The best food processors of 2024 tried and tested, from Ninja to KitchenAid (2024)

If there’s one device that can help you in the kitchen above all others, it’s probably the food processor. The best food processors will let you chop, slice, mix, blend, mince, emulsify and even knead bread, generally much quicker than you can perform the task yourself.

Although they appear similar, food processors differ from blenders and juicers in a number of ways. Blenders simply mash and mix (ideal for soups and smoothies), although they can sometimes perform some similar functions to a food processor such as chopping herbs or making breadcrumbs. Juicers just extract juice from fruit and vegetables.

Food processors tend to do a lot more, and it’s worth considering what functions they offer before buying one. Most enable you to slice veg far faster than you could with a knife, whizz herbs for a garnish or mix a bread dough in seconds. Some, but not all, offer whisking components or larger bowls for greater quantities. If you don’t need those, or will only be whizzing up small portions, a smaller food processor will suffice.

I asked top chefs to recommend the best processors and tested the newest models at home. You can read my full reviews below, followed by some useful advice on how to choose the right one for you. But if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at my top five:

Which are the best food processors in 2024? At a glance

• Best overall Magimix Food Pro 4200XL
• Best value Ninja Food Processor With Auto IQ
• Best small food processor Kenwood MultiPro Go
• Best food processor and blender Ninja 3-in-1
• Best food chopper KitchenAid 2.1-litre

Which food processors do chefs use?

Though it may sound like cheating, top chefs use food processors all the time. “We wouldn’t be able to live without our food processor,” says Chef Adria Wu, founder of Maple & Co. “We use professional, commercial-sized food processors to make our hummus and dressings. I also love using a food processor at home when I’m cooking slightly larger quantities, otherwise it’s not worth washing up. I have a small KitchenAid one that’s perfect for chopping garlic, onions, herbs and nuts.”

Food processors, Wu continues, “allow you to control the speed and therefore texture, reducing the need to hand chop. I use the pulse function a lot.” She recommends using them to make nut butters, dressings, baby food purées and more. “Just be mindful that processors below £50 probably won’t last long,” she says.

How I tested the best food processors

I put the food processors through a variety of tests to establish which was best for what function. I chopped and sliced all sorts of vegetables, from onions and carrots, peppers and herbs. I whizzed tomatoes into purées, chopped herbs and shredded cabbage. Where available, I used the bread mixing function to knead dough.

I considered how many different modes a food processor offered, its capacity, its ease of function, how simple it was to clean, how noisy they were, price and how aesthetically pleasing – or not – it was.

If you’re upgrading your kitchen, by the way, you may be interested in our guides to the best coffee machines, the best air fryers and the best kettles.

Best food processors

1. Magimix Food Pro 4200XL

£319, John Lewis

Best overall, 10 out of 10

We like: Provides consistently great results, and very quickly

We don’t like: It’s quite bulky

• Capacity: 3 litres main bowl
• Power: 950W
• Modes: 3
• Attachments: 9

This is the closest I found to a professional kitchen appliance. Its stainless steel body is quite heavy and bulky, but that only lends a sense of sturdiness: it won’t shake as you use it.

It was recommended to me by Nigel Haworth, chef patron at The Three Fishes in Lancashire, who uses Magimix in the restaurant and at home. “They’re a great in-between, ‘heavy-duty domestic’ piece of equipment, really versatile,” he says. “I make pastry in them, crumble, cake batter, you name it.”

I put the Food Pro through a number of tasks. A bread dough – from the excellent recipe book that comes with the machine – was whipped up in just 30 seconds and created light, fluffy baguettes. Cucumbers were sliced into thin rounds in seconds, and onions and red peppers were sliced into submission in no time.

In fact, I found it to be quick at every task and it wasn’t very noisy. Food was easily scraped out of the bowls – there are multiple bowl sizes, making this ideal for larger families or those who want something smaller – and all the parts except the motor are dishwasher safe.

While there are excellent smaller food processors out there, this option, which comes with a pulse and auto function, will be a fine choice for anyone looking for a top food processor.

2. Ninja food processor with Auto-IQ

Currently £79.99, Ninja

Best value food processor, 9/10

We like: Lots of different functions

We don’t like: It’s noisy

• Capacity: 2.1 litres
• Power: 850W
• Modes: 7
• Attachments: 5

Ninja have emerged in recent years as one of the top names for kitchen gadgets and their food processor is no exception. This great-value option is simple but offers all the basic food-prep functions and does them well. For chopping, slicing, kneading or grating, it will turn into your go-to, and isn’t so big that it takes up too much space on the counter.

It’s all sturdy and feels highly durable. Everything fits into place easily, although you do need to properly click it into place before you can use it. For slicing and chopping large amounts of vegetables, it worked a treat. For mixing batters and pastes, it’s up there with the best. The kneading blade brings all sorts of dough together with absolute ease. In fact, there’s very little to fault it.

3. Kenwood MultiPro Go

£49.99, John Lewis

Best small food processor, 9/10

We like: It’s very streamlined

We don’t like: It only has one speed

• Capacity: 1.3 litres
• Power: 650W
• Modes: 1
• Attachments: 3

Kenwood have billed this model as their smallest food processor to date, and it certainly feels that way. But don’t let that put you off, because it punches well above its weight. In fact, unless you’re preparing large amounts of food for families, this option is more than enough. If you live alone or only cook for a couple, it comes highly recommended.

You’ll lose out on certain functions, such as bread mixing, as this only comes with a blade, slicer and grater, but there’s plenty you can get done with those three. I made quick tomato purées, whizzed herbs in no time for a herby chilli sauce, sliced onions speedily – although, it should be noted, not quite as thinly as some other food processors.

Nevertheless, this Kenwood food processor is well worth getting, even alongside a larger food processor, if need be.

4. Ninja BN800UK 3-in-1

£169.99, Ninja

Best food processor and blender, 8/10

We like: With several different attachments, it’s very versatile

We don’t like: Not the best results when shredding veg

• Capacity: 1.8 litres for food processing
• Power: 1200W
• Modes: 5
• Attachments: 8

If it’s sheer versatility you’re after, then Ninja’s 3-in-1 food processor is one of the best options about. That’s because, not only is it a food processor, it includes two blenders – one for large quantities, the other a personal blender, similar to a Nutribullet, which you can easily transport smoothies, for example.

The blenders both worked well, thanks to the powerful motor. With a variety of auto-IQ preset buttons, you don’t need to attend to the device while it’s blending – simply press the button and it will stop automatically when done. You can easily customise, however, to blend to the desired length of time. Most parts are machine washable, and it’s easy to use.

The food processor was powerful (and loud) and got through vegetables quickly. I only found the slicing function to be a little underwhelming, with some hardier vegetables not as thinly sliced as with some other machines. It’s a bulky machine, especially with its three large components, so storing may be an issue. Having said that, you won’t need to buy a blender if you pick up one of these, so it may well be worth it on that front.

5. KitchenAid 2.1-litre

£186.99, Lakeland

Best food chopper, 9/10

We like: The classic design

We don’t like: Some parts rattled a bit

• Capacity: 2.1 litres
• Power: 240W
• Modes: 3
• Attachments: 6

KitchenAid is one of the classic food processor manufacturers and is beloved by chef Adria Wu of Maple & Co for its versatility. I agree, finding this model to be easy to use, very speedy and up to most kitchen tasks.

Tomatoes were easily whizzed into a purée, peppers quickly sliced up, and all rather quietly, which is an added bonus. The sharpness of the blades meant that, even at the slower speed of three, results were impressive. With dough attachments you can mix up a bread dough in no time. I also really liked the whisk and julienning functions, the former able to make a great mayonnaise, the latter ideal for slicing potatoes for a hash brown.

Dishwasher safe and easy to clean by hand, this classic KitchenAid model highly impressed overall.

6. Sage the Kitchen Wizz 15 Pro

£439.99, Lakeland

Best multi-function food processor, 9/10

We like: You can do pretty much anything with it

We don’t like: The cost

• Capacity: 3.7 litres
• Power: 2000W
• Modes: 2
• Attachments: 6

Make no bones about it, this food processor from Sage is up there with the best. With multiple functions, you can get pretty much any kitchen task done quickly and effectively. There are a wide array of blades and discs, which have their own storage case – something worth bearing in mind, as you’ll need cupboard space for this bulky, heavy machine.

But if you cook a lot, for plenty of people, and like to experiment, this food processor is ideal. Aside from all the regulars – slicing onions, chopping carrots, kneading bread – what does the Kitchen Wizz offer? Well, it can peel potatoes, for starters, very quickly and pretty effectively – not quite as effective, perhaps, as doing it by hand, but much, much speedier. It’s also impressively quiet given the high wattage.

7. Bosch MultiTalent 8

£170, AO

Best multi-attachment food processor 9/10

We like: An impressive range of functions

We don’t like: It takes up a lot of space

• Capacity: 3.9 litres
• Power: 1200W
• Modes: 5
• Attachments: 7

The best place to start with this Bosch food processor is with the sheer number of functions. It includes all the main attachments – from choppers and blenders to shredders – but you can also make perfectly julienned potatoes for chips, use the citrus press for orange and lemon juice, and whisk with the whisker.

That makes it ideal for those wanting to use their device for a wide range of functions in the kitchen, rather than just chopping and slicing. It does it all remarkably well, too. The steel blades are incredibly sharp, and with five separate speeds, there’s a high level of control. It’s perfect for grating cheese, slicing veg, while you can even use it for blending smoothies.

I liked that the device came with a case for the blades and attachments, which felt safer than putting sharp blades in a drawer. It’s also a pretty good price, considering all that it offers. The only downsides, really, are that it uses up quite a lot of space with so many attachments.

8. Russell Hobbs Desire

£66.99, Currys

Best budget food processor, 8/10

We like: It’s very easy to use and has an attached blender

We don’t like: Some vegetables weren’t completely shredded

• Capacity: 2.5 litres
• Power: 600W
• Modes: 3
• Attachments: 5

If you’re after something less bulky than the biggest food processors, this Russell Hobbs model is a brilliant option. It has both a 2.5-litre bowl and a 1.5-litre blender jug, making it a good two-for-one option.

The food processor itself was great value for money, compounded by its two-for-one nature. It’s simple, lacking some of the functionality of the more expensive competitors, but that’s part of its appeal. It’s a practical processor that’s ideal for everyday use, and doesn’t need to be stored on the countertop.

I found it to be up to most tasks and I like the wide feeder chute, which meant vegetables and fruit could be easily processed. The only issue I found is when I blitzed up plenty of vegetables for a coleslaw – cabbage, onions, carrots, apples – a few larger chunks remained at the end.

9. Cuisinart Easy Prep Pro

Currently £69.99, Lakeland

Best looking food processor, 8/10

We like: Its excellent functionality and cool design

We don’t like: It doesn’t have the capacity of some models

• Capacity: 1.9 litres
• Power: 350W
• Modes: 3
• Attachments: 4

The first thing to say about this Cuisinart food processor is it’s a looker. Its metallic design looks comfortable permanently placed on a worktop. And, if you plan to store it away, it’s not too big to fit in the cupboard.

I liked this processor’s simplicity. It doesn’t come packed with a bunch of obscure attachments I’ll rarely use but has all the basics: grating, slicing, chopping and so on. While it doesn’t have a bread kneader, you can easily blend batters and pastries. Sliced cucumbers were thin and uniform, chopped vegetables like onions were whizzed up in seconds. This food processor doesn’t come with too many bells and whistles, but for sheer functionality – not to mention looks – it’s up there with the best.

10. Salter Compact Prep

£34.99, Currys

Best mini food processor, 7/10

We like: It’s small and easy to use

We don’t like: Doesn’t offer much versatility

• Capacity: 1 litre
• Power: 200W
• Modes: 1
• Attachments: 2

Food processors don’t have to be big and bulky and if you’re after something that doesn’t take up too much space, that you can store in any cupboard in the kitchen, this is the food processor for you.

It’s a simple device that performs well and takes no time to set up. It slices up vegetables quickly and chops up nuts and herbs with ease. The only downside is that you can’t process large quantities, so it’s best for smaller households, and you miss out on some extra functions, like slicing or grating.

Food processor FAQs

What is a food processor?

Food processors appliances that can speed up your food preparation by chopping, slicing, dicing, shredding and more. While some smaller models are limited to a few functions, most food processors these days have several interchangeable attachments for all sorts of food prep, from julienning potatoes to thinly slicing cucumbers, grating cheese to whisking and even kneading bread dough.

What size of food processor do I need?

That really depends on what you’re doing and how much you’re cooking. If you’re cooking solo or for small households (and if you are, check out our guide to the best recipe boxes), or if you’re just using your food processor for chopping veg, then you won’t need much more than the Kenwood MultiPro Go. With a capacity of 1.3L, it’s not the biggest on the market, but it does a brilliant job. If you’re regularly making big batches of food for families, or something like a coleslaw for a barbecue, then you’ll want a larger device of around 3L capacity.

Do I need a food processor with a powerful motor?

Generally, more powerful motors will speed up the task, although other factors, like blade sharpness, are important, too. Having said that, if you’re only chopping small amounts of herbs, nuts and vegetables, a lower wattage – around 200 – is fine. For large volumes, you’ll want something around 600W or more.

What is the easiest food processor to use?

Generally, all the food processors I tried were easy to use, as they’re not the most complex of appliances, and most just have an on and off button, or a few different speeds. Different attachments are easy to attach and remove. The smaller devices like the Kenwood MultiPro Go or the Salter option tested tend to be incredibly simple, while larger devices with more functions take a little getting used to. Having said that, the likes of the Magimix Food Pro and KitchenAid food processor are very simple to use.