Kitchen machines are true all-rounders: they facilitate the occasionally unpleasant kitchen work and thus give the „chef“ more time for other things. Whether stirring, beating and kneading, chopping, cutting and grating or grinding, whisking and pureeing – depending on the design and accessories, the food processor offers individual basic functions or delights its owner as a true all-rounder. This guide provides important tips for buying such a kitchen appliance!

About the basic equipment and possible extras of a food processor

Which functions should the new food processor fulfill? Before you buy, you have to answer this question for yourself. Relatively simple models that can beat, knead and stir are now available at comparatively low prices. If the device is also to take over the work of chopping and mixing ingredients, it requires appropriate attachments and accessories. Of course, more extensive versions require a slightly deeper handle in the wallet. Basically you can say that Food Processors the more functions they bring, the more expensive they become. The variety ranges from downright luxury machines, which can be beyond the basic skills to ice crushern, meat mincers, juicers or pasta makers.

Practical functions to facilitate the cooking process

The timer is one of the most recommended features of a food processor. If one is integrated, the device stops automatically after the pre-set time. Furthermore, you should have a look at the Mixing bowltoss. It is ideally made of glass, so that you can better monitor from the outside, for example, how far advanced is the beating or Knetakt. Even a cable compartment proves to be advantageous, it facilitates the stowage of the food processor in closetbut immense. To prefer are always models, which are divided into many parts and in the dishwasherare washable.

Valuable tips for engine performance and the right machine size

The performance of the machine motor should conform to the intended use. If you only want to whip cream or shred vegetables with the device, you are well served with 500 to 700 watts. But if you make higher demands on the food processor (meat grinder, ice crusheretc.), 1,000 to 1,500 watts are recommended. Models with such a high engine output should have a so-called „soft start“. Otherwise the machine could be damaged if that agitatorstarts directly powerfully and experiences high resistance through the ingredients in the mixing bowl. The correct size of the kitchen appliance or the mixing bowl depends mainly on the number of people who are to be cooked. A spacious bowl is only useful for a large household. The rule of thumb is one liter per person.

Safety first – even with the food processor

With its powerful agitator, sharp knives and pointed dough hooks, this versatile kitchen helper definitely poses a risk of injury. In this respect, one should give preference to a device that integrates various security measures. It is best to start cutting or chopping only when the mixing bowl is firmly seated, and it houses an emergency stop function so that the machine stops immediately when you remove the lid. Also important are overheating and overload protection, so that the device shuts down in the event of hot running. Finally, the food processor should be heavy according to their size. This is the only way to ensure a stable position. A word on the materials: Metal housings are higher quality and safer than plastic counterparts.

Add-on accessories and spare parts

If possible, you should Food Processors preferred manufacturer prefer. In this way, it is usually easy to find suitable accessories and spare parts for the respective model if necessary. Although low-priced devices from the discounter are tempting. In the end, they often bring a financial disadvantage. Apart from the fact that they are commonly functionally inferior. For a first-class food processor, which has a variety of functions, you may pay several hundred euros. What seems to be excessively expensive at first sight is put into perspective on closer inspection: the one-time investment in a food processor saves the purchase of many individual appliances.

Conclusion

Food processors facilitate food and beverage preparation. Depending on what you (can) do with the device, there are simple versions with the most important basic functions or complex (r) models with several practical extras to choose from!