Nowadays, many in-one kitchen appliances are on the rise. Quarantine days have brought us closer to kitchen appliances like food processors, as restaurants now have many operating restrictions. So, a question arises if a food processor is worth buying.
With an attachment of a blender, a food processor is worth it because it saves space, time, and money buying a chopper, grinder, etc. On the other hand, if you have a little higher budget, a blender food processor combo can be your best kitchen companion.
What is a Food Processor?
A multitaskable electric kitchen appliance used for chopping, pureeing, blending, pulverizing etc., is called a food processor. Food processor contains different blades that can be used for different operations. Usually, a food processor can do whisking cream, slicing etc. free handedly.
Price may vary from feature to feature. So let’s check before you buy it.
What are the Features of a Food Processor?
Powerful motor: a powerful motor ensures the chopping and slicing of the food processor. Strong the motor of a food processor is, the better service it provides. The basic food processor motor is ranged between 400 to 1000 watts. But one should look for at least 450 watt.
Capacity: These depend on which features you’re going to use in a food processor. Larger than 2 liters models with widened feed tubes can process a comparatively large amount of food. On the other hand, 1.3 to 2 liters are lighter and small. As a result, liquids can be processed at half the aforementioned capacity.
Multiple bowls: Alongside the main bowl, there should be a handy mini bowl or midi bowl to grind nuts, coffee bins etc., as it’s a multipurpose appliance.
Wide feeding tube: A wide feeding tube can contain the whole item like potatoes, gingers etc.
Dishwasher safe: electric appliances should be dishwasher safe.
Some attachments with a food processor will give you extra services:
- Knife for chopping
- Knife for french fries
- Mixer bowl for mixing
- Disc knife
- Dough blade for kneading dough
- Citrus press for juicing fruits
- Blender bowl and blender blade
- Whisker
These are the most common and valuable attachments. You should look for attachments depending on what type of cooking you’re going to do.
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What can a food processor do?
A food processor can do the following things;
- Knead pizza or yeast dough
- Cut veggies, potatoes etc.
- Extract juice form vegetables and fruits
- Beat sauce, cream etc.
- Grind coffee, nuts
- Mix milkshake etc.
- Smoothies(only if provided with proper attachment of blender with a food processor)
- Make pizza, hummus, soup, salad, etc.
- Grind tough meat.
Do I Need a Food Processor if you have a blender?
At 1st, you should know what a blender is and its functions and features.
What is a Blender?
A kitchen and laboratory appliance mainly contains a bowl and motor to make a puree, smoothies, milkshakes, etc., liquidize semi-solid fruits, vegetables, etc.
What are the Features of a Blender?
- Motor base: blender has a motor base, and generally, it’s between 200 to 400 watts varying from price to price
- Size: blender varies from 2 to 15 cups. If your kitchen space is small, then the single-serving bowl is good for you; if you want to prep your meal for a large family, consider the larger bowl blenders.
- Speed: Between 3 to 10 settings is the average blender speed
Attachments:
- Personal cups: personal cups are suitable if most of the cooking is for one person
- Chopping bowls: If this is attached, chop and mix like a food processor
- Coffee grinder: though grinding something solid isn’t suitable for the blender as it’s mostly for liquid things, if you prefer extra services, you should look for an attachment
Then the most important question arises. What can a blender do? These are the following ;
- Sauce and dressing for pesto, salsa, vinaigrettes etc.
- Make ice cream base and milkshake
- Smoothies and frozen drink
- Make homemade nut butter like peanut butter, or almond
- Grinding fishes and shrimp
- Make pancake and muffin batter
What to avoid: The more solid a food is, the more likely a blender will overheat, knead the dough, grind tough meat, extract juice etc. A food processor can provide these services. Only light and liquid things can go well with blenders
Is a Food Processor worth it?
A food processor is a heavy duty kitchen appliance that can handle solid things like nuts, coffee beans, pizza dough etc. On the other hand, a blender can go well with liquid or semi-solid things.
However, a blender will overheat if solid things are put into it. So food processor has some extra advantages.
My personal opinion is a food processor can do almost all the things a blender can do with attachments. But after taking a look at similarities and dissimilarities, you decide whether h a food processor is worth it or not.
What is the Difference Between a food Processor and a Blender?
At 1st, look at what a food processor and blender can do and can’t:
Food Processor & Blender
| Food Processor | Blender | |
|---|---|---|
| Soup: | Capable | Best |
| Smoothies: | No | Best |
| Dressing: | Capable | Best |
| Nut butter: | Best | OK |
| Grinding meat: | Capable | No |
| Mincing veg: | Best | No |
| Dough mixing: | Best | No |
| Extracting juice: | Capable | No |
| Crushing ice: | Capable | Best |
| Grating cheese/spices: | Best | Capable |
| Whipping cream: | Capable | No |
Differences Between food Processor and Blender in Operating
As we can see, a blender has a lid over it, and it shouldn’t be left alone while operating; the lid can fly off. A food processor isn’t needed to stick around while it’s working.
Blender has only one button, a food processor two different buttons depending on if you want to chop or blend anything. Also, a blender has its jar attached to the base, but a food processor jar has to be attached by you.
So obviously, there are some differences between food processors and blenders in cooking services and using methods.
Is Blender Food Processor Combo Worth it?
What is included in the Blender food processor combo and its features?
Ablender food processor combo is a two in one. If you are running low on kitchen storage, it’s perfect for you. A food processor blender combo can do these things
- Crushing ice
- Making smoothies/shakes
- Chop vegetables
- Kneading pizza/bread dough
- Making hot chocolate
- Blending frozen fruits
- Grinding nuts
- Extracting juice
You should keep in mind that you have to read the manual before buying cause various FP blender combo provides multiple services.
Blender vs food processor combo:
- Blender has a comparatively small jar than FP blender combo. It has a huge jar as well as e bowl
- Blender can’t knead the dough, a combo can
- Blender can’t extract juices from veggies and fruits, but a combo can
- Blender is especially good at liquid and semi-solid things, but a combo can deal with hard things like tough meat as it has a huge bowl.
Food processor vs food processor blender combo:
- Food processors can’t make smoothies, shakes etc., but a combo can
- A food processor usually has one bowl except a blender jar attached, but a food processor combo have a jar and a bowl
- A food processor can’t work properly without attachment, but a food processor combo can without attachment.
So a food processor combo is obviously worth it cause it serves two in one, especially if someone runs low on space.
Should you get a blender or food processor, or food processor combo?
You should at 1st look at the comparison between these items. If you mostly want to cook liquid or semi-solid things, you should look for a blender.
For example, blenders aren’t good at slicing and chopping things, and food processors aren’t good at crushing ice and making milkshakes. A food processor blender combo can do both of these things with attachments. Let’s look at these comparisons.
Comparison Between food processor and food processor combo:
Blender vs food processor:
Food processor:
- Price:30$ to 750$
- Overall score:35 to 81
- Capacity:3 to 18 cups
- Weight: 5 to 20 pounds
Blender:
- Price: 25$ to 650$
- Overall score:25 to 87
- Capacity:4 to 9 cups
- Weight: 4 to 10 pounds
Food Processor vs Blender Food Processor Combo
Food processor combo:
- Price:100$ to 500$
- Item weight: 10 to 13 pounds
- Voltage:100 to 140 voltage
- Motor base:1000 to 1300 watt
- Dimension:7 L ×9W×18H
Food processor:
- Price: 30$ to 250$
- Item weight: 6 to 8 pounds
- Voltage:100 to 450 watt
- Motor base:300 to 600
- Dimension:5L × 8W× 12 H
Conclusion:
As we can see from the article, the food processor, blender and food processor combo has different features. A food processor goes well with slicing, grinding, chopping, etc.
But not so well with liquid or semi-solid things like smoothies and milkshakes. Blender doesn’t go well with slicing and chopping but with liquid things.
On the other hand, a food processor blender combo with attachment can operate well liquid things and chopping things.
So anyone running low on space can look forward to own a blender food processor combo.