Are you asking yourself, food processor vs. blender—or perhaps both? Before deciding, ask yourself a few questions, says our Bottom Line Personal expert Linda Gassenheimer. Do you do a lot of dicing and chopping? Do you like to make smoothies or puréed sauces? How much space do you have in your kitchen—on the counter and in the cupboards?
| Food Processor | Blender | |
| Dicing | X | |
| Chopping | X | |
| Slicing | X | |
| Shredding | X | |
| Mixing Ingredients | X | |
| Crushing Food Into Liquid | X | |
| Blending | X | |
| Smoothies | X | |
| Puréeing Soups and Sauces | X |
Food processors are used to chop, slice, mix ingredients and shred foods…but they are not good for smoothing sauces or making smoothies. The chopping blade that sits in the base of the bowl is perfect for dicing and/or chopping foods, such as onion and carrots. The attachment discs are for slicing and shredding. The lids come with a tube so you can slice a cucumber in seconds by feeding the vegetable through the tube with the slicing blade running. The feeding tube also may have a drizzle hole so you can slowly add a liquid while the bowl unit is running. Example: For an easy salad dressing, mix mustard and vinegar together in the bowl until they are smooth. Then very slowly add oil through the feeding tube while the blade is running in the base. The result is a creamy, thick emulsion perfect for your favorite greens.
Blenders are designed for crushing foods into liquids and blending liquids. They’re best for making frozen drinks, milk shakes, smoothies and for puréeing soups or sauces. Some simply blend food at different speeds…others have attachments so you can make something, say a smoothie, and take it with you.
What to consider before buying a blender: Will you use it every day? Do you need all the attachments that might come with a pricier model? Or would a small handheld blender that you can bring to your saucepan be best? These work only for small amounts of liquid. Also consider where you’ll keep it—blenders are tall, and some will not fit on a countertop under a top cabinet.
My favorite products now…
Food processor
Cuisinart Custom 14 Cup Food Processor is easy to use and clean and has a powerful motor. The different blades take less than a minute to attach. Price: $199.95.
Blender
Vitamix 5200 is best if you make smooth drinks or purée liquids. It’s pricey, but it does the job. Price: $499.95.
Or: Oster Original 3 Speed Chrome Blender, which has an easy-to-clean and dishwasher-safe glass jar. It blends liquids and turns ice cubes and fruit into a smooth drink. Price: $109.99.
