Kitchenware - Mini Food Processors

A guide to choosing and buying mini food processors

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Mini food processors have, not surprisingly, fast become an essential in many kitchens. With the increase of smaller families and kitchens, people don't require large food processors for everyday use and many home cooks have forsaken the huge pieces of equipment with numerous attachments which are too big for many chopping jobs, for the small compact mini versions.

This guide to mini electric food processors will tell you everything you need to know to understand, choose and use these useful appliances.

What are the Benefits of Using Mini Food Processors

Space saving with many bases taking up little more than 15cm/6 inch square on your work surface
Ability to process much smaller quantities which is especially useful when cooking for less than 4 people
Cleaner and often quicker than hand chopping
Easier to use than large processors where smaller quantities of foods sometimes get left unprocessed
Fewer parts means less washing up
Additional attachments for whisking or processing foods directly in a saucepan, mixing bowl or other utensil

What Should I Look for in a mini food processor?

To ensure you make full use of these handy appliances, below are some things that you should consider before making a purchase.

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Type of blades Food processor blades should be stainless steel.

Hand-held or Base Unit If you think you'll be mainly using it to puree foods in situ then choose a hand-held type. If you think you'll be mainly using it to chop, then choose a base/bowl type. However, there are models available which can be used both ways and these are the ones we would recommend.

Wattage Most mini food processors vary between 150W to 300W. In general, the higher the wattage motor the the quicker the chopping tasks. Try to buy the most powerful model you can afford.

Additional Settings Many machines have several chopping settings such as pulse action and speed. The pulse action is particularly useful to prevent the over processing of items such as nuts.

Additional attachments include extra cutting, grating and dicing discs, hand held whisks and hand processors for processing foods in other containers such as saucepans and mixing bowls. The later are very useful for items such as soups, smoothies and purées.

Dishwasher Safe Parts Most mini food processors now have dishwasher-safe parts however it's best to double check.

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Safety Features Many models have additional safety features such as non-slip feet and interlocking lids so check the product descriptions to see if the model that you’re considering has these.

Standard Safety Marks, Warranties, Manual Look for a processor with a recognised safety mark for your particular country which is a sign that the manufacturer follows the best safety precautions and for a model with at least a 1 year warranty.

Good Reviews Check cooking magazines and websites to read reviews from other consumers and businesses.

How much should you spend on a mini food processor?

Although prices range from very cheap to relatively expensive, always be guided by what you think you will need based on the above criteria, rather than on price. If you are unsure, it's best to pay a little extra and get more functions. Currently (as at 2008) prices range from £10 to £50.

Uses for Mini Food Processors

Mini Electric Food Processors are ideal for:-

Salad dressings
Breadcrumbs
Chopping herbs
Chopping onion and other veggies where a fine cut is required
Baby food
Smoothies (hand-held types)
Purées
Sauces
Soups (hand-held types)
Salsas
Grinding nuts
Blending (hand-held types)
Dips
Spice blends
Pesto
Mayonnaise

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