Black + Decker Food Processor Review: Our Product Testing Team Was Impressed by This Budget-Friendly Option
Updated: Jun. 27, 2024
"Budget" doesn't always equal "cheap." The Black + Decker food processor chops, dices, minces and slices almost as well as its counterparts at nearly a tenth of the price.
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I’ll admit it—mincing and dicing take up most of my time in the kitchen, and it’s my least favorite part of cooking. Even after investing in one of the best knife sets, I still dread the idea of spending precious minutes making bite-sized tomatoes for salsa or minute walnut pieces for pesto. Some folks prefer showing off their fancy knifework with clean, precise slices of sweet potato or evenly chopped carrots. However, I’d rather save that energy for flawless pan-fried finishes and brush up on my reduction skills.
Plenty of prep tools exist that simplify the pre-cooking rush, including blenders, choppers and pre-cut veggies. But when it comes to whipping up fast, simple weeknight meals, the best food processor is like a reliable friend. While perfect shreds and neat, clean cubes aren’t always possible, nothing compares to the timing and convenience of one of these useful countertop appliances. And when it comes to finding a solid option on a budget, it’s hard to beat the Black + Decker food processor.
What is the Black + Decker food processor?
The Black + Decker 8-cup food processor costs around $40 and comes with several dishwasher-safe parts. At 15 inches tall and 4.15 pounds, it’s the perfect pick for keeping on the counter or in an upper cabinet. The cord is also a very generous 24 inches, making it easy to blend, puree, chop or slice all around the kitchen. Inside the box is a brochure-like manual, food pusher, work bowl with cover, slicing and shredding disc, center shaft, chopping blade and the 450-watt motor base.
Rounded edges offer a cute look, and small suction cups on the bottom help it avoid scooting during use. The cups are strong enough to offer some resistance when pulling it up, but they’re also not so strong that it’s difficult to move. An eight-cup capacity offers a generous amount of room for pico, pesto or breaking down everything from onions to cucumbers. Most of the parts are dishwasher-safe, making it easy to clean.
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Black + Decker 8-Cup Food Processor
How We Tested the Black + Decker Food Processor
We tested the Black + Decker food processor alongside seven other food processors, ranging from budget options to pricier luxe picks like the Breville Sous Chef. The Product Testing Team set up our Product Testing Lab with everything required to test the food processors, including cheese, tomatoes, walnuts and salad dressing ingredients. Once assembled, we conducted our evaluations, focusing on the factors below:
- Setup and Assembly: Testers read through the instruction manual and set up each food processor, noting how straightforward, intuitive and simple it is to attach and swap out the various parts.
- Specs, Construction and Appearance: Testers measure the length of the cords, weigh each food processor (including base, bowl and standard blade) and assess how loud, comparatively, the machine is while operating.
- Performance:Â Testers chop walnuts in the food processor and observe the uniformity of the pieces. They then use the processors to slice tomatoes, noting how thinly the machine slices them successfully. They also note if the tomato needs to be cut to fit into the feeder tube. Testers then supply the machine with garlic, herbs, lemon juice and oil to see how well the mixture blends and incorporates the oil for a pesto dressing. Testers grate mozzarella with the food processor as a stress test, evaluating its efficacy. They also process pie crust to see how well it forms pastry dough.
- Cleaning and Disassembly:Â Testers disassemble and hand-wash the food processor, then note the difficulty of the cleaning process and which parts, if any, can optionally be cleaned in a dishwasher.
- Value:Â After reviewing the above test results, testers note whether each option is worth the price.
Testing Lab Results
Despite the lower price point, the Black + Decker food processor performed better than anticipated. While slicing cheese, a few chunks were left on top of the slicing disc and didn’t make their way into the working bowl. Overall, though, there were plenty of satisfactory strips. We estimate about 85% of the cheese inside the bowl consisted of nice, long shreds. The rest were smaller crumbles or larger chunks—not ideal, but certainly not worth discontinuing use.
A smaller feeding tube gives slightly uneven results with tomatoes, but nothing came out crushed or mushed. Just be aware that slices may be cut at a bit of a diagonal, making them a little lopsided. This is pretty standard for the price point compared with similar options, so it isn’t something that bothered us much. Additionally, expect some splatter when blending oil-based dressings and other liquid recipes.
While it runs loud and doesn’t impress with its performance chopping nuts (think barely any chopped pieces, excluding some dust on the bottom of the bowl), it does deliver blended pesto on par with the Breville. Considering that the Breville costs nearly 10 times as much, we consider that a bravo-worthy performance!
Overall, the food processor stood up well to most of our tests, except maybe the easiest one—nuts. Considering it costs only $40, our team found it overall to be a good value, especially at such a low price point. Other options at comparable price points delivered disappointing results. While this pick isn’t perfect, we appreciate that it operates on par with what we expect at this price point. And, realistically, none of the options we tested delivered perfect results.
Long-Term Testing Update
Marketing Manager Hollie Alexander has been long-term testing the Black + Decker food processor for about a month. So far, she’s impressed with how it easily handles laborious tasks. Her favorite test? Making homemade peanut butter!
“I’ve loved my food processor so far. I’ve had one previously, and it didn’t seem as heavy-duty,” she says. “I made some homemade peanut butter in it. The old one used to get warm and overheat, but this one seemed to handle it better. It is quite taxing on the machine, so this seemed like a good stress test, and it passed.”
Pros:
- Very inexpensive
- Easy to store
- Very lightweight and compact
- Suction cups on the bottom
- Includes an interlock safety system
Cons:
- Inconsistent slicing, shredding and chopping
- Very loud
Why You Should Trust Us
Our Product Testing Team has a combined decade of experience with testing and evaluating products. We conducted all tests in our Product Testing Lab under controlled conditions to best rate each food processor’s performance. Testers spent an estimated 40 hours on this test, including researching, sourcing, intaking and testing the products. We also consulted food processor expert Catherine Ward, who contributed her culinary knowledge to the tests.
FAQs
How do you use the Black + Decker food processor?
Using the Black + Decker food processor is very simple. Simply pop the shredder disc or chopping blade on the interior stem and turn the unit on to begin chopping. The unit has an interlock system, so the processor will not operate unless the processing work bowl and cover are properly locked in place.
How do you assemble a Black + Decker food processor?
You must set the working bowl in place and pivot it clockwise to lock it in. The same goes for the lid. Our testers found that the stem is removable—you need to install it in the bowl to attach the blade. After that, the blade is easy and simple to snap into place.
How do you clean a Black + Decker food processor?
To clean the Black + Decker food processor, first shut off and unplug the unit, then disassemble any parts. Rinse parts immediately after processing for easy cleanup. Then, wipe the base and feet with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly. Stubborn spots can be removed by rubbing with a damp cloth and a mild, nonabrasive cleaner. Do not immerse the base in liquid.
All removable parts can be washed by hand in hot, soapy water. Hand-washing plastic parts with regular dishwashing products will help maintain the food processor’s appearance, but parts can also be put in the dishwasher in a pinch. If you opt for this, place removable parts on the top rack only—not in or near the utensil basket. Clean the internal shaft of the chopping blade with soapy water and use a baby bottle brush to remove any clogged food particles.
Where to Buy the Black + Decker 8-Cup Food Processor
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Black + Decker 8-Cup Food Processor
The Black + Decker 8-Cup food processor retails at a very fair price, which is around $40. Snag it from a number of retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Wayfair. When torn between price and performance, we consider this option the best of both worlds.
Originally Published: June 27, 2024
