food processors?? os or not

moo842 · 7 March 2006 at 10:15PM

i'm looking at getting a food processor as i now do loads more cooking, do any of you use them are they any good and what would you recommend?

ChocClare · 7 March 2006 at 10:53PM

I used to have a huge and expensive magimix when they first came out. It cost about the same as an average family saloon at the time, I seem to recall! Anyway, it was too big, so it's been consigned to the cupboard and I only get it out when I'm feeding the five thousand. I replaced it with a cheapo cheapo Kenwood one (which was the cheapest Argos had at the time). It's brilliant. Make breadcrumbs. Grate cheese. Chop carrots and onions. Blend sauces. MAKE PASTRY!! "Rub butter into flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs" my foot! Never could do it - now make pastry in 30 seconds! Whizz up a cake mix for a traybake. Chop nuts. I could go on (and frequently do), but you get the picture. Get one that's easy to clean. Don't worry about loads of attachments. Use it every day!

seraphina · 7 March 2006 at 10:57PM

I have a smallish Bosch food processor - it's not a huge beast but it's bigger than the mini food processors. Its size means it fits on the worksurface nicely without me having to put it away in a cupboard for storage.

I love it - it's great for hummus, chopping lots of veg (onions for onion soup, cabbage for coleslaw) and also great for pastry. I also make a lot of curry pastes in it, as well as bean burger mixes.

I have a Kenwood Chef as well but no food processor attachment. I wouldn't be without either my chef or food processor!

moo842 · 7 March 2006 at 11:23PM

thanks, so you wouldn't recommend getting the best i can afford??

Icemaiden · 7 March 2006 at 11:27PM

I have a Phillips food processor which has been very well used and does everything ChocClare has mentioned, its a bit battered now, not surprising really as we got it for a wedding present nearly 16 years ago, still works a treat!!

VickyA_2 · 7 March 2006 at 11:33PM

I've got a cheap Kenwood one. Sounds very similar to the one that ChocClare
has - mine cost about £35 a couple of years ago. My mum stuck her nose up at it, but it's done me proud!

tootles_2 · 7 March 2006 at 11:33PM

I had a magimix which I sold, it was very heavy and too big for the two of us, I managed without until last week when I gave in and bought a Kenwood from Argos cost £25 and is perfectly adequate for the two of us, you might want to look for a slightly larger one if you are a family.

ChocClare · 7 March 2006 at 11:58PM

To be honest, as I say, my Kenwood fp was cheap as chips and it works very very well. If you get a reputable make and a decent (though not too large) size, then no, I don't think you do need to spend loads. My magimix was ASTONISHINGLY expensive - admittedly 20 years ago when they'd just come out (and I was rich!!) - but it's not noticeably better than the cheapo one. I might not buy an "own brand" one (or Yamahonduki as my husband calls generic Japanese makes you've never heard of!) unless someone on here's got one and can recommend it, but otherwise I'd say a food processor is a fairly vital bit of kit and they're all pretty good now.

squeaky · 8 March 2006 at 8:54AM

You'll have even more food for thought after you've browsed the older threads listed below:-

Blender / Food Processor - which should I buy?
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=135148

Do I need a food processor for baking?
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=71841

Food processors
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=100083

I need help with a food processor
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=34765

seraphina · 8 March 2006 at 9:58AM

I would second what others said - you don't need to spend a fortune. The Magimixes are around £200 IIRC but my Bosch cost £40 and is just fine.

HOLsale · 8 March 2006 at 10:28AM

ChocClare wrote:

It's brilliant. Make breadcrumbs. Grate cheese. Chop carrots and onions. Blend sauces. MAKE PASTRY!! "Rub butter into flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs" my foot! Never could do it - now make pastry in 30 seconds! !

just out of curiosity, HOW do you go about making the pastry in the kenwood?

i love making pies and have a piemaker that is so handy BUT i find that rubbing the butter into the pastry hurts my hands quite badly so i don't make it as often as i'd like to. which attachment do you use? i have a wee kenwood that i bought from a neighbour that was moving back to the states and i am actually disappointed with it

i thought kenwood was supposed to be a good name but this one struggles to shred cheese, even cheddar and even bread is a problem for it, sheesh! everything gets gummed up in the space between the shredding attachment and the lid... i suppose with bread crumbs i could just use the blade (though i've done that and it still takes ages) but with cheese that wouldn't work very well

it IS very useful for veg and if i'm doing a fair amount i'll use it as it saves loads of time

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food processors?? os or not

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