KitchenAid Food Processor Review: Our Product Testing Team Loves This User-Friendly Appliance
Updated: Jul. 09, 2024
Some home cooks just need a reliable machine that chops evenly, and that’s about it. Enter the KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor. This dependable appliance offers some of the most even slices, dices and chops of all the processors we put to the test.
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KitchenAid is responsible for many of our favorite countertop appliances, from the famous stand mixer to the new fully automatic espresso machine. Between the fun color options and the high-quality construction, KitchenAid gear comes with a reliable reputation. Not only that, but their assorted appliances have a retro feel that calls to mind mid-century designs met with modern functionality.
When our Product Testing Team put eight of the best food processors to the test, we were eager to see if yet another KitchenAid appliance could live up to the hype. Here’s our honest review of the KitchenAid 13-cup food processor.
What is the KitchenAid food processor?
The KitchenAid 13-cup food processor is the most user-friendly option we tested. Its 13-cup capacity fits more than enough food for an entire family or party serving. An exact slice disc ensures that you can select the right slice thickness for every situation, from paper-thin potato chips to chunky tomato slices. A variety of blades allows home cooks to chop, cut, shred, slice, knead and mix almost everything you can think of. Attachments fit into a convenient storage caddy, making it easy to stow away after finishing your meal prep.
KitchenAid’s food processor is available in a fleet of stunning shades, including contour silver, matte black, onyx and white. For those who prefer to match it to their KitchenAid toaster or handheld cordless mixer, you can even snag it in the classic KitchenAid Empire red.
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KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor
The KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor is a dependable appliance. It offers some of the most even slices, dices and chops of all the processors we put to the test.
How We Tested the KitchenAid Food Processor
We tested the KitchenAid alongside seven other food processors, ranging from budget options like Black and Decker to pricier luxe picks like the Breville food processor. Our team set up the Product Testing Lab with an array of challenging foods, including cheese, tomatoes, walnuts and ingredients for salad dressing. 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 looking at the above test results, testers note whether each option is worth the price.
Testing Team Analysis
From the first test onward, our Testing Team was impressed with the KitchenAid’s performance. Even nuts, which gave most of the other food processors trouble, turned out very uniform. For slicing, it offers six adjustable thickness settings—something we very much appreciate.
One area that caused us some issues was the feeder tube, which was a bit small. Bigger tomatoes may need to be chopped down to size in order to fit. We also don’t recommend using the thinnest setting to slice delicate foods like tomatoes since it can’t quite get the cuts uniform and errs on “crushing” the food rather than “chopping” it. But otherwise, we were impressed with the sharpness of the blades, which rival our favorite knife sets.
The slicing disc has a small and large grate option. During our cheese test, we chose the side with the large grates. The resulting shreds were shorter than the other appliances gave us but pretty uniform overall. This was an impressive feat, especially since cheese is a good stress test. Food processors aren’t meant to replace your heavy-duty rotary grater, after all!
Based on how well it chopped the herbs, nuts and tomatoes, we consider this one’s multipurpose blade to be exceptionally sharp and well-equipped for harder items like potatoes and cucumbers. Also, the working bowl pulls directly off the base when you lift from the handle. It’s held in place during use by a magnet, making it sturdier than some of the others we tested. It also has rubber circles on the underside that stop it from skidding or jumping as it chops.
Testing Update
Since our testing team first tried this appliance, the Test Kitchen has used it to make a few recipes. Culinary Assistant Margaret Knoebel tried it out for black bean burgers and noted that it’s holding up very well despite being a bit tricky to clean, thanks to the three parts that make up the main blade.
“The unit comes with many tools (and a fun way to stack them),” she says. “It looks nice and takes up about the same counter space as similar units.” She does note that she doesn’t love that the top opens on the right side. “As a right-hander, it’s directly in my way,” she says. That said, the top is easily removable. Those who find this equally annoying may want to try the Cuisinart food processor instead, which rings up at a price point that is very comparable to the KitchenAid.
Pros:
- Easy to assemble and use
- Slicing disc and two shredding discs
- Multi-purpose blade, dough blade, dicing kit and French fry disc included
- Chops uniformly
- Rubber circles prevent slips
- Storage caddy included
Cons:
- Fairly tall and difficult to store
- Feeder tube is rather small
FAQs
How do you use a KitchenAid food processor?
Using the KitchenAid food processor is similar to using most food processors. Add the shredder disc or chopping blade to the interior stem and turn the unit on to begin chopping. The bowl pulls straight off and is easy to remove.
The lid on this one is very easy to put on because you just latch it on versus pivoting and snapping it on. The stem is permanently in the working bowl and cannot be removed, making assembly relatively simple.
How do you open a KitchenAid food processor?
The lid clips in on one side and hinges, making it easy to open and close.
How do you turn on a KitchenAid food processor?
To turn on the KitchenAid food processor, plug it in and press down on either the “high” or “low” tab buttons on the motor base.
Is the KitchenAid food processor dishwasher-safe?
All parts except the motor base are dishwasher-safe on the top rack. If washing the food processor parts by hand, avoid using abrasive cleansers or scouring pads. They may scratch or cloud the work bowl and cover.
Where to Buy the KitchenAid Food Processor
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KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor
The KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor is a dependable appliance. It offers some of the most even slices, dices and chops of all the processors we put to the test.
The KitchenAid food processor is available at most big-box retailers, including Amazon, Crate & Barrel, Lowe’s and the KitchenAid website. It retails for around $200. This is a little steep compared to other models we tested, but it was the top performer for multiple tests. Plus, the KitchenAid name is steeped in quality. If you’re a home cook looking to upgrade your prep game, this is a solid option.
Originally Published: July 09, 2024
