaving the family home.
• Novice and professional cooks alike will find it useful as it makes tedious tasks such as chopping and stirring easier. It’s also a great way to introduce children to cooking.

Why you don’t need one

• Expensive – some can cost over $2,000.
• If you already have a tabletop blender, steamer, mini food processor, grinder, blender, scale or mill and are comfortable and enjoy using them.
• They can’t shred, slice or grate without the attachment of a food processor.
• If you have a large family, the bowl capacity is limited.
• The noise is too loud.
• You have to learn to cook in a different way than before.
• Cleaning the bowl is tedious because food odors tend to get trapped there. It is difficult to clean thick dough or other foods from the blades or sides of the bowl.
• It can take time to learn how to operate.

Advantages and disadvantages of blenders and food processors

Advantages of food processors

It is a multi-purpose appliance.

It can make dough, grind pieces of bread, puree, chop nuts, slice, grate and mince.

If you need to prepare a number of dishes and you like to cook, a food processor is the best solution for you because it will save you time and energy.

Its bowl is larger than that of a blender.

It can make drinks, shakes and soups and is suitable for preparing meals for 15 people or more.

Disadvantages of food processors

It needs space in your kitchen and sometimes the loud noise can be irritating.

It is not suitable for preparing liquid drinks or soups. Indeed, the liquid will run out through the seams of the robot.

It cannot produce a smooth puree.

Requires a lot of cleaning after use and may cut too many fruits and vegetables to make a smooth paste.

Uses more electricity than a blender, but gets the job done.

Advantages of blenders

It can handle liquids very well. It can make drinks and shakes very well.

It is not as complicated as a food processor and can be used easily.

It is easy to clean and does not require much time for cleaning.

The speed can be adjusted according to the task at hand. For example: slow speed for making shakes and drinks, fast speed for pureeing, etc.

It comes at an affordable price. In general, not everyone can afford it.

It does not help in preparing a variety of foods while it requires a lot of space in your kitchen and consumes less electricity.

Disadvantages of blenders

Difficult to remove all the ground food from the jars, as the blades don’t leave much space to remove all the food by hand. There is also a risk of physical injury when removing food.

May heat up after prolonged use.

Rubber lid comes off after frequent use.

Poor stability, the jar moves a lot during grinding and mixing and the jar needs to be held in place.

Difference Between Food Processor and Mixer Grinder | Video Explanation

Conclusion

Modern blenders are so efficient that you won’t need to invest in a food processor. In fact, they combine the features of a food processor and a blender, so they also have a chopping jar. It can pulse and slice vegetables. The grinder-blender also has different programming speeds as well as a slow speed for slow pressure juicing. Even if you end up buying a food processor, you may need to buy a blender or mixer again. So it’s a better idea to buy a multipurpose blender-crusher.