Cuisinart Food Processor Review: This Heavy-Duty Appliance Outperformed All the Competition
Updated: Jun. 27, 2024
Compared to competitors, the Cuisinart food processor completely changes the prep game. Here's why we recommend it for those who can't stop to chop.
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When it comes to cutting time in the kitchen when, well, cutting, nothing beats a good food processor. The best food processor is a kitchen staple that provides even dicing, clean cuts and perfectly portioned slices. It saves precious labor and time while effortlessly prepping everything from summertime ratatouille to cowboy caviar in minutes.
Looking for a food processor to streamline the kitchen rush? There’s no need to search around. According to our expert Product Testing Team, the best you can buy is the Cuisinart Pro Food Processor. From simple controls to picture-perfect pieces of walnut, here are all the reasons we’re still singing its praises—even months after our initial tests!
What is the Cuisinart Food Processor?
The Cuisinart Pro Custom is a heavy-duty 625-watt food processor that comes with an assortment of extras. Inside the box are a manual, plastic spatula, cup, detachable stem, two slicing discs (one medium and one thin), a shredding disc, work bowl cover, pusher assembly, chopping blade, baking cover and work bowl.
At 14.5 inches tall and 12.75 pounds, it easily fits on a counter or stows away in a cupboard. The electrical cord offers a generous 31.5-inch length, making it easy to plop down and get to work almost anywhere. Additionally, the sleek and stylish brushed stainless look complements a range of decor styles and appliances.
The Cuisinart food processor is capable of a range of cutting and chopping styles, including shredding, processing pastry dough, dicing, slicing and pureeing. It also comes with a generous five-year warranty on the motor and a three-year limited warranty on parts. Strong, paddle-like buttons control the on/off and pulse mechanisms, making the machine easy to control and offering additional longevity.
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Cuisinart Pro Custom 11-Cup Food Processor
The Cuisinart Pro Custom 11-Cup Food Processor slices, dices and operates better than the competition, earning its place as our favorite food processor.
How We Tested the Cuisinart Food Processor
As kitchen gadget geeks, our team is obsessed with finding the best appliance for the job. That’s why we tested eight popular food processors to find the right pick for every home cook’s kitchen. The Cuisinart food processor impressed us with its powerful performance, combining everything we love about this useful appliance into one neat package.
We tested the Cuisinart food processor alongside seven other food processors, ranging from budget options like Black + Decker 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
Overall, the testing team was wildly impressed with this appliance’s performance, with the machine coming out on top in our tomato test. Contrary to some of the options we tested, our team notes that it produces thin, uniform slices akin to those made by our favorite knife sets. Because the feeding tube is oversized, it easily fits two Roma tomatoes without cutting them down to size. It also doesn’t leave bits of tomato on top of the slicing disc, and each piece easily reaches the working bowl.
While it performs slightly less impressively in our cheese stress test, it still comes out miles ahead of the competition. We had to exert quite a bit of pressure to feed the cheese through, and the machine got a little jumpy at the very end—not surprising since this is a tough job for any food processor. A few larger pieces of cheese were also left on top of the slicing disc. That said, while it didn’t create 100% uniform shreds, it did a pretty good job overall. It’s also very convenient that the machine comes with two grating disc sizes to choose from.
The Cuisinart food processor even performed well in tests the other picks patently failed. During the nut test, our team noticed that the finely chopped nuts at the bottom of the bowl gradually got bigger toward the top, giving a slightly uneven result. While that sounds like a poor outcome, it still ranked second in terms of performance during this surprisingly difficult test.
As one of the heavier models, it’s very secure on the countertop, even without suction cups on the bottom. Rubber grippy pads on each of the four corners help keep it in place. As one of the best food processors we tested, we predict it will last a long time. It feels well-made and sturdy enough to withstand years of daily use when properly cared for. Even better is the fact that it operates quietly, so there’s no need to brace for loud buzzing!
No food processor is perfect—even the luxury options. This is most apparent when it comes to the motor base. When we intentionally slid the machine to test the rubber grips, they left some black streaky marks on our white tabletop. The motor base also has a hole, which makes it more complicated to clean than the competition. Unfortunately, setting the machine up the first few times is also rather tough. Study the manual and keep trying—assembly does get easier the more you do it!
Given the ease at which it purees herbs for pesto and combines pastry dough, we give it a pass on its few cons—especially at such a good value. Overall, it’s the Goldilocks of food processors. It’s not too complicated or basic, falling squarely into “just right.”
Pros:
- Comes with two slicing discs, a shredding disc and a chop blade
- Produces thin, uniform slices
- Compact and comes apart for storage
- Includes plastic spatula and work bowl with cover
- Rubber grippy pads prevent slips
- Easily mixes thick dough
Cons:
- Unintuitive setup
- Sleeve and food pusher do not come apart
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 Cuisinart food processor?
The Cuisinart food processor works similarly to any other food processor. Once assembled, choose from the available shredding and slicing discs and insert the disc into place. Pop on the lid and turn on the machine using the “on” switch located on the motor base.
Finally, insert your tomatoes, cheese or whatever you’re processing into the chute. Larger items like potatoes may need to be cut into smaller pieces to fit. From there, use the pusher to gently press down on the food item while the disc rotates, effectively creating near-perfect slices.
How do you assemble a Cuisinart food processor?
The Cuisinart food processor is by far our favorite in terms of performance. However, it was also the least intuitive food processor to put together. To make it easier for potential buyers, here are a few tips for assembly:
- The lid and working bowl pivot counterclockwise and lock into place.
- The blade must match the stem tracks in order for it to go on correctly.
- The machine won’t start unless everything is inserted properly.
- Assemble the parts in order—the lid won’t click into place until the working bowl has been clicked into place.
- The sleeve and the food pusher, which fits inside the sleeve, do not come apart.
Is the Cuisinart food processor dishwasher safe?
Cuisinart notes that all parts except the motor base are dishwasher safe. Wash them in the dishwasher on the top rack. Due to intense water heat, washing the work bowl and work bowl cover on the bottom rack may cause damage over time.
To simplify cleaning, rinse the work bowl, cover, pusher assembly and blade or disc immediately after use. If necessary, use a brush. Note that the stem is removable for cleaning.
How do you turn on the Cuisinart food processor?
First, assemble the machine completely, ensuring each component locks into place. Then, press the “on” button.
Where to Buy the Cuisinart Food Processor
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Cuisinart Pro Custom 11-Cup Food Processor
The Cuisinart Pro Custom 11-Cup Food Processor slices, dices and operates better than the competition, earning its place as our favorite food processor.
You can snag the Cuisinart food processor at most big-box retailers, including the Cuisinart website, Amazon, Walmart and Wayfair. The Cuisinart 11-cup food processor retails for around $180. While pricey, it’s not the most expensive option we tested—and it performed even better than the luxury brand. As such, we find it a great value for those seeking an appliance that lasts through years of use.
Originally Published: June 27, 2024
