To fuck or to cook?

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
Are they all basically the same? Anything I should look for? I'm going to get one for Mr. Man this month (exciting gift, I know) and I want to make sure not to get a sucker's food processor. I assume that we would be using it to process food in fairly standard sorts of ways. Nothing fancy.

Ps. If anyone has any good gift suggestions for the guy who has everything he wants, shoot me a PM.

bacon of the month club.

[Fugee]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
Are they all basically the same? Anything I should look for? I'm going to get one for Mr. Man this month (exciting gift, I know) and I want to make sure not to get a sucker's food processor. I assume that we would be using it to process food in fairly standard sorts of ways. Nothing fancy.

Ps. If anyone has any good gift suggestions for the guy who has everything he wants, shoot me a PM.

I have a Kitchen Aid now. I reocmmend it for Mr. Man -- not even a Cheesehead could screw it up!!!!

My previous food processor was another brand that didn't have enough ooomph to do the normal stuff and the motor would start to smell like it was burning.

[tmdiva]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
Cuisinarts at least are on sale at bloomingdale's right now -- Kitchenaid may be as well; I didn't notice. Don't know how bloomindale's sale prices compare to e.g. BB&B (or whatever) regular prices.

I have a Cuisinart and I absolutely could not live without it. I don't think the feed tube/safety lock thing should be a dealkiller (older model Cuisinarts like mine have a big feed tube that has to be locked to run, and a smaller one that can be removed while the machine is running)--I don't use mine for a lot of slicing or grating. A mandoline is better for slicing (I use a cheapie I got at Target for about $10, and it works great), and a Microplane or box grater work better for all but the biggest grating jobs (I only use the Cuisinart for grating when it's carrots for carrot cake). When I need to add things while the machine is running, it's usually a clove or two (or three) of garlic or a drizzle of olive oil, and the small removable feed tube is plenty big for that.

I do second the recommendation for another work bowl--I only use it a couple of times a year, but it's great especially if I'm using the machine for two dishes with incompatible flavors.

tm

[Sparklehorse]

Originally posted by tmdiva
I have a Cuisinart and I absolutely could not live without it. I don't think the feed tube/safety lock thing should be a dealkiller (older model Cuisinarts like mine have a big feed tube that has to be locked to run, and a smaller one that can be removed while the machine is running)--I don't use mine for a lot of slicing or grating. A mandoline is better for slicing (I use a cheapie I got at Target for about $10, and it works great), and a Microplane or box grater work better for all but the biggest grating jobs (I only use the Cuisinart for grating when it's carrots for carrot cake). When I need to add things while the machine is running, it's usually a clove or two (or three) of garlic or a drizzle of olive oil, and the small removable feed tube is plenty big for that.

I do second the recommendation for another work bowl--I only use it a couple of times a year, but it's great especially if I'm using the machine for two dishes with incompatible flavors.

I also have an older Cuisinart and I use it a lot. So much so that the blade had gotten pretty dull and I just bought a replacement blade within the last month. The safety lock feature is also on the model I have. It can be hard to close sometimes and I've noticed through the years that it confuses people who are not familiar with it.

I use my slicer blade a lot for shredding potatoes, cabbage and cheese. I also use it to slice potatoes for an au gratin. I just recently got a mandoline (last Christmas) and it's great for thinner slicing but the Cuisinart does perfect thicker slices too.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Sparklehorse

I use my slicer blade a lot for shredding potatoes, cabbage and cheese.

I once used the cuisinart to shred cheese. That sucker can shred some cheese! Like a whole pound in five seconds. Of course, I'm still eating that shredded cheese.

[nononono]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
I once used the cuisinart to shred cheese. That sucker can shred some cheese! Like a whole pound in five seconds. Of course, I'm still eating that shredded cheese.

For a smaller, less expensive processor, would the recommended brands remain the same? Or is it a waste of time in terms of loss of function to go smaller?

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by nononono
For a smaller, less expensive processor, would the recommended brands remain the same? Or is it a waste of time in terms of loss of function to go smaller?

I have the basic cuisinart, which I've been happy with (although I've read the praise for the Kitchenaid). My recollection in doing research was that the bigger/more expensive ones basically just gave you more capacity and an appropriate increase in power. They didn't really have additional features, other than the ability to do "more" at once. I've never found my basic one to be underpowered, although on occasion I wouldn't have minded more capacity.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by nononono
For a smaller, less expensive processor, would the recommended brands remain the same? Or is it a waste of time in terms of loss of function to go smaller?

What's your base point? The mini-preps, even the deluxe mini-prep, is a totally different animal from the regular-sized ones. Unless you are cooking huge quantities of food regularly, no reason to go with a big one. You can always dump the processor bowl contents into another container or onto a plate and run the rest of whatever it is.

This is making me think of latkes. Mmmmmm, latkes.

[Cletus Miller]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
What's your base point? The mini-preps, even the deluxe mini-prep, is a totally different animal from the regular-sized ones. Unless you are cooking huge quantities of food regularly, no reason to go with a big one. You can always dump the processor bowl contents into another container or onto a plate and run the rest of whatever it is.

2, except as to the huge quantities, regularly--I don't think that infrequent use should cause one to get a smaller appliance. If you want a mini-prep sized processor, I would stick with Cuisinart or Kitchen-Aid, tho there might be something else worthwhile I am not thinking of. Also, generally speaking, the cheaper manufacturers make crap, so if what you want is a slightly smaller food processor, I'd still go with Cuisinart or Kitchenaid, in the 7-cup size.

etf something that made no sense

[bold_n_brazen]

Originally posted by Sparklehorse
I also have an older Cuisinart and I use it a lot. So much so that the blade had gotten pretty dull and I just bought a replacement blade within the last month. The safety lock feature is also on the model I have. It can be hard to close sometimes and I've noticed through the years that it confuses people who are not familiar with it.

I use my slicer blade a lot for shredding potatoes, cabbage and cheese. I also use it to slice potatoes for an au gratin. I just recently got a mandoline (last Christmas) and it's great for thinner slicing but the Cuisinart does perfect thicker slices too.

I practically sliced my thumb off with an older Cuisinart.

Which was completely, I admit, operator error.

I've not gotten a new food processor since that unfortunate trip to the ER.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by bold_n_brazen
I practically sliced my thumb off with an older Cuisinart.

I have done that, but only while trying to wash the blade. I'm not sure what can really do, though, with sharp things. The plastic dough blade doesn't quite cut it (sts).

[tmdiva]

Originally posted by Cletus Miller
2, except as to the huge quantities, regularly--I don't think that infrequent use should cause one to get a smaller appliance. If you want a mini-prep sized processor, I would stick with Cuisinart or Kitchen-Aid, tho there might be something else worthwhile I am not thinking of. Also, generally speaking, the cheaper manufacturers make crap, so if what you want is a slightly smaller food processor, I'd still go with Cuisinart or Kitchenaid, in the 7-cup size.

I actually don't believe in the 7-cup size. I think it would unnecessarily limiting in terms of what you can cook. I am mostly cooking for just 2 adults and two kids and the 11-cup size is pretty much never too big. The 7-cup size, though, would definitely be too small for making, say, pita bread (a must!! If you have a Cuisinart and a baking stone, it's an hour from start to finish and exponentially better than store-bought), or even a big batch of hummus.

I have a mini-prep, but I use it on average biannually, and never just for chopping. Maybe if I had the counter space to keep it out I would use it more often, but I usually find it simpler to just use the chef's knife and a cutting board for small amounts.

tm

[Cletus Miller]

Originally posted by tmdiva
I actually don't believe in the 7-cup size. I think it would unnecessarily limiting in terms of what you can cook.

I agree completely, except in the case where the alternative to a 7-cup Cuisinart or KA is some Oster (or similar) POS, regardless of its size.

I have a mini-prep, but I use it on average biannually, and never just for chopping. Maybe if I had the counter space to keep it out I would use it more often, but I usually find it simpler to just use the chef's knife and a cutting board for small amounts.

tm

I also use the mini-prep v. infrequently--have to wash it each time it comes out to remove the dust.

[Alex_de_Large]

Originally posted by Cletus Miller
Do not get sucked in to anything other than a Cuisinart or a Kitchenaid. We have a Cuisinart, which is fine, but if I were buying now, I'd probably get a Kitchenaid, as they do not have the one design flaw (thin piece of plastic necessary for the thing to work) that the Cuisinart has.

I couldn't disagree more strongly. After destroying our cuisinart (long story involving storage in an oven), we bought a kitchenaid processor. That thing was so shitty that I sent it back to the company: I didn't ask for a refund, I just wanted to be rid of the thing. What killed me was the relative weakness of the motor: things like dough would bog it down. Shredding cheese brought the thing to a complete standstill.

We replaced the piece of shit with this Cuisinart model and haven't looked back.

[Alex_de_Large]

Originally posted by nononono
For a smaller, less expensive processor, would the recommended brands remain the same? Or is it a waste of time in terms of loss of function to go smaller?

We got the Magic Bullett as a gift: turns out it's the perfect tool for making baby food.