Are you thinking about buying a food processor that you can rely on for years to come? Thinking about getting more creative in the kitchen? A food processor is an amazing tool for creating a huge variety of dishes and recipes with very minimal effort. You can slice just about anything, from large quantities of vegetables to blocks of cheese, within just a few seconds. If you’re on a budget, don’t worry! There are several steps you can take to find the best food processor under 100 and still receive a great product without sacrificing quality.
Why Should I Invest in a Food Processor?
Even if you don’t really like cooking, a food processor is still a great tool to be used by both home chefs and beginners. Here’s why:
They’re easy to use. While function and features can vary depending on the type of food processor you’re using, they’re fairly easy to use. As long as you know the basics, it’s as simple as putting in the food and turning on the power button. All you have to learn is how to properly prepare ingredients for chopping and figure out what kind of chopping or cutting consistency you need for your recipe.
They can help you be healthier. Even if you’ve made an effort to clean up your diet, there are probably a few less-healthy things you still buy from the store for convenience. For example, salad dressings (even the “healthy” kind) can contain extra sugar or additives that you could avoid if you made the dressings yourself. With a food processor, you can control exactly what goes into the recipe and still get the chunky or creamy consistency you get with store-bought products.
They can help you save money. Again, having a food processor allows you to make things from scratch that you would otherwise buy at the store. Instead of paying more for pre-packed items, you can buy basic, wholesome ingredients and create your own dishes for less cost and more quantity.
What Can I Use a Food Processor For?
Food processors can be used for so much more than making baby food or crushing crackers! Here are just a few homemade things that you can make with your food processor:
Sauces for dipping and salads. No more buying fattening dressings or expensive dips; make them yourself with a food processor! Make hummus, flavorful salad dressings, salsas, guacamole, condiments, pesto, curry paste, and so much more with your food processor quickly and healthfully. To learn how to make homemade Caesar salad dressing with a food processor.
Nut butters. If you love nut butter, such as peanut or almond butter, why not make your own? Using a food processor, you can make nut butters from scratch without any added sugar. To learn how to make simple homemade peanut butter in only 5 minutes using a food processor.
Ice cream and shakes. Craving cold treats late at night when the store is closed? Why not make your own ice cream using a food processor? Using ingredients like frozen banana, Greek yogurt, and various flavorings, you can make delicious ice creams and shakes without the added calories. Don’t forget to chop up some nuts for a topping! To learn how to make five different types of ice cream with a food processor.
Churning butters and eggs. Have you always wanted to make your own butter? With some heavy cream in a food processor, you can do that in just a few simple steps.
Grinding meat. That’s right, you can make your own hamburger, sausages, and meatballs using a food processor! All you have to do is buy whole pieces of the type of meat cuts you want and grind them yourself to make your very own custom meat dishes without any preservatives.
The Best Food Processor Under 100: Features to Look For
Power and wattage. Just like with blenders, the wattage of a food processor will determine how powerful it is when chopping and slicing different types of foods. For harder ingredients such as frozen fruit, nuts, and fibrous vegetables, you’re going to need more power and a higher wattage.
Blade design. The type of blade in your food processor is important when it comes to successfully processing different sorts of foods. For example, some types of blades are better for cutting finer ingredients, while others can chop up larger, bulkier foods. Look for food processors with multiple cutting blade options if you’re hoping to make lots of different types of recipes.
Capacity and size. Food processors come in different sizes, including single-serve minis and 5 or even 10 cup capacities. Higher capacity generally means higher price, size, and weight. If like to cook in larger quantity, look for food processors with a 7-cup quantity or more.
Overall durability. If you want a high-quality food processor, you need one that is made with strong materials and a sturdy overall design. A food processor can have several different parts, so it’s important that all of these parts work together without the risk of easily breaking after a couple of uses. Look for stainless steel products with solid, functional design.
Cleanup. If you’re on the go a lot, taking extra time to clean can be a hassle. You’ll want to get a food processor that doesn’t easily trap food under the blades and is dishwasher safe.
Extra features. Keep an eye out for extra features, such as dual-purpose lids, side-scrapers, extra blades, and so on.
Reviews Of 5 Best Food Processors Under 100 Consumer Ratings & Reports
1. Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Food Processor
When I saw the many positive reviews for this food processor, I knew that it was something I wanted to invest in. It has a whopping 10-cup capacity, which I was really shocked to see given how affordable this food processor was when I bought it!
I love the design of this food processor. It’s simple and sleek, nothing too complicated and it’s super easy to use. The best part is that it has scrapers that clean up the side of the bowl. I hate sticking a spatula in anything near blades, so this was a really neat feature for me!
I do wish that this food processor had a higher wattage; it’s only 450 watts. It still does its job, cutting things like nuts, meat, herbs, bread, and so on. One small issue I’ve had is that the knob for the two speeds can sometimes be easily changed from one speed to another when it’s processing. Overall, this is a great decent-sized and affordable blender with good power for most recipes.
Pros
- Simple and compact
- Good capacity
- Scrapers for cleaning
Cons
- Average wattage
- Sensitive speed adjustment
2. Ninja Express Chop (NJ11OGR)
I personally love the Ninja brand, especially my Nutri Ninja Pro, so when I saw that they had a little food processor, I knew I had to buy it. Overall, I’m happy with this food processor, although it’s extremely basic.
The Ninja Express Chop is adorable, but it only has 200-watt power. It can chop a lot of smaller ingredients, such as garlic, herbs, nuts, and wet foods. For larger ingredients like cabbage or frozen bananas, I have to spend extra time pre-chopping.
One thing I really love about this little food chopper is that it’s so small and simple; it fits well in my little kitchen and gets the job done for the basics. It’s designed really well and the splash guard can also be used as a storage lid. I wouldn’t recommend this for someone looking to chop larger foods in big portions.
Pros
- Small and compact
- Simple, easy-to-use design
- Great for the basics
Cons
- Small capacity
- Low wattage
3. KitchenAid KFP0711CU 7 Cup Food Processor
I was initially attracted to the speed options and overall design of this food processor. Although it was more expensive than many of its competitors, it was still under $100 and had all the basics I was looking for. It has a 7 cup capacity, which is really useful for making large batches of ingredients in one go. It also has some custom options for slicing, shredding, and speed. It comes with a locking system to prevent leaking, which is useful if you tend to make a mess.
My biggest complaint is that it’s only 320 watts and not as powerful as I expected when it comes to chopping most things. The design seems to cause food to get caught up in the tube quite often, so that’s been an issue when chopping things like cheese. I only recommend this if you like the capacity and extra features.
Pros
- Good capacity
- 2-in-1 feed tubes
- UltraTight Seal locking system
Cons
- Average/low wattage
- Poor design
4. Cuisinart DLC-10SY Pro Classic 7-Cup Food Processor
I had heard that Cuisinart was a fairly good brand, so I decided to purchase this food processor because it had a 7-cup capacity, which is great for me because I like to make things in larger portions to have leftovers.
This food processor came with lots of extra features, including a detachable disc stem, a flat cover, spatula, and even a recipe book. With all these extras, I feel like I can make anything with this food processor, including bread. I’m really impressed with the extra-large feed tube because it allows me to put in whole fruits and vegetables without the need to do lots of chopping beforehand. It’s super powerful (for the price) with a 600-watt motor.
This food processor is pretty heavy and it takes up a fair amount of room on my counter, so it may not be best for someone in a dorm or small apartment.
Pros
- Good capacity
- Lots of extra features
- High wattage
Cons
- Heavy
- Many small parts
5. Black and Decker FP6010 Performance Dicing Food Processor
Based on the price and hype for the brand, I had a lot of high expectations for this food processor. I wanted something really heavy duty that could chop anything I wanted without very much effort. I was lured in by the 800-watt motor along with the additional attachments. I also liked that it came with two workbowls so I wouldn’t have to get stuck with one size. I also liked that it had a storage case to help me keep things more organized in the kitchen.
Unfortunately I’ve had a lot of trouble with food getting left over on the disc, especially cheese. This makes cleaning it kind of difficult which isn’t ideal if you’re someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen after the cooking is over. Also, there’s no fine shredding option and the motor sometimes gives off a burning smell.
Pros
- Compact storage case
- High wattage
- Lots of extra features
Cons
- May have burning smell/heating issues
- Hard to clean/food gets stuck
What is the Best Food Processor Under 100?
If you’re looking for overall functionality, convenience, and reliability, then look no further than the Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Food Processor. This processor has it all, including a fairly powerful 450 watt motor with a capacity for ten cups and additional scrapers for faster cleanup. For under $100, I definitely recommend Hamilton Beach to anyone looking for an affordable yet large-capacity food processor.
If you’re willing to pay extra for a little more power, you might also consider the Cuisinart DLC-10SY Pro Classic 7-Cup Food Processor. This is a sturdy food processor that comes with lots of extra features and 600 watts of power.
Clearly, there are plenty of awesome options when shopping for the best food processor under 100. It’s just a matter of finding something well-designed with enough power depending on how much and how often you’ll be using it.