When I first discovered the joys of using a Food Processor, it was during my early years of parenting when my children were still very needy of my continual time and attention. Even though I had a lot of trepidation before making this big purchase, soon it became my favorite kitchen appliance. Read on to learn more about my thought process journey on how I decided to make this mega purchase.
The Impetus
As a parent I was always looking for ways to not only feed the family healthy and nutritious meals and snacks while also trying to keep costs down. Sure, the market was already ripe with plenty of organic, natural pre-made food choices but the cost of procuring them quickly adds up. It was at this juncture that I looked into creating our own bountiful supply of healthy alternatives for my young growing kids. And soon I discovered that the food processor would come in handy to prepare a number of these.
The Research
So I began my research. I looked into the plethora of options that were out there.
1. Pricing
I compared prices. And there was a huge range. You could easily pick up a small handy dandy food processor for around $20 or invest in a more luxurious one for over $500. The question was, how much was this worth it for me and how much could we afford.
2. Features
I compared features. The more basic ones just did the standard functions of chopping, dicing, mixing etc. But the more complete ones included tools for slicing, grating and kneading. Then there was the matter of power as well. The more powerful the motor, you can do the more powerful tasks. The weaker the motor, it may not be up for the tasks you wanted it to perform. And I decided I wanted something with a decent amount of power to crush frozen foods but did not need the maximum wattage of power available for a food processor.
3. Size
Then there was the matter of size. I had to really weigh the pros and cons of the size. Smaller the size, it would be easier to store and clean. But the larger the capacity, the fewer batches I’d have to run. Of course size also factored into the motor power as well….larger equipment had more power to them. Ultimately size was a non-factor for me because if I needed it for other reasons, I would make the space for storing it.
The Decision
Keeping all the above in mind, to help me with my decision making, I made a list of recipes for which the Food Processor can be used, what would be features I’d use, how often I would potentially use them…etc. I calculated costs. And eventually I decided that it was worth it to invest in a powerful multi-purpose processor that was larger and versatile enough to handle any number of tasks. I decided to invest one with a good brand name, high reviews and was in the mid-high range in terms of pricing which was around $250 at that time.
Pictured below is my Cusinart (120v, 80hz) which came with:
- 12 cup work bowl
- 4 cup work howl (great for smaller jobs)
- 2 heavy duty blades to fit each of the work bowls
- Dough blade
- Slicer with 7 settings
- Grater with 2 settings
The Verdict
And today, after 10-11 years of good use…and still going strong, I can say, I am 100% satisfied in this purchase and have zero regrets with the decision. So, if you are on the fence about getting one, hope my journey can help guide your decision as well.
Stay tuned for future posts where I plan to share all the many ways I use the food processor for.
Jubila 365 