A good food processor turns 30 minutes of chopping into 30 seconds. The trick is buying one with a large enough bowl and a powerful enough motor that you don't have to work in tiny batches.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
- Best Overall: Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor DFP-14BCNY, Brushed Stainless Steel — The DFP-14 has been America's Test Kitchen's top pick for over a decade — a 720W induction motor and a big 14-cup bowl in a bombproof package.
- Best Premium: Breville Sous Chef Pro 16 Cup Food Processor BFP800XL, Brushed Stainless Steel — The Sous Chef Pro's 1200W motor and 24-setting adjustable slicing disc do work no 14-cup competitor can touch.
- Best Value: KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor with Dicing Kit, Contour Silver KFP1318 — The KitchenAid 13-cup includes a true dicing kit out of the box — a feature most rivals charge extra for.
1. Best Overall: Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor DFP-14BCNY, Brushed Stainless Steel
Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor DFP-14BCNY, Brushed Stainless Steel
Cuisinart
- 14-cup Lexan work bowl with large 5" wide feed tube
- 720W induction motor
- Includes stainless steel chopping/mixing blade, dough blade, slicing and shredding discs
- 3-year limited motor warranty
Why we picked it: The DFP-14 has been America's Test Kitchen's top pick for over a decade — a 720W induction motor and a big 14-cup bowl in a bombproof package.
3. Best Premium: Breville Sous Chef Pro 16 Cup Food Processor BFP800XL, Brushed Stainless Steel
Breville Sous Chef Pro 16 Cup Food Processor BFP800XL, Brushed Stainless Steel
Breville
- 16-cup work bowl plus 2.5-cup mini bowl
- 1200W induction motor with magnetic safety detection
- Adjustable slicing disc with 24 thickness settings from 0.3 to 8 mm
- Variable reversible shredding disc and French fry disc included
Why we picked it: The Sous Chef Pro's 1200W motor and 24-setting adjustable slicing disc do work no 14-cup competitor can touch.
2. Best Value: KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor with Dicing Kit, Contour Silver KFP1318
KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor with Dicing Kit, Contour Silver KFP1318
KitchenAid
- 13-cup work bowl with 4-cup mini bowl
- Three-in-one feed tube accommodates whole tomatoes or potatoes
- ExactSlice external slicing adjustment from thin to thick
- Includes dicing kit, multipurpose blade, dough blade, and two discs
Why we picked it: The KitchenAid 13-cup includes a true dicing kit out of the box — a feature most rivals charge extra for.
Quick Comparison
| Pick | Brand | Product | Key spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | Cuisinart | Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor DFP-14BCNY, Brushed S... | 14-cup Lexan work bowl with large 5" wide feed tube |
| Best Premium | Breville | Breville Sous Chef Pro 16 Cup Food Processor BFP800XL, Brush... | 16-cup work bowl plus 2.5-cup mini bowl |
| Best Value | KitchenAid | KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor with Dicing Kit, Contour Si... | 13-cup work bowl with 4-cup mini bowl |
What to Look For
Bowl capacity is the most important spec. 11-cup is the all-around home size; 14-cup is the right call if you regularly batch-prep or make doughs. Anything smaller than 11 cups forces you to work in two batches for most recipes.
Motor wattage isn't everything, but matters for dough. Cuisinart's Custom 14 runs 720W — enough for most jobs but it can struggle with stiff bread doughs. The Breville Sous Chef's 1200W handles bagel-stiff doughs without complaint.
Slicing/shredding disc quality varies a lot. Premium machines have adjustable-thickness slicing discs (Breville Sous Chef has 24 settings); budget machines have fixed thickness. If you use the discs heavily — for cole slaw, gratins, big salads — the adjustable disc is worth the upgrade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need both a blender and a food processor?
Generally yes — they do different jobs. Blenders are best for liquids (smoothies, soups). Food processors are best for solids (chopping, slicing, doughs, pie crust). A hand-held immersion blender + a food processor will cover almost everything a premium blender does, for less money.
Are mini food processors enough for most cooks?
If you only chop herbs and mince garlic, a 3–4 cup mini chopper is plenty. For pesto, hummus, pie dough, slaw, or batch prep, you need a full-size 11–14 cup processor. Most kitchens benefit from one of each.
Can a food processor make bread dough?
Yes, and it's faster than a stand mixer for small batches. Pulse the dough in 10-second bursts; don't run continuously or the motor overheats. Suitable for single loaves up to ~3 cups of flour. For 5+ cup batches, use a stand mixer instead.
Want to dig deeper? See our guides to Best Stand Mixer (2026), Best Immersion Blender (2026), and Best Kitchen Scale (2026).