The Cuisinart Custom 14 Cup is our top pick, named best by both Tom's Guide and America's Test Kitchen, with the Hamilton Beach 70730 for tight budgets and the Breville Sous Chef 16 for people who want every attachment.
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Our top picks
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#1 · Best overall
Cuisinart Custom 14 Cup (DFP-14BCNY)
★★★★★4.5(15,315)
Most home cooks who want one dependable, quiet full-size machine
Both Tom's Guide and America's Test Kitchen name it their top pick. Tom's Guide measured just 65.2 dB, far quieter than the 79.2 dBA of the Magimix 14 Cup, and sliced a whole russet potato in two seconds and shredded cheddar in 10.
Pros
Very quiet for its size
Powerful enough for dough
Extra-large feed chute
Simple and easy to clean
Cons
Only one power setting
Heavy
No mini bowl
America's Test Kitchen notes a redesigned blade left slightly bigger gaps, so it could not make a single-batch mayonnaise
Skip it if: You only chop a little at a time and want something small
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#2 · Best buy (America's Test Kitchen)
Cuisinart Pro Custom 11 (DLC-8SY)
★★★★★4.4(3,500)
Cooks who want near-winner performance for a bit less money
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy and a slightly smaller sibling of its winner. It shares the neat shape, precise processing and simple controls, and it aced chopping, slicing and shredding.
Pros
Compact and powerful
Handled a double batch of pizza dough
Easy-clean flat lid
Cheaper than the 14-cup
Cons
Slightly less powerful and smaller than the 14-cup
The pusher is attached to a sleeve, so cleaning is a little fussier
Skip it if: You regularly make very large batches
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#3 · Best value
Hamilton Beach Bowl Scraper 10 Cup (70730)
Budget shoppers who want a capable, no-frills processor
Tom's Guide's best-value and budget pick. Its 450W motor chopped an onion in three seconds and grated cheddar in five, making it one of the fastest machines tested, and it handled sticky cookie dough with no strain.
Pros
Convenient bowl scraper
Fast chopping and grating
Large feed chute
Low price
Cons
Very loud at 93.9 dB
Limited attachments
The scraper stops about an inch from the bottom
Light body rocks a little with dough
Skip it if: You are sensitive to noise
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#4 · Most versatile
Breville Paradice 9
★★★★★4.2(129)
People who want one machine to replace a mandoline and other gadgets
Tom's Guide's most versatile pick. All its attachments, including a dicing kit, adjustable slicer and dough blade, store inside the main bowl, which keeps a small kitchen tidy.
Pros
Storage-friendly with all attachments
Easy to use and clean
Solid and well made
Adjustable slicing blade
Cons
Expensive
Food can get stuck in the dicing attachment
Skip it if: You only need basic chopping on a budget
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#5 · Upgrade pick
Breville Sous Chef 16
★★★★★4.6(190)
Keen cooks with counter space who will use the extras
America's Test Kitchen's upgrade pick for people who want every attachment. It comes with a 2.5-cup mini bowl, a french fry slicer and an adjustable slicer, and a dicing kit is available separately.
Pros
Very powerful and fast
Large accessory set
Clear markings on the base and bowl
Relatively quiet for its size
Cons
Pricey
Multi-part blades are a bit annoying to assemble
The lid has nooks that need detailed cleaning
Skip it if: You want a simple, small machine
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#6 · Most durable (Tom's Guide)
Magimix Food Processor 14 Cup
★★★★★4.3(37)
Serious cooks who want a long-lasting machine and have space for it
Tom's Guide's most durable pick. It is built in France with a 30-year motor warranty and a 950W motor that sliced a potato in four seconds and handled cookie dough well, and a three-bowl system (6, 12 and 14 cups) lets you process a whole recipe without washing.
Pros
Built to last
Handles large and small jobs
Three-bowl system
Powerful motor
Cons
Only Auto and Pulse settings
Large, with a bulky storage case
Much louder than the Cuisinart in Tom's Guide's test (79.2 dBA)
America's Test Kitchen found uneven chopping and shredding
Skip it if: You have a small kitchen or want top all-round results
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#7 · Most compact
KitchenAid Cordless Top Down Food Chopper
★★★★★4.4(29)
Small kitchens and cooks who only chop small amounts
Tom's Guide's most compact pick, a 3.5-cup cordless chopper that is light, portable and easy to tuck into a drawer. It made fresh salsa in under 10 seconds with three pulses and minced a carrot in seconds.
Pros
Compact and cordless
Fast chopping
Easy to store and clean
Battery fits the KitchenAid Go range
Cons
No pouring spout
Only one blade option
Not ideal for purees
Chops can be uneven
Skip it if: You want to slice, shred or knead dough
How to choose
Pick the right capacity. America's Test Kitchen thinks 11 cups or more is the most useful size for most home cooks, since it can chop, slice and knead small and large amounts.
Check the noise. Tom's Guide measured 65.2 dB on the Cuisinart 14 Cup and 93.9 dB on the Hamilton Beach, so budget models can be much louder.
You rarely need every accessory. America's Test Kitchen says most tasks need only chopping, slicing and shredding blades, and extra attachments add cost, storage and cleaning.
Look for a responsive pulse button. America's Test Kitchen says a short, quick pulse gives you control over chop size and avoids over-processing.
FAQ
What is the best food processor overall?
Both Tom's Guide and America's Test Kitchen pick the Cuisinart Custom 14 Cup.
What is the best cheap food processor?
Tom's Guide picks the Hamilton Beach Bowl Scraper 10 Cup, which it says costs under $60, but it is very loud.
Is there a good small option?
Tom's Guide picks the KitchenAid Cordless Top Down Food Chopper, a 3.5-cup cordless chopper that is not suited to purees.
Is a food processor with more attachments worth it?
America's Test Kitchen recommends the Breville Sous Chef 16 only if you will use the extras and have the space and budget.
Picks come from Tom's Guide (food processor guide updated May 15, 2026, which sliced, shredded, chopped, pureed and measured noise) and America's Test Kitchen (published Aug 4, 2026, which tested models on chopping, shredding, slicing, emulsifying and dough). Both name the Cuisinart Custom 14 Cup their top pick. Assumptions: Prices change often, so we quote what each source showed and tell you to check the current price. Where the two sources disagree, we say so, for example on the Magimix. We left out the KitchenAid 13 Cup, which Tom's Guide calls best for slicing but America's Test Kitchen recommends only with reservations.
