Best Budget
Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor
$200-$250The community's favorite budget pick for decades. Simple two-button design, solid performance across all tasks, and a price under $250 make it the smart choice for home cooks who don't need premium features.
what experts say
- >“This food processor scored above average in all of our food processing tests, including chopping onions, mincing parsley, grating parmesan cheese, shredding carrots and cheese, and slicing zucchini and pepperoni.”— Good Housekeeping Institute
- >“We also recommend the budget-friendly stalwart from Cuisinart.”— Serious Eats
- >“The Cuisinart had just two buttons: start/stop and pulse. Both food processors were great. It just comes down to what you prefer.”— Tom's Guide
pros & cons
[+] what's great
- +Straightforward two-button design (pulse and continuous) is intuitive and reliable
- +Large 14-cup capacity handles most household prep tasks
- +Scored above average in all testing including chopping, mincing, grating, shredding, and slicing
- +Sturdy base doesn't move during operation, making it stable and safe
- +Straight-edged bowl design makes it easy to scrape and clean
- +Affordable at $200-$250, making it accessible for most budgets
[-] what's not
- -Slightly tricky to assemble and disassemble the slicing and shredding attachments
- -Didn't puree canned tomatoes 100% smoothly—average performance on purees
- -No storage case included for accessories
- -Less powerful motor (720W) than premium models means slightly longer processing times
