# Food Processor



## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

I'm sure this has been discussed before; probably several times, but....

My Hamilton Beach is about to give up the ghost. So I'm in the market for a new food processor. Price, within reason, isn't an issue. But I want to get good quality, versitility, and performance out of the new one that at least matches the HB---which I've had for close to 20 years.

So, what does everyone suggest?


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

I'd suggest giving us a little more information. What capacity are you looking for? How often do you use a processor, and what sort of things do you process with it.

I say this because when I was last looking for a small capacity food processor to handle grainding of chunks of meat, which at the time was an almost daily task, I was directed by several people to a particular Kitchen Aid model, but as soon as I started talking about a larger capacity, more general purpose machine, Cuisinart was recommended, as was the Robot Coup.

This was a couple of years ago, so models and construction may have changed. I've had my Cuisinart 25 years or so, and it's never let me down.

Shel


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

I don't know what capacity I need, Shel. I notice they go from 9 cups to 14 cups, but I'm not sure if bigger is better or not. The HB is about 8 or 9 cups, which is a bit on the small side. But do I need a 14? Or will an 11-12 serve me fine? 

I use it fairly often, as a general purpose food processor. I do not use it for making dough (I've a KA Pro-600 for that), nor for chopping meat (I use a separate grinder for those functions).

One thing to keep in mind is that I often use it in lieu of a blender. So there's that double-dip need that could have an effect on final choice.


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## mikescookin (Jan 15, 2005)

My 11 cup Classic Cuisinart is still going strong after 7-8 years. I bought it at Costco & it came with extra blades, a blade holder and an extra bowl. Still available at Costco for about $160, I believe.
The following is what Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen has to say on the subject. Good luck.

Testing Lab

The All-Purpose Food Processor—Updated
from the Episode: Summer Fruit Desserts

Some models cost almost $300, while others are sold for relatively small change. Do the big bucks guarantee a better machine? And what about all those attachments?

For related information, see our review of Mini Food Processors.

Updated: September, 2005
The winning food processor from our November/December 2004 test, the KitchenAid Professional 670 (model KFP670, $279.99), has been discontinued. In its place are two larger models--and they cost less. We brought them into the kitchen for a test run. Both the 12-Cup Ultra Wide Mouth Food Processor (model KTA KFP760, $229.95) and the 12-Cup Food Processor (model KTA KFP750, $199.95) performed as well as our discontinued winner--and better than our original runners-up--in core tasks such as chopping, pureeing, and making pie and bread dough. The difference came down to the size of the feed tube. Ironically, the larger tube (that is, the Ultra Wide Mouth) was more limiting in terms of what we could process, thanks to the safety interlock system, a plastic "pusher" that guides the food down the tube and activates the power switch. For example, a large russet potato will fit into the large tube but must be laid on its side for the pusher to engage the slicer. Not a deal breaker, but the regular-size feed tube on the regular 12-Cup Food Processor (which is 2 inches by 3 inches) doesn't have that nagging safety feature; what's more, it costs less.



It has been seven years since we last put food processors through their paces. Although the basic concept hasn’t changed much (plastic bowl with whirring blade), almost all of the models we tested back in 1997 have. Our new lineup included five mid-to-high priced models ($140 up to $280), plus three models at $70 or less. The high-priced models come with various attachments that are supposed to turn the machine into everything from a juicer to a blender. Do the attachments justify the extra cost? Could the back-to-basics models handle most kitchen tasks with ease? Should any food processor cost almost $300? We went into the test kitchen to find out.

Cheaper Models Get a Workout
What should a food processor—at minimum—be able to do? For starters, it ought to chop, grate, and slice vegetables; grind dry ingredients; and cut fat into flour for pie pastry. If it can’t whiz through these tasks, it’s wasting counterspace. The cheaper models failed most of these basic tests.

Using the Black & Decker Power Pro 11 ($48), our testers had to forcefully ram carrots through a grater attachment so dull that the back of the slicer blade, on the reverse side of the disk, was as likely to catch the carrot as the grater. At least one-third of our carrots were torn into mangled slices by the dull back of the blade. Test cooks agreed: We couldn’t use this machine for carrot cake or grated carrot salad.

Another bargain-basement food processor, the two-speed Hamilton Beach PrepStar ($35), runs quieter and is better designed than its predecessor, the 70650. It performed well on the grating test, producing clean shreds of carrot and cheddar that were almost indistinguishable from those produced by machines costing three to four times as much. Slices of potato, however, came out like wedges—paper-thin on one side, up to 1?8 inch thick on the other. The coarse action of the Hamilton Beach slicing blade tore pulp and seeds out of tomatoes, leaving just a thin ring of mangled flesh and skin.

The Oster Inspire ($70) was a tad better than the two other inexpensive models tested, but it still flubbed some basic food processor chores. For instance, this machine was unable to chop onions, carrots, or celery without brutalizing them.

Considering that these cheaper food processors had a hard time with basic tasks, we had little hope that they could manage more challenging jobs, such as kneading bread dough or pureeing soup. Sure enough, the cheaper models lived down to their reputation when it came to making pizza dough. We turned off the Hamilton Beach processor after 51 seconds, when flour and water were barely incorporated, as other cooks in the test kitchen looked up with alarm at the smell of acrid smoke and the horrendous sound of the straining motor. The Oster and the Black & Decker got the job done, but their motors, too, began to grind down as the dough came together, smelling of smoking grease and what we could only guess was melting plastic. After 90 to 100 seconds in these processors, the doughs that emerged were adequate, but we wondered how many crusty pizzas we could enjoy before we’d have to buy a new machine. As for pureeing soup, all three bargain machines leaked soup from the bottom of the bowl. (The puree itself turned out OK.)

In the end, then, we cannot recommend any of the three cheaper food processors we tested. It was time to open our wallet and check out the more expensive machines.

Spending More Money
The two stars of the food processor world have always been the KitchenAid (we tested the Professional 670, $280) and the Cuisinart (we tested the relatively new Prep 11 Plus, $200, as well as the original Pro Custom 11, $160). We also checked out the Bosch 5000 ($139) and the Bosch 5200 ($200).

The two Bosch machines made an interesting pair in the testing, as the less expensive machine sometimes stood up to its brawnier cousin. When it came to chopping vegetables, the cheaper Bosch 5000 did a better job. Both models have the same bowl size and blade design, but the 4-speed motor in the 5200 didn’t seem to cut the vegetables at all; it just kind of flogged them around the bowl. The 5000’s simpler 2-speed motor was more effective. However, when it came to pureeing soups, both models were standouts. The rounded bowl and cone-shaped blade attachment enabled both models to puree 5 cups of mock soup perfectly, without leaking a drop. Cup measurements on the side of the workbowl perplexed us, however. According to these markings, a 5-cup measure of liquid would be equivalent to 2 pints. In terms of other tasks, neither Bosch machine was great at making pizza dough or pie pastry.

One selling point of the 5200 is the attachments it comes with, several of which received high marks (see
"Attachment Disorder PDF"). We concluded that the 5200’s failure with vegetables could not be overlooked, despite its top-notch pureeing performance and its array of useful accessories. As one tester put it, "If the machine can’t slice potatoes, who cares if the juicer works?" The 5000 received a higher score because it is cheaper and because it’s able to handle vegetables—a core activity—handily.

The Big Guns
It was now time to move on to the big guns: KitchenAid and Cuisinart. After even a cursory examination, it was clear that more money does buy a better, more heavy-duty processor. The KitchenAid and Cuisinart blades are among the sturdiest and appear to be the sharpest. Their motors had more weight, ran quieter, and did not slow down under a heavy load of bread dough.

Speaking of dough, the dough-mixing features included with the newer Cuisinart Prep 11—a special blade and a separate speed for dough—proved well conceived. At the dough-mixing speed, the motor purred; it was quiet enough to allow for normal conversation. The original Cuisinart model, the Pro Custom 11, produced a result of equal quality but took a little longer to get there. (As with the KitchenAid and Bosch processors, this task put an audible strain on the motor.)

The Pro Custom 11, however, did the best job with pie pastry, as the blade stops spinning almost immediately once the pulse button is released. Other blades took a second or two to spin down. Because it usually takes about 10 pulses to cut fat into flour, a 2-second spin-down after each pulse can make a significant difference in the finished texture of the dough. Other machines, especially the Cuisinart Prep 11 and KitchenAid, did a good job with pastry, but the Pro Custom 11 yielded perfect pie dough.

When it came to pureeing soups, neither the KitchenAid nor the two Cuisinart models could compare with the Bosch food processors, which handled twice as much liquid and did not leak. The KitchenAid leaked slightly under the blade and has a small bowl capacity. The two Cuisinarts didn’t leak, but they produced imperfect purees and their bowl capacities are even smaller.

What, then, should you buy? If you are partial to Cuisinart, it turns out that the classic (and somewhat cheaper) model, the Pro Custom 11, is a better value, clearly outperforming the newer Prep 11 Plus in the vegetable tests and slightly outperforming its successor in the pie pastry test. Bread bakers, however, might want to go with the newer, more expensive model, which mixes bread dough superbly. And what about the KitchenAid, priced an eye-popping $280, a full 40 percent more than the top-of-the-line Cuisinart? First off, it is the hands-down winner with vegetable preparation; the Cuisinarts really don’t measure up in this regard. But the KitchenAid was only second-best compared with the two Cuisinarts when making dough.

And what, then, have we learned since our last rating of food processors? Seven years and about a thousand dollars later, we have concluded that KitchenAid and Cuisinart are still the machines to beat. If vegetable prep is important to you, buy the KitchenAid. If you don’t care too much about vegetable prep, the Cuisinarts perform all other tasks as well as (or better than) their pricier competition.


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

From my research I'd pretty much reached the same conclusions.

But it's been an interesting run. First I decided to check out the Robot Coupe. Ha!

First one to come up was their top of the line, 72 (or is it 92?) cup vertical commercial machine. Suggested list is only $6,400 plus change. In case there's any doubt, you say that "six thousand, four hundred and some odd dollars."

Yeah, I said price wasn't an issue. But I also said "within reason."

Once my heart restarted, I moved down the list until finally finding their household models. Comparable to the ones under discussion would by the 16-cup unit, with a full selection of blades et als. Suggested list is about $500, and the overall quality and package far exceeds Cuisinart's new 20-cupper at $700. But neither of those are what I would consider reasonable.

Long and the short is, I've just about decided on the KA 760. It comes with three bowels (12 cup, 10 cup, and the 4-cup mini), seven standard blades and a mini multi-purpose blade, and other goodies. Lists for $269. But I found it for $199, plus a current 20 buck rebate. So, for $179 I'll be getting what everyone seems to agree is the best unit.


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## oldschool1982 (Jun 27, 2006)

I have the Robot Coupe R2 for the home. Granted it's over-kill for the home cook but I brought mine in for one of my kitchens and when I left, I talked the Company I worked for into replacing it for me. So I took the new one home and used it to replace a Cuisinart I gave to my sister-in-law a couple years ago. Considering these can last for a few years in a volume commercial setting, for the home I expect this one to be the last processor I will ever buy. 

I paid 600.00 at Sysco back in '02 and it has the slicer/shred hopper as well as the bowl. Just looked on line and they're going for around 800.00 now. 

Like I said it's somewhat overkill but if you're looking at the commercial KA or Cuisinart models you're in the same ballpark. JMHPO


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

I mulled this one too: http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/cooki...cuisinart.html. I'm happy with it so far!


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## mannlicher (Jan 8, 2006)

I brought home a used Cuisanart 14 cup processor years ago. I have several disks for it that slice and shred. I am not sure its the best processor on the market, but for my needs, its just about perfect.


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## david jones (Jan 15, 2000)

I inherited a Robot Coupe R2 in the kitchen I took over. It's a piece of ****, period. It overheats when trying to make a cream cheese dip for 25 people. I want to throw it out the window. 

My Cuisinart PrepPlus11 is a workhorse and I love it.

$1100 versus $199. Go figure.


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## carole (Jun 10, 2007)

Hi, I just found this forum a couple days ago. I know your message was back in February but I wondered if you had in fact purchased and tried out the KitchenAid with the wide feedtube and if you liked it? Also I am hoping some of you will help me make a decision on choosing a new food processor.

I always loved cooking and developing recipes and used to do some catering. In 1989 I became ill and although I still cook for myself and once in awhile develop recipes, standing up makes me dizzy and sick so it's minimal.

I had a Cuisinart (I think it was a Custom 11 or Pro 11 but I thought it had 14 cups) for many years but due to the illness had not used it in awhile, then in summer 2005 a tree was struck by lightening and fell inside my apartment right on the food processor (and the house caught on fire, etc). I am finally going to replace my food processor and will get it partially paid for by insurance but now I am at the deadline, last couple weeks to replace it and a few other things; other stuff I am just going to have to forget about. But I do want the food processor (once a foodie always a foodie I guess); I intend to finally replace the food processor in the next day or two.

That said, I had narrowed down what I wanted to either the Kitchen Aid with the wide feedtube, 2 extra bowls, accessory case, citrus press, leaning heavily to that one and 2nd choice another Cuisinart. The old Cuisinart was damaged but not completely crushed and is still usable I think although I have not tried it out. I always liked the Cuisinart very much except that it was a bit difficult (stiff) to put on the bowl and feedtube and there was no where to put the blades and I have too low income to buy extras like an accessory case. But the KitchenAid comes with the accessory case and extra bowls and other stuff so I'm heavily leaning towards that one, although I'm wondering if the rounded look is less "contemporary" than the Cuisinart, which leads me to my first question. Anyone with my taste like or do not like the rounded look or have ideas about it?

Here are my main questions and if anyone will jump in and help me with my decision (ASAP) I'd very much appreciate it.

First, choice of color and style. I live in an apartment with an old, not updated or decorated kitchen. It's not tiny, there is room for a dining room table and washer and dryer and I have 2 fridges in there, plus some chrome shelves I put in.

The floor is a travertine or marble tile, light beige with some green features, and the lighting is flat flourescent fixtures. The windows are newish. Other than that, everything is just old, white cabinets with country type pulls; I would not want to match anything. I have a mixture of pots hung on a pot rack. I have a yellow Stabix rooster pot which I like. My (old but still looks new) kitchenaid mixer is white, however it's still packed from moving in 2005.

My taste (and fantasy) is to one day have a kitchen that is a mixture of a minimalist (out of Dwell magazine if you've seen that) and fancy chef's kitchen with industrial features. That may or may not ever happen but still, I'd like the food processor to reflect my taste. None of the bright colors really appeal to me. And I don't think I want a black food processor. I could get a white one to match my mixer but that is not that important to me. So I'm considering the KA brushed nickel food processor but it has a large black bar I don't think I like so much. Maybe I could get used to it. I'd like something with a smooth finish like the mixer. Does anyone know if the KA food processors come in plain stainless steel or chrome? Does the brushed nickel instead have a texture? 
I know some or all of you are chefs, what would you choose if you have the same taste as mine?

Does the KA have the function where you can put your finger to hold in the blade like the Cuisinart does (or did)?

Can you (I think I read this is not possible) use the slicing and other discs with the 2nd largest bowl?

All oopininions welcome! I have some health stuff going on in my life, emergency type plus this deadline and am dizzy and have blurred vision reading so cannot spend much time on the computer looking up reviews and choosing products so I have narrowed it down to these 2 and probably the KA and will be happy with help with my decision.

Best,
Carole


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Carole, I did, indeed, purchase the KA 760. It was only delivered last week, and I have no track record using it yet, so can only answer some of your questions (not necessarily in order).

First, the bowls. You've got it backwards. You can only use the accessory (slicing, grating) blades with the 10 cup chef's bowl, but not the general purpose blade. If your intention is to use the different bowls you have to do some serious processing planning, because they work by stacking. That is, the 10 cupper goes inside the 12 cupper. So you use the 10-cup bowl first, toss it in the sink, then use the 12 cup bowl. 

My gut feeling is that it will be just as easy to clean a bowl as I use it, and go on to whatever the next step is. 

The mini-bowl (4 cup) also goes into the 12 cup bowl, and only works with it's own smaller general purpose blade. 

I have not used the huge feed tube yet. But there are mixed reports about it. Apparently people either love it or hate it, with few in the middle. You have to lay stuff in horizontally, when using the big tube, or cut is short, because there's a safety interlock that only allows about half the vertical space to be used in large-tube mode. This is not a problem when using the small feed tube.

The 760 does, indeed, allow you to lift the bowl and general purpose blade together by clamping the blade with your index finger. 

One thing to be aware of: All in all, the unit takes a lot of storage space. the processor/bowls are fairly large to begin with. The storage box, for the accessories, measures 8 1/2 x 11, by 4 inches, and will not support the processor (that is, you cannot store it under the unit). And the citrus juicer is a rather large, separate accessory that does not fit into the box. 

As to aesthetics and taste, that's all up to you. I got the black one, but wasn't looking to make a fashion statement. Even so, it's a handsome unit that would, I believe, fit in with most decors. 

Hope this helps.


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## carole (Jun 10, 2007)

Hi KYHeirloomer,
Thank you for the information! Your black one sounds very nice, sleek. With the black one (and I would guess with the nickle) can you see your controls easily? From their picture I cannot see them.

I have room to put all the accessories away so that's not a problem but I am wondering if you can still push in a zuchinni vertically in the smaller feedtube, that sort of thing, like I used to with my Cuisinart. Also I was a bit confused about the bowl stacking. Can you use the 12 cup alone and with all the discs/blades? Then when you want to use the 10 cup, can you do the same or do you have to stack it with the 12 cup? I did realize that one would have to use the minibowl with its own blade and stack it.

There is a good deal at Amazon with a rebate and if I do get the KA I am leaning towards the brushed nickle with black or the white.

Best,
Carole


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Controls are easily visible and reachable, Carole. They're on a silver-colored plate on the front of the machine. No problems there.

The stacking of the bowls is confusing at first. You can use the 12 cup bowl alone, with any of the blades and accessories. In that mode it's just like any other processor. If you want to use the 10 cup chef's bowl, you do so by slipping it inside the 12 cupper. And it only accepts the slicing and grating blades, not the general purpose blade.

So, if you intend using both, without cleaning in between, the trick is to plan your work so you slice/shred first, into the 10 cup bowl, then finish with the 12 cup while the 10 cup either is put to the side, or is in the sink.

For an off the top of my head example, say you were making a vegetable strudle. You could shred the veggies into the 10 cup bowl, and set it aside, then, using the dough blade, make the strudle dough in the 12 cup bowl. But if you made the dough first, you would have to wash the 12 cup bowl before using the 10 cupper. 

The mini also fits inside the 12 cup bowl, in a similar manner.

Using the small feed tube you can continuous feed, as with most processors. Reason for that is that the big plunger stays in place, in the feed tube. The center of the big plunger is removeable, and become the small feed tube. So, yes. A zucchini, or a carrot, or what have you can just be fed right in. 

On the other hand, if you wanted to make a lot of zucchini slices at one time, using the large feed tube, you would first have to trim the zukes so they were no more than 2 1/2 inches tall. Arrange these short pieces in the feed tube, and then start slicing. Anything taller than 2 1/2 inches disconnects the safety interlock. 

Thus, the literature that says things like "you can fit a whole potato in the large feed tube" is a little misleading. Yes, you can put a whole potato there, providing it is less than 2 1/2 inches in diamter, and that you lay it on its side.


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## deltadoc (Aug 15, 2004)

I have a Robot Coupe II that I bought in 1992-3 from a restaurant supply house for about $595. It is awesome and does everything I want it too except for chopping small amounts of veggies. I have a small processor, brand I can't remember, bought if for my mom some 15 years ago, and she never used it, so I took it back when she died. It makes a lot of noise, but man, it really works well.

And then there is my Vita-Mix, the old fashioned one with a spigot and made of stainless steel. Wouldn't be without it. Got it in 1964.

doc


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Personally I'd love an R2D2, Doc. But, realistically, it's a bit much for most home cooks. And way out of reach financially. 

Do you use the continuous feed attachment?


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## deltadoc (Aug 15, 2004)

Yup. It slices onions really well, because I make 22 qts. of French Onion soup at a time, and then can it.

I use it too, when making large quantities of vegetable soup also.

Don't care much, though, for using it to make french fries (it has different metal things to put under the feedthrough gizmo).

doc


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

I could have sworn I replied to this thread yesterday! The gist of my answer to Carole was:

Yes, you can hold the blade from the bottom of the bowl when emptying the workbowl.

No, you cannot use the slicing blades with the smaller bowl.

How about dark green for a color? Or, buy a cover if you redecorate. I got mine from a woman in Wisconsin who makes custom appliance covers, place mats, etc. You can contact her at [email protected]. I don't think she has a website, but I've corresponded with her about some items she made for me.


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

You did answer, Mezz.

Carole had double posted it, once here and once as a new thread. Your answer is over on the other one. 

Just so you don't think you're going bonkers.


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## snowfalldesigns (Jun 10, 2007)

I just recently bought a food processor - I've used one a few times before but I've never owned one. I basically bought it to make hummus and baby food and because I pretty much have just a WalMart in my town, I bought a Black & Decker Quick and Easy. It looks like it is good quality but I cannot figure it out! There are soo many pieces and the instructions just don't seem adequate...does anyone have any tips or have used this one? There are two large discs plus a blade (I've only used one with a normal blade). Most of the previous posts seem to be regarding fairly expensive devices, and this one was only $30 so I'm probably a little out of my element here!
Thanks!


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Snowfall, they all operate in a similar manner.

Start by putting the bowl onto the base. There will be some sort of post & key that lets you lock it in place by twisting it. 

Once that's done, take the general purpose blade (the one that looks like a pair of curved knives on a central shaft. Slide that in place by twisting it on the center axel until it slides down. 

To use the other blades (you probably have two metal discs. One is a slicer, the other a grater) you have to remove the general purpose blade. There is a tall post (probably plastic) that repaces it. The discs then fit (one at a time, you understand) on that post. 

With this info, and your owners manual, you should be able to figure it out. If not, let us know and we'll try and help you out.


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## carole (Jun 10, 2007)

Hi, KY thanks for the details. 
I had called Kitchen Aid and I think this one sounds good but has some design flaws particularly with the feed tubes,, plus the bowl stacking and not having a cord storage or retractable cord (no big deal that). They told me you can continuously feed only carrots or things less than 1 1/2 inches and zuchinni unless very narrow would not fit. But you said it would; I think I'll just have to take a chance and choose something and then I'll get used to it and like it. I just am not sure if I should go with the regular size feed tube and be able to push things in vertically and continuously or switch to the Cuisinart. After talking to Kitchen Aid I am not sure what advantage the wide feed tube is.

I do think the Kitchen Aid is still a better value, IF one wants, as I do, the accessory case and I think it comes with an extra blade.

They do sell an optional second cover with the regular size feed tube top and a pusher which could be used with the wide feed tube machine so if one was not satisfied with the wide feed tube and misses the easy continuous feed, that would cost about $35 ($19.99 for cover w feed tube and $14.99 for the pusher) plus shipping. Only with the nickel one which has a black bar that extra cover would not match (bar is clear). If I got the white, then the extra cover would match.

I wish I had more time to make a decision but have that deadline. I need more time for a lot of things, just too much stress about too many things and too many decisions to make and appointments to keep and deadlines while really sick and having sleep disorders that make it impossible to do what I need to. I'll just have to choose one and go with it.


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## carole (Jun 10, 2007)

:roll:Sorry for the double post, I had said I was doing that when I posted, I was confused when first posting to this forum and still am somewhat. And you did answer me.
This is a nice forum, you are all very helpful and it's nice to be around others who like to cook.

Carole


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## snowfalldesigns (Jun 10, 2007)

Thanks for the tips KY - I'm sure whatever I'm doing is pretty easy, I'm just stuck...it seems to make more sense now!


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Don't feel bad, Snowfall. Nobody tests their operating manuals anymore.

Used to be fairly common that when a company introduced a product they would test it with a panel of people unfamiliar with the product. That's how both the product and manual would get improved.

Alas, they dropped that practice. Which is why so many manuals are confusing. 

Actually, they do make sense---if you already know what you're doing. But then, of course, you wouldn't need the manual in the first palce.


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## snowfalldesigns (Jun 10, 2007)

anyone have a good hummus recipe I can use to test out my new machine??


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Here's mine. The leftovers can be morphed into felafel.

Hummus 
(Based on Jane Brody's recipe in Jane Brody's Good Food Cookbook)
Saute the onion and garlic in the vegetable oil until the vegetables are soft. (If using roasted garlic, do not saute it.) Set this aside.
Drain and rinse the chick peas thoroughly. Add them to the bowl of a food processor along with the onion, garlic, lemon juice, soy saice tahini and the sesame seeds. (Add cumin if using.) You can also add a teaspoon of finely miinced fresh mint if you like.
Process until the mixture is mostly smooth but still has some texture. Serve with pita, bagel chips or fresh veggies.
Leftover hummus can be mixed with dry bread crumbs to form a stiff mixture. Roll into balls the size of an egg yolk and roll in more bread crumbs. Fry in a non-stick skillet with some olive oil and serve as felafel with chopped lettuce, cucumber, tomato and onion in pita bread with tahini sauce.


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Leftover hummus ... :lol:

Your idea for hummus patties is great. Thanks for posting that!

Shel


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## deltadoc (Aug 15, 2004)

Process after each step:
1. Process 2-3 whole garlic buds
2. Add one can (minus 1/2 the liquid) of garbanzo beans
3. Add 1/4 cup Tahini (like peanut butter but made from toasted sesame seeds)
4. Add 1/4 cup EVOO
5. Add juice of one or two lemons (depending on how juicy they are)
6. Add 2 TBSP chopped parsley (Optional)
7. Add S&P to taste
8. Add 1/4-1/2 tsp cumin (Optional)
9. Add pinch cayenne (Optional)
10. Add water to get the consistency that you're looking for (Not too thick, not too thin).

Scrape out of the bowl, and serve on a platter. Drizzle EVOO and more lemon juice over the spread out hummous. Dip with pita bread.

My Palestinian friends told me this is what they do for breakfast every day!

Sometimes they sprinkle a little bit of paprika on the platter too, add decorate with black pitted olives.

doc


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## dagger (Feb 4, 2005)

I have a Wolfgang Puck i bought from HSN. It has a sealed working bowl and the attachments fit in a draw under the main unit. It works fine for me and came with a 5 year warranty. The slicing blade is also adjustable and you can use the chopping blade with a disk because the way they sit on a spindle. You can check it out on HSN


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## allie (Jul 21, 2006)

I was just re-reading this thread because my Black and Decker Quick and Easy quit on me. The last thing I used it for was shredding mozzarella cheese and then I tried bread crumbs and hummus but it was no longer strong enough for either of those.

Anyway, I started searching here for ideas on what I should replace it with but think I can't afford the ones you all mention. I just can't pay over $100 for one anytime soon. Does anyone have a less expensive model that has a stronger motor and can grate cheese?


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## woodsboy (Oct 19, 2008)

I have been on a personla mission to get any/every place I have worked over the years to stop drinking the Robot Coupe Kool Aid and accept the fact that the best big food processor is Cuisinart. 

If you want a machine that has 300 pieces, requires a screwdriver to pick out all the lodged in cheese or vegetable pieces from its ridiculously complicated attachments, then the Robot Coupe is for you! If you enjoy holding the whoile machine together after all the little tabls and slots break off, then you will just LOVE the Robot Coupe! The big Cuisinart (DLC-X) or a new big model outperforms the Robot Coupe in every way. Aside from the exterior pointing shoot where you can grate cheese into a large bowl instead of into the FP internal bowl, I cant think of anything that a Robot Coupe does better- it overheats if you leave it running, the plastic used for construction of the bowls tend to chip off in tiny pieces and I was thrilled to find that little pieces of a Robot Coupe I used at work for over two years were systematically coming apart into whatever cheese i was grating- yum, plastic in my cheese! The R2D2 has a smaller bowl than the large Cuisinart and costs from 2-3x more, its just silly.

Lets all stand up against this scam that is Robot Coupe, somehow they have managed to convince commercial kitchens that THEY are the only FP that belongs when in reality the big Cuusinart of the winner. At home I have had the older big Kitchenaid which also kicks butt, it is as quiet and smooth now as it was when it was new in 1991.


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## leethequeen (Mar 13, 2002)

Allie - over the years I burned out the Black and Decker and several other inexpensive processors. I finally bit the bullet and bought a Cuisenart that is now going on 20 years of almost daily use with no breakdowns or problems. Well worth the cost and cheaper than replacing all those cheap machines.


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## willie24 (Aug 13, 2008)

Woodsboy - flip your KA processor over and see where it says it was made. If it says " Made in France" you've got a KA made by Robot Coupe. They made the first few generations of processors for KA after they severed ties with Cuisinart and now they produce the Magimix line.

Willie


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## arrelaferarry (Dec 3, 2020)

Years ago, I took home a used Cuisinart 14 cup processor. I've got several disks to slice and shred for it. I'm not sure that it is the best processor on the market, but it's just about right for my needs.


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## arrelaferarry (Dec 3, 2020)

I have a Krups that
I bought it from HSN, too.
It has a sealed working tub, and under
the main unit the attachments fit into a draw.
It works fine for me and Krups comes with a warranty of 5 years.
The slicing blade can also be adjusted and the cutting blade can be used with a disk because of the way they rest on a spindle is.


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