Buying advice: How to find the right food processor for you
21.1.2021
Translation: machine translated
Tired of holding the hand mixer for minutes on end, finally want to chop onions without tears and don't want to turn the pasta machine yourself? Food processors promise more convenience: put in the ingredients, switch on and let them stir, chop or press until the dough is ready, the onions are chopped or all the pasta is formed.
Not all food processors are the same. Most of them can do more than just knead and mix dough. However, the additional functions vary greatly - just like the bowl sizes and prices. Time for some guidance.
What do you want to do with the food processor?
Kneading dough and mixing ingredients for other things are part of the standard repertoire of every food processor. But many can do even more: chopping nuts, cutting herbs, blending smoothies or shaping pasta are just a few examples. While some models only have one additional function, others offer several options. This is made possible by attachments. These are sometimes included in the scope of delivery, but you often have to buy them separately. This is particularly the case with pasta and ice cream.
A food processor with which you can do everything sounds totally practical, but there is a small catch: the various attachments work, but do not come close to stand-alone machines in terms of user experience. In other words: the blender attachment is great, but won't replace your stand mixer. The same applies to the pasta attachments, ice-cream makers and vegetable slicers. You're always making compromises.
Food processors with blender
If you want your food processor to be able to blend fruit into smoothies or chop nuts and herbs, you need a model with a blender. This will also save you storage space and money for a single blender. The blender jug is usually attached to the top of the machine. This may look strange, but there is a simple reason for this: the blender needs the same motor that turns the dough hooks and beaters.
All kitchen machines with mixer
Food processors for slicing and grating
It's not worth assembling, using, disassembling and washing the food processor for a cucumber or carrot. When it comes to regularly cutting or grating larger quantities of vegetables - and other things like cheese - a food processor is very helpful.
All food processors for slicing and grating
It's getting hot in the kitchen - or would you prefer ice cream?
There are also food processors that can prepare complete hot meals. At maximum temperatures of 180 degrees, you are limited to soups, stews and the like and are also moving towards "slow cooking". The food is prepared gently at low temperatures, but it takes time.
It also works the other way round - at least as far as temperatures are concerned. In theory, you can make ice cream with many food processors. However, this is usually only possible with a special bowl - an optional accessory - with a substance in the base (and wall) that you freeze in the freezer compartment beforehand. When the ingredients for the ice cream are placed in the bowl, they freeze solid and the food processor uses a scraper to repeatedly loosen the frozen mass. Over time, this creates the ice cream.
Food processors for pasta
You can make pasta yourself with some food processors. First, you knead the dough with them and then shape the pasta using an attachment. This attachment is not always included. You often have to buy it separately.
All food processors for pasta and the corresponding accessories.
Colleague Simon has tried out an attachment from Kitchen Aid:
How much food do you want to prepare?
Of course, the size of a food processor is also about how much space you have in your kitchen. Much more important is the bowl size for how much food you want to be able to prepare. This ranges from around 1 to 7 litres, although most cake recipes can easily be prepared in a three-litre bowl.
When I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de.
